diff --git a/river/Cursor.zig b/river/Cursor.zig
index ca8745e..b710903 100644
--- a/river/Cursor.zig
+++ b/river/Cursor.zig
@@ -941,7 +941,7 @@ fn warp(self: *Self) void {
 }
 
 fn updateDragIcons(self: *Self) void {
-    var it = server.root.layers.drag_icons.children.iterator(.forward);
+    var it = server.root.drag_icons.children.iterator(.forward);
     while (it.next()) |node| {
         const icon = @intToPtr(*DragIcon, node.data);
 
diff --git a/river/DragIcon.zig b/river/DragIcon.zig
index bba55f2..979eb2c 100644
--- a/river/DragIcon.zig
+++ b/river/DragIcon.zig
@@ -36,7 +36,7 @@ unmap: wl.Listener(*wlr.Drag.Icon) = wl.Listener(*wlr.Drag.Icon).init(handleUnma
 commit: wl.Listener(*wlr.Surface) = wl.Listener(*wlr.Surface).init(handleCommit),
 
 pub fn create(wlr_drag_icon: *wlr.Drag.Icon) error{OutOfMemory}!void {
-    const tree = try server.root.layers.drag_icons.createSceneTree();
+    const tree = try server.root.drag_icons.createSceneTree();
     errdefer tree.node.destroy();
 
     const drag_icon = try util.gpa.create(DragIcon);
diff --git a/river/Root.zig b/river/Root.zig
index 01a2b10..1a57426 100644
--- a/river/Root.zig
+++ b/river/Root.zig
@@ -37,15 +37,20 @@ const ViewStack = @import("view_stack.zig").ViewStack;
 const XwaylandOverrideRedirect = @import("XwaylandOverrideRedirect.zig");
 
 scene: *wlr.Scene,
-/// All direct children of the root scene node
+/// All windows, status bars, drowdown menus, etc. that can recieve pointer events and similar.
+interactive_content: *wlr.SceneTree,
+/// Drag icons, which cannot recieve e.g. pointer events and are therefore kept in a separate tree.
+drag_icons: *wlr.SceneTree,
+
+/// All direct children of the interactive_content scene node
 layers: struct {
     /// Parent tree for output trees which have their position updated when
     /// outputs are moved in the layout.
     outputs: *wlr.SceneTree,
-    /// Drag icons which have a position in layout coordinates that is updated
-    /// on cursor/touch point movement.
-    /// This tree is ignored by Root.at()
-    drag_icons: *wlr.SceneTree,
+    /// Xwayland override redirect windows are a legacy wart that decide where
+    /// to place themselves in layout coordinates. Unfortunately this is how
+    /// X11 decided to make dropdown menus and the like possible.
+    xwayland_override_redirect: if (build_options.xwayland) *wlr.SceneTree else void,
 },
 
 new_output: wl.Listener(*wlr.Output) = wl.Listener(*wlr.Output).init(handleNewOutput),
@@ -73,14 +78,6 @@ outputs: std.TailQueue(Output) = .{},
 /// It is not advertised to clients.
 noop_output: Output = undefined,
 
-/// This list stores all "override redirect" Xwayland windows. This needs to be in root
-/// since X is like the wild west and who knows where these things will place themselves.
-xwayland_override_redirect_views: if (build_options.xwayland)
-    std.TailQueue(XwaylandOverrideRedirect)
-else
-    void = if (build_options.xwayland)
-.{},
-
 /// Number of layout demands pending before the transaction may be started.
 pending_layout_demands: u32 = 0,
 /// Number of pending configures sent in the current transaction.
@@ -96,6 +93,12 @@ pub fn init(self: *Self) !void {
     const scene = try wlr.Scene.create();
     errdefer scene.tree.node.destroy();
 
+    const interactive_content = try scene.tree.createSceneTree();
+    const drag_icons = try scene.tree.createSceneTree();
+
+    const outputs = try interactive_content.createSceneTree();
+    const xwayland_override_redirect = if (build_options.xwayland) try interactive_content.createSceneTree();
+
     try scene.attachOutputLayout(output_layout);
 
     _ = try wlr.XdgOutputManagerV1.create(server.wl_server, output_layout);
@@ -104,8 +107,6 @@ pub fn init(self: *Self) !void {
     const transaction_timer = try event_loop.addTimer(*Self, handleTransactionTimeout, self);
     errdefer transaction_timer.remove();
 
-    const outputs = try scene.tree.createSceneTree();
-
     // TODO get rid of this hack somehow
     const noop_wlr_output = try server.headless_backend.headlessAddOutput(1920, 1080);
     const noop_tree = try outputs.createSceneTree();
@@ -113,9 +114,11 @@ pub fn init(self: *Self) !void {
 
     self.* = .{
         .scene = scene,
+        .interactive_content = interactive_content,
+        .drag_icons = drag_icons,
         .layers = .{
             .outputs = outputs,
-            .drag_icons = try scene.tree.createSceneTree(),
+            .xwayland_override_redirect = xwayland_override_redirect,
         },
         .output_layout = output_layout,
         .output_manager = try wlr.OutputManagerV1.create(server.wl_server),
@@ -170,12 +173,12 @@ pub const AtResult = struct {
     },
 };
 
-/// Return information about what is currently rendered in the Root.layers.outputs
-/// tree at the given layout coordinates.
+/// Return information about what is currently rendered in the interactive_content
+/// tree at the given layout coordinates, taking surface input regions into account.
 pub fn at(self: Self, lx: f64, ly: f64) ?AtResult {
     var sx: f64 = undefined;
     var sy: f64 = undefined;
-    const node_at = self.layers.outputs.node.at(lx, ly, &sx, &sy) orelse return null;
+    const node_at = self.interactive_content.node.at(lx, ly, &sx, &sy) orelse return null;
 
     const surface: ?*wlr.Surface = blk: {
         if (node_at.type == .buffer) {
@@ -199,6 +202,9 @@ pub fn at(self: Self, lx: f64, ly: f64) ?AtResult {
                         .view => |view| .{ .view = view },
                         .layer_surface => |layer_surface| .{ .layer_surface = layer_surface },
                         .lock_surface => |lock_surface| .{ .lock_surface = lock_surface },
+                        .xwayland_override_redirect => |xwayland_override_redirect| .{
+                            .xwayland_override_redirect = xwayland_override_redirect,
+                        },
                     },
                 };
             }
diff --git a/river/SceneNodeData.zig b/river/SceneNodeData.zig
index b0fa8ba..d855ca5 100644
--- a/river/SceneNodeData.zig
+++ b/river/SceneNodeData.zig
@@ -25,11 +25,13 @@ const util = @import("util.zig");
 const LayerSurface = @import("LayerSurface.zig");
 const LockSurface = @import("LockSurface.zig");
 const View = @import("View.zig");
+const XwaylandOverrideRedirect = @import("XwaylandOverrideRedirect.zig");
 
 const Data = union(enum) {
     view: *View,
     lock_surface: *LockSurface,
     layer_surface: *LayerSurface,
+    xwayland_override_redirect: if (build_options.xwayland) *XwaylandOverrideRedirect else noreturn,
 };
 
 node: *wlr.SceneNode,
diff --git a/river/XwaylandOverrideRedirect.zig b/river/XwaylandOverrideRedirect.zig
index 5a7c420..5760879 100644
--- a/river/XwaylandOverrideRedirect.zig
+++ b/river/XwaylandOverrideRedirect.zig
@@ -25,41 +25,42 @@ const wl = @import("wayland").server.wl;
 const server = &@import("main.zig").server;
 const util = @import("util.zig");
 
+const SceneNodeData = @import("SceneNodeData.zig");
 const View = @import("View.zig");
-const XwaylandView = @import("XwaylandView.zig");
 const ViewStack = @import("view_stack.zig").ViewStack;
+const XwaylandView = @import("XwaylandView.zig");
 
 const log = std.log.scoped(.xwayland);
 
-/// The corresponding wlroots object
 xwayland_surface: *wlr.XwaylandSurface,
+surface_tree: ?*wlr.SceneTree = null,
 
-// Listeners that are always active over the view's lifetime
 request_configure: wl.Listener(*wlr.XwaylandSurface.event.Configure) =
     wl.Listener(*wlr.XwaylandSurface.event.Configure).init(handleRequestConfigure),
 destroy: wl.Listener(*wlr.XwaylandSurface) = wl.Listener(*wlr.XwaylandSurface).init(handleDestroy),
 map: wl.Listener(*wlr.XwaylandSurface) = wl.Listener(*wlr.XwaylandSurface).init(handleMap),
 unmap: wl.Listener(*wlr.XwaylandSurface) = wl.Listener(*wlr.XwaylandSurface).init(handleUnmap),
+set_geometry: wl.Listener(*wlr.XwaylandSurface) = wl.Listener(*wlr.XwaylandSurface).init(handleSetGeometry),
 set_override_redirect: wl.Listener(*wlr.XwaylandSurface) =
     wl.Listener(*wlr.XwaylandSurface).init(handleSetOverrideRedirect),
 
-/// The override redirect surface will add itself to the list in Root when it is mapped.
-pub fn create(xwayland_surface: *wlr.XwaylandSurface) error{OutOfMemory}!*Self {
-    const node = try util.gpa.create(std.TailQueue(Self).Node);
-    const self = &node.data;
+pub fn create(xwayland_surface: *wlr.XwaylandSurface) error{OutOfMemory}!void {
+    const self = try util.gpa.create(Self);
+    errdefer util.gpa.destroy(self);
 
     self.* = .{ .xwayland_surface = xwayland_surface };
     // This must be set to 0 for usage in View.fromWlrSurface()
     xwayland_surface.data = 0;
 
-    // Add listeners that are active over the the entire lifetime
     xwayland_surface.events.request_configure.add(&self.request_configure);
     xwayland_surface.events.destroy.add(&self.destroy);
     xwayland_surface.events.map.add(&self.map);
     xwayland_surface.events.unmap.add(&self.unmap);
     xwayland_surface.events.set_override_redirect.add(&self.set_override_redirect);
 
-    return self;
+    if (xwayland_surface.mapped) {
+        handleMap(&self.map, xwayland_surface);
+    }
 }
 
 fn handleRequestConfigure(
@@ -69,28 +70,36 @@ fn handleRequestConfigure(
     event.surface.configure(event.x, event.y, event.width, event.height);
 }
 
-/// Called when the xwayland surface is destroyed
 fn handleDestroy(listener: *wl.Listener(*wlr.XwaylandSurface), _: *wlr.XwaylandSurface) void {
     const self = @fieldParentPtr(Self, "destroy", listener);
 
-    // Remove listeners that are active for the entire lifetime
     self.request_configure.link.remove();
     self.destroy.link.remove();
     self.map.link.remove();
     self.unmap.link.remove();
     self.set_override_redirect.link.remove();
 
-    // Deallocate the node
-    const node = @fieldParentPtr(std.TailQueue(Self).Node, "data", self);
-    util.gpa.destroy(node);
+    util.gpa.destroy(self);
 }
 
-/// Called when the xwayland surface is mapped, or ready to display on-screen.
 pub fn handleMap(listener: *wl.Listener(*wlr.XwaylandSurface), _: *wlr.XwaylandSurface) void {
     const self = @fieldParentPtr(Self, "map", listener);
 
-    const node = @fieldParentPtr(std.TailQueue(Self).Node, "data", self);
-    server.root.xwayland_override_redirect_views.prepend(node);
+    self.mapImpl() catch {
+        log.err("out of memory", .{});
+        self.xwayland_surface.surface.?.resource.getClient().postNoMemory();
+    };
+}
+
+fn mapImpl(self: *Self) error{OutOfMemory}!void {
+    self.surface_tree = try server.root.layers.xwayland_override_redirect.createSceneSubsurfaceTree(
+        self.xwayland_surface.surface.?,
+    );
+    try SceneNodeData.attach(&self.surface_tree.?.node, .{ .xwayland_override_redirect = self });
+
+    self.surface_tree.?.node.setPosition(self.xwayland_surface.x, self.xwayland_surface.y);
+
+    self.xwayland_surface.events.set_geometry.add(&self.set_geometry);
 
     self.focusIfDesired();
 }
@@ -117,12 +126,13 @@ pub fn focusIfDesired(self: *Self) void {
     }
 }
 
-/// Called when the surface is unmapped and will no longer be displayed.
 fn handleUnmap(listener: *wl.Listener(*wlr.XwaylandSurface), _: *wlr.XwaylandSurface) void {
     const self = @fieldParentPtr(Self, "unmap", listener);
 
-    const node = @fieldParentPtr(std.TailQueue(Self).Node, "data", self);
-    server.root.xwayland_override_redirect_views.remove(node);
+    self.set_geometry.link.remove();
+
+    self.surface_tree.?.node.destroy();
+    self.surface_tree = null;
 
     // If the unmapped surface is currently focused, pass keyboard focus
     // to the most appropriate surface.
@@ -144,6 +154,12 @@ fn handleUnmap(listener: *wl.Listener(*wlr.XwaylandSurface), _: *wlr.XwaylandSur
     server.root.startTransaction();
 }
 
+fn handleSetGeometry(listener: *wl.Listener(*wlr.XwaylandSurface), _: *wlr.XwaylandSurface) void {
+    const self = @fieldParentPtr(Self, "set_geometry", listener);
+
+    self.surface_tree.?.node.setPosition(self.xwayland_surface.x, self.xwayland_surface.y);
+}
+
 fn handleSetOverrideRedirect(
     listener: *wl.Listener(*wlr.XwaylandSurface),
     xwayland_surface: *wlr.XwaylandSurface,
@@ -158,12 +174,8 @@ fn handleSetOverrideRedirect(
     handleDestroy(&self.destroy, xwayland_surface);
 
     const output = server.input_manager.defaultSeat().focused_output;
-    const xwayland_view = XwaylandView.create(output, xwayland_surface) catch {
+    XwaylandView.create(output, xwayland_surface) catch {
         log.err("out of memory", .{});
         return;
     };
-
-    if (xwayland_surface.mapped) {
-        XwaylandView.handleMap(&xwayland_view.map, xwayland_surface);
-    }
 }
diff --git a/river/XwaylandView.zig b/river/XwaylandView.zig
index 7ae257c..f5de473 100644
--- a/river/XwaylandView.zig
+++ b/river/XwaylandView.zig
@@ -36,8 +36,9 @@ const log = std.log.scoped(.xwayland);
 /// The view this xwayland view implements
 view: *View,
 
-/// The corresponding wlroots object
 xwayland_surface: *wlr.XwaylandSurface,
+/// Created on map and destroyed on unmap
+surface_tree: ?*wlr.SceneTree = null,
 
 /// The wlroots Xwayland implementation overwrites xwayland_surface.fullscreen
 /// immediately when the client requests it, so we track this state here to be
@@ -62,8 +63,7 @@ request_fullscreen: wl.Listener(*wlr.XwaylandSurface) =
 request_minimize: wl.Listener(*wlr.XwaylandSurface.event.Minimize) =
     wl.Listener(*wlr.XwaylandSurface.event.Minimize).init(handleRequestMinimize),
 
-/// The View will add itself to the output's view stack on map
-pub fn create(output: *Output, xwayland_surface: *wlr.XwaylandSurface) error{OutOfMemory}!*Self {
+pub fn create(output: *Output, xwayland_surface: *wlr.XwaylandSurface) error{OutOfMemory}!void {
     const node = try util.gpa.create(ViewStack(View).Node);
     const view = &node.view;
 
@@ -84,7 +84,9 @@ pub fn create(output: *Output, xwayland_surface: *wlr.XwaylandSurface) error{Out
     xwayland_surface.events.request_configure.add(&self.request_configure);
     xwayland_surface.events.set_override_redirect.add(&self.set_override_redirect);
 
-    return self;
+    if (xwayland_surface.mapped) {
+        handleMap(&self.map, xwayland_surface);
+    }
 }
 
 pub fn needsConfigure(self: Self) bool {
@@ -181,7 +183,6 @@ fn handleDestroy(listener: *wl.Listener(*wlr.XwaylandSurface), _: *wlr.XwaylandS
     self.view.destroy();
 }
 
-/// Called when the xwayland surface is mapped, or ready to display on-screen.
 pub fn handleMap(listener: *wl.Listener(*wlr.XwaylandSurface), xwayland_surface: *wlr.XwaylandSurface) void {
     const self = @fieldParentPtr(Self, "map", listener);
     const view = self.view;
@@ -194,12 +195,13 @@ pub fn handleMap(listener: *wl.Listener(*wlr.XwaylandSurface), xwayland_surface:
     xwayland_surface.events.request_fullscreen.add(&self.request_fullscreen);
     xwayland_surface.events.request_minimize.add(&self.request_minimize);
 
-    const surface_tree = view.tree.createSceneSubsurfaceTree(surface) catch {
+    self.surface_tree = view.tree.createSceneSubsurfaceTree(surface) catch {
         log.err("out of memory", .{});
         surface.resource.getClient().postNoMemory();
         return;
     };
-    surface_tree.node.lowerToBottom();
+    // Place the node below the view's border nodes
+    self.surface_tree.?.node.lowerToBottom();
 
     // Use the view's "natural" size centered on the output as the default
     // floating dimensions
@@ -231,10 +233,12 @@ pub fn handleMap(listener: *wl.Listener(*wlr.XwaylandSurface), xwayland_surface:
     };
 }
 
-/// Called when the surface is unmapped and will no longer be displayed.
 fn handleUnmap(listener: *wl.Listener(*wlr.XwaylandSurface), _: *wlr.XwaylandSurface) void {
     const self = @fieldParentPtr(Self, "unmap", listener);
 
+    self.surface_tree.?.node.destroy();
+    self.surface_tree = null;
+
     // Remove listeners that are only active while mapped
     self.commit.link.remove();
     self.set_title.link.remove();
@@ -278,14 +282,10 @@ fn handleSetOverrideRedirect(
     if (xwayland_surface.mapped) handleUnmap(&self.unmap, xwayland_surface);
     handleDestroy(&self.destroy, xwayland_surface);
 
-    const override_redirect = XwaylandOverrideRedirect.create(xwayland_surface) catch {
+    XwaylandOverrideRedirect.create(xwayland_surface) catch {
         log.err("out of memory", .{});
         return;
     };
-
-    if (xwayland_surface.mapped) {
-        XwaylandOverrideRedirect.handleMap(&override_redirect.map, xwayland_surface);
-    }
 }
 
 fn handleCommit(listener: *wl.Listener(*wlr.Surface), surface: *wlr.Surface) void {