diff --git a/src/shell/xdg/mod.rs b/src/shell/xdg/mod.rs
index 5e5a07703..21d45f4f0 100644
--- a/src/shell/xdg/mod.rs
+++ b/src/shell/xdg/mod.rs
@@ -105,7 +105,7 @@ impl XdgShell {
                 qh,
                 WindowData(weak.clone()),
             );
-            let xdg_surface = XdgShellSurface { surface, xdg_surface };
+            let xdg_surface = XdgShellSurface { surface: Some(surface), xdg_surface };
             let xdg_toplevel = xdg_surface.xdg_surface().get_toplevel(qh, WindowData(weak.clone()));
 
             // If server side decorations are available, create the toplevel decoration.
@@ -138,11 +138,11 @@ impl XdgShell {
                 }
             });
 
-            WindowInner {
+            WindowInner::new(
                 xdg_surface,
                 xdg_toplevel,
                 toplevel_decoration,
-                pending_configure: Mutex::new(WindowConfigure {
+                Mutex::new(WindowConfigure {
                     new_size: (None, None),
                     suggested_bounds: None,
                     // Initial configure will indicate whether there are server side decorations.
@@ -151,7 +151,7 @@ impl XdgShell {
                     // XXX by default we assume that everything is supported.
                     capabilities: WindowManagerCapabilities::all(),
                 }),
-            }
+            )
         });
 
         // Explicitly drop the queue freeze to allow the queue to resume work.
@@ -221,7 +221,9 @@ impl wayland_client::backend::ObjectData for PositionerData {
 #[derive(Debug)]
 pub struct XdgShellSurface {
     xdg_surface: xdg_surface::XdgSurface,
-    surface: Surface,
+    // Will always be Some, only needed to extract surface in destroy before
+    // drop.
+    surface: Option<Surface>,
 }
 
 impl XdgShellSurface {
@@ -258,7 +260,7 @@ impl XdgShellSurface {
         let surface = surface.into();
         let xdg_surface = wm_base.bound_global()?.get_xdg_surface(surface.wl_surface(), qh, udata);
 
-        Ok(XdgShellSurface { xdg_surface, surface })
+        Ok(XdgShellSurface { xdg_surface, surface: Some(surface) })
     }
 
     pub fn xdg_surface(&self) -> &xdg_surface::XdgSurface {
@@ -266,7 +268,11 @@ impl XdgShellSurface {
     }
 
     pub fn wl_surface(&self) -> &wl_surface::WlSurface {
-        self.surface.wl_surface()
+        self.surface.as_ref().unwrap().wl_surface()
+    }
+
+    pub fn destroy(mut self) -> Surface {
+        self.surface.take().unwrap()
     }
 }
 
diff --git a/src/shell/xdg/popup.rs b/src/shell/xdg/popup.rs
index ef78c40b7..fee0dc098 100644
--- a/src/shell/xdg/popup.rs
+++ b/src/shell/xdg/popup.rs
@@ -33,7 +33,9 @@ pub struct PopupData {
 
 #[derive(Debug)]
 struct PopupInner {
-    surface: XdgShellSurface,
+    // Will always be Some, only needed to extract surface in destroy before
+    // drop.
+    surface: Option<XdgShellSurface>,
     xdg_popup: xdg_popup::XdgPopup,
     pending_position: (AtomicI32, AtomicI32),
     pending_dimensions: (AtomicI32, AtomicI32),
@@ -41,6 +43,16 @@ struct PopupInner {
     configure_state: AtomicU32,
 }
 
+impl PopupInner {
+    pub fn surface(&self) -> &XdgShellSurface {
+        &self.surface.as_ref().unwrap()
+    }
+
+    pub fn destroy(mut self) -> XdgShellSurface {
+        self.surface.take().unwrap()
+    }
+}
+
 impl Popup {
     /// Create a new popup.
     ///
@@ -96,7 +108,7 @@ impl Popup {
                 qh,
                 PopupData { inner: weak.clone() },
             );
-            let surface = XdgShellSurface { surface, xdg_surface };
+            let surface = XdgShellSurface { surface: Some(surface), xdg_surface };
             let xdg_popup = surface.xdg_surface().get_popup(
                 parent,
                 position,
@@ -105,7 +117,7 @@ impl Popup {
             );
 
             PopupInner {
-                surface,
+                surface: Some(surface),
                 xdg_popup,
                 pending_position: (AtomicI32::new(0), AtomicI32::new(0)),
                 pending_dimensions: (AtomicI32::new(-1), AtomicI32::new(-1)),
@@ -122,20 +134,30 @@ impl Popup {
     }
 
     pub fn xdg_shell_surface(&self) -> &XdgShellSurface {
-        &self.inner.surface
+        &self.inner.surface()
     }
 
     pub fn xdg_surface(&self) -> &xdg_surface::XdgSurface {
-        self.inner.surface.xdg_surface()
+        self.inner.surface().xdg_surface()
     }
 
     pub fn wl_surface(&self) -> &wl_surface::WlSurface {
-        self.inner.surface.wl_surface()
+        self.inner.surface().wl_surface()
     }
 
     pub fn reposition(&self, position: &xdg_positioner::XdgPositioner, token: u32) {
         self.xdg_popup().reposition(position, token);
     }
+
+    /// Destroy the popup and extract the underlying surface. Note that reusing
+    /// the surface for anything other than another xdg popup is a protocol
+    /// violation, and that the buffer attached to the surface must be cleared
+    /// before reuse as an xdg surface cannot have a buffer attached to it.
+    pub fn destroy(self) -> Surface {
+        // Should never panic because the only other Arc reference is a weak
+        // reference.
+        Arc::into_inner(self.inner).unwrap().destroy().destroy()
+    }
 }
 
 impl PopupData {
diff --git a/src/shell/xdg/window/inner.rs b/src/shell/xdg/window/inner.rs
index ed2f4d13f..05c660a35 100644
--- a/src/shell/xdg/window/inner.rs
+++ b/src/shell/xdg/window/inner.rs
@@ -27,6 +27,40 @@ use super::{
     WindowState,
 };
 
+#[derive(Debug)]
+pub struct WindowInner {
+    // Will always be Some, only needed to extract xdg_surface in destroy before
+    // drop.
+    xdg_surface: Option<XdgShellSurface>,
+    pub xdg_toplevel: xdg_toplevel::XdgToplevel,
+    pub toplevel_decoration: Option<zxdg_toplevel_decoration_v1::ZxdgToplevelDecorationV1>,
+    pub pending_configure: Mutex<WindowConfigure>,
+}
+
+impl WindowInner {
+    pub fn new(
+        xdg_surface: XdgShellSurface,
+        xdg_toplevel: xdg_toplevel::XdgToplevel,
+        toplevel_decoration: Option<zxdg_toplevel_decoration_v1::ZxdgToplevelDecorationV1>,
+        pending_configure: Mutex<WindowConfigure>,
+    ) -> Self {
+        Self {
+            xdg_surface: Some(xdg_surface),
+            xdg_toplevel,
+            toplevel_decoration,
+            pending_configure,
+        }
+    }
+
+    pub fn xdg_surface(&self) -> &XdgShellSurface {
+        &self.xdg_surface.as_ref().unwrap()
+    }
+
+    pub fn destroy(mut self) -> XdgShellSurface {
+        self.xdg_surface.take().unwrap()
+    }
+}
+
 impl Drop for WindowInner {
     fn drop(&mut self) {
         // XDG decoration says we must destroy the decoration object before the toplevel
@@ -41,14 +75,6 @@ impl Drop for WindowInner {
     }
 }
 
-#[derive(Debug)]
-pub struct WindowInner {
-    pub xdg_surface: XdgShellSurface,
-    pub xdg_toplevel: xdg_toplevel::XdgToplevel,
-    pub toplevel_decoration: Option<zxdg_toplevel_decoration_v1::ZxdgToplevelDecorationV1>,
-    pub pending_configure: Mutex<WindowConfigure>,
-}
-
 impl ProvidesBoundGlobal<zxdg_decoration_manager_v1::ZxdgDecorationManagerV1, 1> for XdgShell {
     fn bound_global(
         &self,
diff --git a/src/shell/xdg/window/mod.rs b/src/shell/xdg/window/mod.rs
index 31eda58b5..bec1dab38 100644
--- a/src/shell/xdg/window/mod.rs
+++ b/src/shell/xdg/window/mod.rs
@@ -15,6 +15,7 @@ use crate::reexports::protocols::{
     xdg::shell::client::{xdg_surface, xdg_toplevel},
 };
 
+use crate::compositor::Surface;
 use crate::shell::WaylandSurface;
 
 use self::inner::WindowInner;
@@ -285,17 +286,27 @@ impl Window {
     pub fn xdg_toplevel(&self) -> &xdg_toplevel::XdgToplevel {
         &self.0.xdg_toplevel
     }
+
+    /// Destroy the window and extract the underlying surface. Note that reusing
+    /// the surface for anything other than another xdg toplevel is a protocol
+    /// violation, and that the buffer attached to the surface must be cleared
+    /// before reuse as an xdg surface cannot have a buffer attached to it.
+    pub fn destroy(self) -> Surface {
+        // Should never panic because the only other Arc reference is a weak
+        // reference.
+        Arc::into_inner(self.0).unwrap().destroy().destroy()
+    }
 }
 
 impl WaylandSurface for Window {
     fn wl_surface(&self) -> &wl_surface::WlSurface {
-        self.0.xdg_surface.wl_surface()
+        self.0.xdg_surface().wl_surface()
     }
 }
 
 impl XdgSurface for Window {
     fn xdg_surface(&self) -> &xdg_surface::XdgSurface {
-        self.0.xdg_surface.xdg_surface()
+        self.0.xdg_surface().xdg_surface()
     }
 }