diff --git a/include/sway/layout.h b/include/sway/layout.h
index bfd96a02..af561453 100644
--- a/include/sway/layout.h
+++ b/include/sway/layout.h
@@ -9,6 +9,8 @@ struct sway_root {
 	struct wlr_output_layout *output_layout;
 
 	struct wl_listener output_layout_change;
+
+	struct wl_list unmanaged_views; // sway_view::unmanaged_view_link
 };
 
 void init_layout(void);
diff --git a/include/sway/view.h b/include/sway/view.h
index 900bd296..08c5480b 100644
--- a/include/sway/view.h
+++ b/include/sway/view.h
@@ -28,6 +28,8 @@ struct sway_xwayland_surface {
 	struct wl_listener request_resize;
 	struct wl_listener request_maximize;
 	struct wl_listener request_configure;
+	struct wl_listener unmap_notify;
+	struct wl_listener map_notify;
 	struct wl_listener destroy;
 
 	int pending_width, pending_height;
@@ -91,6 +93,9 @@ struct sway_view {
 				double ox, double oy);
 		void (*set_activated)(struct sway_view *view, bool activated);
 	} iface;
+
+	// only used for unmanaged views (shell specific)
+	struct wl_list unmanaged_view_link; // sway_root::unmanaged views
 };
 
 #endif
diff --git a/sway/desktop/output.c b/sway/desktop/output.c
index ec204c6f..21c8513f 100644
--- a/sway/desktop/output.c
+++ b/sway/desktop/output.c
@@ -218,6 +218,19 @@ static void output_frame_notify(struct wl_listener *listener, void *data) {
 	swayc_descendants_of_type(
 			&root_container, C_VIEW, output_frame_view, soutput);
 
+	// render unmanaged views on top
+	struct sway_view *view;
+	wl_list_for_each(view, &root_container.sway_root->unmanaged_views,
+			unmanaged_view_link) {
+		if (view->type == SWAY_XWAYLAND_VIEW) {
+			// the only kind of unamanged view right now is xwayland override redirect
+			int view_x = view->wlr_xwayland_surface->x;
+			int view_y = view->wlr_xwayland_surface->y;
+			render_surface(view->surface, wlr_output, &soutput->last_frame,
+					view_x, view_y, 0);
+		}
+	}
+
 	wlr_renderer_end(server->renderer);
 	wlr_output_swap_buffers(wlr_output);
 
diff --git a/sway/desktop/xwayland.c b/sway/desktop/xwayland.c
index 43bb2e00..0c0dbfff 100644
--- a/sway/desktop/xwayland.c
+++ b/sway/desktop/xwayland.c
@@ -93,13 +93,43 @@ static void handle_commit(struct wl_listener *listener, void *data) {
 static void handle_destroy(struct wl_listener *listener, void *data) {
 	struct sway_xwayland_surface *sway_surface =
 		wl_container_of(listener, sway_surface, destroy);
+	struct wlr_xwayland_surface *xsurface = data;
 	wl_list_remove(&sway_surface->commit.link);
 	wl_list_remove(&sway_surface->destroy.link);
 	wl_list_remove(&sway_surface->request_configure.link);
-	swayc_t *parent = destroy_view(sway_surface->view->swayc);
+	if (xsurface->override_redirect) {
+		if (xsurface->mapped) {
+			wl_list_remove(&sway_surface->view->unmanaged_view_link);
+		}
+	} else {
+		swayc_t *parent = destroy_view(sway_surface->view->swayc);
+		arrange_windows(parent, -1, -1);
+	}
 	free(sway_surface->view);
 	free(sway_surface);
-	arrange_windows(parent, -1, -1);
+}
+
+static void handle_unmap_notify(struct wl_listener *listener, void *data) {
+	// TODO take the view out of the tree
+	struct sway_xwayland_surface *sway_surface =
+		wl_container_of(listener, sway_surface, unmap_notify);
+	struct wlr_xwayland_surface *xsurface = data;
+	if (xsurface->override_redirect) {
+		wl_list_remove(&sway_surface->view->unmanaged_view_link);
+	}
+	sway_surface->view->surface = NULL;
+}
+
+static void handle_map_notify(struct wl_listener *listener, void *data) {
+	// TODO put the view back into the tree
+	struct sway_xwayland_surface *sway_surface =
+		wl_container_of(listener, sway_surface, map_notify);
+	struct wlr_xwayland_surface *xsurface = data;
+	if (xsurface->override_redirect) {
+		wl_list_insert(&root_container.sway_root->unmanaged_views,
+			&sway_surface->view->unmanaged_view_link);
+	}
+	sway_surface->view->surface = xsurface->surface;
 }
 
 static void handle_configure_request(struct wl_listener *listener, void *data) {
@@ -119,11 +149,6 @@ void handle_xwayland_surface(struct wl_listener *listener, void *data) {
 			listener, server, xwayland_surface);
 	struct wlr_xwayland_surface *xsurface = data;
 
-	if (xsurface->override_redirect) {
-		// TODO: floating popups
-		return;
-	}
-
 	wlr_log(L_DEBUG, "New xwayland surface title='%s' class='%s'",
 			xsurface->title, xsurface->class);
 
@@ -155,15 +180,29 @@ void handle_xwayland_surface(struct wl_listener *listener, void *data) {
 	// - Set new view to maximized so it behaves nicely
 	// - Criteria
 
-	sway_surface->commit.notify = handle_commit;
 	wl_signal_add(&xsurface->surface->events.commit, &sway_surface->commit);
-	sway_surface->destroy.notify = handle_destroy;
+	sway_surface->commit.notify = handle_commit;
+
 	wl_signal_add(&xsurface->events.destroy, &sway_surface->destroy);
-	sway_surface->request_configure.notify = handle_configure_request;
+	sway_surface->destroy.notify = handle_destroy;
+
 	wl_signal_add(&xsurface->events.request_configure,
 		&sway_surface->request_configure);
+	sway_surface->request_configure.notify = handle_configure_request;
+
+	wl_signal_add(&xsurface->events.unmap_notify, &sway_surface->unmap_notify);
+	sway_surface->unmap_notify.notify = handle_unmap_notify;
+
+	wl_signal_add(&xsurface->events.map_notify, &sway_surface->map_notify);
+	sway_surface->map_notify.notify = handle_map_notify;
+
+	if (xsurface->override_redirect) {
+		// these don't get a container in the tree
+		wl_list_insert(&root_container.sway_root->unmanaged_views,
+			&sway_view->unmanaged_view_link);
+		return;
+	}
 
-	// TODO: actual focus semantics
 	swayc_t *parent = root_container.children->items[0];
 	parent = parent->children->items[0]; // workspace
 
diff --git a/sway/input/cursor.c b/sway/input/cursor.c
index c51b59f9..e6a4eca8 100644
--- a/sway/input/cursor.c
+++ b/sway/input/cursor.c
@@ -24,6 +24,31 @@ static void cursor_send_pointer_motion(struct sway_cursor *cursor,
 	struct wlr_seat *seat = cursor->seat->wlr_seat;
 	struct wlr_surface *surface = NULL;
 	double sx, sy;
+
+	// check for unmanaged views first
+	struct sway_view *view;
+	wl_list_for_each_reverse(view, &root_container.sway_root->unmanaged_views,
+		unmanaged_view_link) {
+		if (view->type == SWAY_XWAYLAND_VIEW) {
+			struct wlr_xwayland_surface *xsurface = view->wlr_xwayland_surface;
+			struct wlr_box box = {
+				.x = xsurface->x,
+				.y = xsurface->y,
+				.width = xsurface->width,
+				.height = xsurface->height,
+			};
+
+			if (wlr_box_contains_point(&box, cursor->x, cursor->y)) {
+				surface = xsurface->surface;
+				sx = cursor->x - box.x;
+				sy = cursor->y - box.y;
+				wlr_seat_pointer_notify_enter(seat, surface, sx, sy);
+				wlr_seat_pointer_notify_motion(seat, time, sx, sy);
+				return;
+			}
+		}
+	}
+
 	swayc_t *swayc =
 		swayc_at(&root_container, cursor->x, cursor->y, &surface, &sx, &sy);
 	if (swayc) {
diff --git a/sway/tree/container.c b/sway/tree/container.c
index 862406cf..d241f69a 100644
--- a/sway/tree/container.c
+++ b/sway/tree/container.c
@@ -207,7 +207,7 @@ swayc_t *destroy_output(swayc_t *output) {
 }
 
 swayc_t *destroy_view(swayc_t *view) {
-	if (!sway_assert(view, "null view passed to destroy_view")) {
+	if (!view) {
 		return NULL;
 	}
 	wlr_log(L_DEBUG, "Destroying view '%s'", view->name);
diff --git a/sway/tree/layout.c b/sway/tree/layout.c
index 13b8a395..01535f2d 100644
--- a/sway/tree/layout.c
+++ b/sway/tree/layout.c
@@ -51,6 +51,7 @@ void init_layout(void) {
 
 	root_container.sway_root = calloc(1, sizeof(*root_container.sway_root));
 	root_container.sway_root->output_layout = wlr_output_layout_create();
+	wl_list_init(&root_container.sway_root->unmanaged_views);
 
 	root_container.sway_root->output_layout_change.notify =
 		output_layout_change_notify;