diff --git a/include/sway/view.h b/include/sway/view.h
index 240ffaa5b..ac33e11a5 100644
--- a/include/sway/view.h
+++ b/include/sway/view.h
@@ -99,4 +99,20 @@ struct sway_view {
 	struct wl_list unmanaged_view_link; // sway_root::unmanaged views
 };
 
+const char *view_get_title(struct sway_view *view);
+
+const char *view_get_app_id(struct sway_view *view);
+
+const char *view_get_class(struct sway_view *view);
+
+const char *view_get_instance(struct sway_view *view);
+
+void view_set_size(struct sway_view *view, int width, int height);
+
+void view_set_position(struct sway_view *view, double ox, double oy);
+
+void view_set_activated(struct sway_view *view, bool activated);
+
+void view_close(struct sway_view *view);
+
 #endif
diff --git a/sway/commands/kill.c b/sway/commands/kill.c
index a04c21f36..62a3a5149 100644
--- a/sway/commands/kill.c
+++ b/sway/commands/kill.c
@@ -15,8 +15,8 @@ struct cmd_results *cmd_kill(int argc, char **argv) {
 	struct sway_view *view =
 		config->handler_context.current_container->sway_view;
 
-	if (view && view->iface.close) {
-		view->iface.close(view);
+	if (view) {
+		view_close(view);
 	}
 
 	return cmd_results_new(CMD_SUCCESS, NULL, NULL);
diff --git a/sway/criteria.c b/sway/criteria.c
index c15f63541..21278a94a 100644
--- a/sway/criteria.c
+++ b/sway/criteria.c
@@ -299,21 +299,17 @@ static bool criteria_test(swayc_t *cont, list_t *tokens) {
 		case CRIT_ID: // TODO
 			break;
 		case CRIT_APP_ID:
-			if (!view->iface.get_prop) {
+			{
+				const char *app_id = view_get_app_id(cont->sway_view);
+				if (!app_id) {
+					break;
+				}
+
+				if (crit->regex && regex_cmp(app_id, crit->regex) == 0) {
+					matches++;
+				}
 				break;
 			}
-
-			const char *app_id =
-				cont->sway_view->iface.get_prop(view, VIEW_PROP_APP_ID);
-
-			if (!app_id) {
-				break;
-			}
-			
-			if (crit->regex && regex_cmp(app_id, crit->regex) == 0) {
-				matches++;
-			}
-			break;
 		case CRIT_INSTANCE: // TODO
 			break;
 		case CRIT_TILING: // TODO
diff --git a/sway/input/seat.c b/sway/input/seat.c
index d24a6c7ac..ae6dc7c4e 100644
--- a/sway/input/seat.c
+++ b/sway/input/seat.c
@@ -214,7 +214,7 @@ void sway_seat_set_focus(struct sway_seat *seat, swayc_t *container) {
 
 	if (container) {
 		struct sway_view *view = container->sway_view;
-		view->iface.set_activated(view, true);
+		view_set_activated(view, true);
 		wl_signal_add(&container->events.destroy, &seat->focus_destroy);
 		seat->focus_destroy.notify = handle_focus_destroy;
 
@@ -234,8 +234,7 @@ void sway_seat_set_focus(struct sway_seat *seat, swayc_t *container) {
 	if (last_focus &&
 			!sway_input_manager_has_focus(seat->input, last_focus)) {
 		struct sway_view *view = last_focus->sway_view;
-		view->iface.set_activated(view, false);
-
+		view_set_activated(view, false);
 	}
 }
 
diff --git a/sway/meson.build b/sway/meson.build
index 46d79d44b..80ccc01d5 100644
--- a/sway/meson.build
+++ b/sway/meson.build
@@ -48,6 +48,7 @@ sway_sources = files(
 	'security.c',
 	'tree/container.c',
 	'tree/layout.c',
+	'tree/view.c',
 	'tree/workspace.c',
 )
 
diff --git a/sway/tree/container.c b/sway/tree/container.c
index e224539f4..b7b9bc682 100644
--- a/sway/tree/container.c
+++ b/sway/tree/container.c
@@ -157,7 +157,7 @@ swayc_t *new_view(swayc_t *sibling, struct sway_view *sway_view) {
 	if (!sway_assert(sibling, "new_view called with NULL sibling/parent")) {
 		return NULL;
 	}
-	const char *title = sway_view->iface.get_prop(sway_view, VIEW_PROP_TITLE);
+	const char *title = view_get_title(sway_view);
 	swayc_t *swayc = new_swayc(C_VIEW);
 	wlr_log(L_DEBUG, "Adding new view %p:%s to container %p %d",
 		swayc, title, sibling, sibling ? sibling->type : 0);
diff --git a/sway/tree/layout.c b/sway/tree/layout.c
index 01535f2de..41ff81b2f 100644
--- a/sway/tree/layout.c
+++ b/sway/tree/layout.c
@@ -191,8 +191,8 @@ void arrange_windows(swayc_t *container, double width, double height) {
 		{
 			container->width = width;
 			container->height = height;
-			container->sway_view->iface.set_size(container->sway_view,
-					container->width, container->height);
+			view_set_size(container->sway_view,
+				container->width, container->height);
 			wlr_log(L_DEBUG, "Set view to %.f x %.f @ %.f, %.f",
 					container->width, container->height,
 					container->x, container->y);
@@ -251,7 +251,7 @@ static void apply_horiz_layout(swayc_t *container,
 			wlr_log(L_DEBUG,
 				 "Calculating arrangement for %p:%d (will scale %f by %f)",
 				 child, child->type, width, scale);
-			child->sway_view->iface.set_position(child->sway_view, child_x, y);
+			view_set_position(child->sway_view, child_x, y);
 
 			if (i == end - 1) {
 				double remaining_width = x + width - child_x;
@@ -301,7 +301,7 @@ void apply_vert_layout(swayc_t *container,
 			wlr_log(L_DEBUG,
 				 "Calculating arrangement for %p:%d (will scale %f by %f)",
 				 child, child->type, height, scale);
-			child->sway_view->iface.set_position(child->sway_view, x, child_y);
+			view_set_position(child->sway_view, x, child_y);
 
 			if (i == end - 1) {
 				double remaining_height = y + height - child_y;
diff --git a/sway/tree/view.c b/sway/tree/view.c
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..b46c3b172
--- /dev/null
+++ b/sway/tree/view.c
@@ -0,0 +1,53 @@
+#include "sway/view.h"
+
+const char *view_get_title(struct sway_view *view) {
+	if (view->iface.get_prop) {
+		return view->iface.get_prop(view, VIEW_PROP_TITLE);
+	}
+	return NULL;
+}
+
+const char *view_get_app_id(struct sway_view *view) {
+	if (view->iface.get_prop) {
+		return view->iface.get_prop(view, VIEW_PROP_APP_ID);
+	}
+	return NULL;
+}
+
+const char *view_get_class(struct sway_view *view) {
+	if (view->iface.get_prop) {
+		return view->iface.get_prop(view, VIEW_PROP_CLASS);
+	}
+	return NULL;
+}
+
+const char *view_get_instance(struct sway_view *view) {
+	if (view->iface.get_prop) {
+		return view->iface.get_prop(view, VIEW_PROP_INSTANCE);
+	}
+	return NULL;
+}
+
+void view_set_size(struct sway_view *view, int width, int height) {
+	if (view->iface.set_size) {
+		view->iface.set_size(view, width, height);
+	}
+}
+
+void view_set_position(struct sway_view *view, double ox, double oy) {
+	if (view->iface.set_position) {
+		view->iface.set_position(view, ox, oy);
+	}
+}
+
+void view_set_activated(struct sway_view *view, bool activated) {
+	if (view->iface.set_activated) {
+		view->iface.set_activated(view, activated);
+	}
+}
+
+void view_close(struct sway_view *view) {
+	if (view->iface.close) {
+		view->iface.close(view);
+	}
+}