diff --git a/include/sway/tree/container.h b/include/sway/tree/container.h
index 464f80c44..5d15f12b4 100644
--- a/include/sway/tree/container.h
+++ b/include/sway/tree/container.h
@@ -134,6 +134,8 @@ struct sway_container *container_workspace_destroy(struct sway_container *contai
 struct sway_container *container_output_destroy(struct sway_container *container);
 struct sway_container *container_view_destroy(struct sway_container *container);
 
+struct sway_container *container_close(struct sway_container *container);
+
 // TODO move to layout.c
 struct sway_container *container_set_layout(struct sway_container *container,
 		enum sway_container_layout layout);
diff --git a/sway/commands/kill.c b/sway/commands/kill.c
index 46d6e98e6..811c3e6b4 100644
--- a/sway/commands/kill.c
+++ b/sway/commands/kill.c
@@ -19,11 +19,8 @@ struct cmd_results *cmd_kill(int argc, char **argv) {
 				"Can only kill views and containers with this command");
 		break;
 	case C_CONTAINER:
-		con = container_destroy(con);
-		arrange_windows(con, -1, -1);
-		break;
 	case C_VIEW:
-		view_close(con->sway_view);
+		container_close(con);
 		break;
 	}
 
diff --git a/sway/tree/container.c b/sway/tree/container.c
index 4db93ce87..8688edd6a 100644
--- a/sway/tree/container.c
+++ b/sway/tree/container.c
@@ -112,10 +112,45 @@ static struct sway_container *_container_destroy(struct sway_container *cont) {
 struct sway_container *container_destroy(struct sway_container *cont) {
 	struct sway_container *parent = _container_destroy(cont);
 	parent = container_reap_empty(parent);
-	arrange_windows(&root_container, -1, -1);
 	return parent;
 }
 
+static void container_close_func(struct sway_container *container, void *data) {
+	if (container->type == C_VIEW) {
+		view_close(container->sway_view);
+	}
+}
+
+struct sway_container *container_close(struct sway_container *con) {
+	if (!sway_assert(con != NULL, "container_close called with a NULL container")) {
+		return NULL;
+	}
+
+	switch (con->type) {
+		case C_TYPES:
+			wlr_log(L_ERROR, "tried to close an invalid container");
+			break;
+		case C_ROOT:
+			wlr_log(L_ERROR, "tried to close the root container");
+			break;
+		case C_OUTPUT:
+			container_output_destroy(con);
+			break;
+		case C_WORKSPACE:
+			container_workspace_destroy(con);
+			break;
+		case C_CONTAINER:
+			container_for_each_descendant_dfs(con, container_close_func, NULL);
+			break;
+		case C_VIEW:
+			view_close(con->sway_view);
+			break;
+
+	}
+
+	return con->parent;
+}
+
 struct sway_container *container_output_create(
 		struct sway_output *sway_output) {
 	struct wlr_box size;
diff --git a/sway/tree/layout.c b/sway/tree/layout.c
index 95a84d120..b0ce4aaf9 100644
--- a/sway/tree/layout.c
+++ b/sway/tree/layout.c
@@ -110,7 +110,7 @@ struct sway_container *container_reap_empty(struct sway_container *container) {
 	wlr_log(L_DEBUG, "Reaping %p %s '%s'", container,
 			container_type_to_str(container->type), container->name);
 	while (container->type != C_ROOT && container->type != C_OUTPUT
-			&& container->children->length == 0) {
+			&& container->children && container->children->length == 0) {
 		if (container->type == C_WORKSPACE) {
 			if (!workspace_is_visible(container)) {
 				struct sway_container *parent = container->parent;
diff --git a/sway/tree/view.c b/sway/tree/view.c
index 09c804e41..4e695b5fa 100644
--- a/sway/tree/view.c
+++ b/sway/tree/view.c
@@ -84,7 +84,7 @@ struct sway_container *container_view_destroy(struct sway_container *view) {
 	}
 	wlr_log(L_DEBUG, "Destroying view '%s'", view->name);
 	struct sway_container *parent = container_destroy(view);
-	arrange_windows(parent, -1, -1);
+	arrange_windows(&root_container, -1, -1);
 	return parent;
 }