diff --git a/include/client/window.h b/include/client/window.h
index eff9032d..e48ec4f3 100644
--- a/include/client/window.h
+++ b/include/client/window.h
@@ -42,5 +42,6 @@ struct window *window_setup(struct registry *registry, uint32_t width, uint32_t
 void window_teardown(struct window *state);
 int window_prerender(struct window *state);
 int window_render(struct window *state);
+void window_make_shell(struct window *window);
 
 #endif
diff --git a/include/extensions.h b/include/extensions.h
index 158a40a2..7c508b5e 100644
--- a/include/extensions.h
+++ b/include/extensions.h
@@ -7,33 +7,37 @@
 #include "list.h"
 
 struct background_config {
-        wlc_handle output;
-        wlc_resource surface;
-        // we need the wl_resource of the surface in the destructor
-        struct wl_resource *wl_surface_res;
+	wlc_handle output;
+	wlc_resource surface;
+	// we need the wl_resource of the surface in the destructor
+	struct wl_resource *wl_surface_res;
+	// used to determine if client is a background
+	struct wl_client *client;
 };
 
 struct panel_config {
-        // wayland resource used in callbacks, is used to track this panel
-        struct wl_resource *wl_resource;
-        wlc_handle output;
-        wlc_resource surface;
-        // we need the wl_resource of the surface in the destructor
-        struct wl_resource *wl_surface_res;
-        enum desktop_shell_panel_position panel_position;
+	// wayland resource used in callbacks, is used to track this panel
+	struct wl_resource *wl_resource;
+	wlc_handle output;
+	wlc_resource surface;
+	// we need the wl_resource of the surface in the destructor
+	struct wl_resource *wl_surface_res;
+	enum desktop_shell_panel_position panel_position;
+	// used to determine if client is a panel
+	struct wl_client *client;
 };
 
 struct desktop_shell_state {
-        list_t *backgrounds;
-        list_t *panels;
-        list_t *lock_surfaces;
-        bool is_locked;
+	list_t *backgrounds;
+	list_t *panels;
+	list_t *lock_surfaces;
+	bool is_locked;
 };
 
 struct swaylock_state {
-        bool active;
-        wlc_handle output;
-        wlc_resource surface;
+	bool active;
+	wlc_handle output;
+	wlc_resource surface;
 };
 
 extern struct desktop_shell_state desktop_shell;
diff --git a/sway/extensions.c b/sway/extensions.c
index 7bc9bbe4..1fe15ac5 100644
--- a/sway/extensions.c
+++ b/sway/extensions.c
@@ -73,6 +73,7 @@ static void set_background(struct wl_client *client, struct wl_resource *resourc
 	}
 	sway_log(L_DEBUG, "Setting surface %p as background for output %d", surface, (int)output);
 	struct background_config *config = malloc(sizeof(struct background_config));
+	config->client = client;
 	config->output = output;
 	config->surface = wlc_resource_from_wl_surface_resource(surface);
 	config->wl_surface_res = surface;
@@ -91,6 +92,7 @@ static void set_panel(struct wl_client *client, struct wl_resource *resource,
 	sway_log(L_DEBUG, "Setting surface %p as panel for output %d (wl_resource: %p)", surface, (int)output, resource);
 	struct panel_config *config = find_or_create_panel_config(resource);
 	config->output = output;
+	config->client = client;
 	config->surface = wlc_resource_from_wl_surface_resource(surface);
 	config->wl_surface_res = surface;
 	wl_resource_set_destructor(surface, panel_surface_destructor);
diff --git a/sway/handlers.c b/sway/handlers.c
index b7bb1fde..8f2f8a21 100644
--- a/sway/handlers.c
+++ b/sway/handlers.c
@@ -176,6 +176,28 @@ static void handle_output_focused(wlc_handle output, bool focus) {
 	}
 }
 
+static bool client_is_background(struct wl_client *client) {
+	int i;
+	for (i = 0; i < desktop_shell.backgrounds->length; i++) {
+		struct background_config *config = desktop_shell.backgrounds->items[i];
+		if (config->client == client) {
+			return true;
+		}
+	}
+	return false;
+}
+
+static bool client_is_panel(struct wl_client *client) {
+	int i;
+	for (i = 0; i < desktop_shell.panels->length; i++) {
+		struct panel_config *config = desktop_shell.panels->items[i];
+		if (config->client == client) {
+			return true;
+		}
+	}
+	return false;
+}
+
 static bool handle_view_created(wlc_handle handle) {
 	// if view is child of another view, the use that as focused container
 	wlc_handle parent = wlc_view_get_parent(handle);
@@ -186,6 +208,10 @@ static bool handle_view_created(wlc_handle handle) {
 	struct wl_client *client = wlc_view_get_wl_client(handle);
 	pid_t pid;
 
+	if (client_is_background(client) || client_is_panel(client)) {
+		return true;
+	}
+
 	// Get parent container, to add view in
 	if (parent) {
 		focused = swayc_by_handle(parent);
diff --git a/swaybar/bar.c b/swaybar/bar.c
index 957e5bdf..6d858f92 100644
--- a/swaybar/bar.c
+++ b/swaybar/bar.c
@@ -87,6 +87,8 @@ void bar_setup(struct bar *bar, const char *socket_path, const char *bar_id) {
 		desktop_shell_set_panel(bar_output->registry->desktop_shell, output->output, bar_output->window->surface);
 		desktop_shell_set_panel_position(bar_output->registry->desktop_shell, bar->config->position);
 
+		window_make_shell(bar_output->window);
+
 		/* set font */
 		bar_output->window->font = bar->config->font;
 
diff --git a/swaybg/main.c b/swaybg/main.c
index fbd0d16b..4e0cc4b3 100644
--- a/swaybg/main.c
+++ b/swaybg/main.c
@@ -54,6 +54,7 @@ int main(int argc, const char **argv) {
 		sway_abort("Failed to create surfaces.");
 	}
 	desktop_shell_set_background(registry->desktop_shell, output->output, window->surface);
+	window_make_shell(window);
 	list_add(surfaces, window);
 
 #ifdef WITH_GDK_PIXBUF
diff --git a/wayland/window.c b/wayland/window.c
index ba64cb60..7ca9e4ec 100644
--- a/wayland/window.c
+++ b/wayland/window.c
@@ -59,6 +59,12 @@ static const struct wl_shell_surface_listener surface_listener = {
 	.configure = shell_surface_configure
 };
 
+void window_make_shell(struct window *window) {
+	window->shell_surface = wl_shell_get_shell_surface(window->registry->shell, window->surface);
+	wl_shell_surface_add_listener(window->shell_surface, &surface_listener, window);
+	wl_shell_surface_set_toplevel(window->shell_surface);
+}
+
 struct window *window_setup(struct registry *registry, uint32_t width, uint32_t height, bool shell_surface) {
 	struct window *window = malloc(sizeof(struct window));
 	memset(window, 0, sizeof(struct window));
@@ -69,9 +75,7 @@ struct window *window_setup(struct registry *registry, uint32_t width, uint32_t
 
 	window->surface = wl_compositor_create_surface(registry->compositor);
 	if (shell_surface) {
-		window->shell_surface = wl_shell_get_shell_surface(registry->shell, window->surface);
-		wl_shell_surface_add_listener(window->shell_surface, &surface_listener, window);
-		wl_shell_surface_set_toplevel(window->shell_surface);
+		window_make_shell(window);
 	}
 	if (registry->pointer) {
 		wl_pointer_add_listener(registry->pointer, &pointer_listener, window);