diff --git a/include/sway/server.h b/include/sway/server.h
index 1901e39f6..bfdb7b8a0 100644
--- a/include/sway/server.h
+++ b/include/sway/server.h
@@ -30,6 +30,9 @@ struct sway_server {
 
 	struct wlr_xdg_shell_v6 *xdg_shell_v6;
 	struct wl_listener xdg_shell_v6_surface;
+
+	struct wlr_wl_shell *wl_shell;
+	struct wl_listener wl_shell_surface;
 };
 
 struct sway_server server;
diff --git a/include/sway/view.h b/include/sway/view.h
index 77d451e55..22f5ccf9b 100644
--- a/include/sway/view.h
+++ b/include/sway/view.h
@@ -19,6 +19,18 @@ struct sway_xdg_surface_v6 {
 	int pending_width, pending_height;
 };
 
+struct sway_wl_shell_surface {
+	struct sway_view *view;
+
+	struct wl_listener commit;
+	struct wl_listener request_move;
+	struct wl_listener request_resize;
+	struct wl_listener request_maximize;
+	struct wl_listener destroy;
+
+	int pending_width, pending_height;
+};
+
 enum sway_view_type {
 	SWAY_WL_SHELL_VIEW,
 	SWAY_XDG_SHELL_V6_VIEW,
diff --git a/sway/desktop/wl_shell.c b/sway/desktop/wl_shell.c
index 8bfa605eb..3a349425f 100644
--- a/sway/desktop/wl_shell.c
+++ b/sway/desktop/wl_shell.c
@@ -28,3 +28,88 @@ static const char *get_prop(struct sway_view *view, enum sway_view_prop prop) {
 	}
 }
 
+static void set_dimensions(struct sway_view *view, int width, int height) {
+	if (!assert_wl_shell(view)) {
+		return;
+	}
+	view->sway_wl_shell_surface->pending_width = width;
+	view->sway_wl_shell_surface->pending_height = height;
+	wlr_wl_shell_surface_configure(view->wlr_wl_shell_surface, 0, width, height);
+}
+
+static void handle_commit(struct wl_listener *listener, void *data) {
+	struct sway_wl_shell_surface *sway_surface =
+		wl_container_of(listener, sway_surface, commit);
+	struct sway_view *view = sway_surface->view;
+	sway_log(L_DEBUG, "wl_shell surface commit %dx%d",
+			sway_surface->pending_width, sway_surface->pending_height);
+	// NOTE: We intentionally discard the view's desired width here
+	// TODO: Let floating views do whatever
+	view->width = sway_surface->pending_width;
+	view->height = sway_surface->pending_height;
+}
+
+static void handle_destroy(struct wl_listener *listener, void *data) {
+	struct sway_wl_shell_surface *sway_surface =
+		wl_container_of(listener, sway_surface, destroy);
+	wl_list_remove(&sway_surface->commit.link);
+	wl_list_remove(&sway_surface->destroy.link);
+	swayc_t *parent = destroy_view(sway_surface->view->swayc);
+	free(sway_surface->view);
+	free(sway_surface);
+	arrange_windows(parent, -1, -1);
+}
+
+void handle_wl_shell_surface(struct wl_listener *listener, void *data) {
+	struct sway_server *server = wl_container_of(
+			listener, server, wl_shell_surface);
+	struct wlr_wl_shell_surface *shell_surface = data;
+
+	if (shell_surface->state != WLR_WL_SHELL_SURFACE_STATE_TOPLEVEL) {
+		// TODO: transient and popups should be floating
+		return;
+	}
+
+	sway_log(L_DEBUG, "New wl_shell toplevel title='%s' app_id='%s'",
+			shell_surface->title, shell_surface->class);
+	wlr_wl_shell_surface_ping(shell_surface);
+
+	struct sway_wl_shell_surface *sway_surface =
+		calloc(1, sizeof(struct sway_wl_shell_surface));
+	if (!sway_assert(sway_surface, "Failed to allocate surface!")) {
+		return;
+	}
+
+	struct sway_view *sway_view = calloc(1, sizeof(struct sway_view));
+	if (!sway_assert(sway_view, "Failed to allocate view!")) {
+		return;
+	}
+	sway_view->type = SWAY_WL_SHELL_VIEW;
+	sway_view->iface.get_prop = get_prop;
+	sway_view->iface.set_dimensions = set_dimensions;
+	sway_view->wlr_wl_shell_surface = shell_surface;
+	sway_view->sway_wl_shell_surface = sway_surface;
+	sway_view->surface = shell_surface->surface;
+	sway_surface->view = sway_view;
+
+	// TODO:
+	// - Wire up listeners
+	// - Handle popups
+	// - Look up pid and open on appropriate workspace
+	// - Set new view to maximized so it behaves nicely
+	// - Criteria
+
+	sway_surface->commit.notify = handle_commit;
+	wl_signal_add(&shell_surface->events.commit, &sway_surface->commit);
+	sway_surface->destroy.notify = handle_destroy;
+	wl_signal_add(&shell_surface->events.destroy, &sway_surface->destroy);
+
+	// TODO: actual focus semantics
+	swayc_t *parent = root_container.children->items[0];
+	parent = parent->children->items[0]; // workspace
+
+	swayc_t *cont = new_view(parent, sway_view);
+	sway_view->swayc = cont;
+
+	arrange_windows(cont->parent, -1, -1);
+}
diff --git a/sway/meson.build b/sway/meson.build
index cf2aa9137..dd3570bfb 100644
--- a/sway/meson.build
+++ b/sway/meson.build
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@ sway_sources = files(
 	'ipc-json.c',
 	'ipc-server.c',
 	'desktop/output.c',
+	'desktop/wl_shell.c',
 	'desktop/xdg_shell_v6.c',
 	'tree/container.c',
 	'tree/layout.c',
diff --git a/sway/server.c b/sway/server.c
index 6e66bc3ca..bf5c37eb3 100644
--- a/sway/server.c
+++ b/sway/server.c
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@
 #include <wlr/render.h>
 #include <wlr/render/gles2.h>
 #include <wlr/types/wlr_compositor.h>
+#include <wlr/types/wlr_wl_shell.h>
 // TODO WLR: make Xwayland optional
 #include <wlr/xwayland.h>
 #include "sway/server.h"
@@ -40,6 +41,11 @@ bool server_init(struct sway_server *server) {
 		&server->xdg_shell_v6_surface);
 	server->xdg_shell_v6_surface.notify = handle_xdg_shell_v6_surface;
 
+	server->wl_shell = wlr_wl_shell_create(server->wl_display);
+	wl_signal_add(&server->wl_shell->events.new_surface,
+		&server->wl_shell_surface);
+	server->wl_shell_surface.notify = handle_wl_shell_surface;
+
 	server->socket = wl_display_add_socket_auto(server->wl_display);
 	if (!sway_assert(server->socket,  "Unable to open wayland socket")) {
 		wlr_backend_destroy(server->backend);