diff --git a/sway/ipc-json.c b/sway/ipc-json.c
index fceee84d5..cfc6dfcfd 100644
--- a/sway/ipc-json.c
+++ b/sway/ipc-json.c
@@ -23,6 +23,20 @@
 static const int i3_output_id = INT32_MAX;
 static const int i3_scratch_id = INT32_MAX - 1;
 
+static const char *ipc_json_node_type_description(enum sway_node_type node_type) {
+	switch (node_type) {
+	case N_ROOT:
+		return "root";
+	case N_OUTPUT:
+		return "output";
+	case N_WORKSPACE:
+		return "workspace";
+	case N_CONTAINER:
+		return "con";
+	}
+	return "none";
+}
+
 static const char *ipc_json_layout_description(enum sway_container_layout l) {
 	switch (l) {
 	case L_VERT:
@@ -189,16 +203,22 @@ static json_object *ipc_json_create_empty_rect(void) {
 	return ipc_json_create_rect(&empty);
 }
 
-static json_object *ipc_json_create_node(int id, char *name,
+static json_object *ipc_json_create_node(int id, const char* type, char *name,
 		bool focused, json_object *focus, struct wlr_box *box) {
 	json_object *object = json_object_new_object();
 
 	json_object_object_add(object, "id", json_object_new_int(id));
-	json_object_object_add(object, "name",
-			name ? json_object_new_string(name) : NULL);
-	json_object_object_add(object, "rect", ipc_json_create_rect(box));
+	json_object_object_add(object, "type", json_object_new_string(type));
+	json_object_object_add(object, "orientation",
+			json_object_new_string(
+				ipc_json_orientation_description(L_HORIZ)));
+	json_object_object_add(object, "percent", NULL);
+	json_object_object_add(object, "urgent", json_object_new_boolean(false));
+	json_object_object_add(object, "marks", json_object_new_array());
 	json_object_object_add(object, "focused", json_object_new_boolean(focused));
-	json_object_object_add(object, "focus", focus);
+	json_object_object_add(object, "layout",
+			json_object_new_string(
+				ipc_json_layout_description(L_HORIZ)));
 
 	// set default values to be compatible with i3
 	json_object_object_add(object, "border",
@@ -206,35 +226,25 @@ static json_object *ipc_json_create_node(int id, char *name,
 				ipc_json_border_description(B_NONE)));
 	json_object_object_add(object, "current_border_width",
 			json_object_new_int(0));
-	json_object_object_add(object, "layout",
-			json_object_new_string(
-				ipc_json_layout_description(L_HORIZ)));
-	json_object_object_add(object, "orientation",
-			json_object_new_string(
-				ipc_json_orientation_description(L_HORIZ)));
-	json_object_object_add(object, "percent", NULL);
-	json_object_object_add(object, "window_rect", ipc_json_create_empty_rect());
+	json_object_object_add(object, "rect", ipc_json_create_rect(box));
 	json_object_object_add(object, "deco_rect", ipc_json_create_empty_rect());
+	json_object_object_add(object, "window_rect", ipc_json_create_empty_rect());
 	json_object_object_add(object, "geometry", ipc_json_create_empty_rect());
+	json_object_object_add(object, "name",
+			name ? json_object_new_string(name) : NULL);
 	json_object_object_add(object, "window", NULL);
-	json_object_object_add(object, "urgent", json_object_new_boolean(false));
-	json_object_object_add(object, "marks", json_object_new_array());
-	json_object_object_add(object, "fullscreen_mode", json_object_new_int(0));
 	json_object_object_add(object, "nodes", json_object_new_array());
 	json_object_object_add(object, "floating_nodes", json_object_new_array());
+	json_object_object_add(object, "focus", focus);
+	json_object_object_add(object, "fullscreen_mode", json_object_new_int(0));
 	json_object_object_add(object, "sticky", json_object_new_boolean(false));
 
 	return object;
 }
 
-static void ipc_json_describe_root(struct sway_root *root, json_object *object) {
-	json_object_object_add(object, "type", json_object_new_string("root"));
-}
-
 static void ipc_json_describe_output(struct sway_output *output,
 		json_object *object) {
 	struct wlr_output *wlr_output = output->wlr_output;
-	json_object_object_add(object, "type", json_object_new_string("output"));
 	json_object_object_add(object, "active", json_object_new_boolean(true));
 	json_object_object_add(object, "dpms",
 			json_object_new_boolean(wlr_output->enabled));
@@ -369,11 +379,9 @@ static json_object *ipc_json_describe_scratchpad_output(void) {
 				json_object_new_int(container->node.id));
 	}
 
-	json_object *workspace = ipc_json_create_node(i3_scratch_id,
+	json_object *workspace = ipc_json_create_node(i3_scratch_id, "workspace",
 				"__i3_scratch", false, workspace_focus, &box);
 	json_object_object_add(workspace, "fullscreen_mode", json_object_new_int(1));
-	json_object_object_add(workspace, "type",
-			json_object_new_string("workspace"));
 
 	// List all hidden scratchpad containers as floating nodes
 	json_object *floating_array = json_object_new_array();
@@ -390,10 +398,8 @@ static json_object *ipc_json_describe_scratchpad_output(void) {
 	json_object *output_focus = json_object_new_array();
 	json_object_array_add(output_focus, json_object_new_int(i3_scratch_id));
 
-	json_object *output = ipc_json_create_node(i3_output_id,
+	json_object *output = ipc_json_create_node(i3_output_id, "output",
 					"__i3", false, output_focus, &box);
-	json_object_object_add(output, "type",
-			json_object_new_string("output"));
 	json_object_object_add(output, "layout",
 			json_object_new_string("output"));
 
@@ -423,7 +429,6 @@ static void ipc_json_describe_workspace(struct sway_workspace *workspace,
 	json_object_object_add(object, "fullscreen_mode", json_object_new_int(1));
 	json_object_object_add(object, "output", workspace->output ?
 			json_object_new_string(workspace->output->wlr_output->name) : NULL);
-	json_object_object_add(object, "type", json_object_new_string("workspace"));
 	json_object_object_add(object, "urgent",
 			json_object_new_boolean(workspace->urgent));
 	json_object_object_add(object, "representation", workspace->representation ?
@@ -583,8 +588,10 @@ static void ipc_json_describe_view(struct sway_container *c, json_object *object
 static void ipc_json_describe_container(struct sway_container *c, json_object *object) {
 	json_object_object_add(object, "name",
 			c->title ? json_object_new_string(c->title) : NULL);
-	json_object_object_add(object, "type",
-			json_object_new_string(container_is_floating(c) ? "floating_con" : "con"));
+	if (container_is_floating(c)) {
+		json_object_object_add(object, "type",
+				json_object_new_string("floating_con"));
+	}
 
 	json_object_object_add(object, "layout",
 			json_object_new_string(
@@ -692,12 +699,11 @@ json_object *ipc_json_describe_node(struct sway_node *node) {
 	};
 	seat_for_each_node(seat, focus_inactive_children_iterator, &data);
 
-	json_object *object = ipc_json_create_node(
-				(int)node->id, name, focused, focus, &box);
+	json_object *object = ipc_json_create_node((int)node->id,
+				ipc_json_node_type_description(node->type), name, focused, focus, &box);
 
 	switch (node->type) {
 	case N_ROOT:
-		ipc_json_describe_root(root, object);
 		break;
 	case N_OUTPUT:
 		ipc_json_describe_output(node->sway_output, object);