diff --git a/include/sway/config.h b/include/sway/config.h
index 27fae0c6..be29082e 100644
--- a/include/sway/config.h
+++ b/include/sway/config.h
@@ -355,6 +355,7 @@ struct sway_config {
 	struct {
 		struct input_config *input_config;
 		struct seat_config *seat_config;
+		struct sway_seat *seat;
 	} handler_context;
 };
 
diff --git a/include/sway/input/input-manager.h b/include/sway/input/input-manager.h
index 58a93fe3..2bf297ce 100644
--- a/include/sway/input/input-manager.h
+++ b/include/sway/input/input-manager.h
@@ -43,4 +43,7 @@ void sway_input_manager_apply_input_config(struct sway_input_manager *input,
 void sway_input_manager_apply_seat_config(struct sway_input_manager *input,
 		struct seat_config *seat_config);
 
+struct sway_seat *sway_input_manager_get_default_seat(
+		struct sway_input_manager *input);
+
 #endif
diff --git a/include/sway/view.h b/include/sway/view.h
index 08c5480b..240ffaa5 100644
--- a/include/sway/view.h
+++ b/include/sway/view.h
@@ -92,6 +92,7 @@ struct sway_view {
 		void (*set_position)(struct sway_view *view,
 				double ox, double oy);
 		void (*set_activated)(struct sway_view *view, bool activated);
+		void (*close)(struct sway_view *view);
 	} iface;
 
 	// only used for unmanaged views (shell specific)
diff --git a/sway/commands.c b/sway/commands.c
index 414ef809..28943963 100644
--- a/sway/commands.c
+++ b/sway/commands.c
@@ -132,6 +132,7 @@ static struct cmd_handler handlers[] = {
 	{ "exit", cmd_exit },
 	{ "include", cmd_include },
 	{ "input", cmd_input },
+	{ "kill", cmd_kill },
 	{ "output", cmd_output },
 	{ "seat", cmd_seat },
 	{ "set", cmd_set },
diff --git a/sway/commands/kill.c b/sway/commands/kill.c
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..4bbf94e5
--- /dev/null
+++ b/sway/commands/kill.c
@@ -0,0 +1,25 @@
+#include "sway/input/input-manager.h"
+#include "sway/input/seat.h"
+#include "sway/view.h"
+#include "sway/commands.h"
+
+struct cmd_results *cmd_kill(int argc, char **argv) {
+	struct sway_seat *seat = config->handler_context.seat;
+	if (!seat) {
+		seat = sway_input_manager_get_default_seat(input_manager);
+	}
+
+	// TODO context for arbitrary sway containers (when we get criteria
+	// working) will make seat context not explicitly required
+	if (!seat) {
+		return cmd_results_new(CMD_FAILURE, NULL, "no seat context given");
+	}
+
+	struct sway_view *view = seat->focus->sway_view;
+
+	if (view->iface.close) {
+		view->iface.close(view);
+	}
+
+	return cmd_results_new(CMD_SUCCESS, NULL, NULL);
+}
diff --git a/sway/desktop/wl_shell.c b/sway/desktop/wl_shell.c
index e34f5160..0cde6583 100644
--- a/sway/desktop/wl_shell.c
+++ b/sway/desktop/wl_shell.c
@@ -51,6 +51,14 @@ static void set_activated(struct sway_view *view, bool activated) {
 	// no way to activate wl_shell
 }
 
+static void close(struct sway_view *view) {
+	if (!assert_wl_shell(view)) {
+		return;
+	}
+
+	wl_client_destroy(view->wlr_wl_shell_surface->client);
+}
+
 static void handle_commit(struct wl_listener *listener, void *data) {
 	struct sway_wl_shell_surface *sway_surface =
 		wl_container_of(listener, sway_surface, commit);
@@ -103,6 +111,7 @@ void handle_wl_shell_surface(struct wl_listener *listener, void *data) {
 	sway_view->iface.set_size = set_size;
 	sway_view->iface.set_position = set_position;
 	sway_view->iface.set_activated = set_activated;
+	sway_view->iface.close = close;
 	sway_view->wlr_wl_shell_surface = shell_surface;
 	sway_view->sway_wl_shell_surface = sway_surface;
 	sway_view->surface = shell_surface->surface;
diff --git a/sway/desktop/xdg_shell_v6.c b/sway/desktop/xdg_shell_v6.c
index df48345c..4b50093f 100644
--- a/sway/desktop/xdg_shell_v6.c
+++ b/sway/desktop/xdg_shell_v6.c
@@ -57,6 +57,16 @@ static void set_activated(struct sway_view *view, bool activated) {
 	}
 }
 
+static void close(struct sway_view *view) {
+	if (!assert_xdg(view)) {
+		return;
+	}
+	struct wlr_xdg_surface_v6 *surface = view->wlr_xdg_surface_v6;
+	if (surface->role == WLR_XDG_SURFACE_V6_ROLE_TOPLEVEL) {
+		wlr_xdg_toplevel_v6_send_close(surface);
+	}
+}
+
 static void handle_commit(struct wl_listener *listener, void *data) {
 	struct sway_xdg_surface_v6 *sway_surface =
 		wl_container_of(listener, sway_surface, commit);
@@ -107,6 +117,7 @@ void handle_xdg_shell_v6_surface(struct wl_listener *listener, void *data) {
 	sway_view->iface.set_size = set_size;
 	sway_view->iface.set_position = set_position;
 	sway_view->iface.set_activated = set_activated;
+	sway_view->iface.close = close;
 	sway_view->wlr_xdg_surface_v6 = xdg_surface;
 	sway_view->sway_xdg_surface_v6 = sway_surface;
 	sway_view->surface = xdg_surface->surface;
diff --git a/sway/desktop/xwayland.c b/sway/desktop/xwayland.c
index a4d9687d..7603d3ca 100644
--- a/sway/desktop/xwayland.c
+++ b/sway/desktop/xwayland.c
@@ -80,6 +80,13 @@ static void set_activated(struct sway_view *view, bool activated) {
 	wlr_xwayland_surface_activate(surface, activated);
 }
 
+static void close(struct sway_view *view) {
+	if (!assert_xwayland(view)) {
+		return;
+	}
+	wlr_xwayland_surface_close(view->wlr_xwayland_surface);
+}
+
 static void handle_commit(struct wl_listener *listener, void *data) {
 	struct sway_xwayland_surface *sway_surface =
 		wl_container_of(listener, sway_surface, commit);
@@ -192,6 +199,7 @@ void handle_xwayland_surface(struct wl_listener *listener, void *data) {
 	sway_view->iface.set_size = set_size;
 	sway_view->iface.set_position = set_position;
 	sway_view->iface.set_activated = set_activated;
+	sway_view->iface.close = close;
 	sway_view->wlr_xwayland_surface = xsurface;
 	sway_view->sway_xwayland_surface = sway_surface;
 	sway_view->surface = xsurface->surface;
diff --git a/sway/input/input-manager.c b/sway/input/input-manager.c
index 26cf5035..7b19991b 100644
--- a/sway/input/input-manager.c
+++ b/sway/input/input-manager.c
@@ -369,3 +369,14 @@ void sway_input_manager_configure_xcursor(struct sway_input_manager *input) {
 		sway_seat_configure_xcursor(seat);
 	}
 }
+
+struct sway_seat *sway_input_manager_get_default_seat(
+		struct sway_input_manager *input) {
+	struct sway_seat *seat = NULL;
+	wl_list_for_each(seat, &input->seats, link) {
+		if (strcmp(seat->wlr_seat->name, "seat0") == 0) {
+			return seat;
+		}
+	}
+	return seat;
+}
diff --git a/sway/input/keyboard.c b/sway/input/keyboard.c
index 5827a1ca..6dc57d46 100644
--- a/sway/input/keyboard.c
+++ b/sway/input/keyboard.c
@@ -89,9 +89,12 @@ static bool binding_matches_key_state(struct sway_binding *binding,
 	return false;
 }
 
-static void binding_execute_command(struct sway_binding *binding) {
+static void keyboard_execute_command(struct sway_keyboard *keyboard,
+		struct sway_binding *binding) {
 	wlr_log(L_DEBUG, "running command for binding: %s",
 		binding->command);
+	config_clear_handler_context(config);
+	config->handler_context.seat = keyboard->seat_device->sway_seat;
 	struct cmd_results *results = handle_command(binding->command);
 	if (results->status != CMD_SUCCESS) {
 		wlr_log(L_DEBUG, "could not run command for binding: %s",
@@ -160,7 +163,7 @@ static bool keyboard_execute_bindsym(struct sway_keyboard *keyboard,
 		}
 
 		if (match) {
-			binding_execute_command(binding);
+			keyboard_execute_command(keyboard, binding);
 			return true;
 		}
 	}
@@ -267,7 +270,7 @@ static bool keyboard_execute_bindcode(struct sway_keyboard *keyboard,
 	for (int i = 0; i < keycode_bindings->length; ++i) {
 		struct sway_binding *binding = keycode_bindings->items[i];
 		if (binding_matches_keycodes(wlr_keyboard, binding, event)) {
-			binding_execute_command(binding);
+			keyboard_execute_command(keyboard, binding);
 			return true;
 		}
 	}
diff --git a/sway/meson.build b/sway/meson.build
index 30ec166b..d5dead42 100644
--- a/sway/meson.build
+++ b/sway/meson.build
@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@ sway_sources = files(
 	'commands/exit.c',
 	'commands/exec.c',
 	'commands/exec_always.c',
+	'commands/kill.c',
 	'commands/include.c',
 	'commands/input.c',
 	'commands/seat.c',