diff --git a/include/sway/tree/view.h b/include/sway/tree/view.h
index 856651a5..822e7bb3 100644
--- a/include/sway/tree/view.h
+++ b/include/sway/tree/view.h
@@ -311,7 +311,7 @@ void view_for_each_popup_surface(struct sway_view *view,
 
 // view implementation
 
-void view_init(struct sway_view *view, enum sway_view_type type,
+bool view_init(struct sway_view *view, enum sway_view_type type,
 	const struct sway_view_impl *impl);
 
 void view_destroy(struct sway_view *view);
diff --git a/sway/desktop/xdg_shell.c b/sway/desktop/xdg_shell.c
index 63a0835b..11c112be 100644
--- a/sway/desktop/xdg_shell.c
+++ b/sway/desktop/xdg_shell.c
@@ -548,7 +548,10 @@ void handle_xdg_shell_toplevel(struct wl_listener *listener, void *data) {
 		return;
 	}
 
-	view_init(&xdg_shell_view->view, SWAY_VIEW_XDG_SHELL, &view_impl);
+	if (!view_init(&xdg_shell_view->view, SWAY_VIEW_XDG_SHELL, &view_impl)) {
+		free(xdg_shell_view);
+		return;
+	}
 	xdg_shell_view->view.wlr_xdg_toplevel = xdg_toplevel;
 
 	xdg_shell_view->map.notify = handle_map;
diff --git a/sway/desktop/xwayland.c b/sway/desktop/xwayland.c
index 2c6184fd..8f79b5e7 100644
--- a/sway/desktop/xwayland.c
+++ b/sway/desktop/xwayland.c
@@ -796,7 +796,10 @@ struct sway_xwayland_view *create_xwayland_view(struct wlr_xwayland_surface *xsu
 		return NULL;
 	}
 
-	view_init(&xwayland_view->view, SWAY_VIEW_XWAYLAND, &view_impl);
+	if (!view_init(&xwayland_view->view, SWAY_VIEW_XWAYLAND, &view_impl)) {
+		free(xwayland_view);
+		return NULL;
+	}
 	xwayland_view->view.wlr_xwayland_surface = xsurface;
 
 	wl_signal_add(&xsurface->events.destroy, &xwayland_view->destroy);
diff --git a/sway/tree/view.c b/sway/tree/view.c
index 00dc4721..d62a0667 100644
--- a/sway/tree/view.c
+++ b/sway/tree/view.c
@@ -35,7 +35,7 @@
 #include "pango.h"
 #include "stringop.h"
 
-void view_init(struct sway_view *view, enum sway_view_type type,
+bool view_init(struct sway_view *view, enum sway_view_type type,
 		const struct sway_view_impl *impl) {
 	view->type = type;
 	view->impl = impl;
@@ -44,6 +44,7 @@ void view_init(struct sway_view *view, enum sway_view_type type,
 	view->allow_request_urgent = true;
 	view->shortcuts_inhibit = SHORTCUTS_INHIBIT_DEFAULT;
 	wl_signal_init(&view->events.unmap);
+	return true;
 }
 
 void view_destroy(struct sway_view *view) {