diff --git a/include/sway/tree/view.h b/include/sway/tree/view.h
index 95708a04..d1eadcbf 100644
--- a/include/sway/tree/view.h
+++ b/include/sway/tree/view.h
@@ -38,8 +38,8 @@ struct sway_view_impl {
 	const char *(*get_string_prop)(struct sway_view *view,
 			enum sway_view_prop prop);
 	uint32_t (*get_int_prop)(struct sway_view *view, enum sway_view_prop prop);
-	uint32_t (*configure)(struct sway_view *view, double lx, double ly,
-			int width, int height);
+	bool (*configure)(struct sway_view *view, uint32_t *serial,
+			double lx, double ly, int width, int height);
 	void (*set_activated)(struct sway_view *view, bool activated);
 	void (*set_tiled)(struct sway_view *view, bool tiled);
 	void (*set_fullscreen)(struct sway_view *view, bool fullscreen);
@@ -244,8 +244,8 @@ const char *view_get_shell(struct sway_view *view);
 void view_get_constraints(struct sway_view *view, double *min_width,
 		double *max_width, double *min_height, double *max_height);
 
-uint32_t view_configure(struct sway_view *view, double lx, double ly, int width,
-	int height);
+bool view_configure(struct sway_view *view, uint32_t *serial,
+		double lx, double ly, int width, int height);
 
 bool view_inhibit_idle(struct sway_view *view);
 
diff --git a/sway/desktop/transaction.c b/sway/desktop/transaction.c
index f5a3a053..062b286e 100644
--- a/sway/desktop/transaction.c
+++ b/sway/desktop/transaction.c
@@ -405,24 +405,28 @@ static void transaction_commit(struct sway_transaction *transaction) {
 		bool hidden = node_is_view(node) && !node->destroying &&
 			!view_is_visible(node->sway_container->view);
 		if (should_configure(node, instruction)) {
-			instruction->serial = view_configure(node->sway_container->view,
+			bool successful = view_configure(node->sway_container->view,
+					&instruction->serial,
 					instruction->container_state.content_x,
 					instruction->container_state.content_y,
 					instruction->container_state.content_width,
 					instruction->container_state.content_height);
-			if (!hidden) {
-				instruction->waiting = true;
-				++transaction->num_waiting;
-			}
 
-			// From here on we are rendering a saved buffer of the view, which
-			// means we can send a frame done event to make the client redraw it
-			// as soon as possible. Additionally, this is required if a view is
-			// mapping and its default geometry doesn't intersect an output.
-			struct timespec now;
-			clock_gettime(CLOCK_MONOTONIC, &now);
-			wlr_surface_send_frame_done(
-					node->sway_container->view->surface, &now);
+			if (successful) {
+				if (!hidden) {
+					instruction->waiting = true;
+					++transaction->num_waiting;
+				}
+
+				// From here on we are rendering a saved buffer of the view, which
+				// means we can send a frame done event to make the client redraw it
+				// as soon as possible. Additionally, this is required if a view is
+				// mapping and its default geometry doesn't intersect an output.
+				struct timespec now;
+				clock_gettime(CLOCK_MONOTONIC, &now);
+				wlr_surface_send_frame_done(
+						node->sway_container->view->surface, &now);
+			}
 		}
 		if (!hidden && node_is_view(node) &&
 				wl_list_empty(&node->sway_container->view->saved_buffers)) {
diff --git a/sway/desktop/xdg_shell.c b/sway/desktop/xdg_shell.c
index 6af67207..e0db7556 100644
--- a/sway/desktop/xdg_shell.c
+++ b/sway/desktop/xdg_shell.c
@@ -141,15 +141,16 @@ static const char *get_string_prop(struct sway_view *view,
 	}
 }
 
-static uint32_t configure(struct sway_view *view, double lx, double ly,
-		int width, int height) {
+static bool configure(struct sway_view *view, uint32_t *serial,
+		double lx, double ly, int width, int height) {
 	struct sway_xdg_shell_view *xdg_shell_view =
 		xdg_shell_view_from_view(view);
 	if (xdg_shell_view == NULL) {
-		return 0;
+		return false;
 	}
-	return wlr_xdg_toplevel_set_size(view->wlr_xdg_toplevel,
-		width, height);
+
+	*serial = wlr_xdg_toplevel_set_size(top, width, height);
+	return true;
 }
 
 static void set_activated(struct sway_view *view, bool activated) {
diff --git a/sway/desktop/xwayland.c b/sway/desktop/xwayland.c
index 2f11b5fc..dd23c24b 100644
--- a/sway/desktop/xwayland.c
+++ b/sway/desktop/xwayland.c
@@ -246,18 +246,18 @@ static uint32_t get_int_prop(struct sway_view *view, enum sway_view_prop prop) {
 	}
 }
 
-static uint32_t configure(struct sway_view *view, double lx, double ly, int width,
-		int height) {
+static bool configure(struct sway_view *view, uint32_t *serial,
+		double lx, double ly, int width, int height) {
 	struct sway_xwayland_view *xwayland_view = xwayland_view_from_view(view);
 	if (xwayland_view == NULL) {
-		return 0;
+		return false;
 	}
 	struct wlr_xwayland_surface *xsurface = view->wlr_xwayland_surface;
 
 	wlr_xwayland_surface_configure(xsurface, lx, ly, width, height);
 
 	// xwayland doesn't give us a serial for the configure
-	return 0;
+	return true;
 }
 
 static void set_activated(struct sway_view *view, bool activated) {
@@ -544,13 +544,17 @@ static void handle_request_configure(struct wl_listener *listener, void *data) {
 		view->natural_height = ev->height;
 		container_floating_resize_and_center(view->container);
 
-		configure(view, view->container->pending.content_x,
+		bool successful = configure(view, NULL,
+				view->container->pending.content_x,
 				view->container->pending.content_y,
 				view->container->pending.content_width,
 				view->container->pending.content_height);
-		node_set_dirty(&view->container->node);
+
+		if (successful) {
+			node_set_dirty(&view->container->node);
+		}
 	} else {
-		configure(view, view->container->current.content_x,
+		configure(view, NULL, view->container->current.content_x,
 				view->container->current.content_y,
 				view->container->current.content_width,
 				view->container->current.content_height);
diff --git a/sway/tree/view.c b/sway/tree/view.c
index 7d9e038d..9213d34a 100644
--- a/sway/tree/view.c
+++ b/sway/tree/view.c
@@ -164,12 +164,13 @@ void view_get_constraints(struct sway_view *view, double *min_width,
 	}
 }
 
-uint32_t view_configure(struct sway_view *view, double lx, double ly, int width,
-		int height) {
+bool view_configure(struct sway_view *view, uint32_t *serial,
+		double lx, double ly, int width, int height) {
 	if (view->impl->configure) {
-		return view->impl->configure(view, lx, ly, width, height);
+		return view->impl->configure(view, serial, lx, ly, width, height);
 	}
-	return 0;
+
+	return false;
 }
 
 bool view_inhibit_idle(struct sway_view *view) {