diff --git a/xwayland/xwm.c b/xwayland/xwm.c
index 4d40f740..5f857f24 100644
--- a/xwayland/xwm.c
+++ b/xwayland/xwm.c
@@ -206,8 +206,6 @@ static struct wlr_xwayland_surface *xwayland_surface_create(
 
 	wl_list_insert(&xwm->surfaces, &surface->link);
 
-	wl_signal_emit_mutable(&xwm->xwayland->events.new_surface, surface);
-
 	return surface;
 }
 
@@ -391,6 +389,8 @@ static void xwayland_surface_dissociate(struct wlr_xwayland_surface *xsurface) {
 	xwayland_surface_set_mapped(xsurface, false);
 
 	if (xsurface->surface != NULL) {
+		wl_signal_emit_mutable(&xsurface->events.destroy, xsurface);
+
 		wl_list_remove(&xsurface->surface_commit.link);
 		wl_list_remove(&xsurface->surface_precommit.link);
 		wlr_addon_finish(&xsurface->surface_addon);
@@ -409,8 +409,6 @@ static void xwayland_surface_dissociate(struct wlr_xwayland_surface *xsurface) {
 static void xwayland_surface_destroy(struct wlr_xwayland_surface *xsurface) {
 	xwayland_surface_dissociate(xsurface);
 
-	wl_signal_emit_mutable(&xsurface->events.destroy, xsurface);
-
 	if (xsurface == xsurface->xwm->focus_surface) {
 		xwm_surface_activate(xsurface->xwm, NULL);
 	}
@@ -954,6 +952,8 @@ static void xwayland_surface_associate(struct wlr_xwm *xwm,
 	if (xwm->xres) {
 		read_surface_client_id(xwm, xsurface);
 	}
+
+	wl_signal_emit_mutable(&xwm->xwayland->events.new_surface, xsurface);
 }
 
 static void xwm_handle_create_notify(struct wlr_xwm *xwm,