diff --git a/examples/compositor.h b/examples/compositor.h
index 2847808f..b382cc7f 100644
--- a/examples/compositor.h
+++ b/examples/compositor.h
@@ -17,24 +17,4 @@ void wl_compositor_init(struct wl_display *display,
 struct wlr_surface;
 void wl_compositor_surface_destroyed(struct wl_compositor_state *compositor,
 		struct wlr_surface *surface);
-
-struct wl_shell_state {
-	struct wl_global *wl_global;
-	struct wl_list wl_resources;
-};
-
-struct xdg_shell_state {
-	struct wl_global *wl_global;
-	struct wl_list wl_resources;
-	struct wl_display *display;
-};
-
-void wl_shell_init(struct wl_display *display,
-		struct wl_shell_state *state);
-
-void xdg_shell_init(struct wl_display *display,
-		struct xdg_shell_state *state);
-
-void xdg_shell_release(struct xdg_shell_state *state);
-
 #endif
diff --git a/examples/compositor/main.c b/examples/compositor/main.c
index e2a3a481..8a9de2f9 100644
--- a/examples/compositor/main.c
+++ b/examples/compositor/main.c
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@
 #include <wlr/render/gles2.h>
 #include <wlr/types/wlr_output.h>
 #include <wlr/types/wlr_surface.h>
+#include <wlr/types/wlr_wl_shell.h>
 #include <wlr/types/wlr_xdg_shell_v6.h>
 #include <xkbcommon/xkbcommon.h>
 #include <wlr/util/log.h>
@@ -21,7 +22,7 @@
 struct sample_state {
 	struct wlr_renderer *renderer;
 	struct wl_compositor_state compositor;
-	struct wl_shell_state shell;
+	struct wlr_wl_shell *wl_shell;
 	struct wlr_xdg_shell_v6 *xdg_shell;
 };
 
@@ -32,6 +33,26 @@ static inline int64_t timespec_to_msec(const struct timespec *a) {
 	return (int64_t)a->tv_sec * 1000 + a->tv_nsec / 1000000;
 }
 
+void output_frame_handle_surface(struct sample_state *sample,
+		struct wlr_output *wlr_output, struct timespec *ts,
+		struct wl_resource *_res) {
+	struct wlr_surface *surface = wl_resource_get_user_data(_res);
+	float matrix[16];
+	float transform[16];
+	wlr_surface_flush_damage(surface);
+	if (surface->texture->valid) {
+		wlr_matrix_translate(&transform, 200, 200, 0);
+		wlr_surface_get_matrix(surface, &matrix,
+			&wlr_output->transform_matrix, &transform);
+		wlr_render_with_matrix(sample->renderer, surface->texture, &matrix);
+
+		struct wlr_frame_callback *cb, *cnext;
+		wl_list_for_each_safe(cb, cnext, &surface->frame_callback_list, link) {
+			wl_callback_send_done(cb->resource, timespec_to_msec(ts));
+			wl_resource_destroy(cb->resource);
+		}
+	}
+}
 void handle_output_frame(struct output_state *output, struct timespec *ts) {
 	struct compositor_state *state = output->compositor;
 	struct sample_state *sample = state->data;
@@ -40,24 +61,13 @@ void handle_output_frame(struct output_state *output, struct timespec *ts) {
 	wlr_output_make_current(wlr_output);
 	wlr_renderer_begin(sample->renderer, wlr_output);
 
-	struct wl_resource *_res;
-	float matrix[16];
-	float transform[16];
-	wl_list_for_each(_res, &sample->compositor.surfaces, link) {
-		struct wlr_surface *surface = wl_resource_get_user_data(_res);
-		wlr_surface_flush_damage(surface);
-		if (surface->texture->valid) {
-			wlr_matrix_translate(&transform, 200, 200, 0);
-			wlr_surface_get_matrix(surface, &matrix,
-				&wlr_output->transform_matrix, &transform);
-			wlr_render_with_matrix(sample->renderer, surface->texture, &matrix);
-
-			struct wlr_frame_callback *cb, *cnext;
-			wl_list_for_each_safe(cb, cnext, &surface->frame_callback_list, link) {
-				wl_callback_send_done(cb->resource, timespec_to_msec(ts));
-				wl_resource_destroy(cb->resource);
-			}
-		}
+	struct wlr_wl_shell_surface *wl_shell_surface;
+	wl_list_for_each(wl_shell_surface, &sample->wl_shell->surfaces, link) {
+		output_frame_handle_surface(sample, wlr_output, ts, wl_shell_surface->surface);
+	}
+	struct wlr_xdg_surface_v6 *xdg_surface;
+	wl_list_for_each(xdg_surface, &sample->xdg_shell->surfaces, link) {
+		output_frame_handle_surface(sample, wlr_output, ts, xdg_surface->surface);
 	}
 
 	wlr_renderer_end(sample->renderer);
@@ -79,8 +89,11 @@ int main() {
 	}
 	wl_display_init_shm(compositor.display);
 	wl_compositor_init(compositor.display, &state.compositor, state.renderer);
-	wl_shell_init(compositor.display, &state.shell);
-	state.xdg_shell = wlr_xdg_shell_v6_init(compositor.display);
+	state.wl_shell = wlr_wl_shell_create(compositor.display);
+	state.xdg_shell = wlr_xdg_shell_v6_create(compositor.display);
 
 	compositor_run(&compositor);
+
+	wlr_wl_shell_destroy(state.wl_shell);
+	wlr_xdg_shell_v6_destroy(state.xdg_shell);
 }
diff --git a/examples/compositor/wl_compositor.c b/examples/compositor/wl_compositor.c
index e25dddac..0bab345d 100644
--- a/examples/compositor/wl_compositor.c
+++ b/examples/compositor/wl_compositor.c
@@ -7,16 +7,7 @@
 #include "compositor.h"
 
 static void destroy_surface_listener(struct wl_listener *listener, void *data) {
-	struct wlr_surface *surface = wl_resource_get_user_data(data);
-	struct wl_compositor_state *state = surface->compositor_data;
-
-	struct wl_resource *res = NULL;
-	wl_list_for_each(res, &state->surfaces, link) {
-		if (res == surface->resource) {
-			wl_list_remove(&res->link);
-			break;
-		}
-	}
+	wl_list_remove(wl_resource_get_link(data));
 }
 
 static void wl_compositor_create_surface(struct wl_client *client,
diff --git a/examples/meson.build b/examples/meson.build
index b40f7d8f..1ce9c342 100644
--- a/examples/meson.build
+++ b/examples/meson.build
@@ -11,7 +11,6 @@ executable('tablet', 'tablet.c', dependencies: wlroots, link_with: lib_shared)
 compositor_src = [
   'compositor/main.c',
   'compositor/wl_compositor.c',
-  'compositor/wl_shell.c',
 ]
 
 executable('compositor', compositor_src,
diff --git a/include/wlr/types/wlr_wl_shell.h b/include/wlr/types/wlr_wl_shell.h
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..a085711b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/include/wlr/types/wlr_wl_shell.h
@@ -0,0 +1,25 @@
+#ifndef _WLR_WL_SHELL_H
+#define _WLR_WL_SHELL_H
+#include <wayland-server.h>
+
+struct wlr_wl_shell {
+	struct wl_global *wl_global;
+	struct wl_list wl_resources;
+	struct wl_list surfaces;
+
+	void *data;
+};
+
+struct wlr_wl_shell_surface {
+	struct wl_resource *surface;
+	struct wlr_texture *wlr_texture;
+	struct wl_list link;
+
+	void *data;
+};
+
+
+struct wlr_wl_shell *wlr_wl_shell_create(struct wl_display *display);
+void wlr_wl_shell_destroy(struct wlr_wl_shell *wlr_wl_shell);
+
+#endif
diff --git a/include/wlr/types/wlr_xdg_shell_v6.h b/include/wlr/types/wlr_xdg_shell_v6.h
index 07380a96..41cf483a 100644
--- a/include/wlr/types/wlr_xdg_shell_v6.h
+++ b/include/wlr/types/wlr_xdg_shell_v6.h
@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@ struct wlr_xdg_surface_v6 {
 	void *data;
 };
 
-struct wlr_xdg_shell_v6 *wlr_xdg_shell_v6_init(struct wl_display *display);
+struct wlr_xdg_shell_v6 *wlr_xdg_shell_v6_create(struct wl_display *display);
 void wlr_xdg_shell_v6_destroy(struct wlr_xdg_shell_v6 *xdg_shell);
 
 #endif
diff --git a/types/meson.build b/types/meson.build
index f97d7db8..943c83c3 100644
--- a/types/meson.build
+++ b/types/meson.build
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@ lib_wlr_types = static_library('wlr_types', files(
     'wlr_tablet_tool.c',
     'wlr_touch.c',
     'wlr_xdg_shell_v6.c',
+    'wlr_wl_shell.c',
   ),
   include_directories: wlr_inc,
   dependencies: [wayland_server, pixman, wlr_protos])
diff --git a/examples/compositor/wl_shell.c b/types/wlr_wl_shell.c
similarity index 69%
rename from examples/compositor/wl_shell.c
rename to types/wlr_wl_shell.c
index e56f5c9e..378758e8 100644
--- a/examples/compositor/wl_shell.c
+++ b/types/wlr_wl_shell.c
@@ -1,8 +1,8 @@
 #include <assert.h>
 #include <wayland-server.h>
 #include <wlr/util/log.h>
+#include <wlr/types/wlr_wl_shell.h>
 #include <stdlib.h>
-#include "compositor.h"
 
 static void shell_surface_pong(struct wl_client *client, struct wl_resource
 		*resource, uint32_t serial) {
@@ -71,25 +71,26 @@ struct wl_shell_surface_interface shell_surface_interface = {
 	.set_class = shell_surface_set_class,
 };
 
-struct shell_surface_state {
-	struct wlr_texture *wlr_texture;
-};
-
 static void destroy_shell_surface(struct wl_resource *resource) {
-	struct shell_surface_state *state = wl_resource_get_user_data(resource);
+	struct wlr_wl_shell_surface *state = wl_resource_get_user_data(resource);
+	wl_list_remove(&state->link);
 	free(state);
 }
 
-void wl_shell_get_shell_surface(struct wl_client *client,
+static void wl_shell_get_shell_surface(struct wl_client *client,
 		struct wl_resource *resource, uint32_t id,
 		struct wl_resource *surface) {
 	struct wlr_texture *wlr_texture = wl_resource_get_user_data(surface);
-	struct shell_surface_state *state = malloc(sizeof(struct shell_surface_state));
+	struct wlr_wl_shell *wlr_wl_shell = wl_resource_get_user_data(resource);
+	struct wlr_wl_shell_surface *state =
+		calloc(1, sizeof(struct wlr_wl_shell_surface));
 	state->wlr_texture = wlr_texture;
+	state->surface = surface;
 	struct wl_resource *shell_surface_resource = wl_resource_create(client,
 			&wl_shell_surface_interface, wl_resource_get_version(resource), id);
 	wl_resource_set_implementation(shell_surface_resource,
 			&shell_surface_interface, state, destroy_shell_surface);
+	wl_list_insert(&wlr_wl_shell->surfaces, &state->link);
 }
 
 static struct wl_shell_interface wl_shell_impl = {
@@ -97,21 +98,13 @@ static struct wl_shell_interface wl_shell_impl = {
 };
 
 static void wl_shell_destroy(struct wl_resource *resource) {
-	struct wl_shell_state *state = wl_resource_get_user_data(resource);
-	struct wl_resource *_resource = NULL;
-	wl_resource_for_each(_resource, &state->wl_resources) {
-		if (_resource == resource) {
-			struct wl_list *link = wl_resource_get_link(_resource);
-			wl_list_remove(link);
-			break;
-		}
-	}
+	wl_list_remove(wl_resource_get_link(resource));
 }
 
-static void wl_shell_bind(struct wl_client *wl_client, void *_state,
+static void wl_shell_bind(struct wl_client *wl_client, void *_wl_shell,
 		uint32_t version, uint32_t id) {
-	struct wl_shell_state *state = _state;
-	assert(wl_client && state);
+	struct wlr_wl_shell *wl_shell = _wl_shell;
+	assert(wl_client && wl_shell);
 	if (version > 1) {
 		wlr_log(L_ERROR, "Client requested unsupported wl_shell version, disconnecting");
 		wl_client_destroy(wl_client);
@@ -120,14 +113,39 @@ static void wl_shell_bind(struct wl_client *wl_client, void *_state,
 	struct wl_resource *wl_resource = wl_resource_create(
 			wl_client, &wl_shell_interface, version, id);
 	wl_resource_set_implementation(wl_resource, &wl_shell_impl,
-			state, wl_shell_destroy);
-	wl_list_insert(&state->wl_resources, wl_resource_get_link(wl_resource));
+			wl_shell, wl_shell_destroy);
+	wl_list_insert(&wl_shell->wl_resources, wl_resource_get_link(wl_resource));
 }
 
-void wl_shell_init(struct wl_display *display,
-		struct wl_shell_state *state) {
+struct wlr_wl_shell *wlr_wl_shell_create(struct wl_display *display) {
+	struct wlr_wl_shell *wlr_wl_shell =
+		calloc(1, sizeof(struct wlr_wl_shell));
+	if (!wlr_wl_shell) {
+		return NULL;
+	}
 	struct wl_global *wl_global = wl_global_create(display,
-		&wl_shell_interface, 1, state, wl_shell_bind);
-	state->wl_global = wl_global;
-	wl_list_init(&state->wl_resources);
+		&wl_shell_interface, 1, wlr_wl_shell, wl_shell_bind);
+	if (!wl_global) {
+		free(wlr_wl_shell);
+		return NULL;
+	}
+	wlr_wl_shell->wl_global = wl_global;
+	wl_list_init(&wlr_wl_shell->wl_resources);
+	wl_list_init(&wlr_wl_shell->surfaces);
+	return wlr_wl_shell;
+}
+
+void wlr_wl_shell_destroy(struct wlr_wl_shell *wlr_wl_shell) {
+	if (!wlr_wl_shell) {
+		return;
+	}
+	struct wl_resource *resource = NULL, *temp = NULL;
+	wl_resource_for_each_safe(resource, temp, &wlr_wl_shell->wl_resources) {
+		struct wl_list *link = wl_resource_get_link(resource);
+		wl_list_remove(link);
+	}
+	// TODO: destroy surfaces
+	// TODO: this segfault (wl_display->registry_resource_list is not init)
+	// wl_global_destroy(wlr_wl_shell->wl_global);
+	free(wlr_wl_shell);
 }
diff --git a/types/wlr_xdg_shell_v6.c b/types/wlr_xdg_shell_v6.c
index 2aad1551..484571b3 100644
--- a/types/wlr_xdg_shell_v6.c
+++ b/types/wlr_xdg_shell_v6.c
@@ -93,6 +93,7 @@ static const struct zxdg_toplevel_v6_interface zxdg_toplevel_v6_implementation =
 
 static void xdg_surface_destroy(struct wl_resource *resource) {
 	struct wlr_xdg_surface_v6 *surface = wl_resource_get_user_data(resource);
+	wl_list_remove(&surface->link);
 	free(surface);
 }
 
@@ -159,12 +160,15 @@ static void xdg_shell_pong(struct wl_client *client,
 }
 
 static struct zxdg_shell_v6_interface xdg_shell_impl = {
-	.destroy = resource_destroy,
 	.create_positioner = xdg_shell_create_positioner,
 	.get_xdg_surface = xdg_shell_get_xdg_surface,
 	.pong = xdg_shell_pong,
 };
 
+static void xdg_shell_destroy(struct wl_resource *resource) {
+	wl_list_remove(wl_resource_get_link(resource));
+}
+
 static void xdg_shell_bind(struct wl_client *wl_client, void *_xdg_shell,
 		uint32_t version, uint32_t id) {
 	struct wlr_xdg_shell_v6 *xdg_shell = _xdg_shell;
@@ -176,11 +180,11 @@ static void xdg_shell_bind(struct wl_client *wl_client, void *_xdg_shell,
 	}
 	struct wl_resource *wl_resource = wl_resource_create(
 		wl_client, &zxdg_shell_v6_interface, version, id);
-	wl_resource_set_implementation(wl_resource, &xdg_shell_impl, xdg_shell, NULL);
+	wl_resource_set_implementation(wl_resource, &xdg_shell_impl, xdg_shell, xdg_shell_destroy);
 	wl_list_insert(&xdg_shell->wl_resources, wl_resource_get_link(wl_resource));
 }
 
-struct wlr_xdg_shell_v6 *wlr_xdg_shell_v6_init(struct wl_display *display) {
+struct wlr_xdg_shell_v6 *wlr_xdg_shell_v6_create(struct wl_display *display) {
 	struct wlr_xdg_shell_v6 *xdg_shell =
 		calloc(1, sizeof(struct wlr_xdg_shell_v6));
 	if (!xdg_shell) {
@@ -189,7 +193,7 @@ struct wlr_xdg_shell_v6 *wlr_xdg_shell_v6_init(struct wl_display *display) {
 	struct wl_global *wl_global = wl_global_create(display,
 		&zxdg_shell_v6_interface, 1, xdg_shell, xdg_shell_bind);
 	if (!wl_global) {
-		wlr_xdg_shell_v6_destroy(xdg_shell);
+		free(xdg_shell);
 		return NULL;
 	}
 	xdg_shell->wl_global = wl_global;
@@ -208,6 +212,7 @@ void wlr_xdg_shell_v6_destroy(struct wlr_xdg_shell_v6 *xdg_shell) {
 		wl_list_remove(link);
 	}
 	// TODO: destroy surfaces
-	wl_global_destroy(xdg_shell->wl_global);
+	// TODO: this segfault (wl_display->registry_resource_list is not init)
+	// wl_global_destroy(xdg_shell->wl_global);
 	free(xdg_shell);
 }