diff --git a/examples/compositor.c b/examples/compositor.c
index 9d96b053..841407bf 100644
--- a/examples/compositor.c
+++ b/examples/compositor.c
@@ -56,6 +56,8 @@ struct sample_state {
 	struct wl_listener cursor_motion_absolute;
 	struct wl_listener cursor_button;
 	struct wl_listener cursor_axis;
+
+	struct wl_listener new_xdg_surface_v6;
 };
 
 /*
@@ -85,6 +87,15 @@ static void output_frame_handle_surface(struct sample_state *sample,
 		}
 	}
 }
+
+static void handle_new_xdg_surface_v6(struct wl_listener *listener,
+		void *data) {
+	struct wlr_xdg_surface_v6 *surface = data;
+	wlr_log(L_DEBUG, "new xdg surface: title=%s, app_id=%s",
+		surface->title, surface->app_id);
+	// configure the surface and add it to data structures here
+}
+
 static void handle_output_frame(struct output_state *output,
 		struct timespec *ts) {
 	struct compositor_state *state = output->compositor;
@@ -309,6 +320,12 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[]) {
 	state.wl_shell = wlr_wl_shell_create(compositor.display);
 	state.xdg_shell = wlr_xdg_shell_v6_create(compositor.display);
 
+	// shell events
+	wl_signal_add(&state.xdg_shell->events.new_surface,
+		&state.new_xdg_surface_v6);
+	state.new_xdg_surface_v6.notify = handle_new_xdg_surface_v6;
+
+
 	state.data_device_manager =
 		wlr_data_device_manager_create(compositor.display);
 
@@ -341,6 +358,8 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[]) {
 
 	wl_display_run(compositor.display);
 
+	wl_list_remove(&state.new_xdg_surface_v6.link);
+
 	wlr_xwayland_destroy(state.xwayland);
 	close(state.keymap_fd);
 	wlr_seat_destroy(state.wl_seat);
diff --git a/include/wlr/types/wlr_xdg_shell_v6.h b/include/wlr/types/wlr_xdg_shell_v6.h
index a4afaf3b..7c912370 100644
--- a/include/wlr/types/wlr_xdg_shell_v6.h
+++ b/include/wlr/types/wlr_xdg_shell_v6.h
@@ -8,6 +8,10 @@ struct wlr_xdg_shell_v6 {
 	struct wl_list wl_resources;
 	struct wl_list surfaces;
 
+	struct {
+		struct wl_signal new_surface;
+	} events;
+
 	void *data;
 };
 
@@ -53,10 +57,12 @@ struct wlr_xdg_surface_v6 {
 	struct wl_client *client;
 	struct wl_resource *resource;
 	struct wlr_surface *surface;
+	struct wlr_xdg_shell_v6 *shell;
 	struct wl_list link;
 	enum wlr_xdg_surface_v6_role role;
 	struct wlr_xdg_toplevel_v6 *toplevel_state;
 
+	bool configured;
 	struct wl_event_source *configure_idle;
 	struct wl_list configure_list;
 
@@ -74,6 +80,7 @@ struct wlr_xdg_surface_v6 {
 		struct wl_signal request_minimize;
 		struct wl_signal commit;
 		struct wl_signal destroy;
+		struct wl_signal ack_configure;
 	} events;
 
 	void *data;
diff --git a/types/wlr_xdg_shell_v6.c b/types/wlr_xdg_shell_v6.c
index 11b44d6d..d32990db 100644
--- a/types/wlr_xdg_shell_v6.c
+++ b/types/wlr_xdg_shell_v6.c
@@ -205,7 +205,6 @@ static void wlr_xdg_toplevel_v6_ack_configure(
 
 static void xdg_surface_ack_configure(struct wl_client *client,
 		struct wl_resource *resource, uint32_t serial) {
-	wlr_log(L_DEBUG, "TODO xdg surface ack configure");
 	struct wlr_xdg_surface_v6 *surface = wl_resource_get_user_data(resource);
 
 	// TODO handle popups
@@ -237,7 +236,13 @@ static void xdg_surface_ack_configure(struct wl_client *client,
 		wlr_xdg_toplevel_v6_ack_configure(surface, configure);
 	}
 
-	// TODO send ack_configure event?
+	if (!surface->configured) {
+		surface->configured = true;
+		wl_signal_emit(&surface->shell->events.new_surface, surface);
+	}
+
+	wl_signal_emit(&surface->events.ack_configure, surface);
+
 	free(configure);
 }
 
@@ -444,6 +449,7 @@ static void xdg_shell_get_xdg_surface(struct wl_client *client,
 	}
 
 	surface->client = client;
+	surface->shell = xdg_shell;
 	surface->role = WLR_XDG_SURFACE_V6_ROLE_NONE;
 	surface->surface = wl_resource_get_user_data(_surface);
 	surface->resource = wl_resource_create(client,
@@ -454,6 +460,7 @@ static void xdg_shell_get_xdg_surface(struct wl_client *client,
 	wl_signal_init(&surface->events.request_minimize);
 	wl_signal_init(&surface->events.commit);
 	wl_signal_init(&surface->events.destroy);
+	wl_signal_init(&surface->events.ack_configure);
 
 	wl_signal_add(&surface->surface->signals.destroy,
 		&surface->surface_destroy_listener);
@@ -514,8 +521,12 @@ struct wlr_xdg_shell_v6 *wlr_xdg_shell_v6_create(struct wl_display *display) {
 		return NULL;
 	}
 	xdg_shell->wl_global = wl_global;
+
+	wl_signal_init(&xdg_shell->events.new_surface);
+
 	wl_list_init(&xdg_shell->wl_resources);
 	wl_list_init(&xdg_shell->surfaces);
+
 	return xdg_shell;
 }