diff --git a/include/wlr/types/wlr_layer_shell_v1.h b/include/wlr/types/wlr_layer_shell_v1.h
index 846b9466..6f951556 100644
--- a/include/wlr/types/wlr_layer_shell_v1.h
+++ b/include/wlr/types/wlr_layer_shell_v1.h
@@ -70,7 +70,7 @@ struct wlr_layer_surface_v1 {
 
 	char *namespace;
 
-	bool added, configured, mapped, closed;
+	bool added, configured, mapped;
 	uint32_t configure_serial;
 	uint32_t configure_next_serial;
 	struct wl_list configure_list;
@@ -125,9 +125,10 @@ void wlr_layer_surface_v1_configure(struct wlr_layer_surface_v1 *surface,
 		uint32_t width, uint32_t height);
 
 /**
- * Unmaps this layer surface and notifies the client that it has been closed.
+ * Notify the client that the surface has been closed and destroy the
+ * wlr_layer_surface_v1, rendering the resource inert.
  */
-void wlr_layer_surface_v1_close(struct wlr_layer_surface_v1 *surface);
+void wlr_layer_surface_v1_destroy(struct wlr_layer_surface_v1 *surface);
 
 bool wlr_surface_is_layer_surface(struct wlr_surface *surface);
 
diff --git a/types/wlr_layer_shell_v1.c b/types/wlr_layer_shell_v1.c
index f3986a0d..46aeaac5 100644
--- a/types/wlr_layer_shell_v1.c
+++ b/types/wlr_layer_shell_v1.c
@@ -60,7 +60,7 @@ static void layer_surface_handle_ack_configure(struct wl_client *client,
 		struct wl_resource *resource, uint32_t serial) {
 	struct wlr_layer_surface_v1 *surface = layer_surface_from_resource(resource);
 
-	if (!surface || surface->closed) {
+	if (!surface) {
 		return;
 	}
 
@@ -302,15 +302,9 @@ void wlr_layer_surface_v1_configure(struct wlr_layer_surface_v1 *surface,
 	}
 }
 
-void wlr_layer_surface_v1_close(struct wlr_layer_surface_v1 *surface) {
-	if (surface->closed) {
-		return;
-	}
-	surface->closed = true;
-	if (surface->mapped) {
-		layer_surface_unmap(surface);
-	}
+void wlr_layer_surface_v1_destroy(struct wlr_layer_surface_v1 *surface) {
 	zwlr_layer_surface_v1_send_closed(surface->resource);
+	layer_surface_destroy(surface);
 }
 
 static void layer_surface_role_commit(struct wlr_surface *wlr_surface) {
@@ -340,11 +334,6 @@ static void layer_surface_role_commit(struct wlr_surface *wlr_surface) {
 		return;
 	}
 
-	if (surface->closed) {
-		// Ignore commits after the compositor has closed it
-		return;
-	}
-
 	if (surface->acked_configure) {
 		struct wlr_layer_surface_v1_configure *configure =
 			surface->acked_configure;
@@ -374,12 +363,14 @@ static void layer_surface_role_commit(struct wlr_surface *wlr_surface) {
 
 	if (!surface->added) {
 		surface->added = true;
-		wlr_signal_emit_safe(&surface->shell->events.new_surface,
-				surface);
-		// either the compositor found a suitable output or it must
-		// have closed the surface
-		assert(surface->output || surface->closed);
+		assert(!surface->configured);
+		assert(!surface->mapped);
+		wlr_signal_emit_safe(&surface->shell->events.new_surface, surface);
+		// Return early here as the compositor may have closed this layer surface
+		// in response to the new_surface event.
+		return;
 	}
+
 	if (surface->configured && wlr_surface_has_buffer(surface->surface) &&
 			!surface->mapped) {
 		surface->mapped = true;