diff --git a/rootston/output.c b/rootston/output.c
index 90ba1eb7..29a4413f 100644
--- a/rootston/output.c
+++ b/rootston/output.c
@@ -100,7 +100,7 @@ static void render_xdg_v6_popups(struct wlr_xdg_surface_v6 *surface,
 static void render_wl_shell_surface(struct wlr_wl_shell_surface *surface, struct roots_desktop *desktop,
 		struct wlr_output *wlr_output, struct timespec *when, double lx,
 		double ly, float rotation, bool is_child) {
-	if (is_child || !wlr_wl_shell_surface_is_transient(surface)) {
+	if (is_child || surface->state != WLR_WL_SHELL_SURFACE_STATE_POPUP) {
 		render_surface(surface->surface, desktop, wlr_output, when,
 			lx, ly, rotation);
 		struct wlr_wl_shell_surface *child;
diff --git a/rootston/wl_shell.c b/rootston/wl_shell.c
index 009a8c06..34f53c7a 100644
--- a/rootston/wl_shell.c
+++ b/rootston/wl_shell.c
@@ -73,6 +73,14 @@ static void handle_destroy(struct wl_listener *listener, void *data) {
 	free(roots_surface);
 }
 
+static int shell_surface_compare_equals(const void *item, const void *cmp_to) {
+	const struct roots_view *view = item;
+	if (view->type == ROOTS_WL_SHELL_VIEW && view->wl_shell_surface == cmp_to) {
+		return 0;
+	}
+	return -1;
+}
+
 void handle_wl_shell_surface(struct wl_listener *listener, void *data) {
 	struct roots_desktop *desktop =
 		wl_container_of(listener, desktop, wl_shell_surface);
@@ -107,7 +115,20 @@ void handle_wl_shell_surface(struct wl_listener *listener, void *data) {
 
 	struct roots_view *view = calloc(1, sizeof(struct roots_view));
 	view->type = ROOTS_WL_SHELL_VIEW;
-	view->x = view->y = 200;
+
+	if (surface->state == WLR_WL_SHELL_SURFACE_STATE_TRANSIENT) {
+		// we need to map it relative to the parent
+		int i =
+			list_seq_find(desktop->views,
+				shell_surface_compare_equals, surface->parent);
+		if (i != -1) {
+			struct roots_view *parent = desktop->views->items[i];
+			view->x = parent->x + surface->transient_state->x;
+			view->y = parent->y + surface->transient_state->y;
+		}
+	} else {
+		view->x = view->y = 200;
+	}
 	view->wl_shell_surface = surface;
 	view->roots_wl_shell_surface = roots_surface;
 	view->wlr_surface = surface->surface;
diff --git a/types/wlr_wl_shell.c b/types/wlr_wl_shell.c
index c5394d97..6421cc45 100644
--- a/types/wlr_wl_shell.c
+++ b/types/wlr_wl_shell.c
@@ -195,9 +195,9 @@ static void shell_surface_set_toplevel(struct wl_client *client,
 		NULL);
 }
 
-static void shell_surface_set_parent(struct wlr_wl_shell_surface *surface,
+static void popup_set_parent(struct wlr_wl_shell_surface *surface,
 		struct wlr_wl_shell_surface *parent) {
-	assert(surface);
+	assert(surface && surface->state == WLR_WL_SHELL_SURFACE_STATE_POPUP);
 	if (surface->parent == parent) {
 		return;
 	}
@@ -243,7 +243,7 @@ static void shell_surface_set_transient(struct wl_client *client,
 		return;
 	}
 
-	shell_surface_set_parent(surface, wl_parent);
+	surface->parent = wl_parent;
 	transient_state->x = x;
 	transient_state->y = y;
 	transient_state->flags = flags;
@@ -307,7 +307,7 @@ static void shell_surface_set_popup(struct wl_client *client,
 	if (surface->state == WLR_WL_SHELL_SURFACE_STATE_POPUP) {
 		surface->transient_state->x = x;
 		surface->transient_state->y = y;
-		shell_surface_set_parent(surface, wl_parent);
+		popup_set_parent(surface, wl_parent);
 		grab->client = surface->client;
 		wlr_seat_pointer_start_grab(seat_handle->wlr_seat, &grab->pointer_grab);
 		return;
@@ -319,7 +319,6 @@ static void shell_surface_set_popup(struct wl_client *client,
 		wl_client_post_no_memory(client);
 		return;
 	}
-	shell_surface_set_parent(surface, wl_parent);
 	transient_state->x = x;
 	transient_state->y = y;
 	transient_state->flags = flags;
@@ -337,6 +336,7 @@ static void shell_surface_set_popup(struct wl_client *client,
 	shell_surface_set_state(surface, WLR_WL_SHELL_SURFACE_STATE_POPUP,
 		transient_state, popup_state);
 
+	popup_set_parent(surface, wl_parent);
 	grab->client = surface->client;
 	wl_list_insert(&grab->popups, &surface->grab_link);
 	wlr_seat_pointer_start_grab(seat_handle->wlr_seat, &grab->pointer_grab);
@@ -422,7 +422,7 @@ static void wl_shell_surface_destroy(struct wlr_wl_shell_surface *surface) {
 
 	struct wlr_wl_shell_surface *child;
 	wl_list_for_each(child, &surface->children, child_link) {
-		shell_surface_set_parent(child, NULL);
+		popup_set_parent(child, NULL);
 	}
 	wl_list_remove(&surface->child_link);