diff --git a/include/sway/desktop/transaction.h b/include/sway/desktop/transaction.h
index d6adc6096..b1da86f10 100644
--- a/include/sway/desktop/transaction.h
+++ b/include/sway/desktop/transaction.h
@@ -49,6 +49,15 @@ void transaction_commit(struct sway_transaction *transaction);
  */
 void transaction_notify_view_ready(struct sway_view *view, uint32_t serial);
 
+/**
+ * Notify the transaction system that a view is ready for the new layout, but
+ * identifying the instruction by width and height rather than by serial.
+ *
+ * This is used by xwayland views, as they don't have serials.
+ */
+void transaction_notify_view_ready_by_size(struct sway_view *view,
+		int width, int height);
+
 /**
  * Get the texture that should be rendered for a view.
  *
diff --git a/sway/desktop/transaction.c b/sway/desktop/transaction.c
index 04142bcc8..08678b5b2 100644
--- a/sway/desktop/transaction.c
+++ b/sway/desktop/transaction.c
@@ -267,9 +267,7 @@ void transaction_commit(struct sway_transaction *transaction) {
 					instruction->state.view_y,
 					instruction->state.view_width,
 					instruction->state.view_height);
-			if (instruction->serial) {
-				++transaction->num_waiting;
-			}
+			++transaction->num_waiting;
 		}
 		list_add(con->instructions, instruction);
 	}
@@ -307,20 +305,8 @@ void transaction_commit(struct sway_transaction *transaction) {
 	update_debug_tree();
 }
 
-void transaction_notify_view_ready(struct sway_view *view, uint32_t serial) {
-	// Find the instruction
-	struct sway_transaction_instruction *instruction = NULL;
-	for (int i = 0; i < view->swayc->instructions->length; ++i) {
-		struct sway_transaction_instruction *tmp_instruction =
-			view->swayc->instructions->items[i];
-		if (tmp_instruction->serial == serial && !tmp_instruction->ready) {
-			instruction = tmp_instruction;
-			break;
-		}
-	}
-	if (!instruction) {
-		return;
-	}
+static void set_instruction_ready(
+		struct sway_transaction_instruction *instruction) {
 	instruction->ready = true;
 
 	// If all views are ready, apply the transaction.
@@ -335,6 +321,30 @@ void transaction_notify_view_ready(struct sway_view *view, uint32_t serial) {
 	}
 }
 
+void transaction_notify_view_ready(struct sway_view *view, uint32_t serial) {
+	for (int i = 0; i < view->swayc->instructions->length; ++i) {
+		struct sway_transaction_instruction *instruction =
+			view->swayc->instructions->items[i];
+		if (instruction->serial == serial && !instruction->ready) {
+			set_instruction_ready(instruction);
+			return;
+		}
+	}
+}
+
+void transaction_notify_view_ready_by_size(struct sway_view *view,
+		int width, int height) {
+	for (int i = 0; i < view->swayc->instructions->length; ++i) {
+		struct sway_transaction_instruction *instruction =
+			view->swayc->instructions->items[i];
+		if (!instruction->ready && instruction->state.view_width == width &&
+				instruction->state.view_height == height) {
+			set_instruction_ready(instruction);
+			return;
+		}
+	}
+}
+
 struct wlr_texture *transaction_get_texture(struct sway_view *view) {
 	if (!view->swayc || !view->swayc->instructions->length) {
 		return view->surface->buffer->texture;
diff --git a/sway/desktop/xwayland.c b/sway/desktop/xwayland.c
index a1837420c..7e78ef32e 100644
--- a/sway/desktop/xwayland.c
+++ b/sway/desktop/xwayland.c
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@
 #include <wlr/xwayland.h>
 #include "log.h"
 #include "sway/desktop.h"
+#include "sway/desktop/transaction.h"
 #include "sway/input/input-manager.h"
 #include "sway/input/seat.h"
 #include "sway/output.h"
@@ -243,16 +244,9 @@ static void handle_commit(struct wl_listener *listener, void *data) {
 	struct sway_view *view = &xwayland_view->view;
 	struct wlr_xwayland_surface *xsurface = view->wlr_xwayland_surface;
 
-	// Don't allow xwayland views to do resize or reposition themselves if
-	// they're involved in a transaction. Once the transaction has finished
-	// they'll apply the next time a commit happens.
-	if (view->swayc && view->swayc->instructions->length) {
-		if (view->swayc && container_is_floating(view->swayc)) {
-			view_update_size(view, xsurface->width, xsurface->height);
-		} else {
-			view_update_size(view, view->swayc->width, view->swayc->height);
-		}
-		view_update_position(view, view->x, view->y);
+	if (view->swayc->instructions->length) {
+		transaction_notify_view_ready_by_size(view,
+				xsurface->width, xsurface->height);
 	}
 	view_damage_from(view);
 }