diff --git a/sway/input/seat.c b/sway/input/seat.c
index 87dbd8701..e3df69559 100644
--- a/sway/input/seat.c
+++ b/sway/input/seat.c
@@ -126,7 +126,7 @@ static void handle_seat_container_destroy(struct wl_listener *listener,
 
 static struct sway_seat_container *seat_container_from_container(
 		struct sway_seat *seat, struct sway_container *con) {
-	if (con->type < C_WORKSPACE) {
+	if (con->type == C_ROOT || con->type == C_OUTPUT) {
 		// these don't get seat containers ever
 		return NULL;
 	}
@@ -534,22 +534,18 @@ struct sway_container *sway_seat_get_focus(struct sway_seat *seat) {
 
 struct sway_container *seat_get_focus_by_type(struct sway_seat *seat,
 		struct sway_container *container, enum sway_container_type type) {
-	struct sway_seat_container *current = NULL;
-	struct sway_container *parent = NULL;
-	wl_list_for_each(current, &seat->focus_stack, link) {
-		parent = current->container->parent;
+	if (container->type == C_VIEW || container->children->length == 0) {
+		return container;
+	}
 
-		if (current->container == container &&
-				(type == C_TYPES || container->type == type)) {
-			return current->container;
+	struct sway_seat_container *current = NULL;
+	wl_list_for_each(current, &seat->focus_stack, link) {
+		if (current->container->type != type && type != C_TYPES) {
+			continue;
 		}
 
-		while (parent) {
-			if (parent == container && (type == C_TYPES ||
-						current->container->type == type)) {
-				return current->container;
-			}
-			parent = parent->parent;
+		if (container_has_child(container, current->container)) {
+			return current->container;
 		}
 	}
 
diff --git a/sway/tree/container.c b/sway/tree/container.c
index bd9f1edfc..8fc9e3e87 100644
--- a/sway/tree/container.c
+++ b/sway/tree/container.c
@@ -53,10 +53,16 @@ const char *container_type_to_str(enum sway_container_type type) {
 void container_create_notify(struct sway_container *container) {
 	// TODO send ipc event type based on the container type
 	wl_signal_emit(&root_container.sway_root->events.new_container, container);
-	ipc_event_window(container, "new");
+
+	if (container->type == C_VIEW || container->type == C_CONTAINER) {
+		ipc_event_window(container, "new");
+	}
 }
 
 static void container_close_notify(struct sway_container *container) {
+	if (container == NULL) {
+		return;
+	}
 	// TODO send ipc event type based on the container type
 	ipc_event_window(container, "close");
 }
@@ -506,8 +512,8 @@ static bool find_child_func(struct sway_container *con, void *data) {
 
 bool container_has_child(struct sway_container *con,
 		struct sway_container *child) {
-	if (child == NULL || child->type == C_VIEW ||
-			child->children->length == 0) {
+	if (con == NULL || con->type == C_VIEW ||
+			con->children->length == 0) {
 		return false;
 	}
 	return container_find(con, find_child_func, child);
diff --git a/sway/tree/layout.c b/sway/tree/layout.c
index 5abdbc321..1769609bd 100644
--- a/sway/tree/layout.c
+++ b/sway/tree/layout.c
@@ -638,16 +638,16 @@ struct sway_container *container_get_in_direction(
 						wrap_candidate = parent->children->items[0];
 					}
 					if (config->force_focus_wrapping) {
-						 return seat_get_focus_by_type(seat,
-								 wrap_candidate, C_VIEW);
+						 return wrap_candidate;
 					}
 				}
 			} else {
+				struct sway_container *desired_con = parent->children->items[desired];
 				wlr_log(L_DEBUG,
 					"cont %d-%p dir %i sibling %d: %p", idx,
-					container, dir, desired, parent->children->items[desired]);
-				return seat_get_focus_by_type(seat,
-						parent->children->items[desired], C_VIEW);
+					container, dir, desired, desired_con);
+				struct sway_container *next = seat_get_focus_by_type(seat, desired_con, C_VIEW);
+				return next;
 			}
 		}