diff --git a/sway/input/cursor.c b/sway/input/cursor.c
index efd67a76e..ad69e7c39 100644
--- a/sway/input/cursor.c
+++ b/sway/input/cursor.c
@@ -53,12 +53,9 @@ static struct wlr_surface *layer_surface_at(struct sway_output *output,
 }
 
 static bool surface_is_xdg_popup(struct wlr_surface *surface) {
-	if (wlr_surface_is_xdg_surface(surface)) {
-		struct wlr_xdg_surface *xdg_surface =
-			wlr_xdg_surface_from_wlr_surface(surface);
-		return xdg_surface->role == WLR_XDG_SURFACE_ROLE_POPUP;
-	}
-	return false;
+	struct wlr_xdg_surface *xdg_surface =
+		wlr_xdg_surface_try_from_wlr_surface(surface);
+	return xdg_surface != NULL && xdg_surface->role == WLR_XDG_SURFACE_ROLE_POPUP;
 }
 
 static struct wlr_surface *layer_surface_popup_at(struct sway_output *output,
diff --git a/sway/input/seatop_default.c b/sway/input/seatop_default.c
index a1c1d3194..0dcb87ab0 100644
--- a/sway/input/seatop_default.c
+++ b/sway/input/seatop_default.c
@@ -228,17 +228,15 @@ static void handle_tablet_tool_tip(struct sway_seat *seat,
 	struct sway_container *cont = node && node->type == N_CONTAINER ?
 		node->sway_container : NULL;
 
+	struct wlr_layer_surface_v1 *layer;
 #if HAVE_XWAYLAND
 	struct wlr_xwayland_surface *xsurface;
 #endif
-	if (wlr_surface_is_layer_surface(surface)) {
+	if ((layer = wlr_layer_surface_v1_try_from_wlr_surface(surface)) &&
+			layer->current.keyboard_interactive) {
 		// Handle tapping a layer surface
-		struct wlr_layer_surface_v1 *layer =
-				wlr_layer_surface_v1_from_wlr_surface(surface);
-		if (layer->current.keyboard_interactive) {
-			seat_set_focus_layer(seat, layer);
-			transaction_commit_dirty();
-		}
+		seat_set_focus_layer(seat, layer);
+		transaction_commit_dirty();
 	} else if (cont) {
 		bool is_floating_or_child = container_is_floating_or_child(cont);
 		bool is_fullscreen_or_child = container_is_fullscreen_or_child(cont);
@@ -368,9 +366,9 @@ static void handle_button(struct sway_seat *seat, uint32_t time_msec,
 	}
 
 	// Handle clicking a layer surface
-	if (surface && wlr_surface_is_layer_surface(surface)) {
-		struct wlr_layer_surface_v1 *layer =
-			wlr_layer_surface_v1_from_wlr_surface(surface);
+	struct wlr_layer_surface_v1 *layer;
+	if (surface &&
+			(layer = wlr_layer_surface_v1_try_from_wlr_surface(surface))) {
 		if (layer->current.keyboard_interactive) {
 			seat_set_focus_layer(seat, layer);
 			transaction_commit_dirty();
diff --git a/sway/tree/container.c b/sway/tree/container.c
index c60c8f8f0..dbe880287 100644
--- a/sway/tree/container.c
+++ b/sway/tree/container.c
@@ -387,16 +387,16 @@ struct sway_container *tiling_container_at(struct sway_node *parent,
 }
 
 static bool surface_is_popup(struct wlr_surface *surface) {
-	while (!wlr_surface_is_xdg_surface(surface)) {
-		if (!wlr_surface_is_subsurface(surface)) {
+	while (wlr_xdg_surface_try_from_wlr_surface(surface) == NULL) {
+		struct wlr_subsurface *subsurface =
+			wlr_subsurface_try_from_wlr_surface(surface);
+		if (subsurface == NULL) {
 			return false;
 		}
-		struct wlr_subsurface *subsurface =
-			wlr_subsurface_from_wlr_surface(surface);
 		surface = subsurface->parent;
 	}
 	struct wlr_xdg_surface *xdg_surface =
-		wlr_xdg_surface_from_wlr_surface(surface);
+		wlr_xdg_surface_try_from_wlr_surface(surface);
 	return xdg_surface->role == WLR_XDG_SURFACE_ROLE_POPUP;
 }
 
diff --git a/sway/tree/view.c b/sway/tree/view.c
index db9025620..ec0ad4afb 100644
--- a/sway/tree/view.c
+++ b/sway/tree/view.c
@@ -951,7 +951,7 @@ static void subsurface_get_view_coords(struct sway_view_child *child,
 		*sx = *sy = 0;
 	}
 	struct wlr_subsurface *subsurface =
-		wlr_subsurface_from_wlr_surface(surface);
+		wlr_subsurface_try_from_wlr_surface(surface);
 	*sx += subsurface->current.x;
 	*sy += subsurface->current.y;
 }
@@ -1187,12 +1187,8 @@ void view_child_destroy(struct sway_view_child *child) {
 }
 
 struct sway_view *view_from_wlr_surface(struct wlr_surface *wlr_surface) {
-	if (wlr_surface_is_xdg_surface(wlr_surface)) {
-		struct wlr_xdg_surface *xdg_surface =
-			wlr_xdg_surface_from_wlr_surface(wlr_surface);
-		if (xdg_surface == NULL) {
-			return NULL;
-		}
+	struct wlr_xdg_surface *xdg_surface;
+	if ((xdg_surface = wlr_xdg_surface_try_from_wlr_surface(wlr_surface))) {
 		return view_from_wlr_xdg_surface(xdg_surface);
 	}
 #if HAVE_XWAYLAND
@@ -1201,15 +1197,11 @@ struct sway_view *view_from_wlr_surface(struct wlr_surface *wlr_surface) {
 		return view_from_wlr_xwayland_surface(xsurface);
 	}
 #endif
-	if (wlr_surface_is_subsurface(wlr_surface)) {
-		struct wlr_subsurface *subsurface =
-			wlr_subsurface_from_wlr_surface(wlr_surface);
-		if (subsurface == NULL) {
-			return NULL;
-		}
+	struct wlr_subsurface *subsurface;
+	if ((subsurface = wlr_subsurface_try_from_wlr_surface(wlr_surface))) {
 		return view_from_wlr_surface(subsurface->parent);
 	}
-	if (wlr_surface_is_layer_surface(wlr_surface)) {
+	if (wlr_layer_surface_v1_try_from_wlr_surface(wlr_surface) != NULL) {
 		return NULL;
 	}
 
diff --git a/sway/xdg_activation_v1.c b/sway/xdg_activation_v1.c
index 2b94136c3..cc3dcec09 100644
--- a/sway/xdg_activation_v1.c
+++ b/sway/xdg_activation_v1.c
@@ -6,12 +6,8 @@ void xdg_activation_v1_handle_request_activate(struct wl_listener *listener,
 		void *data) {
 	const struct wlr_xdg_activation_v1_request_activate_event *event = data;
 
-	if (!wlr_surface_is_xdg_surface(event->surface)) {
-		return;
-	}
-
 	struct wlr_xdg_surface *xdg_surface =
-		wlr_xdg_surface_from_wlr_surface(event->surface);
+		wlr_xdg_surface_try_from_wlr_surface(event->surface);
 	if (xdg_surface == NULL) {
 		return;
 	}