diff --git a/include/sway/tree/container.h b/include/sway/tree/container.h
index f36b4bd11..277165ea8 100644
--- a/include/sway/tree/container.h
+++ b/include/sway/tree/container.h
@@ -95,7 +95,7 @@ struct sway_container *container_create(enum sway_container_type type);
 
 const char *container_type_to_str(enum sway_container_type type);
 
-struct sway_container *container_output_create(
+struct sway_container *output_create(
 		struct sway_output *sway_output);
 
 /**
@@ -108,13 +108,13 @@ struct sway_container *container_container_create();
  * Create a new output. Outputs are children of the root container and have no
  * order in the tree structure.
  */
-struct sway_container *container_output_create(struct sway_output *sway_output);
+struct sway_container *output_create(struct sway_output *sway_output);
 
 /**
  * Create a new workspace container. Workspaces are children of an output
  * container and are ordered alphabetically by name.
  */
-struct sway_container *container_workspace_create(struct sway_container *output, const char *name);
+struct sway_container *workspace_create(struct sway_container *output, const char *name);
 
 /*
  * Create a new view container. A view can be a child of a workspace container
@@ -178,4 +178,6 @@ bool container_has_anscestor(struct sway_container *container,
 bool container_has_child(struct sway_container *con,
 		struct sway_container *child);
 
+void container_create_notify(struct sway_container *container);
+
 #endif
diff --git a/sway/commands/move.c b/sway/commands/move.c
index 7ac5f009a..c954ab94e 100644
--- a/sway/commands/move.c
+++ b/sway/commands/move.c
@@ -74,7 +74,7 @@ static struct cmd_results *cmd_move_container(struct sway_container *current,
 			ws = workspace_by_name(ws_name);
 		}
 		if (!ws) {
-			ws = container_workspace_create(NULL, ws_name ? ws_name : num_name);
+			ws = workspace_create(NULL, ws_name ? ws_name : num_name);
 		}
 		free(ws_name);
 		struct sway_container *old_parent = current->parent;
diff --git a/sway/commands/workspace.c b/sway/commands/workspace.c
index a37028030..958b32227 100644
--- a/sway/commands/workspace.c
+++ b/sway/commands/workspace.c
@@ -61,7 +61,7 @@ struct cmd_results *cmd_workspace(int argc, char **argv) {
 		if (strcasecmp(argv[0], "number") == 0) {
 			if (!(ws = workspace_by_number(argv[1]))) {
 				char *name = join_args(argv + 1, argc - 1);
-				ws = container_workspace_create(NULL, name);
+				ws = workspace_create(NULL, name);
 				free(name);
 			}
 		} else if (strcasecmp(argv[0], "next") == 0) {
@@ -80,12 +80,12 @@ struct cmd_results *cmd_workspace(int argc, char **argv) {
 				ws = old_workspace;
 			} else if (prev_workspace_name
 					&& !(ws = workspace_by_name(prev_workspace_name))) {
-				ws = container_workspace_create(NULL, prev_workspace_name);
+				ws = workspace_create(NULL, prev_workspace_name);
 			}
 		} else {
 			char *name = join_args(argv, argc);
 			if (!(ws = workspace_by_name(name))) {
-				ws = container_workspace_create(NULL, name);
+				ws = workspace_create(NULL, name);
 			}
 			free(name);
 		}
diff --git a/sway/desktop/output.c b/sway/desktop/output.c
index de5076d8f..96f23291d 100644
--- a/sway/desktop/output.c
+++ b/sway/desktop/output.c
@@ -396,7 +396,7 @@ void handle_new_output(struct wl_listener *listener, void *data) {
 
 	output->damage = wlr_output_damage_create(wlr_output);
 
-	output->swayc = container_output_create(output);
+	output->swayc = output_create(output);
 	if (!output->swayc) {
 		free(output);
 		return;
diff --git a/sway/tree/container.c b/sway/tree/container.c
index fdbb29228..8ed30b447 100644
--- a/sway/tree/container.c
+++ b/sway/tree/container.c
@@ -51,7 +51,7 @@ const char *container_type_to_str(enum sway_container_type type) {
 	}
 }
 
-static void notify_new_container(struct sway_container *container) {
+void container_create_notify(struct sway_container *container) {
 	wl_signal_emit(&root_container.sway_root->events.new_container, container);
 	ipc_event_window(container, "new");
 }
@@ -312,7 +312,7 @@ struct sway_container *container_close(struct sway_container *con) {
 	return parent;
 }
 
-struct sway_container *container_output_create(
+struct sway_container *output_create(
 		struct sway_output *sway_output) {
 	struct wlr_box size;
 	wlr_output_effective_resolution(sway_output->wlr_output, &size.width,
@@ -363,7 +363,7 @@ struct sway_container *container_output_create(
 	// Create workspace
 	char *ws_name = workspace_next_name(output->name);
 	wlr_log(L_DEBUG, "Creating default workspace %s", ws_name);
-	struct sway_container *ws = container_workspace_create(output, ws_name);
+	struct sway_container *ws = workspace_create(output, ws_name);
 	// Set each seat's focus if not already set
 	struct sway_seat *seat = NULL;
 	wl_list_for_each(seat, &input_manager->seats, link) {
@@ -373,62 +373,10 @@ struct sway_container *container_output_create(
 	}
 
 	free(ws_name);
-	notify_new_container(output);
+	container_create_notify(output);
 	return output;
 }
 
-static struct sway_container *get_workspace_initial_output(const char *name) {
-	struct sway_container *parent;
-	// Search for workspace<->output pair
-	int e = config->workspace_outputs->length;
-	for (int i = 0; i < config->workspace_outputs->length; ++i) {
-		struct workspace_output *wso = config->workspace_outputs->items[i];
-		if (strcasecmp(wso->workspace, name) == 0) {
-			// Find output to use if it exists
-			e = root_container.children->length;
-			for (i = 0; i < e; ++i) {
-				parent = root_container.children->items[i];
-				if (strcmp(parent->name, wso->output) == 0) {
-					return parent;
-				}
-			}
-			break;
-		}
-	}
-	// Otherwise put it on the focused output
-	struct sway_seat *seat = input_manager_current_seat(input_manager);
-	struct sway_container *focus =
-		seat_get_focus_inactive(seat, &root_container);
-	parent = focus;
-	parent = container_parent(parent, C_OUTPUT);
-	return parent;
-}
-
-struct sway_container *container_workspace_create(struct sway_container *output,
-		const char *name) {
-	if (output == NULL) {
-		output = get_workspace_initial_output(name);
-	}
-
-	wlr_log(L_DEBUG, "Added workspace %s for output %s", name, output->name);
-	struct sway_container *workspace = container_create(C_WORKSPACE);
-
-	workspace->x = output->x;
-	workspace->y = output->y;
-	workspace->width = output->width;
-	workspace->height = output->height;
-	workspace->name = !name ? NULL : strdup(name);
-	workspace->prev_layout = L_NONE;
-	workspace->layout = container_get_default_layout(output);
-	workspace->workspace_layout = workspace->layout;
-
-	container_add_child(output, workspace);
-	container_sort_workspaces(output);
-	notify_new_container(workspace);
-
-	return workspace;
-}
-
 struct sway_container *container_view_create(struct sway_container *sibling,
 		struct sway_view *sway_view) {
 	if (!sway_assert(sibling,
@@ -452,7 +400,7 @@ struct sway_container *container_view_create(struct sway_container *sibling,
 		// Regular case, create as sibling of current container
 		container_add_sibling(sibling, swayc);
 	}
-	notify_new_container(swayc);
+	container_create_notify(swayc);
 	return swayc;
 }
 
diff --git a/sway/tree/layout.c b/sway/tree/layout.c
index 3cbbf3b41..a46359bdf 100644
--- a/sway/tree/layout.c
+++ b/sway/tree/layout.c
@@ -149,7 +149,7 @@ void container_move_to(struct sway_container *container,
 		if (old_parent->children->length == 0) {
 			char *ws_name = workspace_next_name(old_parent->name);
 			struct sway_container *ws =
-				container_workspace_create(old_parent, ws_name);
+				workspace_create(old_parent, ws_name);
 			free(ws_name);
 			seat_set_focus(seat, ws);
 		}
diff --git a/sway/tree/workspace.c b/sway/tree/workspace.c
index d5a164103..6ba3d9732 100644
--- a/sway/tree/workspace.c
+++ b/sway/tree/workspace.c
@@ -14,6 +14,58 @@
 #include "log.h"
 #include "util.h"
 
+static struct sway_container *get_workspace_initial_output(const char *name) {
+	struct sway_container *parent;
+	// Search for workspace<->output pair
+	int e = config->workspace_outputs->length;
+	for (int i = 0; i < config->workspace_outputs->length; ++i) {
+		struct workspace_output *wso = config->workspace_outputs->items[i];
+		if (strcasecmp(wso->workspace, name) == 0) {
+			// Find output to use if it exists
+			e = root_container.children->length;
+			for (i = 0; i < e; ++i) {
+				parent = root_container.children->items[i];
+				if (strcmp(parent->name, wso->output) == 0) {
+					return parent;
+				}
+			}
+			break;
+		}
+	}
+	// Otherwise put it on the focused output
+	struct sway_seat *seat = input_manager_current_seat(input_manager);
+	struct sway_container *focus =
+		seat_get_focus_inactive(seat, &root_container);
+	parent = focus;
+	parent = container_parent(parent, C_OUTPUT);
+	return parent;
+}
+
+struct sway_container *workspace_create(struct sway_container *output,
+		const char *name) {
+	if (output == NULL) {
+		output = get_workspace_initial_output(name);
+	}
+
+	wlr_log(L_DEBUG, "Added workspace %s for output %s", name, output->name);
+	struct sway_container *workspace = container_create(C_WORKSPACE);
+
+	workspace->x = output->x;
+	workspace->y = output->y;
+	workspace->width = output->width;
+	workspace->height = output->height;
+	workspace->name = !name ? NULL : strdup(name);
+	workspace->prev_layout = L_NONE;
+	workspace->layout = container_get_default_layout(output);
+	workspace->workspace_layout = workspace->layout;
+
+	container_add_child(output, workspace);
+	container_sort_workspaces(output);
+	container_create_notify(workspace);
+
+	return workspace;
+}
+
 char *prev_workspace_name = NULL;
 struct workspace_by_number_data {
 	int len;
@@ -292,7 +344,7 @@ bool workspace_switch(struct sway_container *workspace) {
 		struct sway_container *new_ws = workspace_by_name(prev_workspace_name);
 		workspace = new_ws ?
 			new_ws :
-			container_workspace_create(NULL, prev_workspace_name);
+			workspace_create(NULL, prev_workspace_name);
 	}
 
 	if (!prev_workspace_name || (strcmp(prev_workspace_name, active_ws->name)