diff --git a/include/sway/tree/container.h b/include/sway/tree/container.h
index 906088f01..719356974 100644
--- a/include/sway/tree/container.h
+++ b/include/sway/tree/container.h
@@ -76,8 +76,6 @@ struct sway_container {
 	enum sway_container_layout layout;
 	enum sway_container_layout prev_layout;
 
-	// Saves us from searching the list of children/floating in the parent
-	bool is_floating;
 	bool is_sticky;
 
 	// For C_ROOT, this has no meaning
@@ -243,8 +241,14 @@ void container_set_floating(struct sway_container *container, bool enable);
 void container_set_geometry_from_view(struct sway_container *container);
 
 /**
- * Determine if the given container is itself floating or has a floating
- * ancestor.
+ * Determine if the given container is itself floating.
+ * This will return false for any descendants of a floating container.
+ */
+bool container_is_floating(struct sway_container *container);
+
+/**
+ * Determine if the given container is itself floating or is a child of a
+ * floating container.
  */
 bool container_self_or_parent_floating(struct sway_container *container);
 
diff --git a/sway/commands/floating.c b/sway/commands/floating.c
index 38a4e1da8..46b761da5 100644
--- a/sway/commands/floating.c
+++ b/sway/commands/floating.c
@@ -28,7 +28,7 @@ struct cmd_results *cmd_floating(int argc, char **argv) {
 	} else if (strcasecmp(argv[0], "disable") == 0) {
 		wants_floating = false;
 	} else if (strcasecmp(argv[0], "toggle") == 0) {
-		wants_floating = !container->is_floating;
+		wants_floating = !container_is_floating(container);
 	} else {
 		return cmd_results_new(CMD_FAILURE, "floating",
 			"Expected 'floating <enable|disable|toggle>'");
diff --git a/sway/commands/layout.c b/sway/commands/layout.c
index 6b44b0012..a009e38f2 100644
--- a/sway/commands/layout.c
+++ b/sway/commands/layout.c
@@ -12,19 +12,15 @@ struct cmd_results *cmd_layout(int argc, char **argv) {
 	}
 	struct sway_container *parent = config->handler_context.current_container;
 
-	// TODO: floating
-	/*
-	if (parent->is_floating) {
-		return cmd_results_new(CMD_FAILURE, "layout", "Unable to change layout of floating windows");
+	if (container_is_floating(parent)) {
+		return cmd_results_new(CMD_FAILURE, "layout",
+				"Unable to change layout of floating windows");
 	}
-	*/
 
 	while (parent->type == C_VIEW) {
 		parent = parent->parent;
 	}
 
-	// TODO: stacks and tabs
-
 	if (strcasecmp(argv[0], "default") == 0) {
 		parent->layout = parent->prev_layout;
 		if (parent->layout == L_NONE) {
diff --git a/sway/commands/sticky.c b/sway/commands/sticky.c
index 4bb4bd391..732ccb981 100644
--- a/sway/commands/sticky.c
+++ b/sway/commands/sticky.c
@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@ struct cmd_results *cmd_sticky(int argc, char **argv) {
 	}
 	struct sway_container *container =
 		config->handler_context.current_container;
-	if (!container->is_floating) {
+	if (!container_is_floating(container)) {
 		return cmd_results_new(CMD_FAILURE, "sticky",
 			"Can't set sticky on a tiled container");
 	}
diff --git a/sway/criteria.c b/sway/criteria.c
index e97b12f83..a263485a2 100644
--- a/sway/criteria.c
+++ b/sway/criteria.c
@@ -121,13 +121,13 @@ static bool criteria_matches_view(struct criteria *criteria,
 	}
 
 	if (criteria->floating) {
-		if (!view->swayc->is_floating) {
+		if (!container_is_floating(view->swayc)) {
 			return false;
 		}
 	}
 
 	if (criteria->tiling) {
-		if (view->swayc->is_floating) {
+		if (container_is_floating(view->swayc)) {
 			return false;
 		}
 	}
diff --git a/sway/desktop/output.c b/sway/desktop/output.c
index e91be4d4a..4e5d106fb 100644
--- a/sway/desktop/output.c
+++ b/sway/desktop/output.c
@@ -1147,7 +1147,7 @@ void output_damage_whole_container(struct sway_output *output,
 		.width = con->width,
 		.height = con->height,
 	};
-	if (con->is_floating) {
+	if (container_is_floating(con)) {
 		box.x -= output->wlr_output->lx;
 		box.y -= output->wlr_output->ly;
 	}
diff --git a/sway/desktop/xdg_shell.c b/sway/desktop/xdg_shell.c
index e1a73b204..ebb122113 100644
--- a/sway/desktop/xdg_shell.c
+++ b/sway/desktop/xdg_shell.c
@@ -185,7 +185,7 @@ static void handle_commit(struct wl_listener *listener, void *data) {
 		view->natural_width = geometry->width;
 		view->natural_height = geometry->height;
 	}
-	if (view->swayc && view->swayc->is_floating) {
+	if (view->swayc && container_is_floating(view->swayc)) {
 		view_update_size(view, geometry->width, geometry->height);
 	} else {
 		view_update_size(view, xdg_shell_view->pending_width,
diff --git a/sway/desktop/xdg_shell_v6.c b/sway/desktop/xdg_shell_v6.c
index 47e4162a5..f3df2fe83 100644
--- a/sway/desktop/xdg_shell_v6.c
+++ b/sway/desktop/xdg_shell_v6.c
@@ -184,7 +184,7 @@ static void handle_commit(struct wl_listener *listener, void *data) {
 		view->natural_width = geometry->width;
 		view->natural_height = geometry->height;
 	}
-	if (view->swayc && view->swayc->is_floating) {
+	if (view->swayc && container_is_floating(view->swayc)) {
 		view_update_size(view, geometry->width, geometry->height);
 	} else {
 		view_update_size(view, xdg_shell_v6_view->pending_width,
diff --git a/sway/desktop/xwayland.c b/sway/desktop/xwayland.c
index 56cac1bd9..1373d9687 100644
--- a/sway/desktop/xwayland.c
+++ b/sway/desktop/xwayland.c
@@ -163,7 +163,7 @@ static void configure(struct sway_view *view, double x, double y, int width,
 	struct wlr_xwayland_surface *xsurface = view->wlr_xwayland_surface;
 
 	double lx, ly;
-	if (view->swayc->is_floating) {
+	if (container_is_floating(view->swayc)) {
 		lx = x;
 		ly = y;
 	} else {
@@ -288,7 +288,7 @@ static void handle_commit(struct wl_listener *listener, void *data) {
 		view->natural_width = xsurface->width;
 		view->natural_height = xsurface->height;
 	}
-	if (view->swayc && view->swayc->is_floating) {
+	if (view->swayc && container_is_floating(view->swayc)) {
 		view_update_size(view, xsurface->width, xsurface->height);
 		view_update_position(view, xsurface->x, xsurface->y);
 	} else {
diff --git a/sway/tree/container.c b/sway/tree/container.c
index 17d29d923..c16f1748c 100644
--- a/sway/tree/container.c
+++ b/sway/tree/container.c
@@ -924,7 +924,7 @@ static void configure_floating_view(struct sway_view *view) {
 }
 
 void container_set_floating(struct sway_container *container, bool enable) {
-	if (container->is_floating == enable) {
+	if (container_is_floating(container) == enable) {
 		return;
 	}
 
@@ -935,7 +935,6 @@ void container_set_floating(struct sway_container *container, bool enable) {
 	if (enable) {
 		container_remove_child(container);
 		container_add_child(workspace->sway_workspace->floating, container);
-		container->is_floating = true;
 		if (container->type == C_VIEW) {
 			configure_floating_view(container->sway_view);
 		}
@@ -950,7 +949,6 @@ void container_set_floating(struct sway_container *container, bool enable) {
 		if (container->type == C_VIEW) {
 			view_set_maximized(container->sway_view, true);
 		}
-		container->is_floating = false;
 		container->is_sticky = false;
 		container_reap_empty_recursive(workspace->sway_workspace->floating);
 	}
@@ -962,7 +960,8 @@ void container_set_geometry_from_view(struct sway_container *container) {
 	if (!sway_assert(container->type == C_VIEW, "Expected a view")) {
 		return;
 	}
-	if (!sway_assert(container->is_floating, "Expected a floating view")) {
+	if (!sway_assert(container_is_floating(container),
+				"Expected a floating view")) {
 		return;
 	}
 	struct sway_view *view = container->sway_view;
@@ -977,9 +976,18 @@ void container_set_geometry_from_view(struct sway_container *container) {
 }
 
 bool container_self_or_parent_floating(struct sway_container *container) {
-	while (container->parent->type != C_WORKSPACE
-			&& container->parent->parent->type != C_WORKSPACE) {
-		container = container->parent;
+	struct sway_container *workspace = container_parent(container, C_WORKSPACE);
+	if (!workspace) {
+		return false;
 	}
-	return container->is_floating;
+	return container_has_anscestor(container,
+			workspace->sway_workspace->floating);
+}
+
+bool container_is_floating(struct sway_container *container) {
+	struct sway_container *workspace = container_parent(container, C_WORKSPACE);
+	if (!workspace) {
+		return false;
+	}
+	return container->parent == workspace->sway_workspace->floating;
 }
diff --git a/sway/tree/layout.c b/sway/tree/layout.c
index 59ad0b533..28775253a 100644
--- a/sway/tree/layout.c
+++ b/sway/tree/layout.c
@@ -154,7 +154,7 @@ void container_move_to(struct sway_container *container,
 			|| container_has_ancestor(container, destination)) {
 		return;
 	}
-	if (container->is_floating) {
+	if (container_is_floating(container)) {
 		// TODO
 		return;
 	}
@@ -718,7 +718,7 @@ struct sway_container *container_get_in_direction(
 		enum movement_direction dir) {
 	struct sway_container *parent = container->parent;
 
-	if (container->is_floating) {
+	if (container_is_floating(container)) {
 		return NULL;
 	}
 
diff --git a/sway/tree/view.c b/sway/tree/view.c
index 651a2be65..8548d9b80 100644
--- a/sway/tree/view.c
+++ b/sway/tree/view.c
@@ -458,7 +458,7 @@ void view_map(struct sway_view *view, struct wlr_surface *wlr_surface) {
 	}
 	// If we're about to launch the view into the floating container, then
 	// launch it as a tiled view in the root of the workspace instead.
-	if (focus->is_floating) {
+	if (container_is_floating(focus)) {
 		focus = focus->parent->parent;
 	}
 	free(criterias);
@@ -531,7 +531,7 @@ void view_unmap(struct sway_view *view) {
 }
 
 void view_update_position(struct sway_view *view, double lx, double ly) {
-	if (!view->swayc->is_floating) {
+	if (!container_is_floating(view->swayc)) {
 		return;
 	}
 	container_damage_whole(view->swayc);
@@ -548,7 +548,7 @@ void view_update_size(struct sway_view *view, int width, int height) {
 	container_damage_whole(view->swayc);
 	view->width = width;
 	view->height = height;
-	if (view->swayc->is_floating) {
+	if (container_is_floating(view->swayc)) {
 		container_set_geometry_from_view(view->swayc);
 	}
 	container_damage_whole(view->swayc);
@@ -904,15 +904,15 @@ bool view_is_visible(struct sway_view *view) {
 		container_parent(view->swayc, C_WORKSPACE);
 	// Determine if view is nested inside a floating container which is sticky.
 	// A simple floating view will have this ancestry:
-	// C_VIEW (is_floating=true) -> floating -> workspace
+	// C_VIEW -> floating -> workspace
 	// A more complex ancestry could be:
-	// C_VIEW -> C_CONTAINER (tabbed and is_floating) -> floating -> workspace
+	// C_VIEW -> C_CONTAINER (tabbed) -> floating -> workspace
 	struct sway_container *floater = view->swayc;
 	while (floater->parent->type != C_WORKSPACE
 			&& floater->parent->parent->type != C_WORKSPACE) {
 		floater = floater->parent;
 	}
-	bool is_sticky = floater->is_floating && floater->is_sticky;
+	bool is_sticky = container_is_floating(floater) && floater->is_sticky;
 	// Check view isn't in a tabbed or stacked container on an inactive tab
 	struct sway_seat *seat = input_manager_current_seat(input_manager);
 	struct sway_container *container = view->swayc;