diff --git a/sway/handlers.c b/sway/handlers.c
index 0157d466f..ebfd22ad4 100644
--- a/sway/handlers.c
+++ b/sway/handlers.c
@@ -168,7 +168,6 @@ static bool handle_view_created(wlc_handle handle) {
 static void handle_view_destroyed(wlc_handle handle) {
 	sway_log(L_DEBUG, "Destroying window %lu", handle);
 	swayc_t *view = get_swayc_for_handle(handle, &root_container);
-	swayc_t *focused = get_focused_container(&root_container);
 
 	switch (wlc_view_get_type(handle)) {
 	//regular view created regularly
diff --git a/sway/layout.c b/sway/layout.c
index 8ff5c4b72..d072c410c 100644
--- a/sway/layout.c
+++ b/sway/layout.c
@@ -226,7 +226,8 @@ void arrange_windows(swayc_t *container, int width, int height) {
 			// will be kept up to date so that more recently focused views
 			// have higher indexes
 			// This is conditional on there not being a fullscreen view in the workspace
-			if (!(wlc_view_get_state(container->focused->handle) & WLC_BIT_FULLSCREEN)) {
+			if (!container->focused
+				|| !(wlc_view_get_state(container->focused->handle) & WLC_BIT_FULLSCREEN)) {
 				wlc_view_bring_to_front(view->handle);
 			}
 		}