diff --git a/sway/commands/kill.c b/sway/commands/kill.c
index 801208322..e6036cb3b 100644
--- a/sway/commands/kill.c
+++ b/sway/commands/kill.c
@@ -19,7 +19,6 @@ struct cmd_results *cmd_kill(int argc, char **argv) {
 		break;
 	case C_CONTAINER:
 		con = container_destroy(con);
-		con = container_reap_empty(con);
 		arrange_windows(con, -1, -1);
 		break;
 	case C_VIEW:
diff --git a/sway/tree/container.c b/sway/tree/container.c
index 7b88cccbc..f972ac24f 100644
--- a/sway/tree/container.c
+++ b/sway/tree/container.c
@@ -58,7 +58,7 @@ struct sway_container *container_create(enum sway_container_type type) {
 	return c;
 }
 
-struct sway_container *container_destroy(struct sway_container *cont) {
+static struct sway_container *_container_destroy(struct sway_container *cont) {
 	if (cont == NULL) {
 		return NULL;
 	}
@@ -89,6 +89,11 @@ struct sway_container *container_destroy(struct sway_container *cont) {
 	return parent;
 }
 
+struct sway_container *container_destroy(struct sway_container *cont) {
+	cont = _container_destroy(cont);
+	return container_reap_empty(cont->parent);
+}
+
 struct sway_container *container_output_create(
 		struct sway_output *sway_output) {
 	struct wlr_box size;