diff --git a/sway/ipc-json.c b/sway/ipc-json.c
index 1ebc3bd29..46c521566 100644
--- a/sway/ipc-json.c
+++ b/sway/ipc-json.c
@@ -493,6 +493,8 @@ static void ipc_json_describe_view(struct sway_container *c, json_object *object
 
 	json_object_object_add(object, "max_render_time", json_object_new_int(c->view->max_render_time));
 
+	json_object_object_add(object, "shell", json_object_new_string(view_get_shell(c->view)));
+
 #if HAVE_XWAYLAND
 	if (c->view->type == SWAY_VIEW_XWAYLAND) {
 		json_object_object_add(object, "window",
diff --git a/sway/sway-ipc.7.scd b/sway/sway-ipc.7.scd
index ab61f8643..5cef0bb46 100644
--- a/sway/sway-ipc.7.scd
+++ b/sway/sway-ipc.7.scd
@@ -376,6 +376,9 @@ node and will have the following properties:
 |- visible
 :  boolean
 :  (Only views) Whether the node is visible
+|- shell
+:  string
+:  (Only views) The shell of the view, such as _xdg\_shell_ or _xwayland_
 |- window
 :  integer
 :  (Only xwayland views) The X11 window ID for the xwayland view
@@ -672,6 +675,7 @@ node and will have the following properties:
 							"pid": 23959,
 							"app_id": null,
 							"visible": true,
+							"shell": "xwayland",
 							"window_properties": {
 								"class": "URxvt",
 								"instance": "urxvt",
@@ -726,6 +730,7 @@ node and will have the following properties:
 							"pid": 25370,
 							"app_id": "termite",
 							"visible": true,
+							"shell": "xdg_shell",
 							"nodes": [
 							]
 						}