diff --git a/src/wayland/meta-wayland-surface.c b/src/wayland/meta-wayland-surface.c
index e96c92228..bd1feeafb 100644
--- a/src/wayland/meta-wayland-surface.c
+++ b/src/wayland/meta-wayland-surface.c
@@ -326,6 +326,9 @@ subsurface_surface_commit (MetaWaylandSurface *surface)
     }
 }
 
+static void
+wl_subsurface_parent_surface_committed (gpointer data, gpointer user_data);
+
 static void
 meta_wayland_surface_commit (struct wl_client *client,
                              struct wl_resource *resource)
@@ -346,6 +349,10 @@ meta_wayland_surface_commit (struct wl_client *client,
   else if (surface->subsurface.resource)
     subsurface_surface_commit (surface);
 
+  g_list_foreach (surface->subsurfaces,
+                  wl_subsurface_parent_surface_committed,
+                  NULL);
+
   if (surface->pending.buffer)
     {
       wl_list_remove (&surface->pending.buffer_destroy_listener.link);
@@ -993,6 +1000,20 @@ bind_gtk_shell (struct wl_client *client,
   gtk_shell_send_capabilities (resource, GTK_SHELL_CAPABILITY_GLOBAL_APP_MENU);
 }
 
+static void
+wl_subsurface_parent_surface_committed (gpointer data, gpointer user_data)
+{
+  MetaWaylandSurface *surface = data;
+
+  if (surface->sub.pending_pos)
+    {
+      clutter_actor_set_position (CLUTTER_ACTOR (surface->surface_actor),
+                                  surface->sub.pending_x,
+                                  surface->sub.pending_y);
+      surface->sub.pending_pos = FALSE;
+    }
+}
+
 static void
 wl_subsurface_destructor (struct wl_resource *resource)
 {
@@ -1026,7 +1047,9 @@ wl_subsurface_set_position (struct wl_client *client,
   MetaWaylandSurfaceExtension *subsurface = wl_resource_get_user_data (resource);
   MetaWaylandSurface *surface = wl_container_of (subsurface, surface, subsurface);
 
-  clutter_actor_set_position (CLUTTER_ACTOR (surface->surface_actor), x, y);
+  surface->sub.pending_x = x;
+  surface->sub.pending_y = y;
+  surface->sub.pending_pos = TRUE;
 }
 
 static gboolean
diff --git a/src/wayland/meta-wayland-surface.h b/src/wayland/meta-wayland-surface.h
index fe2bfea3b..32fa0fd33 100644
--- a/src/wayland/meta-wayland-surface.h
+++ b/src/wayland/meta-wayland-surface.h
@@ -90,6 +90,10 @@ struct _MetaWaylandSurface
   struct {
     MetaWaylandSurface *parent;
     struct wl_listener parent_destroy_listener;
+
+    int32_t pending_x;
+    int32_t pending_y;
+    gboolean pending_pos;
   } sub;
 
   /* All the pending state, that wl_surface.commit will apply. */