diff --git a/js/gdm/loginDialog.js b/js/gdm/loginDialog.js
index 7810b03e4..a9e6f2ce2 100644
--- a/js/gdm/loginDialog.js
+++ b/js/gdm/loginDialog.js
@@ -274,7 +274,7 @@ const SessionMenuButton = new Lang.Class({
         this.actor = new St.Bin({ child: this._button });
 
         this._menu = new PopupMenu.PopupMenu(this._button, 0, St.Side.TOP);
-        Main.uiGroup.add_actor(this._menu.actor);
+        Main.layoutManager.menuGroup.add_actor(this._menu.actor);
         this._menu.actor.hide();
 
         this._menu.connect('open-state-changed',
diff --git a/js/ui/appDisplay.js b/js/ui/appDisplay.js
index f23d054ad..4935bf03c 100644
--- a/js/ui/appDisplay.js
+++ b/js/ui/appDisplay.js
@@ -1525,7 +1525,7 @@ const AppIconMenu = new Lang.Class({
         }));
         source.actor.connect('destroy', Lang.bind(this, function () { this.actor.destroy(); }));
 
-        Main.uiGroup.add_actor(this.actor);
+        Main.layoutManager.menuGroup.add_actor(this.actor);
     },
 
     _redisplay: function() {
diff --git a/js/ui/backgroundMenu.js b/js/ui/backgroundMenu.js
index 71251e5bb..6a7495b8b 100644
--- a/js/ui/backgroundMenu.js
+++ b/js/ui/backgroundMenu.js
@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@ const BackgroundMenu = new Lang.Class({
 
         this.actor.add_style_class_name('background-menu');
 
-        layoutManager.uiGroup.add_actor(this.actor);
+        layoutManager.menuGroup.add_actor(this.actor);
         this.actor.hide();
     }
 });
diff --git a/js/ui/layout.js b/js/ui/layout.js
index 0609ff2e0..c34050622 100644
--- a/js/ui/layout.js
+++ b/js/ui/layout.js
@@ -219,6 +219,18 @@ const LayoutManager = new Lang.Class({
         this.addChrome(this.keyboardBox);
         this._keyboardHeightNotifyId = 0;
 
+        this.menuGroup = new St.Widget();
+        this.uiGroup.add_actor(this.menuGroup);
+
+        this.osdGroup = new St.Widget();
+        this.uiGroup.add_actor(this.osdGroup);
+
+        this.switcherPopupGroup = new St.Widget();
+        this.uiGroup.add_actor(this.switcherPopupGroup);
+
+        this.dialogGroup = new St.Widget();
+        this.uiGroup.add_actor(this.dialogGroup);
+
         // A dummy actor that tracks the mouse or text cursor, based on the
         // position set in setDummyCursorPosition.
         this.dummyCursor = new St.Widget({ width: 0, height: 0 });
diff --git a/js/ui/messageTray.js b/js/ui/messageTray.js
index 53e838eb4..03f8db074 100644
--- a/js/ui/messageTray.js
+++ b/js/ui/messageTray.js
@@ -1611,7 +1611,7 @@ const MessageTrayMenu = new Lang.Class({
         this._accountManager.prepare_async(null, Lang.bind(this, this._onIMPresenceChanged));
 
         this.actor.hide();
-        Main.layoutManager.addChrome(this.actor);
+        Main.layoutManager.menuGroup.add_child(this.actor);
 
         this._busyItem = new PopupMenu.PopupSwitchMenuItem(_("Notifications"));
         this._busyItem.connect('toggled', Lang.bind(this, this._updatePresence));
diff --git a/js/ui/modalDialog.js b/js/ui/modalDialog.js
index 366e42530..38cba6a3f 100644
--- a/js/ui/modalDialog.js
+++ b/js/ui/modalDialog.js
@@ -41,7 +41,7 @@ const ModalDialog = new Lang.Class({
     _init: function(params) {
         params = Params.parse(params, { shellReactive: false,
                                         styleClass: null,
-                                        parentActor: Main.uiGroup,
+                                        parentActor: Main.layoutManager.dialogGroup,
                                         keybindingMode: Shell.KeyBindingMode.SYSTEM_MODAL,
                                         shouldFadeIn: true,
                                         destroyOnClose: true });
diff --git a/js/ui/osdWindow.js b/js/ui/osdWindow.js
index 1d10f800a..3d427dab9 100644
--- a/js/ui/osdWindow.js
+++ b/js/ui/osdWindow.js
@@ -110,7 +110,7 @@ const OsdWindow = new Lang.Class({
                                    Lang.bind(this, this._monitorsChanged));
         this._monitorsChanged();
 
-        Main.uiGroup.add_child(this.actor);
+        Main.layoutManager.osdGroup.add_child(this.actor);
     },
 
     setIcon: function(icon) {
diff --git a/js/ui/panelMenu.js b/js/ui/panelMenu.js
index 9bb1f1bc4..c1bd0ea89 100644
--- a/js/ui/panelMenu.js
+++ b/js/ui/panelMenu.js
@@ -130,7 +130,7 @@ const Button = new Lang.Class({
             this.menu.connect('open-state-changed', Lang.bind(this, this._onOpenStateChanged));
             this.menu.actor.connect('key-press-event', Lang.bind(this, this._onMenuKeyPress));
 
-            Main.uiGroup.add_actor(this.menu.actor);
+            Main.layoutManager.menuGroup.add_actor(this.menu.actor);
             this.menu.actor.hide();
         }
     },
diff --git a/js/ui/screenshot.js b/js/ui/screenshot.js
index 432a39d5e..5daf6679c 100644
--- a/js/ui/screenshot.js
+++ b/js/ui/screenshot.js
@@ -146,7 +146,7 @@ const SelectArea = new Lang.Class({
                                       reactive: true,
                                       x: 0,
                                       y: 0 });
-        Main.uiGroup.add_actor(this._group);
+        Main.layoutManager.osdGroup.add_actor(this._group);
 
         this._group.connect('button-press-event',
                             Lang.bind(this, this._onButtonPress));
@@ -259,9 +259,9 @@ const Flashspot = new Lang.Class({
     Extends: Lightbox.Lightbox,
 
     _init: function(area) {
-        this.parent(Main.uiGroup, { inhibitEvents: true,
-                                    width: area.width,
-                                    height: area.height });
+        this.parent(Main.layoutManager.osdGroup, { inhibitEvents: true,
+                                                   width: area.width,
+                                                   height: area.height });
 
         this.actor.style_class = 'flashspot';
         this.actor.set_position(area.x, area.y);
diff --git a/js/ui/shellEntry.js b/js/ui/shellEntry.js
index 055e3c5fa..d4f43dfd0 100644
--- a/js/ui/shellEntry.js
+++ b/js/ui/shellEntry.js
@@ -36,7 +36,7 @@ const EntryMenu = new Lang.Class({
 
         this._passwordItem = null;
 
-        Main.uiGroup.add_actor(this.actor);
+        Main.layoutManager.menuGroup.add_actor(this.actor);
         this.actor.hide();
     },
 
diff --git a/js/ui/switcherPopup.js b/js/ui/switcherPopup.js
index 176bc6aba..bec6836c7 100644
--- a/js/ui/switcherPopup.js
+++ b/js/ui/switcherPopup.js
@@ -54,7 +54,7 @@ const SwitcherPopup = new Lang.Class({
         this.actor.connect('allocate', Lang.bind(this, this._allocate));
         this.actor.connect('destroy', Lang.bind(this, this._onDestroy));
 
-        Main.uiGroup.add_actor(this.actor);
+        Main.layoutManager.switcherPopupGroup.add_child(this.actor);
 
         this._haveModal = false;
         this._modifierMask = 0;
diff --git a/js/ui/workspaceSwitcherPopup.js b/js/ui/workspaceSwitcherPopup.js
index cf3042192..298499ab9 100644
--- a/js/ui/workspaceSwitcherPopup.js
+++ b/js/ui/workspaceSwitcherPopup.js
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@ const WorkspaceSwitcherPopup = new Lang.Class({
                                      width: global.screen_width,
                                      height: global.screen_height,
                                      style_class: 'workspace-switcher-group' });
-        Main.uiGroup.add_actor(this.actor);
+        Main.layoutManager.osdGroup.add_child(this.actor);
 
         this._container = new St.BoxLayout({ style_class: 'workspace-switcher-container' });
         this._list = new Shell.GenericContainer({ style_class: 'workspace-switcher' });