diff --git a/src/wayland/meta-wayland-shell-surface.c b/src/wayland/meta-wayland-shell-surface.c
index 8aff17f43..5a299b406 100644
--- a/src/wayland/meta-wayland-shell-surface.c
+++ b/src/wayland/meta-wayland-shell-surface.c
@@ -133,6 +133,19 @@ meta_wayland_shell_surface_managed (MetaWaylandShellSurface *shell_surface,
   shell_surface_class->managed (shell_surface, window);
 }
 
+static void
+meta_wayland_shell_surface_assigned (MetaWaylandSurfaceRole *surface_role)
+{
+  MetaWaylandSurfaceRoleClass *surface_role_class =
+    META_WAYLAND_SURFACE_ROLE_CLASS (meta_wayland_shell_surface_parent_class);
+  MetaWaylandSurface *surface =
+    meta_wayland_surface_role_get_surface (surface_role);
+
+  surface->dnd.funcs = meta_wayland_data_device_get_drag_dest_funcs ();
+
+  surface_role_class->assigned (surface_role);
+}
+
 static void
 meta_wayland_shell_surface_surface_apply_state (MetaWaylandSurfaceRole  *surface_role,
                                                 MetaWaylandSurfaceState *pending)
@@ -263,6 +276,7 @@ meta_wayland_shell_surface_class_init (MetaWaylandShellSurfaceClass *klass)
 
   object_class->finalize = meta_wayland_shell_surface_finalize;
 
+  surface_role_class->assigned = meta_wayland_shell_surface_assigned;
   surface_role_class->apply_state =
     meta_wayland_shell_surface_surface_apply_state;
   surface_role_class->notify_subsurface_state_changed =
diff --git a/src/wayland/meta-wayland-subsurface.c b/src/wayland/meta-wayland-subsurface.c
index c55600912..efa1da1b6 100644
--- a/src/wayland/meta-wayland-subsurface.c
+++ b/src/wayland/meta-wayland-subsurface.c
@@ -225,6 +225,19 @@ meta_wayland_subsurface_union_geometry (MetaWaylandSubsurface *subsurface,
     }
 }
 
+static void
+meta_wayland_subsurface_assigned (MetaWaylandSurfaceRole *surface_role)
+{
+  MetaWaylandSurface *surface =
+    meta_wayland_surface_role_get_surface (surface_role);
+  MetaWaylandSurfaceRoleClass *surface_role_class =
+    META_WAYLAND_SURFACE_ROLE_CLASS (meta_wayland_subsurface_parent_class);
+
+  surface->dnd.funcs = meta_wayland_data_device_get_drag_dest_funcs ();
+
+  surface_role_class->assigned (surface_role);
+}
+
 static MetaWaylandSurface *
 meta_wayland_subsurface_get_toplevel (MetaWaylandSurfaceRole *surface_role)
 {
@@ -318,6 +331,7 @@ meta_wayland_subsurface_class_init (MetaWaylandSubsurfaceClass *klass)
   MetaWaylandActorSurfaceClass *actor_surface_class =
     META_WAYLAND_ACTOR_SURFACE_CLASS (klass);
 
+  surface_role_class->assigned = meta_wayland_subsurface_assigned;
   surface_role_class->get_toplevel = meta_wayland_subsurface_get_toplevel;
   surface_role_class->should_cache_state = meta_wayland_subsurface_should_cache_state;
   surface_role_class->notify_subsurface_state_changed =
diff --git a/src/wayland/meta-wayland-surface.c b/src/wayland/meta-wayland-surface.c
index d94e5b63a..d93141bdc 100644
--- a/src/wayland/meta-wayland-surface.c
+++ b/src/wayland/meta-wayland-surface.c
@@ -1128,19 +1128,6 @@ static const struct wl_surface_interface meta_wayland_wl_surface_interface = {
   wl_surface_damage_buffer,
 };
 
-static void
-sync_drag_dest_funcs (MetaWaylandSurface *surface)
-{
-  MetaWindow *window;
-
-  window = meta_wayland_surface_get_window (surface);
-  if (window &&
-      window->client_type == META_WINDOW_CLIENT_TYPE_X11)
-    surface->dnd.funcs = meta_xwayland_selection_get_drag_dest_funcs ();
-  else
-    surface->dnd.funcs = meta_wayland_data_device_get_drag_dest_funcs ();
-}
-
 static void
 surface_entered_output (MetaWaylandSurface *surface,
                         MetaWaylandOutput *wayland_output)
@@ -1297,8 +1284,6 @@ meta_wayland_surface_set_window (MetaWaylandSurface *surface,
   if (actor)
     clutter_actor_set_reactive (actor, !!window);
 
-  sync_drag_dest_funcs (surface);
-
   if (was_unmapped)
     g_signal_emit (surface, surface_signals[SURFACE_UNMAPPED], 0);
 
@@ -1423,8 +1408,6 @@ meta_wayland_surface_create (MetaWaylandCompositor *compositor,
 
   wl_list_init (&surface->pending_frame_callback_list);
 
-  sync_drag_dest_funcs (surface);
-
   surface->outputs_to_destroy_notify_id = g_hash_table_new (NULL, NULL);
   surface->shortcut_inhibited_seats = g_hash_table_new (NULL, NULL);
 
diff --git a/src/wayland/meta-xwayland-surface.c b/src/wayland/meta-xwayland-surface.c
index 905b49afd..874d123ba 100644
--- a/src/wayland/meta-xwayland-surface.c
+++ b/src/wayland/meta-xwayland-surface.c
@@ -26,6 +26,7 @@
 #include "compositor/meta-surface-actor-wayland.h"
 #include "compositor/meta-window-actor-private.h"
 #include "wayland/meta-wayland-actor-surface.h"
+#include "wayland/meta-xwayland-private.h"
 
 enum
 {
@@ -80,6 +81,19 @@ meta_xwayland_surface_associate_with_window (MetaXwaylandSurface *xwayland_surfa
     }
 }
 
+static void
+meta_xwayland_surface_assigned (MetaWaylandSurfaceRole *surface_role)
+{
+  MetaWaylandSurface *surface =
+    meta_wayland_surface_role_get_surface (surface_role);
+  MetaWaylandSurfaceRoleClass *surface_role_class =
+    META_WAYLAND_SURFACE_ROLE_CLASS (meta_xwayland_surface_parent_class);
+
+  surface->dnd.funcs = meta_xwayland_selection_get_drag_dest_funcs ();
+
+  surface_role_class->assigned (surface_role);
+}
+
 static void
 meta_xwayland_surface_get_relative_coordinates (MetaWaylandSurfaceRole *surface_role,
                                                 float                   abs_x,
@@ -160,6 +174,7 @@ meta_xwayland_surface_class_init (MetaXwaylandSurfaceClass *klass)
 
   object_class->finalize = meta_xwayland_surface_finalize;
 
+  surface_role_class->assigned = meta_xwayland_surface_assigned;
   surface_role_class->get_relative_coordinates =
     meta_xwayland_surface_get_relative_coordinates;
   surface_role_class->get_toplevel = meta_xwayland_surface_get_toplevel;