diff --git a/src/wayland/meta-wayland-legacy-xdg-shell.c b/src/wayland/meta-wayland-legacy-xdg-shell.c
index 8f7efd168..d26c1b348 100644
--- a/src/wayland/meta-wayland-legacy-xdg-shell.c
+++ b/src/wayland/meta-wayland-legacy-xdg-shell.c
@@ -340,6 +340,7 @@ zxdg_toplevel_v6_set_max_size (struct wl_client   *client,
                                int32_t             height)
 {
   MetaWaylandSurface *surface = surface_from_xdg_toplevel_resource (resource);
+  MetaWaylandPendingState *pending;
   MetaWindow *window;
 
   window = surface->window;
@@ -355,9 +356,10 @@ zxdg_toplevel_v6_set_max_size (struct wl_client   *client,
       return;
     }
 
-  surface->pending->has_new_max_size = TRUE;
-  surface->pending->new_max_width = width;
-  surface->pending->new_max_height = height;
+  pending = meta_wayland_surface_get_pending_state (surface);
+  pending->has_new_max_size = TRUE;
+  pending->new_max_width = width;
+  pending->new_max_height = height;
 }
 
 static void
@@ -367,6 +369,7 @@ zxdg_toplevel_v6_set_min_size (struct wl_client   *client,
                                int32_t             height)
 {
   MetaWaylandSurface *surface = surface_from_xdg_toplevel_resource (resource);
+  MetaWaylandPendingState *pending;
   MetaWindow *window;
 
   window = surface->window;
@@ -382,9 +385,10 @@ zxdg_toplevel_v6_set_min_size (struct wl_client   *client,
       return;
     }
 
-  surface->pending->has_new_min_size = TRUE;
-  surface->pending->new_min_width = width;
-  surface->pending->new_min_height = height;
+  pending = meta_wayland_surface_get_pending_state (surface);
+  pending->has_new_min_size = TRUE;
+  pending->new_min_width = width;
+  pending->new_min_height = height;
 }
 
 static void
@@ -1288,12 +1292,14 @@ zxdg_surface_v6_set_window_geometry (struct wl_client   *client,
                                      int32_t             height)
 {
   MetaWaylandSurface *surface = surface_from_xdg_surface_resource (resource);
+  MetaWaylandPendingState *pending;
 
-  surface->pending->has_new_geometry = TRUE;
-  surface->pending->new_geometry.x = x;
-  surface->pending->new_geometry.y = y;
-  surface->pending->new_geometry.width = width;
-  surface->pending->new_geometry.height = height;
+  pending = meta_wayland_surface_get_pending_state (surface);
+  pending->has_new_geometry = TRUE;
+  pending->new_geometry.x = x;
+  pending->new_geometry.y = y;
+  pending->new_geometry.width = width;
+  pending->new_geometry.height = height;
 }
 
 static void
diff --git a/src/wayland/meta-wayland-pointer-constraints.c b/src/wayland/meta-wayland-pointer-constraints.c
index 9a86fae6e..a6f07761e 100644
--- a/src/wayland/meta-wayland-pointer-constraints.c
+++ b/src/wayland/meta-wayland-pointer-constraints.c
@@ -670,10 +670,11 @@ get_pending_constraint_state_container (MetaWaylandPendingState *pending)
 static MetaWaylandPendingConstraintState *
 get_pending_constraint_state (MetaWaylandPointerConstraint *constraint)
 {
-  MetaWaylandPendingState *pending = constraint->surface->pending;
+  MetaWaylandPendingState *pending;
   MetaWaylandPendingConstraintStateContainer *container;
   GList *l;
 
+  pending = meta_wayland_surface_get_pending_state (constraint->surface);
   container = get_pending_constraint_state_container (pending);
   for (l = container->pending_constraint_states; l; l = l->next)
     {
@@ -765,10 +766,11 @@ pending_constraint_state_applied (MetaWaylandPendingState           *pending,
 static MetaWaylandPendingConstraintState *
 ensure_pending_constraint_state (MetaWaylandPointerConstraint *constraint)
 {
-  MetaWaylandPendingState *pending = constraint->surface->pending;
+  MetaWaylandPendingState *pending;
   MetaWaylandPendingConstraintStateContainer *container;
   MetaWaylandPendingConstraintState *constraint_pending;
 
+  pending = meta_wayland_surface_get_pending_state (constraint->surface);
   container = ensure_pending_constraint_state_container (pending);
   constraint_pending = get_pending_constraint_state (constraint);
   if (!constraint_pending)
diff --git a/src/wayland/meta-wayland-surface.c b/src/wayland/meta-wayland-surface.c
index 604e4d280..7bc19a5c5 100644
--- a/src/wayland/meta-wayland-surface.c
+++ b/src/wayland/meta-wayland-surface.c
@@ -817,15 +817,23 @@ cleanup:
     }
 }
 
+MetaWaylandPendingState *
+meta_wayland_surface_get_pending_state (MetaWaylandSurface *surface)
+{
+  return surface->pending_state;
+}
+
 static void
 meta_wayland_surface_commit (MetaWaylandSurface *surface)
 {
+  MetaWaylandPendingState *pending = surface->pending_state;
+
   COGL_TRACE_BEGIN_SCOPED (MetaWaylandSurfaceCommit,
                            "WaylandSurface (commit)");
 
-  if (surface->pending->buffer &&
-      !meta_wayland_buffer_is_realized (surface->pending->buffer))
-    meta_wayland_buffer_realize (surface->pending->buffer);
+  if (pending->buffer &&
+      !meta_wayland_buffer_is_realized (pending->buffer))
+    meta_wayland_buffer_realize (pending->buffer);
 
   /*
    * If this is a sub-surface and it is in effective synchronous mode, only
@@ -836,9 +844,9 @@ meta_wayland_surface_commit (MetaWaylandSurface *surface)
    *     surface is in effective desynchronized mode.
    */
   if (meta_wayland_surface_should_cache_state (surface))
-    merge_pending_state (surface->pending, surface->sub.pending);
+    merge_pending_state (pending, surface->sub.pending);
   else
-    meta_wayland_surface_apply_pending_state (surface, surface->pending);
+    meta_wayland_surface_apply_pending_state (surface, pending);
 }
 
 static void
@@ -856,6 +864,7 @@ wl_surface_attach (struct wl_client *client,
 {
   MetaWaylandSurface *surface =
     wl_resource_get_user_data (surface_resource);
+  MetaWaylandPendingState *pending = surface->pending_state;
   MetaWaylandBuffer *buffer;
 
   /* X11 unmanaged window */
@@ -867,23 +876,23 @@ wl_surface_attach (struct wl_client *client,
   else
     buffer = NULL;
 
-  if (surface->pending->buffer)
+  if (surface->pending_state->buffer)
     {
-      g_clear_signal_handler (&surface->pending->buffer_destroy_handler_id,
-                              surface->pending->buffer);
+      g_clear_signal_handler (&pending->buffer_destroy_handler_id,
+                              pending->buffer);
     }
 
-  surface->pending->newly_attached = TRUE;
-  surface->pending->buffer = buffer;
-  surface->pending->dx = dx;
-  surface->pending->dy = dy;
+  pending->newly_attached = TRUE;
+  pending->buffer = buffer;
+  pending->dx = dx;
+  pending->dy = dy;
 
   if (buffer)
     {
-      surface->pending->buffer_destroy_handler_id =
+      pending->buffer_destroy_handler_id =
         g_signal_connect (buffer, "resource-destroyed",
                           G_CALLBACK (pending_buffer_resource_destroyed),
-                          surface->pending);
+                          pending);
     }
 }
 
@@ -896,6 +905,7 @@ wl_surface_damage (struct wl_client   *client,
                    int32_t             height)
 {
   MetaWaylandSurface *surface = wl_resource_get_user_data (surface_resource);
+  MetaWaylandPendingState *pending = surface->pending_state;
   cairo_rectangle_int_t rectangle;
 
   /* X11 unmanaged window */
@@ -908,7 +918,7 @@ wl_surface_damage (struct wl_client   *client,
     .width = width,
     .height = height
   };
-  cairo_region_union_rectangle (surface->pending->surface_damage, &rectangle);
+  cairo_region_union_rectangle (pending->surface_damage, &rectangle);
 }
 
 static void
@@ -928,6 +938,7 @@ wl_surface_frame (struct wl_client *client,
 {
   MetaWaylandFrameCallback *callback;
   MetaWaylandSurface *surface = wl_resource_get_user_data (surface_resource);
+  MetaWaylandPendingState *pending = surface->pending_state;
 
   /* X11 unmanaged window */
   if (!surface)
@@ -942,7 +953,7 @@ wl_surface_frame (struct wl_client *client,
   wl_resource_set_implementation (callback->resource, NULL, callback,
                                   destroy_frame_callback);
 
-  wl_list_insert (surface->pending->frame_callback_list.prev, &callback->link);
+  wl_list_insert (pending->frame_callback_list.prev, &callback->link);
 }
 
 static void
@@ -951,19 +962,20 @@ wl_surface_set_opaque_region (struct wl_client *client,
                               struct wl_resource *region_resource)
 {
   MetaWaylandSurface *surface = wl_resource_get_user_data (surface_resource);
+  MetaWaylandPendingState *pending = surface->pending_state;
 
   /* X11 unmanaged window */
   if (!surface)
     return;
 
-  g_clear_pointer (&surface->pending->opaque_region, cairo_region_destroy);
+  g_clear_pointer (&pending->opaque_region, cairo_region_destroy);
   if (region_resource)
     {
       MetaWaylandRegion *region = wl_resource_get_user_data (region_resource);
       cairo_region_t *cr_region = meta_wayland_region_peek_cairo_region (region);
-      surface->pending->opaque_region = cairo_region_copy (cr_region);
+      pending->opaque_region = cairo_region_copy (cr_region);
     }
-  surface->pending->opaque_region_set = TRUE;
+  pending->opaque_region_set = TRUE;
 }
 
 static void
@@ -972,19 +984,20 @@ wl_surface_set_input_region (struct wl_client *client,
                              struct wl_resource *region_resource)
 {
   MetaWaylandSurface *surface = wl_resource_get_user_data (surface_resource);
+  MetaWaylandPendingState *pending = surface->pending_state;
 
   /* X11 unmanaged window */
   if (!surface)
     return;
 
-  g_clear_pointer (&surface->pending->input_region, cairo_region_destroy);
+  g_clear_pointer (&pending->input_region, cairo_region_destroy);
   if (region_resource)
     {
       MetaWaylandRegion *region = wl_resource_get_user_data (region_resource);
       cairo_region_t *cr_region = meta_wayland_region_peek_cairo_region (region);
-      surface->pending->input_region = cairo_region_copy (cr_region);
+      pending->input_region = cairo_region_copy (cr_region);
     }
-  surface->pending->input_region_set = TRUE;
+  pending->input_region_set = TRUE;
 }
 
 static void
@@ -1034,6 +1047,7 @@ wl_surface_set_buffer_transform (struct wl_client   *client,
                                  int32_t             transform)
 {
   MetaWaylandSurface *surface = wl_resource_get_user_data (resource);
+  MetaWaylandPendingState *pending = surface->pending_state;
   MetaMonitorTransform buffer_transform;
 
   buffer_transform = transform_from_wl_output_transform (transform);
@@ -1047,8 +1061,8 @@ wl_surface_set_buffer_transform (struct wl_client   *client,
       return;
     }
 
-  surface->pending->buffer_transform = buffer_transform;
-  surface->pending->has_new_buffer_transform = TRUE;
+  pending->buffer_transform = buffer_transform;
+  pending->has_new_buffer_transform = TRUE;
 }
 
 static void
@@ -1057,6 +1071,7 @@ wl_surface_set_buffer_scale (struct wl_client *client,
                              int scale)
 {
   MetaWaylandSurface *surface = wl_resource_get_user_data (resource);
+  MetaWaylandPendingState *pending = surface->pending_state;
 
   if (scale <= 0)
     {
@@ -1067,7 +1082,7 @@ wl_surface_set_buffer_scale (struct wl_client *client,
       return;
     }
 
-  surface->pending->scale = scale;
+  pending->scale = scale;
 }
 
 static void
@@ -1079,6 +1094,7 @@ wl_surface_damage_buffer (struct wl_client   *client,
                           int32_t             height)
 {
   MetaWaylandSurface *surface = wl_resource_get_user_data (surface_resource);
+  MetaWaylandPendingState *pending = surface->pending_state;
   cairo_rectangle_int_t rectangle;
 
   /* X11 unmanaged window */
@@ -1091,7 +1107,7 @@ wl_surface_damage_buffer (struct wl_client   *client,
     .width = width,
     .height = height
   };
-  cairo_region_union_rectangle (surface->pending->buffer_damage, &rectangle);
+  cairo_region_union_rectangle (pending->buffer_damage, &rectangle);
 }
 
 static const struct wl_surface_interface meta_wayland_wl_surface_interface = {
@@ -1328,7 +1344,7 @@ wl_surface_destructor (struct wl_resource *resource)
   g_clear_pointer (&surface->texture, cogl_object_unref);
   g_clear_object (&surface->buffer_ref.buffer);
 
-  g_clear_object (&surface->pending);
+  g_clear_object (&surface->pending_state);
 
   if (surface->opaque_region)
     cairo_region_destroy (surface->opaque_region);
@@ -1631,7 +1647,7 @@ meta_wayland_surface_get_absolute_coordinates (MetaWaylandSurface *surface,
 static void
 meta_wayland_surface_init (MetaWaylandSurface *surface)
 {
-  surface->pending = g_object_new (META_TYPE_WAYLAND_PENDING_STATE, NULL);
+  surface->pending_state = g_object_new (META_TYPE_WAYLAND_PENDING_STATE, NULL);
   surface->subsurface_branch_node = g_node_new (surface);
   surface->subsurface_leaf_node =
     g_node_prepend_data (surface->subsurface_branch_node, surface);
diff --git a/src/wayland/meta-wayland-surface.h b/src/wayland/meta-wayland-surface.h
index 51f33c02e..a164dcd18 100644
--- a/src/wayland/meta-wayland-surface.h
+++ b/src/wayland/meta-wayland-surface.h
@@ -177,7 +177,7 @@ struct _MetaWaylandSurface
   } dnd;
 
   /* All the pending state that wl_surface.commit will apply. */
-  MetaWaylandPendingState *pending;
+  MetaWaylandPendingState *pending_state;
 
   /* Extension resources. */
   struct wl_resource *wl_subsurface;
@@ -231,6 +231,9 @@ MetaWaylandSurface *meta_wayland_surface_create (MetaWaylandCompositor *composit
                                                  struct wl_resource    *compositor_resource,
                                                  guint32                id);
 
+MetaWaylandPendingState *
+                    meta_wayland_surface_get_pending_state (MetaWaylandSurface *surface);
+
 void                meta_wayland_surface_apply_pending_state (MetaWaylandSurface      *surface,
                                                               MetaWaylandPendingState *pending);
 
diff --git a/src/wayland/meta-wayland-viewporter.c b/src/wayland/meta-wayland-viewporter.c
index 67e617555..b3f31ee8e 100644
--- a/src/wayland/meta-wayland-viewporter.c
+++ b/src/wayland/meta-wayland-viewporter.c
@@ -37,6 +37,7 @@ static void
 wp_viewport_destructor (struct wl_resource *resource)
 {
   MetaWaylandSurface *surface;
+  MetaWaylandPendingState *pending;
 
   surface = wl_resource_get_user_data (resource);
   if (!surface)
@@ -44,10 +45,11 @@ wp_viewport_destructor (struct wl_resource *resource)
 
   g_clear_signal_handler (&surface->viewport.destroy_handler_id, surface);
 
-  surface->pending->viewport_src_rect.size.width = -1;
-  surface->pending->viewport_dst_width = -1;
-  surface->pending->has_new_viewport_src_rect = TRUE;
-  surface->pending->has_new_viewport_dst_size = TRUE;
+  pending = meta_wayland_surface_get_pending_state (surface);
+  pending->viewport_src_rect.size.width = -1;
+  pending->viewport_dst_width = -1;
+  pending->has_new_viewport_src_rect = TRUE;
+  pending->has_new_viewport_dst_size = TRUE;
 
   surface->viewport.resource = NULL;
 }
@@ -98,11 +100,14 @@ wp_viewport_set_source (struct wl_client   *client,
       (new_x == -1 && new_y == -1 &&
        new_width == -1 && new_height == -1))
     {
-      surface->pending->viewport_src_rect.origin.x = new_x;
-      surface->pending->viewport_src_rect.origin.y = new_y;
-      surface->pending->viewport_src_rect.size.width = new_width;
-      surface->pending->viewport_src_rect.size.height = new_height;
-      surface->pending->has_new_viewport_src_rect = TRUE;
+      MetaWaylandPendingState *pending;
+
+      pending = meta_wayland_surface_get_pending_state (surface);
+      pending->viewport_src_rect.origin.x = new_x;
+      pending->viewport_src_rect.origin.y = new_y;
+      pending->viewport_src_rect.size.width = new_width;
+      pending->viewport_src_rect.size.height = new_height;
+      pending->has_new_viewport_src_rect = TRUE;
     }
   else
     {
@@ -134,9 +139,12 @@ wp_viewport_set_destination (struct wl_client   *client,
   if ((dst_width > 0 && dst_height > 0) ||
       (dst_width == -1 && dst_height == -1))
     {
-      surface->pending->viewport_dst_width = dst_width;
-      surface->pending->viewport_dst_height = dst_height;
-      surface->pending->has_new_viewport_dst_size = TRUE;
+      MetaWaylandPendingState *pending;
+
+      pending = meta_wayland_surface_get_pending_state (surface);
+      pending->viewport_dst_width = dst_width;
+      pending->viewport_dst_height = dst_height;
+      pending->has_new_viewport_dst_size = TRUE;
     }
   else
     {
diff --git a/src/wayland/meta-wayland-xdg-shell.c b/src/wayland/meta-wayland-xdg-shell.c
index bad503a1b..285914ba7 100644
--- a/src/wayland/meta-wayland-xdg-shell.c
+++ b/src/wayland/meta-wayland-xdg-shell.c
@@ -346,6 +346,7 @@ xdg_toplevel_set_max_size (struct wl_client   *client,
                            int32_t             height)
 {
   MetaWaylandSurface *surface = surface_from_xdg_toplevel_resource (resource);
+  MetaWaylandPendingState *pending;
 
   if (width < 0 || height < 0)
     {
@@ -356,9 +357,11 @@ xdg_toplevel_set_max_size (struct wl_client   *client,
       return;
     }
 
-  surface->pending->has_new_max_size = TRUE;
-  surface->pending->new_max_width = width;
-  surface->pending->new_max_height = height;
+
+  pending = meta_wayland_surface_get_pending_state (surface);
+  pending->has_new_max_size = TRUE;
+  pending->new_max_width = width;
+  pending->new_max_height = height;
 }
 
 static void
@@ -368,6 +371,7 @@ xdg_toplevel_set_min_size (struct wl_client   *client,
                            int32_t             height)
 {
   MetaWaylandSurface *surface = surface_from_xdg_toplevel_resource (resource);
+  MetaWaylandPendingState *pending;
 
   if (width < 0 || height < 0)
     {
@@ -378,9 +382,11 @@ xdg_toplevel_set_min_size (struct wl_client   *client,
       return;
     }
 
-  surface->pending->has_new_min_size = TRUE;
-  surface->pending->new_min_width = width;
-  surface->pending->new_min_height = height;
+
+  pending = meta_wayland_surface_get_pending_state (surface);
+  pending->has_new_min_size = TRUE;
+  pending->new_min_width = width;
+  pending->new_min_height = height;
 }
 
 static void
@@ -1377,12 +1383,14 @@ xdg_surface_set_window_geometry (struct wl_client   *client,
                                  int32_t             height)
 {
   MetaWaylandSurface *surface = surface_from_xdg_surface_resource (resource);
+  MetaWaylandPendingState *pending;
 
-  surface->pending->has_new_geometry = TRUE;
-  surface->pending->new_geometry.x = x;
-  surface->pending->new_geometry.y = y;
-  surface->pending->new_geometry.width = width;
-  surface->pending->new_geometry.height = height;
+  pending = meta_wayland_surface_get_pending_state (surface);
+  pending->has_new_geometry = TRUE;
+  pending->new_geometry.x = x;
+  pending->new_geometry.y = y;
+  pending->new_geometry.width = width;
+  pending->new_geometry.height = height;
 }
 
 static void