diff --git a/desktop-shell/input-panel.c b/desktop-shell/input-panel.c
index 0897ffde..6dc2e427 100644
--- a/desktop-shell/input-panel.c
+++ b/desktop-shell/input-panel.c
@@ -103,8 +103,8 @@ show_input_panel_surface(struct input_panel_surface *ipsurf)
 	                          &ipsurf->view->layer_link);
 	weston_view_geometry_dirty(ipsurf->view);
 	weston_view_update_transform(ipsurf->view);
-	ipsurf->surface->is_mapped = true;
 	ipsurf->view->is_mapped = true;
+	weston_surface_map(ipsurf->surface);
 	weston_surface_damage(ipsurf->surface);
 
 	if (ipsurf->anim)
diff --git a/desktop-shell/shell.c b/desktop-shell/shell.c
index 87bcae3d..73dbdce7 100644
--- a/desktop-shell/shell.c
+++ b/desktop-shell/shell.c
@@ -2501,7 +2501,7 @@ desktop_surface_committed(struct weston_desktop_surface *desktop_surface,
 
 	if (!weston_surface_is_mapped(surface)) {
 		map(shell, shsurf, sx, sy);
-		surface->is_mapped = true;
+		weston_surface_map(surface);
 		/* as we need to survive the weston_surface destruction we'll
 		 * need to take another reference */
 		if (shsurf->shell->win_close_animation_type == ANIMATION_FADE) {
@@ -2914,7 +2914,7 @@ configure_static_view(struct weston_view *ev, struct weston_layer *layer, int x,
 	}
 
 	weston_view_set_position(ev, ev->output->x + x, ev->output->y + y);
-	ev->surface->is_mapped = true;
+	weston_surface_map(ev->surface);
 	ev->is_mapped = true;
 
 	if (wl_list_empty(&ev->layer_link.link)) {
@@ -3136,7 +3136,7 @@ lock_surface_committed(struct weston_surface *surface, int32_t sx, int32_t sy)
 		weston_layer_entry_insert(&shell->lock_layer.view_list,
 					  &view->layer_link);
 		weston_view_update_transform(view);
-		surface->is_mapped = true;
+		weston_surface_map(surface);
 		view->is_mapped = true;
 		shell_fade(shell, FADE_IN);
 	}
diff --git a/fullscreen-shell/fullscreen-shell.c b/fullscreen-shell/fullscreen-shell.c
index c02ac1c3..dbec02cf 100644
--- a/fullscreen-shell/fullscreen-shell.c
+++ b/fullscreen-shell/fullscreen-shell.c
@@ -327,7 +327,7 @@ fs_output_create(struct fullscreen_shell *shell, struct weston_output *output)
 	fsout->curtain = create_curtain(shell->compositor, fsout,
 					output->x, output->y,
 					output->width, output->height);
-	fsout->curtain->view->surface->is_mapped = true;
+	weston_surface_map(fsout->curtain->view->surface);
 	fsout->curtain->view->is_mapped = true;
 	weston_layer_entry_insert(&shell->layer.view_list,
 			          &fsout->curtain->view->layer_link);
diff --git a/include/libweston/libweston.h b/include/libweston/libweston.h
index 552652fa..acfad1b3 100644
--- a/include/libweston/libweston.h
+++ b/include/libweston/libweston.h
@@ -1971,6 +1971,9 @@ weston_view_damage_below(struct weston_view *view);
 void
 weston_view_unmap(struct weston_view *view);
 
+void
+weston_surface_map(struct weston_surface *surface);
+
 void
 weston_surface_unmap(struct weston_surface *surface);
 
diff --git a/ivi-shell/ivi-layout.c b/ivi-shell/ivi-layout.c
index e685e356..1c42d636 100644
--- a/ivi-shell/ivi-layout.c
+++ b/ivi-shell/ivi-layout.c
@@ -835,7 +835,7 @@ build_view_list(struct ivi_layout *layout)
 				weston_layer_entry_insert(&layout->layout_layer.view_list,
 							  &ivi_view->view->layer_link);
 
-				ivi_view->ivisurf->surface->is_mapped = true;
+				weston_surface_map(ivi_view->ivisurf->surface);
 				ivi_view->view->is_mapped = true;
 			}
 		}
diff --git a/kiosk-shell/kiosk-shell.c b/kiosk-shell/kiosk-shell.c
index 950e5811..c109e31f 100644
--- a/kiosk-shell/kiosk-shell.c
+++ b/kiosk-shell/kiosk-shell.c
@@ -523,7 +523,7 @@ kiosk_shell_output_recreate_background(struct kiosk_shell_output *shoutput)
 				  &shoutput->curtain->view->layer_link);
 
 	shoutput->curtain->view->is_mapped = true;
-	shoutput->curtain->view->surface->is_mapped = true;
+	weston_surface_map(shoutput->curtain->view->surface);
 	shoutput->curtain->view->surface->output = output;
 	weston_view_set_output(shoutput->curtain->view, output);
 }
@@ -799,7 +799,7 @@ desktop_surface_committed(struct weston_desktop_surface *desktop_surface,
 		struct kiosk_shell_seat *kiosk_seat;
 
 		shsurf->view->is_mapped = true;
-		surface->is_mapped = true;
+		weston_surface_map(surface);
 
 		kiosk_seat = get_kiosk_shell_seat(seat);
 		if (seat && kiosk_seat)
diff --git a/libweston-desktop/xwayland.c b/libweston-desktop/xwayland.c
index 9d4d22b4..057fdfd5 100644
--- a/libweston-desktop/xwayland.c
+++ b/libweston-desktop/xwayland.c
@@ -122,7 +122,7 @@ weston_desktop_xwayland_surface_change_state(struct weston_desktop_xwayland_surf
 			weston_layer_entry_insert(&surface->xwayland->layer.view_list,
 						  &surface->view->layer_link);
 			surface->view->is_mapped = true;
-			wsurface->is_mapped = true;
+			weston_surface_map(wsurface);
 		}
 
 		surface->state = state;
diff --git a/libweston/compositor.c b/libweston/compositor.c
index a176626e..47226f73 100644
--- a/libweston/compositor.c
+++ b/libweston/compositor.c
@@ -2261,6 +2261,12 @@ weston_view_unmap(struct weston_view *view)
 	}
 }
 
+WL_EXPORT void
+weston_surface_map(struct weston_surface *surface)
+{
+	surface->is_mapped = true;
+}
+
 WL_EXPORT void
 weston_surface_unmap(struct weston_surface *surface)
 {
@@ -4529,22 +4535,21 @@ subsurface_committed(struct weston_surface *surface, int32_t dx, int32_t dy)
 	 * mapped, parent is not in a visible layer, so this sub-surface
 	 * will not be drawn either.
 	 */
-
-	if (!weston_surface_is_mapped(surface)) {
-		surface->is_mapped = weston_surface_has_content(surface);
-
-		/* Cannot call weston_view_update_transform(),
-		 * because that would call it also for the parent surface,
-		 * which might not be mapped yet. That would lead to
-		 * inconsistent state, where the window could never be
-		 * mapped.
-		 *
-		 * Instead just force the is_mapped flag on, to make
-		 * weston_surface_is_mapped() return true, so that when the
-		 * parent surface does get mapped, this one will get
-		 * included, too. See view_list_add().
-		 */
-	}
+	if (!weston_surface_is_mapped(surface) &&
+	    weston_surface_has_content(surface)) {
+		weston_surface_map(surface);
+	}
+
+	/* Cannot call weston_view_update_transform() here, because that would
+	 * call it also for the parent surface, which might not be mapped yet.
+	 * That would lead to inconsistent state, where the window could never
+	 * be mapped.
+	 *
+	 * Instead just force the child surface to appear mapped, to make
+	 * weston_surface_is_mapped() return true, so that when the parent
+	 * surface does get mapped, this one will get included, too. See
+	 * view_list_add().
+	 */
 }
 
 static struct weston_subsurface *
diff --git a/libweston/data-device.c b/libweston/data-device.c
index 3506454c..2042cce4 100644
--- a/libweston/data-device.c
+++ b/libweston/data-device.c
@@ -431,7 +431,7 @@ drag_surface_configure(struct weston_drag *drag,
 		weston_layer_entry_insert(list, &drag->icon->layer_link);
 		weston_view_update_transform(drag->icon);
 		pixman_region32_clear(&es->pending.input);
-		es->is_mapped = true;
+		weston_surface_map(es);
 		drag->icon->is_mapped = true;
 	}
 
diff --git a/libweston/input.c b/libweston/input.c
index 7c8559ae..ead4b79e 100644
--- a/libweston/input.c
+++ b/libweston/input.c
@@ -2697,7 +2697,7 @@ pointer_cursor_surface_committed(struct weston_surface *es,
 		weston_layer_entry_insert(&es->compositor->cursor_layer.view_list,
 					  &pointer->sprite->layer_link);
 		weston_view_update_transform(pointer->sprite);
-		es->is_mapped = true;
+		weston_surface_map(es);
 		pointer->sprite->is_mapped = true;
 	}
 }
diff --git a/libweston/touch-calibration.c b/libweston/touch-calibration.c
index 11e59386..72a114a6 100644
--- a/libweston/touch-calibration.c
+++ b/libweston/touch-calibration.c
@@ -206,7 +206,7 @@ map_calibrator(struct weston_touch_calibrator *calibrator)
 	calibrator->view->is_mapped = true;
 
 	calibrator->surface->output = calibrator->output;
-	calibrator->surface->is_mapped = true;
+	weston_surface_map(calibrator->surface);
 
 	weston_output_schedule_repaint(calibrator->output);
 
diff --git a/tests/weston-test-desktop-shell.c b/tests/weston-test-desktop-shell.c
index e6e208e6..2fb6d4b2 100644
--- a/tests/weston-test-desktop-shell.c
+++ b/tests/weston-test-desktop-shell.c
@@ -92,7 +92,7 @@ desktop_surface_committed(struct weston_desktop_surface *desktop_surface,
 	if (weston_surface_is_mapped(surface))
 		return;
 
-	surface->is_mapped = true;
+	weston_surface_map(surface);
 	weston_layer_entry_insert(&dts->layer.view_list, &dts->view->layer_link);
 	weston_view_set_position(dts->view, 0 - geometry.x, 0 - geometry.y);
 	weston_view_update_transform(dts->view);
diff --git a/tests/weston-test.c b/tests/weston-test.c
index f8db286b..58f27a04 100644
--- a/tests/weston-test.c
+++ b/tests/weston-test.c
@@ -164,7 +164,7 @@ test_surface_committed(struct weston_surface *surface, int32_t sx, int32_t sy)
 
 	weston_view_update_transform(test_surface->view);
 
-	test_surface->surface->is_mapped = true;
+	weston_surface_map(test_surface->surface);
 	test_surface->view->is_mapped = true;
 }