diff --git a/tests/meson.build b/tests/meson.build
index da78b407..889b55f4 100644
--- a/tests/meson.build
+++ b/tests/meson.build
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@ plugin_test_shell_desktop = shared_library(
 	'weston-test-desktop-shell',
 	'weston-test-desktop-shell.c',
 	include_directories: common_inc,
-	dependencies: [ dep_lib_desktop, dep_libweston_public, dep_libexec_weston ],
+	dependencies: [ dep_lib_desktop, dep_libweston_public, dep_libexec_weston, dep_shell_utils ],
 	name_prefix: '',
 	install: false
 )
diff --git a/tests/weston-test-desktop-shell.c b/tests/weston-test-desktop-shell.c
index 91654baa..e6e208e6 100644
--- a/tests/weston-test-desktop-shell.c
+++ b/tests/weston-test-desktop-shell.c
@@ -39,14 +39,14 @@
 #include "compositor/weston.h"
 #include <libweston/config-parser.h>
 #include "shared/helpers.h"
+#include "shell-utils.h"
 #include <libweston-desktop/libweston-desktop.h>
 
 struct desktest_shell {
 	struct wl_listener compositor_destroy_listener;
 	struct weston_desktop *desktop;
 	struct weston_layer background_layer;
-	struct weston_surface *background_surface;
-	struct weston_view *background_view;
+	struct weston_curtain *background;
 	struct weston_layer layer;
 	struct weston_view *view;
 };
@@ -174,8 +174,7 @@ shell_destroy(struct wl_listener *listener, void *data)
 	wl_list_remove(&dts->compositor_destroy_listener.link);
 
 	weston_desktop_destroy(dts->desktop);
-	weston_view_destroy(dts->background_view);
-	weston_surface_destroy(dts->background_surface);
+	weston_curtain_destroy(dts->background);
 
 	weston_layer_fini(&dts->layer);
 	weston_layer_fini(&dts->background_layer);
@@ -188,6 +187,14 @@ wet_shell_init(struct weston_compositor *ec,
 	       int *argc, char *argv[])
 {
 	struct desktest_shell *dts;
+	struct weston_curtain_params background_params = {
+		.r = 0.16, .g = 0.32, .b = 0.48, .a = 1.0,
+		.x = 0, .y = 0, .width = 2000, .height = 2000,
+		.capture_input = true,
+		.surface_committed = NULL,
+		.get_label = background_get_label,
+		.surface_private = NULL,
+	};
 
 	dts = zalloc(sizeof *dts);
 	if (!dts)
@@ -208,28 +215,16 @@ wet_shell_init(struct weston_compositor *ec,
 	weston_layer_set_position(&dts->background_layer,
 				  WESTON_LAYER_POSITION_BACKGROUND);
 
-	dts->background_surface = weston_surface_create(ec);
-	if (dts->background_surface == NULL)
+	dts->background = weston_curtain_create(ec, &background_params);
+	if (dts->background == NULL)
 		goto out_free;
-
-	dts->background_view = weston_view_create(dts->background_surface);
-	if (dts->background_view == NULL)
-		goto out_surface;
-
-	weston_surface_set_role(dts->background_surface,
+	weston_surface_set_role(dts->background->view->surface,
 				"test-desktop background", NULL, 0);
-	weston_surface_set_label_func(dts->background_surface,
-				      background_get_label);
-	weston_surface_set_color(dts->background_surface, 0.16, 0.32, 0.48, 1.);
-	pixman_region32_fini(&dts->background_surface->opaque);
-	pixman_region32_init_rect(&dts->background_surface->opaque, 0, 0, 2000, 2000);
-	pixman_region32_fini(&dts->background_surface->input);
-	pixman_region32_init_rect(&dts->background_surface->input, 0, 0, 2000, 2000);
-
-	weston_surface_set_size(dts->background_surface, 2000, 2000);
-	weston_view_set_position(dts->background_view, 0, 0);
-	weston_layer_entry_insert(&dts->background_layer.view_list, &dts->background_view->layer_link);
-	weston_view_update_transform(dts->background_view);
+
+	weston_view_set_position(dts->background->view, 0, 0);
+	weston_layer_entry_insert(&dts->background_layer.view_list,
+				  &dts->background->view->layer_link);
+	weston_view_update_transform(dts->background->view);
 
 	dts->desktop = weston_desktop_create(ec, &shell_desktop_api, dts);
 	if (dts->desktop == NULL)
@@ -240,10 +235,7 @@ wet_shell_init(struct weston_compositor *ec,
 	return 0;
 
 out_view:
-	weston_view_destroy(dts->background_view);
-
-out_surface:
-	weston_surface_destroy(dts->background_surface);
+	weston_curtain_destroy(dts->background);
 
 out_free:
 	wl_list_remove(&dts->compositor_destroy_listener.link);