diff --git a/desktop-shell/shell.c b/desktop-shell/shell.c
index a05a5fe0..7d9d703c 100644
--- a/desktop-shell/shell.c
+++ b/desktop-shell/shell.c
@@ -104,6 +104,9 @@ struct shell_surface {
 
 	struct desktop_shell *shell;
 
+	struct wl_list children_list;
+	struct wl_list children_link;
+
 	int32_t saved_x, saved_y;
 	bool saved_position_valid;
 	bool saved_rotation_valid;
@@ -2416,6 +2419,13 @@ desktop_surface_added(struct weston_desktop_surface *desktop_surface,
 
 	wl_list_init(&shsurf->workspace_transform.link);
 
+	/*
+	 * initialize list as well as link. The latter allows to use
+	 * wl_list_remove() even when this surface is not in another list.
+	 */
+	wl_list_init(&shsurf->children_list);
+	wl_list_init(&shsurf->children_link);
+
 	weston_desktop_surface_set_user_data(desktop_surface, shsurf);
 	weston_desktop_surface_set_activated(desktop_surface,
 					     shsurf->focus_count > 0);
@@ -2427,12 +2437,19 @@ desktop_surface_removed(struct weston_desktop_surface *desktop_surface,
 {
 	struct shell_surface *shsurf =
 		weston_desktop_surface_get_user_data(desktop_surface);
+	struct shell_surface *shsurf_child, *tmp;
 	struct weston_surface *surface =
 		weston_desktop_surface_get_surface(desktop_surface);
 
 	if (!shsurf)
 		return;
 
+	wl_list_for_each_safe(shsurf_child, tmp, &shsurf->children_list, children_link) {
+		wl_list_remove(&shsurf_child->children_link);
+		wl_list_init(&shsurf_child->children_link);
+	}
+	wl_list_remove(&shsurf->children_link);
+
 	wl_signal_emit(&shsurf->destroy_signal, shsurf);
 
 	if (shsurf->fullscreen.black_view)
@@ -2747,6 +2764,20 @@ desktop_surface_resize(struct weston_desktop_surface *desktop_surface,
 		wl_resource_post_no_memory(resource);
 }
 
+static void
+desktop_surface_set_parent(struct weston_desktop_surface *desktop_surface,
+			   struct weston_desktop_surface *parent,
+			   void *shell)
+{
+	struct shell_surface *shsurf =
+		weston_desktop_surface_get_user_data(desktop_surface);
+	struct shell_surface *shsurf_parent =
+		weston_desktop_surface_get_user_data(parent);
+
+	wl_list_insert(shsurf_parent->children_list.prev,
+		       &shsurf->children_link);
+}
+
 static void
 desktop_surface_fullscreen_requested(struct weston_desktop_surface *desktop_surface,
 				     bool fullscreen,
@@ -2929,6 +2960,7 @@ static const struct weston_desktop_api shell_desktop_api = {
 	.committed = desktop_surface_committed,
 	.move = desktop_surface_move,
 	.resize = desktop_surface_resize,
+	.set_parent = desktop_surface_set_parent,
 	.fullscreen_requested = desktop_surface_fullscreen_requested,
 	.maximized_requested = desktop_surface_maximized_requested,
 	.minimized_requested = desktop_surface_minimized_requested,
@@ -3777,6 +3809,18 @@ lower_fullscreen_layer(struct desktop_shell *shell,
 	}
 }
 
+static struct shell_surface *get_last_child(struct shell_surface *shsurf)
+{
+	struct shell_surface *shsurf_child;
+
+	wl_list_for_each_reverse(shsurf_child, &shsurf->children_list, children_link) {
+		if (weston_view_is_mapped(shsurf_child->view))
+			return shsurf_child;
+	}
+
+	return NULL;
+}
+
 void
 activate(struct desktop_shell *shell, struct weston_view *view,
 	 struct weston_seat *seat, uint32_t flags)
@@ -3786,12 +3830,19 @@ activate(struct desktop_shell *shell, struct weston_view *view,
 	struct focus_state *state;
 	struct workspace *ws;
 	struct weston_surface *old_es;
-	struct shell_surface *shsurf;
+	struct shell_surface *shsurf, *shsurf_child;
 
 	main_surface = weston_surface_get_main_surface(es);
 	shsurf = get_shell_surface(main_surface);
 	assert(shsurf);
 
+	shsurf_child = get_last_child(shsurf);
+	if (shsurf_child) {
+		/* Activate last xdg child instead of parent. */
+		activate(shell, shsurf_child->view, seat, flags);
+		return;
+	}
+
 	/* Only demote fullscreen surfaces on the output of activated shsurf.
 	 * Leave fullscreen surfaces on unrelated outputs alone. */
 	if (shsurf->output)