diff --git a/libweston-desktop/xdg-shell-v6.c b/libweston-desktop/xdg-shell-v6.c
index 955fccad..ff3a6344 100644
--- a/libweston-desktop/xdg-shell-v6.c
+++ b/libweston-desktop/xdg-shell-v6.c
@@ -645,11 +645,11 @@ weston_desktop_xdg_toplevel_committed(struct weston_desktop_xdg_toplevel *toplev
 	struct weston_surface *wsurface =
 		weston_desktop_surface_get_surface(toplevel->base.desktop_surface);
 
-	if (!wsurface->buffer_ref.buffer && !toplevel->added) {
+	if (!weston_surface_has_content(wsurface) && !toplevel->added) {
 		weston_desktop_xdg_toplevel_ensure_added(toplevel);
 		return;
 	}
-	if (!wsurface->buffer_ref.buffer)
+	if (!weston_surface_has_content(wsurface))
 		return;
 
 	struct weston_geometry geometry =
@@ -1209,7 +1209,7 @@ weston_desktop_xdg_surface_committed(struct weston_desktop_surface *dsurface,
 	struct weston_surface *wsurface =
 		weston_desktop_surface_get_surface (dsurface);
 
-	if (wsurface->buffer_ref.buffer && !surface->configured) {
+	if (weston_surface_has_content(wsurface) && !surface->configured) {
 		wl_resource_post_error(surface->resource,
 				       ZXDG_SURFACE_V6_ERROR_UNCONFIGURED_BUFFER,
 				       "xdg_surface has never been configured");
@@ -1397,7 +1397,7 @@ weston_desktop_xdg_shell_protocol_get_xdg_surface(struct wl_client *wl_client,
 	if (surface->resource == NULL)
 		return;
 
-	if (wsurface->buffer_ref.buffer != NULL) {
+	if (weston_surface_has_content(wsurface)) {
 		wl_resource_post_error(surface->resource,
 				       ZXDG_SURFACE_V6_ERROR_UNCONFIGURED_BUFFER,
 				       "xdg_surface must not have a buffer at creation");
diff --git a/libweston-desktop/xdg-shell.c b/libweston-desktop/xdg-shell.c
index 6cbf55e4..4b0509b1 100644
--- a/libweston-desktop/xdg-shell.c
+++ b/libweston-desktop/xdg-shell.c
@@ -693,11 +693,11 @@ weston_desktop_xdg_toplevel_committed(struct weston_desktop_xdg_toplevel *toplev
 	struct weston_surface *wsurface =
 		weston_desktop_surface_get_surface(toplevel->base.desktop_surface);
 
-	if (!wsurface->buffer_ref.buffer && !toplevel->added) {
+	if (!weston_surface_has_content(wsurface) && !toplevel->added) {
 		weston_desktop_xdg_toplevel_ensure_added(toplevel);
 		return;
 	}
-	if (!wsurface->buffer_ref.buffer)
+	if (!weston_surface_has_content(wsurface))
 		return;
 
 	struct weston_geometry geometry =
@@ -1351,7 +1351,7 @@ weston_desktop_xdg_surface_committed(struct weston_desktop_surface *dsurface,
 	struct weston_surface *wsurface =
 		weston_desktop_surface_get_surface (dsurface);
 
-	if (wsurface->buffer_ref.buffer && !surface->configured) {
+	if (weston_surface_has_content(wsurface) && !surface->configured) {
 		wl_resource_post_error(surface->resource,
 				       XDG_SURFACE_ERROR_UNCONFIGURED_BUFFER,
 				       "xdg_surface has never been configured");
@@ -1518,7 +1518,7 @@ weston_desktop_xdg_shell_protocol_get_xdg_surface(struct wl_client *wl_client,
 		return;
 	}
 
-	if (wsurface->buffer_ref.buffer != NULL) {
+	if (weston_surface_has_content(wsurface)) {
 		wl_resource_post_error(resource,
 				       XDG_SURFACE_ERROR_UNCONFIGURED_BUFFER,
 				       "xdg_surface must not have a buffer at creation");