diff --git a/include/desktop/view.h b/include/desktop/view.h
index a7475c8..51de2ac 100644
--- a/include/desktop/view.h
+++ b/include/desktop/view.h
@@ -53,5 +53,6 @@ void kiwmi_view_for_each_surface(
     void *user_data);
 
 void focus_view(struct kiwmi_view *view, struct wlr_surface *surface);
+struct kiwmi_view *view_create(struct kiwmi_desktop *desktop, enum kiwmi_view_type type, const struct kiwmi_view_impl *impl);
 
 #endif /* KIWMI_DESKTOP_VIEW_H */
diff --git a/kiwmi/desktop/view.c b/kiwmi/desktop/view.c
index a0d091f..648d994 100644
--- a/kiwmi/desktop/view.c
+++ b/kiwmi/desktop/view.c
@@ -6,6 +6,10 @@
  */
 
 #include "desktop/view.h"
+
+#include <wlr/util/log.h>
+
+#include "desktop/output.h"
 #include "server.h"
 
 void
@@ -55,3 +59,26 @@ focus_view(struct kiwmi_view *view, struct wlr_surface *surface)
         keyboard->num_keycodes,
         &keyboard->modifiers);
 }
+
+struct kiwmi_view *
+view_create(
+    struct kiwmi_desktop *desktop,
+    enum kiwmi_view_type type,
+    const struct kiwmi_view_impl *impl)
+{
+    struct kiwmi_view *view = malloc(sizeof(*view));
+    if (!view) {
+        wlr_log(WLR_ERROR, "Failed to allocate view");
+        return NULL;
+    }
+
+    view->desktop = desktop;
+    view->type    = type;
+    view->impl    = impl;
+    view->mapped  = false;
+
+    view->x = 0;
+    view->y = 0;
+
+    return view;
+}
diff --git a/kiwmi/desktop/xdg_shell.c b/kiwmi/desktop/xdg_shell.c
index 7c6b28d..474eaca 100644
--- a/kiwmi/desktop/xdg_shell.c
+++ b/kiwmi/desktop/xdg_shell.c
@@ -75,17 +75,13 @@ xdg_shell_new_surface_notify(struct wl_listener *listener, void *data)
 
     wlr_xdg_surface_ping(xdg_surface);
 
-    struct kiwmi_view *view = malloc(sizeof(*view));
+    struct kiwmi_view *view =
+        view_create(desktop, KIWMI_VIEW_XDG_SHELL, &xdg_shell_view_impl);
     if (!view) {
-        wlr_log(WLR_ERROR, "Failed to allocate view");
         return;
     }
 
-    view->desktop     = desktop;
-    view->type        = KIWMI_VIEW_XDG_SHELL;
-    view->impl        = &xdg_shell_view_impl;
     view->xdg_surface = xdg_surface;
-    view->mapped      = false;
 
     view->map.notify = xdg_surface_map_notify;
     wl_signal_add(&xdg_surface->events.map, &view->map);