diff --git a/include/wlr/types/wlr_surface.h b/include/wlr/types/wlr_surface.h
index 4255a1f2..59168eaa 100644
--- a/include/wlr/types/wlr_surface.h
+++ b/include/wlr/types/wlr_surface.h
@@ -185,6 +185,7 @@ struct wlr_subsurface {
 	bool synchronized;
 	bool reordered;
 	bool mapped;
+	bool added;
 
 	struct wl_listener surface_destroy;
 	struct wl_listener parent_destroy;
diff --git a/types/wlr_surface.c b/types/wlr_surface.c
index 42b75f96..d5d49571 100644
--- a/types/wlr_surface.c
+++ b/types/wlr_surface.c
@@ -511,6 +511,12 @@ static void subsurface_parent_commit(struct wlr_subsurface *subsurface) {
 		wlr_surface_for_each_surface(surface,
 			collect_subsurface_damage_iter, subsurface);
 	}
+
+	if (!subsurface->added) {
+		subsurface->added = true;
+		wlr_signal_emit_safe(&subsurface->parent->events.new_subsurface,
+			subsurface);
+	}
 }
 
 static void subsurface_commit(struct wlr_subsurface *subsurface) {
@@ -877,12 +883,12 @@ static struct wlr_subsurface *subsurface_find_sibling(
 	struct wlr_surface *parent = subsurface->parent;
 
 	struct wlr_subsurface *sibling;
-	wl_list_for_each(sibling, &parent->current.subsurfaces_below, current.link) {
+	wl_list_for_each(sibling, &parent->pending.subsurfaces_below, pending.link) {
 		if (sibling->surface == surface && sibling != subsurface) {
 			return sibling;
 		}
 	}
-	wl_list_for_each(sibling, &parent->current.subsurfaces_above, current.link) {
+	wl_list_for_each(sibling, &parent->pending.subsurfaces_above, pending.link) {
 		if (sibling->surface == surface && sibling != subsurface) {
 			return sibling;
 		}
@@ -1134,14 +1140,13 @@ struct wlr_subsurface *subsurface_create(struct wlr_surface *surface,
 	subsurface->parent = parent;
 	wl_signal_add(&parent->events.destroy, &subsurface->parent_destroy);
 	subsurface->parent_destroy.notify = subsurface_handle_parent_destroy;
-	wl_list_insert(parent->current.subsurfaces_above.prev, &subsurface->current.link);
+
+	wl_list_init(&subsurface->current.link);
 	wl_list_insert(parent->pending.subsurfaces_above.prev,
 		&subsurface->pending.link);
 
 	surface->role_data = subsurface;
 
-	wlr_signal_emit_safe(&parent->events.new_subsurface, subsurface);
-
 	return subsurface;
 }