diff --git a/include/rootston/input.h b/include/rootston/input.h
index ae3e3b80..09509e85 100644
--- a/include/rootston/input.h
+++ b/include/rootston/input.h
@@ -81,7 +81,7 @@ struct roots_input {
 	struct wlr_seat *wl_seat;
 
 	enum roots_cursor_mode mode;
-	struct roots_view *active_view;
+	struct roots_view *active_view, *last_active_view;
 	int offs_x, offs_y;
 	int view_x, view_y, view_width, view_height;
 	float view_rotation;
diff --git a/include/rootston/view.h b/include/rootston/view.h
index 39ff80db..64aad45e 100644
--- a/include/rootston/view.h
+++ b/include/rootston/view.h
@@ -65,11 +65,13 @@ struct roots_view {
 	void (*get_input_bounds)(struct roots_view *view, struct wlr_box *box);
 	void (*activate)(struct roots_view *view, bool active);
 	void (*resize)(struct roots_view *view, uint32_t width, uint32_t height);
+	void (*close)(struct roots_view *view);
 };
 
 void view_get_size(struct roots_view *view, struct wlr_box *box);
 void view_get_input_bounds(struct roots_view *view, struct wlr_box *box);
 void view_activate(struct roots_view *view, bool active);
 void view_resize(struct roots_view *view, uint32_t width, uint32_t height);
+void view_close(struct roots_view *view);
 
 #endif
diff --git a/include/wlr/types/wlr_xdg_shell_v6.h b/include/wlr/types/wlr_xdg_shell_v6.h
index cc52d9c7..de8dfca7 100644
--- a/include/wlr/types/wlr_xdg_shell_v6.h
+++ b/include/wlr/types/wlr_xdg_shell_v6.h
@@ -172,4 +172,9 @@ void wlr_xdg_toplevel_v6_set_fullscreen(struct wlr_xdg_surface_v6 *surface,
 void wlr_xdg_toplevel_v6_set_resizing(struct wlr_xdg_surface_v6 *surface,
 		bool resizing);
 
+/**
+ * Request that this toplevel surface closes.
+ */
+void wlr_xdg_toplevel_v6_send_close(struct wlr_xdg_surface_v6 *surface);
+
 #endif
diff --git a/rootston/cursor.c b/rootston/cursor.c
index 0ca45f16..9c4b0dd8 100644
--- a/rootston/cursor.c
+++ b/rootston/cursor.c
@@ -133,6 +133,7 @@ static void set_view_focus(struct roots_input *input,
 	if (!view) {
 		return;
 	}
+	input->last_active_view = view;
 
 	size_t index = 0;
 	for (size_t i = 0; i < desktop->views->length; ++i) {
diff --git a/rootston/desktop.c b/rootston/desktop.c
index f99afaf5..691d5809 100644
--- a/rootston/desktop.c
+++ b/rootston/desktop.c
@@ -16,6 +16,16 @@
 
 void view_destroy(struct roots_view *view) {
 	struct roots_desktop *desktop = view->desktop;
+
+	struct roots_input *input = desktop->server->input;
+	if (input->active_view == view) {
+		input->active_view = NULL;
+		input->mode = ROOTS_CURSOR_PASSTHROUGH;
+	}
+	if (input->last_active_view == view) {
+		input->last_active_view = NULL;
+	}
+
 	for (size_t i = 0; i < desktop->views->length; ++i) {
 		struct roots_view *_view = desktop->views->items[i];
 		if (view == _view) {
@@ -58,6 +68,12 @@ void view_resize(struct roots_view *view, uint32_t width, uint32_t height) {
 	}
 }
 
+void view_close(struct roots_view *view) {
+	if (view->close) {
+		view->close(view);
+	}
+}
+
 static struct wlr_subsurface *subsurface_at(struct wlr_surface *surface,
 		double sx, double sy, double *sub_x, double *sub_y) {
 	struct wlr_subsurface *subsurface;
diff --git a/rootston/keyboard.c b/rootston/keyboard.c
index 6f6fa0e8..6f4334af 100644
--- a/rootston/keyboard.c
+++ b/rootston/keyboard.c
@@ -21,19 +21,28 @@ static ssize_t keyboard_pressed_keysym_index(struct roots_keyboard *keyboard,
 	return -1;
 }
 
+static const char *exec_prefix = "exec ";
+
 static void keyboard_binding_execute(struct roots_keyboard *keyboard,
-		char *command) {
+		const char *command) {
 	struct roots_server *server = keyboard->input->server;
 	if (strcmp(command, "exit") == 0) {
 		wl_display_terminate(server->wl_display);
-	} else {
+	} else if (strcmp(command, "close") == 0) {
+		if (keyboard->input->last_active_view != NULL) {
+			view_close(keyboard->input->last_active_view);
+		}
+	} else if (strncmp(exec_prefix, command, strlen(exec_prefix)) == 0) {
+		const char *shell_cmd = command + strlen(exec_prefix);
 		pid_t pid = fork();
 		if (pid < 0) {
 			wlr_log(L_ERROR, "cannot execute binding command: fork() failed");
 			return;
 		} else if (pid == 0) {
-			execl("/bin/sh", "/bin/sh", "-c", command, (void *)NULL);
+			execl("/bin/sh", "/bin/sh", "-c", shell_cmd, (void *)NULL);
 		}
+	} else {
+		wlr_log(L_ERROR, "unknown binding command: %s", command);
 	}
 }
 
diff --git a/rootston/rootston.ini.example b/rootston/rootston.ini.example
index 9960cae1..8ac474d4 100644
--- a/rootston/rootston.ini.example
+++ b/rootston/rootston.ini.example
@@ -30,6 +30,7 @@ meta-key = Logo
 
 # Keybindings
 # Maps key combinations with commands to execute
-# The special command "exit" stops the compositor
+# Use the prefix "exec" to execute a shell command
 [bindings]
-Logo+q = exit
+Logo+Shift+e = exit # Stop the compositor
+Logo+q = close # Close the current view
diff --git a/rootston/wl_shell.c b/rootston/wl_shell.c
index 1991d332..55ffd2eb 100644
--- a/rootston/wl_shell.c
+++ b/rootston/wl_shell.c
@@ -17,6 +17,12 @@ static void resize(struct roots_view *view, uint32_t width, uint32_t height) {
 		height);
 }
 
+static void close(struct roots_view *view) {
+	assert(view->type == ROOTS_WL_SHELL_VIEW);
+	struct wlr_wl_shell_surface *surf = view->wl_shell_surface;
+	wl_client_destroy(surf->client);
+}
+
 static void handle_request_move(struct wl_listener *listener, void *data) {
 	struct roots_wl_shell_surface *roots_surface =
 		wl_container_of(listener, roots_surface, request_move);
@@ -88,6 +94,7 @@ void handle_wl_shell_surface(struct wl_listener *listener, void *data) {
 	view->roots_wl_shell_surface = roots_surface;
 	view->wlr_surface = surface->surface;
 	view->resize = resize;
+	view->close = close;
 	view->desktop = desktop;
 	roots_surface->view = view;
 	list_add(desktop->views, view);
diff --git a/rootston/xdg_shell_v6.c b/rootston/xdg_shell_v6.c
index ab34f52a..c7072354 100644
--- a/rootston/xdg_shell_v6.c
+++ b/rootston/xdg_shell_v6.c
@@ -33,6 +33,14 @@ static void resize(struct roots_view *view, uint32_t width, uint32_t height) {
 	}
 }
 
+static void close(struct roots_view *view) {
+	assert(view->type == ROOTS_XDG_SHELL_V6_VIEW);
+	struct wlr_xdg_surface_v6 *surf = view->xdg_surface_v6;
+	if (surf->role == WLR_XDG_SURFACE_V6_ROLE_TOPLEVEL) {
+		wlr_xdg_toplevel_v6_send_close(surf);
+	}
+}
+
 static void handle_request_move(struct wl_listener *listener, void *data) {
 	struct roots_xdg_surface_v6 *roots_xdg_surface =
 		wl_container_of(listener, roots_xdg_surface, request_move);
@@ -107,6 +115,7 @@ void handle_xdg_shell_v6_surface(struct wl_listener *listener, void *data) {
 	view->get_size = get_size;
 	view->activate = activate;
 	view->resize = resize;
+	view->close = close;
 	view->desktop = desktop;
 	roots_surface->view = view;
 	list_add(desktop->views, view);
diff --git a/rootston/xwayland.c b/rootston/xwayland.c
index bb8ced8e..c32ee15b 100644
--- a/rootston/xwayland.c
+++ b/rootston/xwayland.c
@@ -9,6 +9,16 @@
 #include "rootston/desktop.h"
 #include "rootston/server.h"
 
+static void activate(struct roots_view *view, bool active) {
+	assert(view->type == ROOTS_XWAYLAND_VIEW);
+	if (active) {
+		wlr_xwayland_surface_activate(view->desktop->xwayland,
+			view->xwayland_surface);
+	} else {
+		wlr_xwayland_surface_activate(view->desktop->xwayland, NULL);
+	}
+}
+
 static void resize(struct roots_view *view, uint32_t width, uint32_t height) {
 	assert(view->type == ROOTS_XWAYLAND_VIEW);
 	struct wlr_xwayland_surface *xwayland_surface = view->xwayland_surface;
@@ -16,6 +26,11 @@ static void resize(struct roots_view *view, uint32_t width, uint32_t height) {
 		xwayland_surface->x, xwayland_surface->y, width, height);
 }
 
+static void close(struct roots_view *view) {
+	assert(view->type == ROOTS_XWAYLAND_VIEW);
+	wlr_xwayland_surface_close(view->desktop->xwayland, view->xwayland_surface);
+}
+
 static void handle_destroy(struct wl_listener *listener, void *data) {
 	struct roots_xwayland_surface *roots_surface =
 		wl_container_of(listener, roots_surface, destroy);
@@ -38,15 +53,6 @@ static void handle_request_configure(struct wl_listener *listener, void *data) {
 		xwayland_surface, event->x, event->y, event->width, event->height);
 }
 
-static void activate(struct roots_view *view, bool active) {
-	if (active) {
-		wlr_xwayland_surface_activate(view->desktop->xwayland,
-			view->xwayland_surface);
-	} else {
-		wlr_xwayland_surface_activate(view->desktop->xwayland, NULL);
-	}
-}
-
 void handle_xwayland_surface(struct wl_listener *listener, void *data) {
 	struct roots_desktop *desktop =
 		wl_container_of(listener, desktop, xwayland_surface);
@@ -82,6 +88,7 @@ void handle_xwayland_surface(struct wl_listener *listener, void *data) {
 	view->desktop = desktop;
 	view->activate = activate;
 	view->resize = resize;
+	view->close = close;
 	roots_surface->view = view;
 	list_add(desktop->views, view);
 }
diff --git a/types/wlr_xdg_shell_v6.c b/types/wlr_xdg_shell_v6.c
index c30291d1..fc029f2d 100644
--- a/types/wlr_xdg_shell_v6.c
+++ b/types/wlr_xdg_shell_v6.c
@@ -807,3 +807,8 @@ void wlr_xdg_toplevel_v6_set_resizing(struct wlr_xdg_surface_v6 *surface,
 
 	wlr_xdg_surface_v6_schedule_configure(surface, false);
 }
+
+void wlr_xdg_toplevel_v6_send_close(struct wlr_xdg_surface_v6 *surface) {
+	assert(surface->role == WLR_XDG_SURFACE_V6_ROLE_TOPLEVEL);
+	zxdg_toplevel_v6_send_close(surface->toplevel_state->resource);
+}