diff --git a/backend/drm/drm.c b/backend/drm/drm.c
index fc2721f3..47bd4e3a 100644
--- a/backend/drm/drm.c
+++ b/backend/drm/drm.c
@@ -267,7 +267,7 @@ static void wlr_drm_connector_enable(struct wlr_output *output, bool enable) {
 		wlr_drm_connector_start_renderer(conn);
 	}
 
-	conn->output.enabled = enable;
+	wlr_output_update_enabled(&conn->output, enable);
 }
 
 static void realloc_planes(struct wlr_drm_backend *drm, const uint32_t *crtc_in,
@@ -813,7 +813,7 @@ void wlr_drm_scan_connectors(struct wlr_drm_backend *drm) {
 				wl_list_insert(&wlr_conn->output.modes, &mode->wlr_mode.link);
 			}
 
-			wlr_conn->output.enabled = true;
+			wlr_output_update_enabled(&wlr_conn->output, true);
 
 			wlr_conn->state = WLR_DRM_CONN_NEEDS_MODESET;
 			wlr_log(L_INFO, "Sending modesetting signal for '%s'",
@@ -823,7 +823,7 @@ void wlr_drm_scan_connectors(struct wlr_drm_backend *drm) {
 				drm_conn->connection != DRM_MODE_CONNECTED) {
 			wlr_log(L_INFO, "'%s' disconnected", wlr_conn->output.name);
 
-			wlr_conn->output.enabled = false;
+			wlr_output_update_enabled(&wlr_conn->output, false);
 			wlr_drm_connector_cleanup(wlr_conn);
 		}
 
diff --git a/backend/headless/backend.c b/backend/headless/backend.c
index 5438f1f4..cef8eec4 100644
--- a/backend/headless/backend.c
+++ b/backend/headless/backend.c
@@ -15,7 +15,7 @@ static bool backend_start(struct wlr_backend *wlr_backend) {
 	struct wlr_headless_output *output;
 	wl_list_for_each(output, &backend->outputs, link) {
 		wl_event_source_timer_update(output->frame_timer, output->frame_delay);
-		output->wlr_output.enabled = true;
+		wlr_output_update_enabled(&output->wlr_output, true);
 		wl_signal_emit(&backend->backend.events.output_add,
 			&output->wlr_output);
 	}
diff --git a/backend/headless/output.c b/backend/headless/output.c
index b89d4106..9fc92e88 100644
--- a/backend/headless/output.c
+++ b/backend/headless/output.c
@@ -139,7 +139,7 @@ struct wlr_output *wlr_headless_add_output(struct wlr_backend *wlr_backend,
 
 	if (backend->started) {
 		wl_event_source_timer_update(output->frame_timer, output->frame_delay);
-		wlr_output->enabled = true;
+		wlr_output_update_enabled(wlr_output, true);
 		wl_signal_emit(&backend->backend.events.output_add, wlr_output);
 	}
 
diff --git a/backend/wayland/output.c b/backend/wayland/output.c
index 7a115264..52791679 100644
--- a/backend/wayland/output.c
+++ b/backend/wayland/output.c
@@ -326,7 +326,7 @@ struct wlr_output *wlr_wl_output_create(struct wlr_backend *_backend) {
 	}
 
 	wl_list_insert(&backend->outputs, &output->link);
-	wlr_output->enabled = true;
+	wlr_output_update_enabled(wlr_output, true);
 	wl_signal_emit(&backend->backend.events.output_add, wlr_output);
 	return wlr_output;
 
diff --git a/backend/x11/backend.c b/backend/x11/backend.c
index 2ee23b4f..e1622d06 100644
--- a/backend/x11/backend.c
+++ b/backend/x11/backend.c
@@ -226,7 +226,7 @@ static bool wlr_x11_backend_start(struct wlr_backend *backend) {
 
 	xcb_map_window(x11->xcb_conn, output->win);
 	xcb_flush(x11->xcb_conn);
-	output->wlr_output.enabled = true;
+	wlr_output_update_enabled(&output->wlr_output, true);
 
 	wl_signal_emit(&x11->backend.events.output_add, output);
 	wl_signal_emit(&x11->backend.events.input_add, &x11->keyboard_dev);
diff --git a/include/wlr/types/wlr_output.h b/include/wlr/types/wlr_output.h
index 1f0fc1ec..55431ab1 100644
--- a/include/wlr/types/wlr_output.h
+++ b/include/wlr/types/wlr_output.h
@@ -89,8 +89,8 @@ struct wlr_output {
 struct wlr_surface;
 
 void wlr_output_enable(struct wlr_output *output, bool enable);
-void wlr_output_create_global();
-void wlr_output_destroy_global();
+void wlr_output_create_global(struct wlr_output *output);
+void wlr_output_destroy_global(struct wlr_output *output);
 bool wlr_output_set_mode(struct wlr_output *output,
 	struct wlr_output_mode *mode);
 bool wlr_output_set_custom_mode(struct wlr_output *output, int32_t width,
diff --git a/types/wlr_output.c b/types/wlr_output.c
index 52ac3d22..426926ac 100644
--- a/types/wlr_output.c
+++ b/types/wlr_output.c
@@ -134,6 +134,15 @@ void wlr_output_destroy_global(struct wlr_output *output) {
 	output->wl_global = NULL;
 }
 
+void wlr_output_update_enabled(struct wlr_output *output, bool enabled) {
+	if (output->enabled == enabled) {
+		return;
+	}
+
+	output->enabled = enabled;
+	wl_signal_emit(&output->events.enable, output);
+}
+
 static void wlr_output_update_matrix(struct wlr_output *output) {
 	wlr_matrix_texture(output->transform_matrix, output->width, output->height,
 		output->transform);