diff --git a/gdk/gdksubsurface.c b/gdk/gdksubsurface.c
index 64811c7f6a..59933e3045 100644
--- a/gdk/gdksubsurface.c
+++ b/gdk/gdksubsurface.c
@@ -58,13 +58,16 @@ gdk_subsurface_get_parent (GdkSubsurface *subsurface)
 gboolean
 gdk_subsurface_attach (GdkSubsurface         *subsurface,
                        GdkTexture            *texture,
-                       const graphene_rect_t *rect)
+                       const graphene_rect_t *rect,
+                       gboolean               above,
+                       GdkSubsurface         *sibling)
 {
   g_return_val_if_fail (GDK_IS_SUBSURFACE (subsurface), FALSE);
   g_return_val_if_fail (GDK_IS_TEXTURE (texture), FALSE);
   g_return_val_if_fail (rect != NULL, FALSE);
+  g_return_val_if_fail (sibling == NULL || GDK_IS_SUBSURFACE (sibling), FALSE);
 
-  return GDK_SUBSURFACE_GET_CLASS (subsurface)->attach (subsurface, texture, rect);
+  return GDK_SUBSURFACE_GET_CLASS (subsurface)->attach (subsurface, texture, rect, above, sibling);
 }
 
 void
@@ -93,28 +96,6 @@ gdk_subsurface_get_rect (GdkSubsurface   *subsurface,
   GDK_SUBSURFACE_GET_CLASS (subsurface)->get_rect (subsurface, rect);
 }
 
-/* If sibling is NULL, place the subsurface above its parent */
-void
-gdk_subsurface_place_above (GdkSubsurface *subsurface,
-                            GdkSubsurface *sibling)
-{
-  g_return_if_fail (GDK_IS_SUBSURFACE (subsurface));
-  g_return_if_fail (sibling == NULL || GDK_IS_SUBSURFACE (sibling));
-
-  GDK_SUBSURFACE_GET_CLASS (subsurface)->place_above (subsurface, sibling);
-}
-
-/* If sibling is NULL, place the subsurface below its parent */
-void
-gdk_subsurface_place_below (GdkSubsurface *subsurface,
-                            GdkSubsurface *sibling)
-{
-  g_return_if_fail (GDK_IS_SUBSURFACE (subsurface));
-  g_return_if_fail (sibling == NULL || GDK_IS_SUBSURFACE (sibling));
-
-  GDK_SUBSURFACE_GET_CLASS (subsurface)->place_below (subsurface, sibling);
-}
-
 gboolean
 gdk_subsurface_is_above_parent (GdkSubsurface *subsurface)
 {
diff --git a/gdk/gdksubsurfaceprivate.h b/gdk/gdksubsurfaceprivate.h
index 498d064978..5e97243a92 100644
--- a/gdk/gdksubsurfaceprivate.h
+++ b/gdk/gdksubsurfaceprivate.h
@@ -50,15 +50,13 @@ struct _GdkSubsurfaceClass
 
   gboolean     (* attach)          (GdkSubsurface         *subsurface,
                                     GdkTexture            *texture,
-                                    const graphene_rect_t *rect);
+                                    const graphene_rect_t *rect,
+                                    gboolean               above,
+                                    GdkSubsurface         *sibling);
   void         (* detach)          (GdkSubsurface         *subsurface);
   GdkTexture * (* get_texture)     (GdkSubsurface         *subsurface);
   void         (* get_rect)        (GdkSubsurface         *subsurface,
                                     graphene_rect_t       *rect);
-  void         (* place_above)     (GdkSubsurface         *subsurface,
-                                    GdkSubsurface         *sibling);
-  void         (* place_below)     (GdkSubsurface         *subsurface,
-                                    GdkSubsurface         *sibling);
   gboolean     (* is_above_parent) (GdkSubsurface         *subsurface);
 };
 
@@ -67,15 +65,13 @@ GType           gdk_subsurface_get_type        (void) G_GNUC_CONST;
 GdkSurface *    gdk_subsurface_get_parent      (GdkSubsurface         *subsurface);
 gboolean        gdk_subsurface_attach          (GdkSubsurface         *subsurface,
                                                 GdkTexture            *texture,
-                                                const graphene_rect_t *rect);
+                                                const graphene_rect_t *rect,
+                                                gboolean               above,
+                                                GdkSubsurface         *sibling);
 void            gdk_subsurface_detach          (GdkSubsurface         *subsurface);
 GdkTexture *    gdk_subsurface_get_texture     (GdkSubsurface         *subsurface);
 void            gdk_subsurface_get_rect        (GdkSubsurface         *subsurface,
                                                 graphene_rect_t       *rect);
-void            gdk_subsurface_place_above     (GdkSubsurface         *subsurface,
-                                                GdkSubsurface         *sibling);
-void            gdk_subsurface_place_below     (GdkSubsurface         *subsurface,
-                                                GdkSubsurface         *sibling);
 gboolean        gdk_subsurface_is_above_parent (GdkSubsurface         *subsurface);
 
 
diff --git a/gdk/wayland/gdksubsurface-wayland.c b/gdk/wayland/gdksubsurface-wayland.c
index 0b2454feca..dea096e969 100644
--- a/gdk/wayland/gdksubsurface-wayland.c
+++ b/gdk/wayland/gdksubsurface-wayland.c
@@ -152,7 +152,9 @@ get_wl_buffer (GdkWaylandSubsurface *self,
 static gboolean
 gdk_wayland_subsurface_attach (GdkSubsurface         *sub,
                                GdkTexture            *texture,
-                               const graphene_rect_t *rect)
+                               const graphene_rect_t *rect,
+                               gboolean               above,
+                               GdkSubsurface         *sibling)
 {
   GdkWaylandSubsurface *self = GDK_WAYLAND_SUBSURFACE (sub);
   struct wl_buffer *buffer = NULL;
@@ -245,11 +247,14 @@ gdk_wayland_subsurface_attach (GdkSubsurface         *sub,
 
       if (buffer)
         {
+          GdkWaylandSubsurface *sib = sibling ? GDK_WAYLAND_SUBSURFACE (sibling) : NULL;
+
           wl_surface_attach (self->surface, buffer, 0, 0);
           wl_surface_damage_buffer (self->surface,
                                     0, 0,
                                     gdk_texture_get_width (texture),
                                     gdk_texture_get_height (texture));
+
         }
 
       result = TRUE;
@@ -261,6 +266,26 @@ gdk_wayland_subsurface_attach (GdkSubsurface         *sub,
       wl_surface_attach (self->surface, NULL, 0, 0);
     }
 
+  if (sib)
+    {
+      if (above)
+        wl_subsurface_place_above (self->subsurface, sib->surface);
+      else
+        wl_subsurface_place_below (self->subsurface, sib->surface);
+
+      self->above_parent = sib->above_parent;
+    }
+  else
+    {
+      if (above)
+        wl_subsurface_place_above (self->subsurface,
+                                   GDK_WAYLAND_SURFACE (sub->parent)->display_server.wl_surface);
+      else
+        wl_subsurface_place_below (self->subsurface,
+                                   GDK_WAYLAND_SURFACE (sub->parent)->display_server.wl_surface);
+      self->above_parent = above;
+    }
+
   wl_surface_commit (self->surface);
 
   ((GdkWaylandSurface *)sub->parent)->has_pending_subsurface_commits = TRUE;
@@ -308,62 +333,6 @@ gdk_wayland_subsurface_get_rect (GdkSubsurface   *sub,
   rect->size.height = self->dest.height;
 }
 
-static void
-gdk_wayland_subsurface_place_above (GdkSubsurface *sub,
-                                    GdkSubsurface *sibling)
-{
-  GdkWaylandSubsurface *self = GDK_WAYLAND_SUBSURFACE (sub);
-  GdkWaylandSubsurface *sib = sibling ? GDK_WAYLAND_SUBSURFACE (sibling) : NULL;
-  gboolean above_parent;
-
-  g_return_if_fail (sibling == NULL || sub->parent == sibling->parent);
-
-  if (sib)
-    {
-      wl_subsurface_place_above (self->subsurface, sib->surface);
-      above_parent = sib->above_parent;
-    }
-  else
-    {
-      wl_subsurface_place_above (self->subsurface,
-                                 GDK_WAYLAND_SURFACE (sub->parent)->display_server.wl_surface);
-      above_parent = TRUE;
-    }
-
-  if (self->above_parent != above_parent)
-    self->above_parent = above_parent;
-
-  ((GdkWaylandSurface *)sub->parent)->has_pending_subsurface_commits = TRUE;
-}
-
-static void
-gdk_wayland_subsurface_place_below (GdkSubsurface *sub,
-                                    GdkSubsurface *sibling)
-{
-  GdkWaylandSubsurface *self = GDK_WAYLAND_SUBSURFACE (sub);
-  GdkWaylandSubsurface *sib = sibling ? GDK_WAYLAND_SUBSURFACE (sibling) : NULL;
-  gboolean above_parent;
-
-  g_return_if_fail (sibling == NULL || sub->parent == sibling->parent);
-
-  if (sib)
-    {
-      wl_subsurface_place_below (self->subsurface, sib->surface);
-      above_parent = sib->above_parent;
-    }
-  else
-    {
-      wl_subsurface_place_below (self->subsurface,
-                                 GDK_WAYLAND_SURFACE (sub->parent)->display_server.wl_surface);
-      above_parent = FALSE;
-    }
-
-  if (self->above_parent != above_parent)
-    self->above_parent = above_parent;
-
-  ((GdkWaylandSurface *)sub->parent)->has_pending_subsurface_commits = TRUE;
-}
-
 static gboolean
 gdk_wayland_subsurface_is_above_parent (GdkSubsurface *sub)
 {
@@ -384,8 +353,6 @@ gdk_wayland_subsurface_class_init (GdkWaylandSubsurfaceClass *class)
   subsurface_class->detach = gdk_wayland_subsurface_detach;
   subsurface_class->get_texture = gdk_wayland_subsurface_get_texture;
   subsurface_class->get_rect = gdk_wayland_subsurface_get_rect;
-  subsurface_class->place_above = gdk_wayland_subsurface_place_above;
-  subsurface_class->place_below = gdk_wayland_subsurface_place_below;
   subsurface_class->is_above_parent = gdk_wayland_subsurface_is_above_parent;
 };
 
diff --git a/gsk/gskoffload.c b/gsk/gskoffload.c
index 101027b83a..a5c5df5507 100644
--- a/gsk/gskoffload.c
+++ b/gsk/gskoffload.c
@@ -588,8 +588,6 @@ gsk_offload_new (GdkSurface    *surface,
       info->subsurface = gdk_surface_get_subsurface (self->surface, i);
       info->was_offloaded = gdk_subsurface_get_texture (info->subsurface) != NULL;
       info->was_above = gdk_subsurface_is_above_parent (info->subsurface);
-      /* Stack them all below, initially */
-      gdk_subsurface_place_below (info->subsurface, NULL);
     }
 
   if (self->n_subsurfaces > 0)
@@ -609,12 +607,17 @@ gsk_offload_new (GdkSurface    *surface,
 
       if (info->can_offload)
         {
-          info->is_offloaded = gdk_subsurface_attach (info->subsurface,
-                                                      info->texture,
-                                                      &info->rect);
-
-          if (info->place_above)
-            gdk_subsurface_place_above (info->subsurface, info->place_above);
+          if (info->can_raise)
+            info->is_offloaded = gdk_subsurface_attach (info->subsurface,
+                                                        info->texture,
+                                                        &info->rect,
+                                                        TRUE, NULL);
+          else
+            info->is_offloaded = gdk_subsurface_attach (info->subsurface,
+                                                        info->texture,
+                                                        &info->rect,
+                                                        info->place_above != NULL,
+                                                        info->place_above);
         }
       else
         {
@@ -626,10 +629,9 @@ gsk_offload_new (GdkSurface    *surface,
             }
         }
 
-      if (info->can_raise)
+      if (info->is_offloaded && gdk_subsurface_is_above_parent (info->subsurface))
         {
           GDK_DISPLAY_DEBUG (display, OFFLOAD, "Raising subsurface %p", info->subsurface);
-          gdk_subsurface_place_above (info->subsurface, NULL);
           info->is_above = TRUE;
         }
     }