diff --git a/include/sway/desktop/fx_renderer/fx_renderer.h b/include/sway/desktop/fx_renderer/fx_renderer.h
index 410e3d94..8feb9753 100644
--- a/include/sway/desktop/fx_renderer/fx_renderer.h
+++ b/include/sway/desktop/fx_renderer/fx_renderer.h
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@
 
 #include "sway/desktop/fx_renderer/fx_framebuffer.h"
 #include "sway/desktop/fx_renderer/fx_texture.h"
+#include "sway/tree/view.h"
 
 enum corner_location { TOP_LEFT, TOP_RIGHT, BOTTOM_RIGHT, BOTTOM_LEFT, ALL, NONE };
 
@@ -124,6 +125,8 @@ struct fx_renderer {
 
 	struct wlr_output *wlr_output;
 
+	struct wlr_egl *wlr_egl;
+
 	// The framebuffer used by wlroots
 	struct fx_framebuffer wlr_buffer;
 	// Contains the blurred background for tiled windows
@@ -214,4 +217,6 @@ void fx_render_blur(struct fx_renderer *renderer, const float matrix[static 9],
 		struct fx_framebuffer **buffer, struct blur_shader *shader, const struct wlr_box *box,
 		int blur_radius);
 
+void fx_create_view_snapshot(struct fx_renderer *renderer, struct sway_view *view);
+
 #endif
diff --git a/include/sway/output.h b/include/sway/output.h
index 6e9f26e4..c4ce36d4 100644
--- a/include/sway/output.h
+++ b/include/sway/output.h
@@ -185,6 +185,8 @@ void render_rounded_rect(struct sway_output *output,
 		float color[static 4], int corner_radius,
 		enum corner_location corner_location);
 
+void render_container(struct sway_output *output,
+	pixman_region32_t *damage, struct sway_container *con, bool parent_focused);
 
 void premultiply_alpha(float color[4], float opacity);
 
diff --git a/include/sway/tree/container.h b/include/sway/tree/container.h
index 7fb0286f..ed2b1114 100644
--- a/include/sway/tree/container.h
+++ b/include/sway/tree/container.h
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@
 #include <sys/types.h>
 #include <wlr/types/wlr_compositor.h>
 #include "list.h"
+#include "sway/desktop/fx_renderer/fx_framebuffer.h"
 #include "sway/tree/node.h"
 
 struct sway_view;
@@ -124,6 +125,7 @@ struct sway_container {
 	float target_alpha;
 	float max_alpha;
 
+	struct fx_framebuffer close_animation_fb;
 	struct wl_event_source *animation_present_timer;
 
 	int corner_radius;
diff --git a/include/sway/tree/view.h b/include/sway/tree/view.h
index 7b52aa4b..c78d17d0 100644
--- a/include/sway/tree/view.h
+++ b/include/sway/tree/view.h
@@ -328,6 +328,7 @@ void view_map(struct sway_view *view, struct wlr_surface *wlr_surface,
 	bool fullscreen, struct wlr_output *fullscreen_output, bool decoration);
 
 void view_unmap(struct sway_view *view);
+void view_unmap_finish(struct sway_view *view);
 
 void view_update_size(struct sway_view *view);
 void view_center_surface(struct sway_view *view);
diff --git a/sway/desktop/fx_renderer/fx_renderer.c b/sway/desktop/fx_renderer/fx_renderer.c
index d2fef6f1..ac3bec83 100644
--- a/sway/desktop/fx_renderer/fx_renderer.c
+++ b/sway/desktop/fx_renderer/fx_renderer.c
@@ -19,6 +19,7 @@
 #include "sway/desktop/fx_renderer/fx_texture.h"
 #include "sway/desktop/fx_renderer/matrix.h"
 #include "sway/server.h"
+#include "sway/output.h"
 
 // shaders
 #include "blur1_frag_src.h"
@@ -29,6 +30,8 @@
 #include "quad_frag_src.h"
 #include "quad_round_frag_src.h"
 #include "stencil_mask_frag_src.h"
+#include "sway/tree/node.h"
+#include "sway/tree/workspace.h"
 #include "tex_frag_src.h"
 
 static const GLfloat verts[] = {
@@ -269,6 +272,7 @@ struct fx_renderer *fx_renderer_create(struct wlr_egl *egl, struct wlr_output *w
 		sway_log(SWAY_ERROR, "GLES2 RENDERER: Could not make EGL current");
 		return NULL;
 	}
+	renderer->wlr_egl = egl;
 
 	renderer->wlr_buffer = fx_framebuffer_create();
 	renderer->blur_buffer = fx_framebuffer_create();
@@ -871,5 +875,36 @@ void fx_render_blur(struct fx_renderer *renderer, const float matrix[static 9],
 
 	glDisableVertexAttribArray(shader->pos_attrib);
 	glDisableVertexAttribArray(shader->tex_attrib);
-
+}
+
+void fx_create_view_snapshot(struct fx_renderer *renderer, struct sway_view *view) {
+	assert(view);
+
+	// TODO: move to function? used in creation too
+	if (!eglMakeCurrent(wlr_egl_get_display(renderer->wlr_egl), EGL_NO_SURFACE, EGL_NO_SURFACE,
+			wlr_egl_get_context(renderer->wlr_egl))) {
+		sway_log(SWAY_ERROR, "GLES2 RENDERER: Could not make EGL current");
+		return;
+	}
+
+	struct sway_container *con = view->container;
+	struct sway_output *output = con->pending.workspace->output;
+
+	//fx_framebuffer_update(&con->close_animation_fb, output->width, output->height);
+	//fx_framebuffer_bind(&con->close_animation_fb);
+
+	// damage whole output to ensure full container is rendered
+	// (temporary, render_container will only render container area)
+	struct wlr_box box = { 0, 0, output->width, output->height };
+	scale_box(&box, output->wlr_output->scale);
+	pixman_region32_t damage;
+	pixman_region32_init(&damage);
+	pixman_region32_union_rect(&damage, &damage, box.x, box.y, box.width, box.height);
+
+	// TODO: add check to see if container is fading out in render_container
+	// TODO: render without blur?
+	render_container(output, &damage, con, con->current.focused);
+
+	// rebind the main fb
+	//fx_framebuffer_bind(&renderer->wlr_buffer);
 }
diff --git a/sway/desktop/render.c b/sway/desktop/render.c
index ab7f919b..469b1fe0 100644
--- a/sway/desktop/render.c
+++ b/sway/desktop/render.c
@@ -1398,9 +1398,6 @@ struct parent_data {
 	struct sway_container *active_child;
 };
 
-static void render_container(struct sway_output *output,
-	pixman_region32_t *damage, struct sway_container *con, bool parent_focused);
-
 /**
  * Render a container's children using a L_HORIZ or L_VERT layout.
  *
@@ -1685,7 +1682,7 @@ static void render_containers(struct sway_output *output,
 	}
 }
 
-static void render_container(struct sway_output *output,
+void render_container(struct sway_output *output,
 		pixman_region32_t *damage, struct sway_container *con, bool focused) {
 	struct parent_data data = {
 		.layout = con->current.layout,
diff --git a/sway/tree/container.c b/sway/tree/container.c
index dc51559b..f114d53e 100644
--- a/sway/tree/container.c
+++ b/sway/tree/container.c
@@ -51,7 +51,6 @@ static int animation_timer(void *data) {
 	if (con->alpha != con->target_alpha) {
 		wl_event_source_timer_update(con->animation_present_timer, fastest_output_refresh_s * 1000);
 	} else if (is_closing && con->view->impl->close) {
-		con->view->impl->close(con->view);
 	}
 
 	container_damage_whole(con);
@@ -75,6 +74,7 @@ struct sway_container *container_create(struct sway_view *view) {
 	c->shadow_enabled = config->shadow_enabled;
 	c->blur_enabled = config->blur_enabled;
 	c->corner_radius = config->corner_radius;
+	c->close_animation_fb = fx_framebuffer_create();
 
 	if (!view) {
 		c->pending.children = create_list();
@@ -96,6 +96,7 @@ struct sway_container *container_create(struct sway_view *view) {
 }
 
 void container_destroy(struct sway_container *con) {
+	printf("destroying container\n");
 	if (!sway_assert(con->node.destroying,
 				"Tried to free container which wasn't marked as destroying")) {
 		return;
@@ -135,6 +136,7 @@ void container_destroy(struct sway_container *con) {
 }
 
 void container_begin_destroy(struct sway_container *con) {
+	printf("beginning container destroy\n");
 	if (con->view) {
 		ipc_event_window(con, "close");
 	}
diff --git a/sway/tree/view.c b/sway/tree/view.c
index d37cfb40..12c14e80 100644
--- a/sway/tree/view.c
+++ b/sway/tree/view.c
@@ -428,8 +428,9 @@ void view_set_tiled(struct sway_view *view, bool tiled) {
 }
 
 void view_close(struct sway_view *view) {
-	view->container->target_alpha = 0;
-	wl_event_source_timer_update(view->container->animation_present_timer, 1);
+	if (view->impl->close) {
+		view->impl->close(view);
+	}
 }
 
 void view_close_popups(struct sway_view *view) {
@@ -906,6 +907,13 @@ void view_map(struct sway_view *view, struct wlr_surface *wlr_surface,
 }
 
 void view_unmap(struct sway_view *view) {
+	printf("unmap view\n");
+	// take a snapshot for fade-out animation
+	struct sway_workspace *ws = view->container->pending.workspace;
+	if (ws) {
+		fx_create_view_snapshot(ws->output->renderer, view);
+	}
+
 	wl_signal_emit_mutable(&view->events.unmap, view);
 
 	wl_list_remove(&view->surface_new_subsurface.link);
@@ -921,7 +929,6 @@ void view_unmap(struct sway_view *view) {
 	}
 
 	struct sway_container *parent = view->container->pending.parent;
-	struct sway_workspace *ws = view->container->pending.workspace;
 	container_begin_destroy(view->container);
 	if (parent) {
 		container_reap_empty(parent);