diff --git a/include/sway/tree/view.h b/include/sway/tree/view.h
index 653df44d..8605a1f5 100644
--- a/include/sway/tree/view.h
+++ b/include/sway/tree/view.h
@@ -311,7 +311,7 @@ void view_for_each_popup_surface(struct sway_view *view,
 void view_init(struct sway_view *view, enum sway_view_type type,
 	const struct sway_view_impl *impl);
 
-void view_remove_container(struct sway_view *view);
+void view_remove_container(struct sway_container *container);
 
 void view_destroy(struct sway_view *view);
 
diff --git a/sway/server.c b/sway/server.c
index 78be989b..25b93a49 100644
--- a/sway/server.c
+++ b/sway/server.c
@@ -43,6 +43,7 @@
 #include "sway/config.h"
 #include "sway/desktop/fx_renderer/fx_renderer.h"
 #include "sway/desktop/idle_inhibit_v1.h"
+#include "sway/desktop/transaction.h"
 #include "sway/input/input-manager.h"
 #include "sway/output.h"
 #include "sway/server.h"
@@ -74,33 +75,56 @@ float get_fastest_output_refresh_s() {
 	return fastest_output_refresh_s;
 }
 
-
+// TODO: animation struct with callback on completion
 static int animation_timer(void *data) {
 	struct sway_server *server = data;
 	float fastest_output_refresh_s = get_fastest_output_refresh_s();
+	wl_event_source_timer_update(server->animation_tick, fastest_output_refresh_s * 1000);
 
-	for (int i = 0; i < server->animated_containers->length; i++) {
+	int num_containers;
+	memcpy(&num_containers, &server->animated_containers->length, sizeof(int));
+	int num_animations_complete = 0;
+	int completed_animation_indexes[100]; // TODO: this can be better
+	bool should_commit_transaction = false;
+
+	// update state
+	for (int i = 0; i < num_containers; i++) {
 		struct sway_container *con = server->animated_containers->items[i];
 		bool is_closing = con->alpha > con->target_alpha;
-
 		float alpha_step = config->animation_duration ?
 			(con->max_alpha * fastest_output_refresh_s) / config->animation_duration : con->max_alpha;
+
 		con->alpha = is_closing ? MAX(con->alpha - alpha_step, con->target_alpha) :
 			MIN(con->alpha + alpha_step, con->target_alpha);
 
 		if (con->alpha == con->target_alpha) {
-			list_del(server->animated_containers, i);
-			if (is_closing) {
-				printf("done animation; clean up view\n");
-				view_remove_container(con->view);
-				continue;
+			completed_animation_indexes[num_animations_complete] = i;
+			num_animations_complete++;
+			if (con->alpha == 0) {
+				view_remove_container(con);
+				should_commit_transaction = true;
 			}
 		}
-
-		container_damage_whole(con);
 	}
 
-	wl_event_source_timer_update(server->animation_tick, fastest_output_refresh_s * 1000);
+	// damage track
+	if (should_commit_transaction) {
+		transaction_commit_dirty();
+	} else {
+		for (int i = 0; i < num_containers; i++) {
+			struct sway_container *con = server->animated_containers->items[i];
+			if (view_is_visible(con->view)) {
+				container_damage_whole(con);
+			}
+		}
+	}
+
+	// clean up list
+	for (int i = 0; i < num_animations_complete; i++) {
+		int container_index = completed_animation_indexes[i];
+		list_del(server->animated_containers, container_index);
+	}
+
 	return 1;
 }
 
diff --git a/sway/tree/view.c b/sway/tree/view.c
index f3426f5b..0ab227f1 100644
--- a/sway/tree/view.c
+++ b/sway/tree/view.c
@@ -76,10 +76,10 @@ void view_destroy(struct sway_view *view) {
 	}
 }
 
-void view_remove_container(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);
+void view_remove_container(struct sway_container *container) {
+	struct sway_container *parent = container->pending.parent;
+	struct sway_workspace *ws = container->pending.workspace;
+	container_begin_destroy(container);
 	if (parent) {
 		container_reap_empty(parent);
 	} else if (ws) {
@@ -943,15 +943,16 @@ void view_unmap(struct sway_view *view) {
 		view->foreign_toplevel = NULL;
 	}
 
+	/*
 	if (!config->animation_duration) {
 		view_remove_container(view);
 		transaction_commit_dirty();
-	} else {
+	} else {*/
 		wl_signal_emit_mutable(&view->container->node.events.destroy, &view->container->node);
 		view_save_buffer(view);
 		view->container->target_alpha = 0;
 		list_add(server.animated_containers, view->container);
-	}
+	//}
 
 	struct sway_seat *seat;
 	wl_list_for_each(seat, &server.input->seats, link) {