diff --git a/include/sway/desktop/fx_renderer/fx_renderer.h b/include/sway/desktop/fx_renderer/fx_renderer.h
index 44e0429c..64e9e993 100644
--- a/include/sway/desktop/fx_renderer/fx_renderer.h
+++ b/include/sway/desktop/fx_renderer/fx_renderer.h
@@ -36,13 +36,6 @@ struct decoration_data {
 	bool shadow;
 };
 
-struct fx_render_data {
-	pixman_region32_t *damage;
-	struct wlr_box *clip_box;
-	struct decoration_data deco_data;
-	bool is_toplevel_surface;
-};
-
 struct gles2_tex_shader {
 	GLuint program;
 	GLint proj;
diff --git a/include/sway/output.h b/include/sway/output.h
index 65f7ca1a..3215c853 100644
--- a/include/sway/output.h
+++ b/include/sway/output.h
@@ -13,6 +13,12 @@
 struct sway_server;
 struct sway_container;
 
+struct render_data {
+	pixman_region32_t *damage;
+	struct wlr_box *clip_box;
+	struct decoration_data deco_data;
+};
+
 struct sway_output_state {
 	list_t *workspaces;
 	struct sway_workspace *active_workspace;
diff --git a/sway/desktop/layer_shell.c b/sway/desktop/layer_shell.c
index 8a9da029..03e45018 100644
--- a/sway/desktop/layer_shell.c
+++ b/sway/desktop/layer_shell.c
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@
 #include <wlr/types/wlr_output.h>
 #include <wlr/types/wlr_subcompositor.h>
 #include "log.h"
+#include "sway/config.h"
 #include "sway/desktop/transaction.h"
 #include "sway/input/cursor.h"
 #include "sway/input/input-manager.h"
@@ -15,6 +16,7 @@
 #include "sway/server.h"
 #include "sway/tree/arrange.h"
 #include "sway/tree/workspace.h"
+#include "wlr-layer-shell-unstable-v1-protocol.h"
 
 static void apply_exclusive(struct wlr_box *usable_area,
 		uint32_t anchor, int32_t exclusive,
@@ -686,7 +688,7 @@ void handle_layer_shell_surface(struct wl_listener *listener, void *data) {
 	layer_surface->data = sway_layer;
 
 	enum zwlr_layer_shell_v1_layer layer = layer_surface->current.layer;
-	if (layer != ZWLR_LAYER_SHELL_V1_LAYER_BOTTOM && layer != ZWLR_LAYER_SHELL_V1_LAYER_BACKGROUND) {
+	if (layer != ZWLR_LAYER_SHELL_V1_LAYER_BACKGROUND) {
 		for (int i = 0; i < config->layer_effects->length; ++i) {
 			struct layer_effects *effect = config->layer_effects->items[i];
 			if (strcmp(effect->namespace, layer_surface->namespace) == 0) {
diff --git a/sway/desktop/output.c b/sway/desktop/output.c
index 403e2dae..3b22bc79 100644
--- a/sway/desktop/output.c
+++ b/sway/desktop/output.c
@@ -199,7 +199,7 @@ void output_layer_for_each_toplevel_surface(struct sway_output *output,
 	wl_list_for_each(layer_surface, layer_surfaces, link) {
 		struct wlr_layer_surface_v1 *wlr_layer_surface_v1 =
 			layer_surface->layer_surface;
-		struct fx_render_data *data = user_data;
+		struct render_data *data = user_data;
 		struct layer_effects *effects = layer_surface->effects;
 		if (effects) {
 			data->deco_data.blur = effects->blur;
diff --git a/sway/desktop/render.c b/sway/desktop/render.c
index a2d66b52..8ac4ecdf 100644
--- a/sway/desktop/render.c
+++ b/sway/desktop/render.c
@@ -430,7 +430,7 @@ damage_finish:
 static void render_surface_iterator(struct sway_output *output,
 		struct sway_view *view, struct wlr_surface *surface,
 		struct wlr_box *_box, void *_data) {
-	struct fx_render_data *data = _data;
+	struct render_data *data = _data;
 	struct wlr_output *wlr_output = output->wlr_output;
 	pixman_region32_t *output_damage = data->damage;
 
@@ -462,12 +462,9 @@ static void render_surface_iterator(struct sway_output *output,
 	deco_data.corner_radius *= wlr_output->scale;
 
 	// render blur (view->surface == surface excludes blurring subsurfaces)
-	bool is_subsurface = true;
-	bool should_optimize_blur = false;
-	if (data->is_toplevel_surface) {
-		is_subsurface = false;
-		should_optimize_blur = config->blur_xray;
-	} else if (view) {
+	bool is_subsurface = false; // TODO: discussion here, would all cases where view is null be a non subsurface?
+	bool should_optimize_blur = config->blur_xray; // TODO: for layershell bottom layer should be optimized
+	if (view) {
 		is_subsurface = view->surface != surface;
 		should_optimize_blur = !container_is_floating(view->container);
 	}
@@ -534,9 +531,8 @@ static void render_surface_iterator(struct sway_output *output,
 
 static void render_layer_toplevel(struct sway_output *output,
 		pixman_region32_t *damage, struct wl_list *layer_surfaces) {
-	struct fx_render_data data = {
+	struct render_data data = {
 		.damage = damage,
-		.is_toplevel_surface = true,
 		.deco_data = get_undecorated_decoration_data(),
 	};
 	output_layer_for_each_toplevel_surface(output, layer_surfaces,
@@ -545,9 +541,8 @@ static void render_layer_toplevel(struct sway_output *output,
 
 static void render_layer_popups(struct sway_output *output,
 		pixman_region32_t *damage, struct wl_list *layer_surfaces) {
-	struct fx_render_data data = {
+	struct render_data data = {
 		.damage = damage,
-		.is_toplevel_surface = false,
 		.deco_data = get_undecorated_decoration_data(),
 	};
 	output_layer_for_each_popup_surface(output, layer_surfaces,
@@ -557,9 +552,8 @@ static void render_layer_popups(struct sway_output *output,
 #if HAVE_XWAYLAND
 static void render_unmanaged(struct sway_output *output,
 		pixman_region32_t *damage, struct wl_list *unmanaged) {
-	struct fx_render_data data = {
+	struct render_data data = {
 		.damage = damage,
-		.is_toplevel_surface = false,
 		.deco_data = get_undecorated_decoration_data(),
 	};
 	output_unmanaged_for_each_surface(output, unmanaged,
@@ -569,9 +563,8 @@ static void render_unmanaged(struct sway_output *output,
 
 static void render_drag_icons(struct sway_output *output,
 		pixman_region32_t *damage, struct wl_list *drag_icons) {
-	struct fx_render_data data = {
+	struct render_data data = {
 		.damage = damage,
-		.is_toplevel_surface = false,
 		.deco_data = get_undecorated_decoration_data(),
 	};
 	output_drag_icons_for_each_surface(output, drag_icons,
@@ -766,9 +759,8 @@ void premultiply_alpha(float color[4], float opacity) {
 
 static void render_view_toplevels(struct sway_view *view, struct sway_output *output,
 		pixman_region32_t *damage, struct decoration_data deco_data) {
-	struct fx_render_data data = {
+	struct render_data data = {
 		.damage = damage,
-		.is_toplevel_surface = false,
 		.deco_data = deco_data,
 	};
 	// Clip the window to its view size, ignoring CSD
@@ -792,9 +784,8 @@ static void render_view_toplevels(struct sway_view *view, struct sway_output *ou
 
 static void render_view_popups(struct sway_view *view, struct sway_output *output,
 		pixman_region32_t *damage, struct decoration_data deco_data) {
-	struct fx_render_data data = {
+	struct render_data data = {
 		.damage = damage,
-		.is_toplevel_surface = false,
 		.deco_data = deco_data,
 	};
 	output_view_for_each_popup_surface(output, view,
@@ -1992,9 +1983,8 @@ void output_render(struct sway_output *output, struct timespec *when,
 		}
 
 		if (server.session_lock.lock != NULL) {
-			struct fx_render_data data = {
+			struct render_data data = {
 				.damage = damage,
-				.is_toplevel_surface = false,
 				.deco_data = get_undecorated_decoration_data(),
 			};