diff --git a/composite.cpp b/composite.cpp
index ef4d66a069..273c2e709b 100644
--- a/composite.cpp
+++ b/composite.cpp
@@ -215,7 +215,7 @@ void Compositor::slotCompositingOptionsInitialized()
             }
 #endif
 
-            m_scene = SceneOpenGL::createScene();
+            m_scene = SceneOpenGL::createScene(this);
 
             // TODO: Add 30 second delay to protect against screen freezes as well
             unsafeConfig.writeEntry(openGLIsUnsafe, false);
@@ -235,12 +235,12 @@ void Compositor::slotCompositingOptionsInitialized()
 #ifdef KWIN_HAVE_XRENDER_COMPOSITING
     case XRenderCompositing:
         qCDebug(KWIN_CORE) << "Initializing XRender compositing";
-        m_scene = SceneXrender::createScene();
+        m_scene = SceneXrender::createScene(this);
         break;
 #endif
     case QPainterCompositing:
         qCDebug(KWIN_CORE) << "Initializing QPainter compositing";
-        m_scene = SceneQPainter::createScene();
+        m_scene = SceneQPainter::createScene(this);
         break;
     default:
         qCDebug(KWIN_CORE) << "No compositing enabled";
@@ -268,6 +268,7 @@ void Compositor::slotCompositingOptionsInitialized()
         }
         return;
     }
+    connect(Workspace::self(), &Workspace::deletedRemoved, m_scene, &Scene::windowDeleted);
     m_xrrRefreshRate = KWin::currentRefreshRate();
     fpsInterval = options->maxFpsInterval();
     if (m_scene->syncsToVBlank()) {  // if we do vsync, set the fps to the next multiple of the vblank rate
diff --git a/scene.cpp b/scene.cpp
index 37e1c3a42b..0766ceea70 100644
--- a/scene.cpp
+++ b/scene.cpp
@@ -79,7 +79,6 @@ along with this program.  If not, see <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
 #include "shadow.h"
 
 #include "thumbnailitem.h"
-#include "workspace.h"
 
 #if HAVE_WAYLAND
 #include <KWayland/Server/buffer_interface.h>
@@ -93,12 +92,10 @@ namespace KWin
 // Scene
 //****************************************
 
-Scene::Scene(Workspace* ws)
-    : QObject(ws)
-    , wspace(ws)
+Scene::Scene(QObject *parent)
+    : QObject(parent)
 {
     last_time.invalidate(); // Initialize the timer
-    connect(Workspace::self(), SIGNAL(deletedRemoved(KWin::Deleted*)), SLOT(windowDeleted(KWin::Deleted*)));
 }
 
 Scene::~Scene()
diff --git a/scene.h b/scene.h
index bb68fbc548..9e41cccc2d 100644
--- a/scene.h
+++ b/scene.h
@@ -47,7 +47,6 @@ class Renderer;
 }
 
 class AbstractThumbnailItem;
-class Workspace;
 class Deleted;
 class EffectFrameImpl;
 class EffectWindowImpl;
@@ -60,7 +59,7 @@ class Scene : public QObject
 {
     Q_OBJECT
 public:
-    explicit Scene(Workspace* ws);
+    explicit Scene(QObject *parent = nullptr);
     virtual ~Scene() = 0;
     class EffectFrame;
     class Window;
@@ -209,7 +208,6 @@ protected:
     // time since last repaint
     int time_diff;
     QElapsedTimer last_time;
-    Workspace* wspace;
 private:
     void paintWindowThumbnails(Scene::Window *w, QRegion region, qreal opacity, qreal brightness, qreal saturation);
     void paintDesktopThumbnails(Scene::Window *w);
diff --git a/scene_opengl.cpp b/scene_opengl.cpp
index b9d43fc8dd..f1033c237d 100644
--- a/scene_opengl.cpp
+++ b/scene_opengl.cpp
@@ -50,7 +50,6 @@ along with this program.  If not, see <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
 #include "main.h"
 #include "overlaywindow.h"
 #include "screens.h"
-#include "workspace.h"
 #include "decorations/decoratedclient.h"
 
 #include <array>
@@ -350,8 +349,8 @@ OverlayWindow* OpenGLBackend::overlayWindow()
  * SceneOpenGL
  ***********************************************/
 
-SceneOpenGL::SceneOpenGL(Workspace* ws, OpenGLBackend *backend)
-    : Scene(ws)
+SceneOpenGL::SceneOpenGL(OpenGLBackend *backend, QObject *parent)
+    : Scene(parent)
     , init_ok(true)
     , m_backend(backend)
     , m_syncManager(nullptr)
@@ -471,7 +470,7 @@ void SceneOpenGL::initDebugOutput()
                          GL_DEBUG_SEVERITY_LOW, message.length(), message.constData());
 }
 
-SceneOpenGL *SceneOpenGL::createScene()
+SceneOpenGL *SceneOpenGL::createScene(QObject *parent)
 {
     OpenGLBackend *backend = NULL;
     OpenGLPlatformInterface platformInterface = options->glPlatformInterface();
@@ -506,7 +505,7 @@ SceneOpenGL *SceneOpenGL::createScene()
     SceneOpenGL *scene = NULL;
     // first let's try an OpenGL 2 scene
     if (SceneOpenGL2::supported(backend)) {
-        scene = new SceneOpenGL2(backend);
+        scene = new SceneOpenGL2(backend, parent);
         if (scene->initFailed()) {
             delete scene;
             scene = NULL;
@@ -904,8 +903,8 @@ bool SceneOpenGL2::supported(OpenGLBackend *backend)
     return true;
 }
 
-SceneOpenGL2::SceneOpenGL2(OpenGLBackend *backend)
-    : SceneOpenGL(Workspace::self(), backend)
+SceneOpenGL2::SceneOpenGL2(OpenGLBackend *backend, QObject *parent)
+    : SceneOpenGL(backend, parent)
     , m_lanczosFilter(NULL)
     , m_colorCorrection()
 {
diff --git a/scene_opengl.h b/scene_opengl.h
index d0eb1f6b70..f76fd7ec9e 100644
--- a/scene_opengl.h
+++ b/scene_opengl.h
@@ -84,10 +84,10 @@ public:
     static void copyPixels(const QRegion &region);
 #endif
 
-    static SceneOpenGL *createScene();
+    static SceneOpenGL *createScene(QObject *parent);
 
 protected:
-    SceneOpenGL(Workspace* ws, OpenGLBackend *backend);
+    SceneOpenGL(OpenGLBackend *backend, QObject *parent = nullptr);
     virtual void paintBackground(QRegion region);
     virtual void extendPaintRegion(QRegion &region, bool opaqueFullscreen);
     QMatrix4x4 transformation(int mask, const ScreenPaintData &data) const;
@@ -115,7 +115,7 @@ class SceneOpenGL2 : public SceneOpenGL
 {
     Q_OBJECT
 public:
-    explicit SceneOpenGL2(OpenGLBackend *backend);
+    explicit SceneOpenGL2(OpenGLBackend *backend, QObject *parent = nullptr);
     virtual ~SceneOpenGL2();
     virtual CompositingType compositingType() const {
         return OpenGL2Compositing;
diff --git a/scene_qpainter.cpp b/scene_qpainter.cpp
index 1f21755885..e6001dcbf0 100644
--- a/scene_qpainter.cpp
+++ b/scene_qpainter.cpp
@@ -33,7 +33,6 @@ along with this program.  If not, see <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
 #include <KWayland/Server/buffer_interface.h>
 #include <KWayland/Server/surface_interface.h>
 #endif
-#include "workspace.h"
 #include "xcbutils.h"
 #include "decorations/decoratedclient.h"
 // Qt
@@ -188,7 +187,7 @@ bool WaylandQPainterBackend::needsFullRepaint() const
 //****************************************
 // SceneQPainter
 //****************************************
-SceneQPainter *SceneQPainter::createScene()
+SceneQPainter *SceneQPainter::createScene(QObject *parent)
 {
     QScopedPointer<QPainterBackend> backend;
 #if HAVE_WAYLAND
@@ -197,14 +196,14 @@ SceneQPainter *SceneQPainter::createScene()
         if (backend->isFailed()) {
             return NULL;
         }
-        return new SceneQPainter(backend.take());
+        return new SceneQPainter(backend.take(), parent);
     }
 #endif
     return NULL;
 }
 
-SceneQPainter::SceneQPainter(QPainterBackend* backend)
-    : Scene(Workspace::self())
+SceneQPainter::SceneQPainter(QPainterBackend *backend, QObject *parent)
+    : Scene(parent)
     , m_backend(backend)
     , m_painter(new QPainter())
 {
diff --git a/scene_qpainter.h b/scene_qpainter.h
index d3b8bb8f58..ff8f8c839f 100644
--- a/scene_qpainter.h
+++ b/scene_qpainter.h
@@ -144,14 +144,14 @@ public:
 
     QPainter *painter();
 
-    static SceneQPainter *createScene();
+    static SceneQPainter *createScene(QObject *parent);
 
 protected:
     virtual void paintBackground(QRegion region) override;
     virtual Scene::Window *createWindow(Toplevel *toplevel) override;
 
 private:
-    explicit SceneQPainter(QPainterBackend *backend);
+    explicit SceneQPainter(QPainterBackend *backend, QObject *parent = nullptr);
     QScopedPointer<QPainterBackend> m_backend;
     QScopedPointer<QPainter> m_painter;
     class Window;
diff --git a/scene_xrender.cpp b/scene_xrender.cpp
index 47d9d839c4..256454588f 100644
--- a/scene_xrender.cpp
+++ b/scene_xrender.cpp
@@ -32,7 +32,6 @@ along with this program.  If not, see <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
 #include "effects.h"
 #include "main.h"
 #include "overlaywindow.h"
-#include "workspace.h"
 #include "xcbutils.h"
 #include "kwinxrenderutils.h"
 #if HAVE_WAYLAND
@@ -309,7 +308,7 @@ bool WaylandXRenderBackend::usesOverlayWindow() const
 //****************************************
 // SceneXrender
 //****************************************
-SceneXrender* SceneXrender::createScene()
+SceneXrender* SceneXrender::createScene(QObject *parent)
 {
     QScopedPointer<XRenderBackend> backend;
 #if HAVE_WAYLAND
@@ -318,18 +317,18 @@ SceneXrender* SceneXrender::createScene()
         if (backend->isFailed()) {
             return NULL;
         }
-        return new SceneXrender(backend.take());
+        return new SceneXrender(backend.take(), parent);
     }
 #endif
     backend.reset(new X11XRenderBackend);
     if (backend->isFailed()) {
         return NULL;
     }
-    return new SceneXrender(backend.take());
+    return new SceneXrender(backend.take(), parent);
 }
 
-SceneXrender::SceneXrender(XRenderBackend *backend)
-    : Scene(Workspace::self())
+SceneXrender::SceneXrender(XRenderBackend *backend, QObject *parent)
+    : Scene(parent)
     , m_backend(backend)
 {
 }
diff --git a/scene_xrender.h b/scene_xrender.h
index 0ff87f36b3..d8bf405c00 100644
--- a/scene_xrender.h
+++ b/scene_xrender.h
@@ -187,14 +187,14 @@ public:
     }
     Decoration::Renderer *createDecorationRenderer(Decoration::DecoratedClientImpl *client);
 
-    static SceneXrender *createScene();
+    static SceneXrender *createScene(QObject *parent);
 protected:
     virtual Scene::Window *createWindow(Toplevel *toplevel);
     virtual void paintBackground(QRegion region);
     virtual void paintGenericScreen(int mask, ScreenPaintData data);
     virtual void paintDesktop(int desktop, int mask, const QRegion &region, ScreenPaintData &data);
 private:
-    explicit SceneXrender(XRenderBackend *backend);
+    explicit SceneXrender(XRenderBackend *backend, QObject *parent = nullptr);
     static ScreenPaintData screen_paint;
     class Window;
     QScopedPointer<XRenderBackend> m_backend;