diff --git a/src/debug_console.cpp b/src/debug_console.cpp
index 1a6e0d77ca..977471e430 100644
--- a/src/debug_console.cpp
+++ b/src/debug_console.cpp
@@ -1304,8 +1304,7 @@ int SurfaceTreeModel::rowCount(const QModelIndex &parent) const
     if (parent.isValid()) {
         using namespace KWaylandServer;
         if (SurfaceInterface *surface = static_cast<SurfaceInterface*>(parent.internalPointer())) {
-            const auto &children = surface->childSubSurfaces();
-            return children.count();
+            return surface->below().count() + surface->above().count();
         }
         return 0;
     }
@@ -1324,9 +1323,16 @@ QModelIndex SurfaceTreeModel::index(int row, int column, const QModelIndex &pare
     if (parent.isValid()) {
         using namespace KWaylandServer;
         if (SurfaceInterface *surface = static_cast<SurfaceInterface*>(parent.internalPointer())) {
-            const auto &children = surface->childSubSurfaces();
-            if (row < children.count()) {
-                return createIndex(row, column, children.at(row)->surface());
+            int reference = 0;
+            const auto &below = surface->below();
+            if (row < reference + below.count()) {
+                return createIndex(row, column, below.at(row - reference)->surface());
+            }
+            reference += below.count();
+
+            const auto &above = surface->above();
+            if (row < reference + above.count()) {
+                return createIndex(row, column, above.at(row - reference)->surface());
             }
         }
         return QModelIndex();
@@ -1368,10 +1374,18 @@ QModelIndex SurfaceTreeModel::parent(const QModelIndex &child) const
                 // something is wrong
                 return QModelIndex();
             }
-            const auto &children = grandParent->childSubSurfaces();
-            for (int row = 0; row < children.count(); row++) {
-                if (children.at(row) == parent->subSurface()) {
-                    return createIndex(row, 0, parent);
+            int row = 0;
+            const auto &below = grandParent->below();
+            for (int i = 0; i < below.count(); i++) {
+                if (below.at(i) == parent->subSurface()) {
+                    return createIndex(row + i, 0, parent);
+                }
+            }
+            row += below.count();
+            const auto &above = grandParent->above();
+            for (int i = 0; i < above.count(); i++) {
+                if (above.at(i) == parent->subSurface()) {
+                    return createIndex(row + i, 0, parent);
                 }
             }
             return QModelIndex();
diff --git a/src/subsurfacemonitor.cpp b/src/subsurfacemonitor.cpp
index e5ba41e226..acfe84a1af 100644
--- a/src/subsurfacemonitor.cpp
+++ b/src/subsurfacemonitor.cpp
@@ -67,8 +67,13 @@ void SubSurfaceMonitor::registerSurface(SurfaceInterface *surface)
     connect(surface, &SurfaceInterface::childSubSurfaceRemoved,
             this, &SubSurfaceMonitor::unregisterSubSurface);
 
-    const QList<SubSurfaceInterface *> childSubSurfaces = surface->childSubSurfaces();
-    for (SubSurfaceInterface *childSubSurface : childSubSurfaces) {
+    const QList<SubSurfaceInterface *> below = surface->below();
+    for (SubSurfaceInterface *childSubSurface : below) {
+        registerSubSurface(childSubSurface);
+    }
+
+    const QList<SubSurfaceInterface *> above = surface->above();
+    for (SubSurfaceInterface *childSubSurface : above) {
         registerSubSurface(childSubSurface);
     }
 }
diff --git a/src/surfaceitem_wayland.cpp b/src/surfaceitem_wayland.cpp
index 428f7b1581..e2d848bc98 100644
--- a/src/surfaceitem_wayland.cpp
+++ b/src/surfaceitem_wayland.cpp
@@ -48,8 +48,13 @@ SurfaceItemWayland::SurfaceItemWayland(KWaylandServer::SurfaceInterface *surface
         setPosition(subsurface->position());
     }
 
-    const QList<KWaylandServer::SubSurfaceInterface *> children = surface->childSubSurfaces();
-    for (KWaylandServer::SubSurfaceInterface *subsurface : children) {
+    const QList<KWaylandServer::SubSurfaceInterface *> below = surface->below();
+    for (KWaylandServer::SubSurfaceInterface *subsurface : below) {
+        handleChildSubSurfaceAdded(subsurface);
+    }
+
+    const QList<KWaylandServer::SubSurfaceInterface *> above = surface->above();
+    for (KWaylandServer::SubSurfaceInterface *subsurface : above) {
         handleChildSubSurfaceAdded(subsurface);
     }
 
@@ -110,11 +115,16 @@ void SurfaceItemWayland::handleChildSubSurfaceRemoved(KWaylandServer::SubSurface
 
 void SurfaceItemWayland::handleChildSubSurfacesChanged()
 {
-    const QList<KWaylandServer::SubSurfaceInterface *> stackingOrder = m_surface->childSubSurfaces();
-    QList<Item *> items;
-    items.reserve(stackingOrder.count());
+    const QList<KWaylandServer::SubSurfaceInterface *> below = m_surface->below();
+    const QList<KWaylandServer::SubSurfaceInterface *> above = m_surface->above();
 
-    for (KWaylandServer::SubSurfaceInterface *subsurface : stackingOrder) {
+    QList<Item *> items;
+    items.reserve(below.count() + above.count());
+
+    for (KWaylandServer::SubSurfaceInterface *subsurface : below) {
+        items.append(m_subsurfaces[subsurface]);
+    }
+    for (KWaylandServer::SubSurfaceInterface *subsurface : above) {
         items.append(m_subsurfaces[subsurface]);
     }