diff --git a/autotests/integration/kwin_wayland_test.h b/autotests/integration/kwin_wayland_test.h
--- a/autotests/integration/kwin_wayland_test.h
+++ b/autotests/integration/kwin_wayland_test.h
@@ -137,12 +137,43 @@
     XdgShellV6,
     XdgShellStable
 };
+
+enum class CreationSetup {
+    CreateOnly,
+    CreateAndConfigure, /// commit and wait for the configure event, making this surface ready to commit buffers
+};
+
+/**
+ * Creates either a ShellSurface * or XdgShellSurface * as defined by @arg type
+ * For XDG top levels this method will block for a configure event, make this surface ready to commit buffers
+ */
 QObject *createShellSurface(ShellSurfaceType type, KWayland::Client::Surface *surface, QObject *parent = nullptr);
-KWayland::Client::ShellSurface *createShellSurface(KWayland::Client::Surface *surface, QObject *parent = nullptr);
-KWayland::Client::XdgShellSurface *createXdgShellV5Surface(KWayland::Client::Surface *surface, QObject *parent = nullptr);
-KWayland::Client::XdgShellSurface *createXdgShellV6Surface(KWayland::Client::Surface *surface, QObject *parent = nullptr);
-KWayland::Client::XdgShellSurface *createXdgShellStableSurface(KWayland::Client::Surface *surface, QObject *parent = nullptr);
-KWayland::Client::XdgShellPopup *createXdgShellStablePopup(KWayland::Client::Surface *surface, KWayland::Client::XdgShellSurface *parentSurface, const KWayland::Client::XdgPositioner &positioner, QObject *parent = nullptr);
+
+KWayland::Client::ShellSurface *createShellSurface(KWayland::Client::Surface *surface,
+                                                   QObject *parent = nullptr);
+KWayland::Client::XdgShellSurface *createXdgShellV5Surface(KWayland::Client::Surface *surface,
+                                                           QObject *parent = nullptr,
+                                                           CreationSetup = CreationSetup::CreateAndConfigure);
+KWayland::Client::XdgShellSurface *createXdgShellV6Surface(KWayland::Client::Surface *surface,
+                                                           QObject *parent = nullptr,
+                                                           CreationSetup = CreationSetup::CreateAndConfigure);
+KWayland::Client::XdgShellSurface *createXdgShellStableSurface(KWayland::Client::Surface *surface,
+                                                               QObject *parent = nullptr,
+                                                               CreationSetup = CreationSetup::CreateAndConfigure);
+KWayland::Client::XdgShellPopup *createXdgShellStablePopup(KWayland::Client::Surface *surface,
+                                                           KWayland::Client::XdgShellSurface *parentSurface,
+                                                           const KWayland::Client::XdgPositioner &positioner,
+                                                           QObject *parent = nullptr,
+                                                           CreationSetup = CreationSetup::CreateAndConfigure);
+
+
+/**
+ * Commits the XdgShellSurface to the given surface, and waits for the configure event from the compositor
+ */
+void initXdgShellSurface(KWayland::Client::Surface *surface, KWayland::Client::XdgShellSurface *shellSurface);
+void initXdgShellPopup(KWayland::Client::Surface *surface, KWayland::Client::XdgShellPopup *popup);
+
+
 
 /**
  * Creates a shared memory buffer of @p size in @p color and attaches it to the @p surface.
diff --git a/autotests/integration/test_helpers.cpp b/autotests/integration/test_helpers.cpp
--- a/autotests/integration/test_helpers.cpp
+++ b/autotests/integration/test_helpers.cpp
@@ -424,6 +424,27 @@
     return clientAddedSpy.first().first().value<ShellClient*>();
 }
 
+
+ShellClient *renderShellClientAndWaitForShown(QObject *shellClient, Surface *surface, const QSize &size, const QColor &color, const QImage::Format &format, int timeout)
+{
+    QSignalSpy clientAddedSpy(waylandServer(), &WaylandServer::shellClientAdded);
+    if (!clientAddedSpy.isValid()) {
+        return nullptr;
+    }
+    if (auto xdgShellSurface = qobject_cast<KWayland::Client::XdgShellSurface *>(shellClient)) {
+        initXdgShellSurface(surface, xdgShellSurface);
+    } else if (auto xdgShellPopup = qobject_cast<KWayland::Client::XdgShellPopup *>(shellClient)) {
+        initXdgShellPopup(surface, xdgShellPopup);
+    }
+    render(surface, size, color, format);
+    flushWaylandConnection();
+
+    if (!clientAddedSpy.wait(timeout)) {
+        return nullptr;
+    }
+    return clientAddedSpy.first().first().value<ShellClient*>();
+}
+
 void flushWaylandConnection()
 {
     if (s_waylandConnection.connection) {
@@ -457,7 +478,7 @@
     return s;
 }
 
-XdgShellSurface *createXdgShellV5Surface(Surface *surface, QObject *parent)
+XdgShellSurface *createXdgShellV5Surface(Surface *surface, QObject *parent, CreationSetup creationSetup)
 {
     if (!s_waylandConnection.xdgShellV5) {
         return nullptr;
@@ -467,10 +488,13 @@
         delete s;
         return nullptr;
     }
+    if (creationSetup == CreationSetup::CreateAndConfigure) {
+        initXdgShellSurface(surface, s);
+    }
     return s;
 }
 
-XdgShellSurface *createXdgShellV6Surface(Surface *surface, QObject *parent)
+XdgShellSurface *createXdgShellV6Surface(Surface *surface, QObject *parent, CreationSetup creationSetup)
 {
     if (!s_waylandConnection.xdgShellV6) {
         return nullptr;
@@ -480,10 +504,13 @@
         delete s;
         return nullptr;
     }
+    if (creationSetup == CreationSetup::CreateAndConfigure) {
+        initXdgShellSurface(surface, s);
+    }
     return s;
 }
 
-XdgShellSurface *createXdgShellStableSurface(Surface *surface, QObject *parent)
+XdgShellSurface *createXdgShellStableSurface(Surface *surface, QObject *parent, CreationSetup creationSetup)
 {
     if (!s_waylandConnection.xdgShellStable) {
         return nullptr;
@@ -493,10 +520,13 @@
         delete s;
         return nullptr;
     }
+    if (creationSetup == CreationSetup::CreateAndConfigure) {
+        initXdgShellSurface(surface, s);
+    }
     return s;
 }
 
-XdgShellPopup *createXdgShellStablePopup(Surface *surface, XdgShellSurface *parentSurface, const XdgPositioner &positioner, QObject *parent)
+XdgShellPopup *createXdgShellStablePopup(Surface *surface, XdgShellSurface *parentSurface, const XdgPositioner &positioner, QObject *parent, CreationSetup creationSetup)
 {
     if (!s_waylandConnection.xdgShellStable) {
         return nullptr;
@@ -506,20 +536,43 @@
         delete s;
         return nullptr;
     }
+    if (creationSetup == CreationSetup::CreateAndConfigure) {
+        initXdgShellPopup(surface, s);
+    }
     return s;
 }
 
+void initXdgShellSurface(KWayland::Client::Surface *surface, KWayland::Client::XdgShellSurface *shellSurface)
+{
+    //wait for configure
+    QSignalSpy configureRequestedSpy(shellSurface, SIGNAL(configureRequested(QSize, KWayland::Client::XdgShellSurface::States, quint32)));
+    QVERIFY(configureRequestedSpy.isValid());
+    surface->commit();
+    configureRequestedSpy.wait();
+    shellSurface->ackConfigure(configureRequestedSpy.last()[2].toInt());
+}
+
+void initXdgShellPopup(KWayland::Client::Surface *surface, KWayland::Client::XdgShellPopup *shellPopup)
+{
+    //wait for configure
+    QSignalSpy configureRequestedSpy(shellPopup, SIGNAL(configureRequested(QPoint, quint32)));
+    QVERIFY(configureRequestedSpy.isValid());
+    surface->commit();
+    configureRequestedSpy.wait();
+}
+
+
 QObject *createShellSurface(ShellSurfaceType type, KWayland::Client::Surface *surface, QObject *parent)
 {
     switch (type) {
     case ShellSurfaceType::WlShell:
         return createShellSurface(surface, parent);
     case ShellSurfaceType::XdgShellV5:
-        return createXdgShellV5Surface(surface, parent);
+        return createXdgShellV5Surface(surface, parent, CreationSetup::CreateAndConfigure);
     case ShellSurfaceType::XdgShellV6:
-        return createXdgShellV6Surface(surface, parent);
+        return createXdgShellV6Surface(surface, parent, CreationSetup::CreateAndConfigure);
     case ShellSurfaceType::XdgShellStable:
-        return createXdgShellStableSurface(surface, parent);
+        return createXdgShellStableSurface(surface, parent, CreationSetup::CreateAndConfigure);
     default:
         Q_UNREACHABLE();
         return nullptr;
diff --git a/shell_client.cpp b/shell_client.cpp
--- a/shell_client.cpp
+++ b/shell_client.cpp
@@ -87,8 +87,12 @@
     , m_xdgShellPopup(nullptr)
     , m_internal(surface->client() == waylandServer()->internalConnection())
 {
+    ready_for_painting = false;
+
     setSurface(surface->surface());
-    init();
+    // as wl_surface is double buffered, the XdgShellInterface for this surface
+    // is only valid when the surface is committed
+    connect(surface->surface(), &SurfaceInterface::committed, this, &ShellClient::init);
 }
 
 ShellClient::ShellClient(XdgShellPopupInterface *surface)
@@ -98,8 +102,10 @@
     , m_xdgShellPopup(surface)
     , m_internal(surface->client() == waylandServer()->internalConnection())
 {
+    ready_for_painting = false;
+
     setSurface(surface->surface());
-    init();
+    connect(surface->surface(), &SurfaceInterface::committed, this, &ShellClient::init);
 }
 
 ShellClient::~ShellClient() = default;
@@ -208,12 +214,13 @@
 
 void ShellClient::init()
 {
+    SurfaceInterface *s = surface();
+    disconnect(s, &SurfaceInterface::committed, this, &ShellClient::init);
     connect(this, &ShellClient::desktopFileNameChanged, this, &ShellClient::updateIcon);
     findInternalWindow();
     createWindowId();
     setupCompositing();
     updateIcon();
-    SurfaceInterface *s = surface();
     Q_ASSERT(s);
     if (s->buffer()) {
         setReadyForPainting();