diff --git a/xdgshellclient.h b/xdgshellclient.h
--- a/xdgshellclient.h
+++ b/xdgshellclient.h
@@ -188,6 +188,7 @@
     void unmap();
     void markAsMapped();
     QRect determineBufferGeometry() const;
+    void ping(PingReason reason);
     static void deleteClient(XdgShellClient *c);
 
     QRect adjustMoveGeometry(const QRect &rect) const;
@@ -260,7 +261,7 @@
     QRect m_blockedRequestGeometry;
     QString m_caption;
     QString m_captionSuffix;
-    QHash<qint32, PingReason> m_pingSerials;
+    QHash<quint32, PingReason> m_pingSerials;
 
     bool m_isInitialized = false;
 
diff --git a/xdgshellclient.cpp b/xdgshellclient.cpp
--- a/xdgshellclient.cpp
+++ b/xdgshellclient.cpp
@@ -652,8 +652,7 @@
 {
     if (m_xdgShellSurface && isCloseable()) {
         m_xdgShellSurface->close();
-        const qint32 pingSerial = static_cast<XdgShellInterface *>(m_xdgShellSurface->global())->ping(m_xdgShellSurface);
-        m_pingSerials.insert(pingSerial, PingReason::CloseWindow);
+        ping(PingReason::CloseWindow);
     }
 }
 
@@ -989,8 +988,7 @@
 {
     if (rules()->checkAcceptFocus(wantsInput())) {
         if (m_xdgShellSurface) {
-            const qint32 pingSerial = static_cast<XdgShellInterface *>(m_xdgShellSurface->global())->ping(m_xdgShellSurface);
-            m_pingSerials.insert(pingSerial, PingReason::FocusWindow);
+            ping(PingReason::FocusWindow);
         }
         setActive(true);
     }
@@ -2043,4 +2041,13 @@
     return geometry;
 }
 
+void XdgShellClient::ping(PingReason reason)
+{
+    Q_ASSERT(m_xdgShellSurface);
+
+    XdgShellInterface *shell = static_cast<XdgShellInterface *>(m_xdgShellSurface->global());
+    const quint32 serial = shell->ping(m_xdgShellSurface);
+    m_pingSerials.insert(serial, reason);
+}
+
 }