diff --git a/src/server/CMakeLists.txt b/src/server/CMakeLists.txt
--- a/src/server/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/src/server/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -369,6 +369,7 @@
   slide_interface.h
   subcompositor_interface.h
   surface_interface.h
+  surfacerole.h
   textinput_interface.h
   touch_interface.h
   xdgdecoration_interface.h
diff --git a/src/server/generic_shell_surface_p.h b/src/server/generic_shell_surface_p.h
--- a/src/server/generic_shell_surface_p.h
+++ b/src/server/generic_shell_surface_p.h
@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@
 
 #include "seat_interface.h"
 #include "surface_interface.h"
-#include "surfacerole_p.h"
+#include "surfacerole.h"
 #include <wayland-server.h>
 
 namespace KWayland
diff --git a/src/server/surface_interface.cpp b/src/server/surface_interface.cpp
--- a/src/server/surface_interface.cpp
+++ b/src/server/surface_interface.cpp
@@ -27,7 +27,7 @@
 #include "region_interface.h"
 #include "subcompositor_interface.h"
 #include "subsurface_interface_p.h"
-#include "surfacerole_p.h"
+#include "surfacerole.h"
 // Qt
 #include <QListIterator>
 // Wayland
diff --git a/src/server/surfacerole_p.h b/src/server/surfacerole.h
rename from src/server/surfacerole_p.h
rename to src/server/surfacerole.h
--- a/src/server/surfacerole_p.h
+++ b/src/server/surfacerole.h
@@ -18,33 +18,50 @@
 License along with this library.  If not, see <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
 ****************************************************************************/
 
-#ifndef KWAYLAND_SERVER_SURFACEROLE_P_H
-#define KWAYLAND_SERVER_SURFACEROLE_P_H
+#ifndef KWAYLAND_SERVER_SURFACEROLE_H
+#define KWAYLAND_SERVER_SURFACEROLE_H
 
-#include <QPointer>
+#include <KWayland/Server/kwaylandserver_export.h>
+
+#include <QScopedPointer>
 
 namespace KWayland
 {
 namespace Server
 {
 
 class SurfaceInterface;
+class SurfaceRolePrivate;
 
-class SurfaceRole
+class KWAYLANDSERVER_EXPORT SurfaceRole
 {
 public:
+    /**
+     * Constructs a SurfaceRole for the given @p surface.
+     */
     explicit SurfaceRole(SurfaceInterface *surface);
+    /**
+     * Destructs the SurfaceRole object.
+     */
     virtual ~SurfaceRole();
 
+    /**
+     * Called when the pending state of the surface role must be applied.
+     */
     virtual void commit() = 0;
 
-private:
-    QPointer<SurfaceInterface> m_surface;
+    /**
+     * Returns a surface role associated with the specified @p surface.
+     *
+     * This method returns @c nullptr if the given surface has no role.
+     */
+    static SurfaceRole *get(SurfaceInterface *surface);
 
-    Q_DISABLE_COPY(SurfaceRole)
+private:
+    QScopedPointer<SurfaceRolePrivate> d;
 };
 
 }
 }
 
-#endif // KWAYLAND_SERVER_SURFACEROLE_P_H
+#endif // KWAYLAND_SERVER_SURFACEROLE_H
diff --git a/src/server/surfacerole.cpp b/src/server/surfacerole.cpp
--- a/src/server/surfacerole.cpp
+++ b/src/server/surfacerole.cpp
@@ -18,27 +18,44 @@
 License along with this library.  If not, see <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
 ****************************************************************************/
 
-#include "surfacerole_p.h"
+#include "surfacerole.h"
 #include "surface_interface_p.h"
 #include "surface_interface.h"
 
+#include <QPointer>
+
 namespace KWayland
 {
 namespace Server
 {
 
+class SurfaceRolePrivate
+{
+public:
+    QPointer<SurfaceInterface> surface;
+};
+
 SurfaceRole::SurfaceRole(SurfaceInterface *surface)
-    : m_surface(surface)
+    : d(new SurfaceRolePrivate)
 {
-    m_surface->d_func()->role = this;
+    d->surface = surface;
+    surface->d_func()->role = this;
 }
 
 SurfaceRole::~SurfaceRole()
 {
     // Lifetime of the surface role is not bounded to the associated surface.
-    if (m_surface) {
-        m_surface->d_func()->role = nullptr;
+    if (d->surface) {
+        d->surface->d_func()->role = nullptr;
+    }
+}
+
+SurfaceRole *SurfaceRole::get(SurfaceInterface *surface)
+{
+    if (surface) {
+        return surface->d_func()->role;
     }
+    return nullptr;
 }
 
 }