diff --git a/src/apprt/gtk/Paned.zig b/src/apprt/gtk/Paned.zig
index 7d978217a..35beb2a88 100644
--- a/src/apprt/gtk/Paned.zig
+++ b/src/apprt/gtk/Paned.zig
@@ -72,8 +72,8 @@ pub fn init(self: *Paned, window: *Window, sibling: *Surface, direction: input.S
 
     const new_surface = try self.newSurface(sibling.tab, &sibling.core_surface);
     // This sets .parent on each surface
-    self.addChild1Surface(sibling);
-    self.addChild2Surface(new_surface);
+    self.addChild1(.{ .surface = sibling });
+    self.addChild2(.{ .surface = new_surface });
 }
 
 pub fn newSurface(self: *Paned, tab: *Tab, parent_: ?*CoreSurface) !*Surface {
@@ -150,30 +150,40 @@ pub fn removeChildInPosition(self: *Paned, position: Position) void {
     }
 }
 
-pub fn addChild1Surface(self: *Paned, surface: *Surface) void {
+pub fn addChild1(self: *Paned, child: Child) void {
     assert(self.child1 == .none);
-    self.child1 = Child{ .surface = surface };
-    surface.setParent(Parent{ .paned = .{ self, .start } });
-    c.gtk_paned_set_start_child(@ptrCast(self.paned), @ptrCast(surface.gl_area));
+
+    const parent = Parent{ .paned = .{ self, .start } };
+    self.child1 = child;
+
+    switch (child) {
+        .none => return,
+        .paned => |paned| {
+            paned.setParent(parent);
+            c.gtk_paned_set_start_child(@ptrCast(self.paned), @ptrCast(@alignCast(paned.paned)));
+        },
+        .surface => |surface| {
+            surface.setParent(parent);
+            c.gtk_paned_set_start_child(@ptrCast(self.paned), @ptrCast(surface.gl_area));
+        },
+    }
 }
 
-pub fn addChild2Surface(self: *Paned, surface: *Surface) void {
+pub fn addChild2(self: *Paned, child: Child) void {
     assert(self.child2 == .none);
-    self.child2 = Child{ .surface = surface };
-    surface.setParent(Parent{ .paned = .{ self, .end } });
-    c.gtk_paned_set_end_child(@ptrCast(self.paned), @ptrCast(surface.gl_area));
-}
 
-pub fn addChild1Paned(self: *Paned, paned: *Paned) void {
-    assert(self.child1 == .none);
-    self.child1 = Child{ .paned = paned };
-    paned.setParent(Parent{ .paned = .{ self, .start } });
-    c.gtk_paned_set_start_child(@ptrCast(self.paned), @ptrCast(@alignCast(paned.paned)));
-}
+    const parent = Parent{ .paned = .{ self, .end } };
+    self.child2 = child;
 
-pub fn addChild2Paned(self: *Paned, paned: *Paned) void {
-    assert(self.child2 == .none);
-    self.child2 = Child{ .paned = paned };
-    paned.setParent(Parent{ .paned = .{ self, .end } });
-    c.gtk_paned_set_end_child(@ptrCast(self.paned), @ptrCast(@alignCast(paned.paned)));
+    switch (child) {
+        .none => return,
+        .paned => |paned| {
+            paned.setParent(parent);
+            c.gtk_paned_set_end_child(@ptrCast(self.paned), @ptrCast(@alignCast(paned.paned)));
+        },
+        .surface => |surface| {
+            surface.setParent(parent);
+            c.gtk_paned_set_end_child(@ptrCast(self.paned), @ptrCast(surface.gl_area));
+        },
+    }
 }
diff --git a/src/apprt/gtk/Surface.zig b/src/apprt/gtk/Surface.zig
index 26f866a1b..ba7b99275 100644
--- a/src/apprt/gtk/Surface.zig
+++ b/src/apprt/gtk/Surface.zig
@@ -378,8 +378,8 @@ pub fn newSplit(self: *Surface, direction: input.SplitDirection) !void {
 
             // Add new split-paned
             switch (parent_position) {
-                .start => parent_paned.addChild1Paned(paned),
-                .end => parent_paned.addChild2Paned(paned),
+                .start => parent_paned.addChild1(.{ .paned = paned }),
+                .end => parent_paned.addChild2(.{ .paned = paned }),
             }
             // Restore position
             c.gtk_paned_set_position(parent_paned.paned, parent_paned_position_before);
diff --git a/src/apprt/gtk/Window.zig b/src/apprt/gtk/Window.zig
index 1c97fb774..22bf3abf0 100644
--- a/src/apprt/gtk/Window.zig
+++ b/src/apprt/gtk/Window.zig
@@ -263,22 +263,16 @@ pub fn closeSurface(self: *Window, surface: *Surface) void {
 
             const sibling = switch (position) {
                 .start => .{
-                    switch (paned.child2) {
-                        .surface => |s| s,
-                        else => return,
-                    },
+                    paned.child2,
                     c.gtk_paned_get_end_child(paned.paned),
                 },
                 .end => .{
-                    switch (paned.child1) {
-                        .surface => |s| s,
-                        else => return,
-                    },
+                    paned.child1,
                     c.gtk_paned_get_start_child(paned.paned),
                 },
             };
             // TODO: Use destructuring syntax once it doesn't break ZLS
-            const sibling_surface = sibling[0];
+            const sibling_child = sibling[0];
             const sibling_widget = sibling[1];
 
             // Keep explicit reference to sibling's gl_area, so it's not
@@ -300,7 +294,7 @@ pub fn closeSurface(self: *Window, surface: *Surface) void {
                     // If parent of Paned we belong to is a tab, we can
                     // replace the child with the other surface
                     tab.removeChild();
-                    tab.setChild(.{ .surface = sibling_surface });
+                    tab.setChild(sibling_child);
                 },
                 .paned => |parent_paned_tuple| {
                     const parent_paned = parent_paned_tuple[0];
@@ -312,8 +306,8 @@ pub fn closeSurface(self: *Window, surface: *Surface) void {
                     parent_paned.removeChildInPosition(parent_paned_position);
 
                     switch (parent_paned_position) {
-                        .start => parent_paned.addChild1Surface(sibling_surface),
-                        .end => parent_paned.addChild2Surface(sibling_surface),
+                        .start => parent_paned.addChild1(sibling_child),
+                        .end => parent_paned.addChild2(sibling_child),
                     }
 
                     // Restore position