diff --git a/src/apprt/gtk/Paned.zig b/src/apprt/gtk/Paned.zig
index 5bd9a1159..29d9a0cd5 100644
--- a/src/apprt/gtk/Paned.zig
+++ b/src/apprt/gtk/Paned.zig
@@ -185,7 +185,7 @@ pub fn removeChildren(self: *Paned) void {
     self.removeChildInPosition(.end);
 }
 
-pub fn removeChildInPosition(self: *Paned, position: Position) void {
+fn removeChildInPosition(self: *Paned, position: Position) void {
     switch (position) {
         .start => {
             assert(self.child1 != .none);
@@ -200,40 +200,22 @@ pub fn removeChildInPosition(self: *Paned, position: Position) void {
     }
 }
 
-pub fn addChild1(self: *Paned, child: Child) void {
+fn addChild1(self: *Paned, child: Child) void {
     assert(self.child1 == .none);
 
-    const parent = Parent{ .paned = .{ self, .start } };
-    self.child1 = child;
+    const widget = child.widget() orelse return;
+    c.gtk_paned_set_start_child(@ptrCast(self.paned), widget);
 
-    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));
-        },
-    }
+    self.child1 = child;
+    child.setParent(.{ .paned = .{ self, .start } });
 }
 
-pub fn addChild2(self: *Paned, child: Child) void {
+fn addChild2(self: *Paned, child: Child) void {
     assert(self.child2 == .none);
 
-    const parent = Parent{ .paned = .{ self, .end } };
-    self.child2 = child;
+    const widget = child.widget() orelse return;
+    c.gtk_paned_set_end_child(@ptrCast(self.paned), widget);
 
-    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));
-        },
-    }
+    self.child2 = child;
+    child.setParent(.{ .paned = .{ self, .end } });
 }
diff --git a/src/apprt/gtk/Tab.zig b/src/apprt/gtk/Tab.zig
index e076ebee2..c77819805 100644
--- a/src/apprt/gtk/Tab.zig
+++ b/src/apprt/gtk/Tab.zig
@@ -144,34 +144,18 @@ pub fn init(self: *Tab, window: *Window, parent_: ?*CoreSurface) !void {
 }
 
 pub fn removeChild(self: *Tab) void {
-    // Remove old child from box.
-    const widget = switch (self.child) {
-        .surface => |surface| @as(*c.GtkWidget, @ptrCast(surface.gl_area)),
-        .paned => |paned| @as(*c.GtkWidget, @ptrCast(@alignCast(paned.paned))),
-        .none => return,
-    };
+    const widget = self.child.widget() orelse return;
     c.gtk_box_remove(self.box, widget);
+
     self.child = .none;
 }
 
-pub fn setChild(self: *Tab, newChild: Child) void {
-    const parent = Parent{ .tab = self };
+pub fn setChild(self: *Tab, child: Child) void {
+    const widget = child.widget() orelse return;
+    c.gtk_box_append(self.box, widget);
 
-    switch (newChild) {
-        .surface => |surface| {
-            surface.setParent(parent);
-            const widget = @as(*c.GtkWidget, @ptrCast(surface.gl_area));
-            c.gtk_box_append(self.box, widget);
-        },
-        .paned => |paned| {
-            paned.parent = parent;
-            const widget = @as(*c.GtkWidget, @ptrCast(@alignCast(paned.paned)));
-            c.gtk_box_append(self.box, widget);
-        },
-        .none => return,
-    }
-
-    self.child = newChild;
+    child.setParent(.{ .tab = self });
+    self.child = child;
 }
 
 fn gtkTabCloseClick(_: *c.GtkButton, ud: ?*anyopaque) callconv(.C) void {
diff --git a/src/apprt/gtk/relation.zig b/src/apprt/gtk/relation.zig
index 8d0e8b5cf..b14b0b86e 100644
--- a/src/apprt/gtk/relation.zig
+++ b/src/apprt/gtk/relation.zig
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 const Surface = @import("Surface.zig");
 const Paned = @import("Paned.zig");
 const Tab = @import("Tab.zig");
+const c = @import("c.zig");
 
 pub const Position = enum {
     start,
@@ -20,4 +21,20 @@ pub const Child = union(enum) {
     none,
     surface: *Surface,
     paned: *Paned,
+
+    pub fn setParent(self: Child, parent: Parent) void {
+        switch (self) {
+            .none => return,
+            .surface => |surface| surface.setParent(parent),
+            .paned => |paned| paned.setParent(parent),
+        }
+    }
+
+    pub fn widget(self: Child) ?*c.GtkWidget {
+        return switch (self) {
+            .none => null,
+            .paned => |paned| @ptrCast(@alignCast(paned.paned)),
+            .surface => |surface| @ptrCast(surface.gl_area),
+        };
+    }
 };