diff --git a/src/state.rs b/src/state.rs
index c2e12306..4ad82dd2 100644
--- a/src/state.rs
+++ b/src/state.rs
@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@ use crate::{
             screencopy::ScreencopyState,
             toplevel_info::ToplevelInfoState,
             toplevel_management::{ManagementCapabilities, ToplevelManagementState},
-            workspace::{WorkspaceClientState, WorkspaceState, WorkspaceUpdateGuard},
+            workspace::{WorkspaceState, WorkspaceUpdateGuard},
         },
     },
     xwayland::XWaylandState,
@@ -141,7 +141,6 @@ macro_rules! fl {
 
 pub struct ClientState {
     pub compositor_client_state: CompositorClientState,
-    pub workspace_client_state: WorkspaceClientState,
     pub advertised_drm_node: Option<DrmNode>,
     pub privileged: bool,
     pub evls: LoopSignal,
@@ -679,7 +678,6 @@ impl State {
     pub fn new_client_state(&self) -> ClientState {
         ClientState {
             compositor_client_state: CompositorClientState::default(),
-            workspace_client_state: WorkspaceClientState::default(),
             advertised_drm_node: match &self.backend {
                 BackendData::Kms(kms_state) => kms_state.primary_node,
                 _ => None,
diff --git a/src/wayland/handlers/workspace.rs b/src/wayland/handlers/workspace.rs
index 4231571d..a839970f 100644
--- a/src/wayland/handlers/workspace.rs
+++ b/src/wayland/handlers/workspace.rs
@@ -2,24 +2,15 @@
 
 use crate::{
     shell::WorkspaceDelta,
-    state::ClientState,
     utils::prelude::*,
     wayland::protocols::workspace::{
-        delegate_workspace, Request, WorkspaceClientHandler, WorkspaceClientState,
-        WorkspaceHandler, WorkspaceState,
+        delegate_workspace, Request, WorkspaceHandler, WorkspaceState,
     },
 };
 use cosmic_protocols::workspace::v2::server::zcosmic_workspace_handle_v2::TilingState;
 use smithay::reexports::wayland_server::DisplayHandle;
 
-impl WorkspaceClientHandler for ClientState {
-    fn workspace_state(&self) -> &WorkspaceClientState {
-        &self.workspace_client_state
-    }
-}
-
 impl WorkspaceHandler for State {
-    type Client = ClientState;
     fn workspace_state(&self) -> &WorkspaceState<Self> {
         &self.common.workspace_state
     }
diff --git a/src/wayland/protocols/workspace/cosmic_v2.rs b/src/wayland/protocols/workspace/cosmic_v2.rs
index 6b4c3060..fa6b4396 100644
--- a/src/wayland/protocols/workspace/cosmic_v2.rs
+++ b/src/wayland/protocols/workspace/cosmic_v2.rs
@@ -13,8 +13,8 @@ use smithay::reexports::{
 use std::sync::Mutex;
 
 use super::{
-    Request, Workspace, WorkspaceCapabilities, WorkspaceClientHandler, WorkspaceData,
-    WorkspaceGlobalData, WorkspaceHandler, WorkspaceState,
+    Request, Workspace, WorkspaceCapabilities, WorkspaceData, WorkspaceGlobalData,
+    WorkspaceHandler, WorkspaceManagerData, WorkspaceState,
 };
 
 #[derive(Default)]
@@ -113,7 +113,7 @@ where
 {
     fn request(
         state: &mut D,
-        client: &Client,
+        _client: &Client,
         _obj: &ZcosmicWorkspaceHandleV2,
         request: zcosmic_workspace_handle_v2::Request,
         data: &CosmicWorkspaceV2Data,
@@ -128,16 +128,19 @@ where
                 if let Some(workspace_handle) =
                     state.workspace_state().get_ext_workspace_handle(&workspace)
                 {
-                    let mut state = client
-                        .get_data::<<D as WorkspaceHandler>::Client>()
-                        .unwrap()
-                        .workspace_state()
-                        .lock()
-                        .unwrap();
-                    state.requests.push(Request::Rename {
-                        workspace: workspace_handle,
-                        name,
-                    });
+                    if let Ok(manager) =
+                        workspace.data::<WorkspaceData>().unwrap().manager.upgrade()
+                    {
+                        let mut state = manager
+                            .data::<WorkspaceManagerData>()
+                            .unwrap()
+                            .lock()
+                            .unwrap();
+                        state.requests.push(Request::Rename {
+                            workspace: workspace_handle,
+                            name,
+                        });
+                    }
                 }
             }
             zcosmic_workspace_handle_v2::Request::SetTilingState {
@@ -146,16 +149,19 @@ where
                 if let Some(workspace_handle) =
                     state.workspace_state().get_ext_workspace_handle(&workspace)
                 {
-                    let mut state = client
-                        .get_data::<<D as WorkspaceHandler>::Client>()
-                        .unwrap()
-                        .workspace_state()
-                        .lock()
-                        .unwrap();
-                    state.requests.push(Request::SetTilingState {
-                        workspace: workspace_handle,
-                        state: tiling_state,
-                    });
+                    if let Ok(manager) =
+                        workspace.data::<WorkspaceData>().unwrap().manager.upgrade()
+                    {
+                        let mut state = manager
+                            .data::<WorkspaceManagerData>()
+                            .unwrap()
+                            .lock()
+                            .unwrap();
+                        state.requests.push(Request::SetTilingState {
+                            workspace: workspace_handle,
+                            state: tiling_state,
+                        });
+                    }
                 }
             }
             zcosmic_workspace_handle_v2::Request::Destroy => {}
diff --git a/src/wayland/protocols/workspace/ext.rs b/src/wayland/protocols/workspace/ext.rs
index 50a6871d..bc33560b 100644
--- a/src/wayland/protocols/workspace/ext.rs
+++ b/src/wayland/protocols/workspace/ext.rs
@@ -20,10 +20,17 @@ use smithay::{
 use std::{collections::HashSet, sync::Mutex};
 
 use super::{
-    Request, Workspace, WorkspaceCapabilities, WorkspaceClientHandler, WorkspaceGlobalData,
-    WorkspaceGroup, WorkspaceGroupHandle, WorkspaceHandler, WorkspaceState,
+    Request, Workspace, WorkspaceCapabilities, WorkspaceGlobalData, WorkspaceGroup,
+    WorkspaceGroupHandle, WorkspaceHandler, WorkspaceState,
 };
 
+#[derive(Debug, Default)]
+pub struct WorkspaceManagerDataInner {
+    pub(super) requests: Vec<Request>,
+}
+
+pub type WorkspaceManagerData = Mutex<WorkspaceManagerDataInner>;
+
 #[derive(Default)]
 pub struct WorkspaceGroupDataInner {
     outputs: Vec<Output>,
@@ -64,7 +71,7 @@ where
         data_init: &mut DataInit<'_, D>,
     ) {
         let state = state.workspace_state_mut();
-        let instance = data_init.init(resource, ());
+        let instance = data_init.init(resource, WorkspaceManagerData::default());
         for group in &mut state.groups {
             send_group_to_client::<D>(dh, &instance, group);
         }
@@ -77,29 +84,24 @@ where
     }
 }
 
-impl<D> Dispatch<ExtWorkspaceManagerV1, (), D> for WorkspaceState<D>
+impl<D> Dispatch<ExtWorkspaceManagerV1, WorkspaceManagerData, D> for WorkspaceState<D>
 where
     D: WorkspaceHandler,
 {
     fn request(
         state: &mut D,
-        client: &Client,
+        _client: &Client,
         obj: &ExtWorkspaceManagerV1,
         request: ext_workspace_manager_v1::Request,
-        _data: &(),
+        data: &WorkspaceManagerData,
         dh: &DisplayHandle,
         _data_init: &mut DataInit<'_, D>,
     ) {
         match request {
             ext_workspace_manager_v1::Request::Commit => {
                 if state.workspace_state().ext_instances.contains(obj) {
-                    let mut client_state = client
-                        .get_data::<<D as WorkspaceHandler>::Client>()
-                        .unwrap()
-                        .workspace_state()
-                        .lock()
-                        .unwrap();
-                    state.commit_requests(dh, std::mem::take(&mut client_state.requests));
+                    let mut data = data.lock().unwrap();
+                    state.commit_requests(dh, std::mem::take(&mut data.requests));
                 }
             }
             ext_workspace_manager_v1::Request::Stop => {
@@ -114,7 +116,12 @@ where
         }
     }
 
-    fn destroyed(state: &mut D, _client: ClientId, resource: &ExtWorkspaceManagerV1, _data: &()) {
+    fn destroyed(
+        state: &mut D,
+        _client: ClientId,
+        resource: &ExtWorkspaceManagerV1,
+        _data: &WorkspaceManagerData,
+    ) {
         state
             .workspace_state_mut()
             .ext_instances
@@ -128,10 +135,10 @@ where
 {
     fn request(
         state: &mut D,
-        client: &Client,
+        _client: &Client,
         obj: &ExtWorkspaceGroupHandleV1,
         request: ext_workspace_group_handle_v1::Request,
-        _data: &WorkspaceGroupData,
+        data: &WorkspaceGroupData,
         _dh: &DisplayHandle,
         _data_init: &mut DataInit<'_, D>,
     ) {
@@ -144,16 +151,17 @@ where
                     .find(|g| g.ext_instances.contains(obj))
                     .map(|g| g.id)
                 {
-                    let mut state = client
-                        .get_data::<<D as WorkspaceHandler>::Client>()
-                        .unwrap()
-                        .workspace_state()
-                        .lock()
-                        .unwrap();
-                    state.requests.push(Request::Create {
-                        in_group: WorkspaceGroupHandle { id },
-                        name: workspace,
-                    });
+                    if let Ok(manager) = data.manager.upgrade() {
+                        let mut state = manager
+                            .data::<WorkspaceManagerData>()
+                            .unwrap()
+                            .lock()
+                            .unwrap();
+                        state.requests.push(Request::Create {
+                            in_group: WorkspaceGroupHandle { id },
+                            name: workspace,
+                        });
+                    }
                 }
             }
             ext_workspace_group_handle_v1::Request::Destroy => {
@@ -183,10 +191,10 @@ where
 {
     fn request(
         state: &mut D,
-        client: &Client,
+        _client: &Client,
         obj: &ExtWorkspaceHandleV1,
         request: ext_workspace_handle_v1::Request,
-        _data: &WorkspaceData,
+        data: &WorkspaceData,
         _dh: &DisplayHandle,
         _data_init: &mut DataInit<'_, D>,
     ) {
@@ -195,39 +203,42 @@ where
                 if let Some(workspace_handle) =
                     state.workspace_state().get_ext_workspace_handle(obj)
                 {
-                    let mut state = client
-                        .get_data::<<D as WorkspaceHandler>::Client>()
-                        .unwrap()
-                        .workspace_state()
-                        .lock()
-                        .unwrap();
-                    state.requests.push(Request::Activate(workspace_handle));
+                    if let Ok(manager) = data.manager.upgrade() {
+                        let mut state = manager
+                            .data::<WorkspaceManagerData>()
+                            .unwrap()
+                            .lock()
+                            .unwrap();
+                        state.requests.push(Request::Activate(workspace_handle));
+                    }
                 }
             }
             ext_workspace_handle_v1::Request::Deactivate => {
                 if let Some(workspace_handle) =
                     state.workspace_state().get_ext_workspace_handle(obj)
                 {
-                    let mut state = client
-                        .get_data::<<D as WorkspaceHandler>::Client>()
-                        .unwrap()
-                        .workspace_state()
-                        .lock()
-                        .unwrap();
-                    state.requests.push(Request::Deactivate(workspace_handle));
+                    if let Ok(manager) = data.manager.upgrade() {
+                        let mut state = manager
+                            .data::<WorkspaceManagerData>()
+                            .unwrap()
+                            .lock()
+                            .unwrap();
+                        state.requests.push(Request::Deactivate(workspace_handle));
+                    }
                 }
             }
             ext_workspace_handle_v1::Request::Remove => {
                 if let Some(workspace_handle) =
                     state.workspace_state().get_ext_workspace_handle(obj)
                 {
-                    let mut state = client
-                        .get_data::<<D as WorkspaceHandler>::Client>()
-                        .unwrap()
-                        .workspace_state()
-                        .lock()
-                        .unwrap();
-                    state.requests.push(Request::Remove(workspace_handle));
+                    if let Ok(manager) = data.manager.upgrade() {
+                        let mut state = manager
+                            .data::<WorkspaceManagerData>()
+                            .unwrap()
+                            .lock()
+                            .unwrap();
+                        state.requests.push(Request::Remove(workspace_handle));
+                    }
                 }
             }
             ext_workspace_handle_v1::Request::Assign { workspace_group } => {
@@ -241,16 +252,17 @@ where
                         .find(|g| g.ext_instances.contains(&workspace_group))
                         .map(|g| g.id)
                     {
-                        let mut state = client
-                            .get_data::<<D as WorkspaceHandler>::Client>()
-                            .unwrap()
-                            .workspace_state()
-                            .lock()
-                            .unwrap();
-                        state.requests.push(Request::Assign {
-                            workspace: workspace_handle,
-                            group: WorkspaceGroupHandle { id: group_id },
-                        });
+                        if let Ok(manager) = data.manager.upgrade() {
+                            let mut state = manager
+                                .data::<WorkspaceManagerData>()
+                                .unwrap()
+                                .lock()
+                                .unwrap();
+                            state.requests.push(Request::Assign {
+                                workspace: workspace_handle,
+                                group: WorkspaceGroupHandle { id: group_id },
+                            });
+                        }
                     }
                 }
             }
diff --git a/src/wayland/protocols/workspace/mod.rs b/src/wayland/protocols/workspace/mod.rs
index 752541b5..18170d37 100644
--- a/src/wayland/protocols/workspace/mod.rs
+++ b/src/wayland/protocols/workspace/mod.rs
@@ -1,7 +1,5 @@
 // SPDX-License-Identifier: GPL-3.0-only
 
-use std::sync::Mutex;
-
 use smithay::{
     output::Output,
     reexports::{
@@ -11,7 +9,7 @@ use smithay::{
             ext_workspace_manager_v1::ExtWorkspaceManagerV1,
         },
         wayland_server::{
-            backend::{ClientData, GlobalId, ObjectId},
+            backend::{GlobalId, ObjectId},
             Client, Dispatch, DisplayHandle, GlobalDispatch, Resource,
         },
     },
@@ -26,7 +24,7 @@ use cosmic_protocols::workspace::v2::server::{
 mod cosmic_v2;
 pub use cosmic_v2::CosmicWorkspaceV2Data;
 mod ext;
-pub use ext::{WorkspaceData, WorkspaceGroupData};
+pub use ext::{WorkspaceData, WorkspaceGroupData, WorkspaceManagerData};
 
 bitflags::bitflags! {
     #[derive(Clone, Copy, Debug, Eq, Hash, PartialEq)]
@@ -111,7 +109,7 @@ pub struct WorkspaceHandle {
 pub trait WorkspaceHandler
 where
     Self: GlobalDispatch<ExtWorkspaceManagerV1, WorkspaceGlobalData>
-        + Dispatch<ExtWorkspaceManagerV1, ()>
+        + Dispatch<ExtWorkspaceManagerV1, WorkspaceManagerData>
         + Dispatch<ExtWorkspaceGroupHandleV1, WorkspaceGroupData>
         + Dispatch<ExtWorkspaceHandleV1, WorkspaceData>
         + GlobalDispatch<ZcosmicWorkspaceManagerV2, WorkspaceGlobalData>
@@ -120,8 +118,6 @@ where
         + Sized
         + 'static,
 {
-    type Client: ClientData + WorkspaceClientHandler + 'static;
-
     fn workspace_state(&self) -> &WorkspaceState<Self>;
     fn workspace_state_mut(&mut self) -> &mut WorkspaceState<Self>;
     fn commit_requests(&mut self, dh: &DisplayHandle, requests: Vec<Request>);
@@ -154,16 +150,6 @@ pub enum Request {
     },
 }
 
-#[derive(Debug, Default)]
-pub struct WorkspaceClientStateInner {
-    requests: Vec<Request>,
-}
-pub type WorkspaceClientState = Mutex<WorkspaceClientStateInner>;
-
-pub trait WorkspaceClientHandler {
-    fn workspace_state(&self) -> &WorkspaceClientState;
-}
-
 impl<D> WorkspaceState<D>
 where
     D: WorkspaceHandler,
@@ -580,7 +566,7 @@ macro_rules! delegate_workspace {
             smithay::reexports::wayland_protocols::ext::workspace::v1::server::ext_workspace_manager_v1::ExtWorkspaceManagerV1: $crate::wayland::protocols::workspace::WorkspaceGlobalData
         ] => $crate::wayland::protocols::workspace::WorkspaceState<Self>);
         smithay::reexports::wayland_server::delegate_dispatch!($(@< $( $lt $( : $clt $(+ $dlt )* )? ),+ >)? $ty: [
-            smithay::reexports::wayland_protocols::ext::workspace::v1::server::ext_workspace_manager_v1::ExtWorkspaceManagerV1: ()
+            smithay::reexports::wayland_protocols::ext::workspace::v1::server::ext_workspace_manager_v1::ExtWorkspaceManagerV1: $crate::wayland::protocols::workspace::WorkspaceManagerData
         ] => $crate::wayland::protocols::workspace::WorkspaceState<Self>);
         smithay::reexports::wayland_server::delegate_dispatch!($(@< $( $lt $( : $clt $(+ $dlt )* )? ),+ >)? $ty: [
             smithay::reexports::wayland_protocols::ext::workspace::v1::server::ext_workspace_group_handle_v1::ExtWorkspaceGroupHandleV1: $crate::wayland::protocols::workspace::WorkspaceGroupData