diff --git a/src/apprt/gtk-ng/class/split_tree.zig b/src/apprt/gtk-ng/class/split_tree.zig
index ae945027e..b0c1a34a3 100644
--- a/src/apprt/gtk-ng/class/split_tree.zig
+++ b/src/apprt/gtk-ng/class/split_tree.zig
@@ -49,8 +49,6 @@ pub const SplitTree = extern struct {
                 Self,
                 ?*Surface,
                 .{
-                    .nick = "Active Surface",
-                    .blurb = "The currently active surface.",
                     .accessor = gobject.ext.typedAccessor(
                         Self,
                         ?*Surface,
@@ -481,6 +479,7 @@ pub const SplitTree = extern struct {
             // Remove the surface from the tree.
             .surface => {
                 // TODO: close confirmation
+                // TODO: invalid free on final close
 
                 // Find the surface in the tree.
                 const tree = self.getTree() orelse return;
@@ -517,6 +516,9 @@ pub const SplitTree = extern struct {
         // the surface is destroyed.
         if (!surface.getFocused()) return;
         self.private().last_focused.set(surface);
+
+        // Our active surface probably changed
+        self.as(gobject.Object).notifyByPspec(properties.@"active-surface".impl.param_spec);
     }
 
     fn propTree(
@@ -566,6 +568,9 @@ pub const SplitTree = extern struct {
             v.grabFocus();
         }
 
+        // Our active surface may have changed
+        self.as(gobject.Object).notifyByPspec(properties.@"active-surface".impl.param_spec);
+
         return 0;
     }
 
@@ -616,6 +621,7 @@ pub const SplitTree = extern struct {
 
             // Properties
             gobject.ext.registerProperties(class, &.{
+                properties.@"active-surface".impl,
                 properties.@"has-surfaces".impl,
                 properties.tree.impl,
             });
diff --git a/src/apprt/gtk-ng/class/tab.zig b/src/apprt/gtk-ng/class/tab.zig
index 964f6fc3e..051807071 100644
--- a/src/apprt/gtk-ng/class/tab.zig
+++ b/src/apprt/gtk-ng/class/tab.zig
@@ -175,42 +175,6 @@ pub const Tab = extern struct {
         };
     }
 
-    fn connectSurfaceHandlers(
-        self: *Self,
-        tree: *const Surface.Tree,
-    ) void {
-        var it = tree.iterator();
-        while (it.next()) |entry| {
-            const surface = entry.view;
-            _ = gobject.Object.signals.notify.connect(
-                surface,
-                *Self,
-                propSurfaceFocused,
-                self,
-                .{ .detail = "focused" },
-            );
-        }
-    }
-
-    fn disconnectSurfaceHandlers(
-        self: *Self,
-        tree: *const Surface.Tree,
-    ) void {
-        var it = tree.iterator();
-        while (it.next()) |entry| {
-            const surface = entry.view;
-            _ = gobject.signalHandlersDisconnectMatched(
-                surface.as(gobject.Object),
-                .{ .data = true },
-                0,
-                0,
-                null,
-                null,
-                self,
-            );
-        }
-    }
-
     //---------------------------------------------------------------
     // Properties
 
@@ -280,14 +244,10 @@ pub const Tab = extern struct {
 
     fn splitTreeChanged(
         _: *SplitTree,
-        old_tree: ?*const Surface.Tree,
+        _: ?*const Surface.Tree,
         new_tree: ?*const Surface.Tree,
         self: *Self,
     ) callconv(.c) void {
-        if (old_tree) |tree| {
-            self.disconnectSurfaceHandlers(tree);
-        }
-
         // If our tree is empty we close the tab.
         const tree: *const Surface.Tree = new_tree orelse &.empty;
         if (tree.isEmpty()) {
@@ -299,9 +259,6 @@ pub const Tab = extern struct {
             );
             return;
         }
-
-        // Non-empty tree, connect handlers we care about.
-        self.connectSurfaceHandlers(tree);
     }
 
     fn propSplitTree(
@@ -313,7 +270,7 @@ pub const Tab = extern struct {
     }
 
     fn propActiveSurface(
-        _: *Self,
+        _: *SplitTree,
         _: *gobject.ParamSpec,
         self: *Self,
     ) callconv(.c) void {
@@ -322,14 +279,7 @@ pub const Tab = extern struct {
         if (self.getActiveSurface()) |surface| {
             priv.surface_bindings.setSource(surface.as(gobject.Object));
         }
-    }
 
-    fn propSurfaceFocused(
-        surface: *Surface,
-        _: *gobject.ParamSpec,
-        self: *Self,
-    ) callconv(.c) void {
-        if (!surface.getFocused()) return;
         self.as(gobject.Object).notifyByPspec(properties.@"active-surface".impl.param_spec);
     }
 
diff --git a/src/apprt/gtk-ng/ui/1.5/tab.blp b/src/apprt/gtk-ng/ui/1.5/tab.blp
index 61f106ce1..70e4f709b 100644
--- a/src/apprt/gtk-ng/ui/1.5/tab.blp
+++ b/src/apprt/gtk-ng/ui/1.5/tab.blp
@@ -5,12 +5,12 @@ template $GhosttyTab: Box {
     "tab",
   ]
 
-  notify::active-surface => $notify_active_surface();
   orientation: vertical;
   hexpand: true;
   vexpand: true;
 
   $GhosttySplitTree split_tree {
+    notify::active-surface => $notify_active_surface();
     notify::tree => $notify_tree();
     changed => $tree_changed();
   }
diff --git a/src/datastruct/split_tree.zig b/src/datastruct/split_tree.zig
index a1f2de035..48b887707 100644
--- a/src/datastruct/split_tree.zig
+++ b/src/datastruct/split_tree.zig
@@ -1151,3 +1151,21 @@ test "SplitTree: split twice, remove intermediary" {
         t.deinit();
     }
 }
+
+test "SplitTree: clone empty tree" {
+    const testing = std.testing;
+    const alloc = testing.allocator;
+    var t: TestTree = .empty;
+    defer t.deinit();
+
+    var t2 = try t.clone(alloc);
+    defer t2.deinit();
+
+    {
+        const str = try std.fmt.allocPrint(alloc, "{}", .{t2});
+        defer alloc.free(str);
+        try testing.expectEqualStrings(str,
+            \\empty
+        );
+    }
+}