diff --git a/src/protocols/core/Compositor.cpp b/src/protocols/core/Compositor.cpp
index ed36b1f9..541eae92 100644
--- a/src/protocols/core/Compositor.cpp
+++ b/src/protocols/core/Compositor.cpp
@@ -550,13 +550,6 @@ void CWLSurfaceResource::commitState(SSurfaceState& state) {
             nullptr);
     }
 
-    if (m_current.updated.bits.damage) {
-        // damage is always relative to the current commit
-        m_current.updated.bits.damage = false;
-        m_current.damage.clear();
-        m_current.bufferDamage.clear();
-    }
-
     // release the buffer if it's synchronous (SHM) as updateSynchronousTexture() has copied the buffer data to a GPU tex
     // if it doesn't have a role, we can't release it yet, in case it gets turned into a cursor.
     if (m_current.buffer && m_current.buffer->isSynchronous() && m_role->role() != SURFACE_ROLE_UNASSIGNED)
diff --git a/src/protocols/types/SurfaceState.cpp b/src/protocols/types/SurfaceState.cpp
index 17437fbc..96e8e769 100644
--- a/src/protocols/types/SurfaceState.cpp
+++ b/src/protocols/types/SurfaceState.cpp
@@ -65,11 +65,8 @@ void SSurfaceState::reset() {
     lockMask = LOCK_REASON_NONE;
 }
 
-void SSurfaceState::updateFrom(SSurfaceState& ref, bool merge) {
-    if (merge)
-        updated.all |= ref.updated.all;
-    else
-        updated = ref.updated;
+void SSurfaceState::updateFrom(SSurfaceState& ref) {
+    updated = ref.updated;
 
     if (ref.updated.bits.buffer) {
         buffer     = ref.buffer;
@@ -81,6 +78,10 @@ void SSurfaceState::updateFrom(SSurfaceState& ref, bool merge) {
     if (ref.updated.bits.damage) {
         damage       = ref.damage;
         bufferDamage = ref.bufferDamage;
+    } else {
+        // damage is always relative to the current commit
+        damage.clear();
+        bufferDamage.clear();
     }
 
     if (ref.updated.bits.input)
diff --git a/src/protocols/types/SurfaceState.hpp b/src/protocols/types/SurfaceState.hpp
index d41b3d3b..dd767962 100644
--- a/src/protocols/types/SurfaceState.hpp
+++ b/src/protocols/types/SurfaceState.hpp
@@ -89,7 +89,7 @@ struct SSurfaceState {
     void         updateSynchronousTexture(SP<CTexture> lastTexture);
 
     // helpers
-    CRegion accumulateBufferDamage();                           // transforms state.damage and merges it into state.bufferDamage
-    void    updateFrom(SSurfaceState& ref, bool merge = false); // updates this state based on a reference state.
-    void    reset();                                            // resets pending state after commit
+    CRegion accumulateBufferDamage();       // transforms state.damage and merges it into state.bufferDamage
+    void    updateFrom(SSurfaceState& ref); // updates this state based on a reference state.
+    void    reset();                        // resets pending state after commit
 };
diff --git a/src/protocols/types/SurfaceStateQueue.cpp b/src/protocols/types/SurfaceStateQueue.cpp
index 3408d61c..c10b556f 100644
--- a/src/protocols/types/SurfaceStateQueue.cpp
+++ b/src/protocols/types/SurfaceStateQueue.cpp
@@ -63,28 +63,12 @@ auto CSurfaceStateQueue::find(const WP<SSurfaceState>& state) -> std::deque<UP<S
 }
 
 void CSurfaceStateQueue::tryProcess() {
-    if (m_queue.empty())
-        return;
+    while (!m_queue.empty()) {
+        auto& front = m_queue.front();
+        if (front->lockMask != LOCK_REASON_NONE)
+            return;
 
-    auto front = m_queue.begin();
-    if (front->get()->lockMask != LOCK_REASON_NONE)
-        return;
-
-    auto next = std::next(front);
-    if (next == m_queue.end()) {
-        m_surface->commitState(**front);
+        m_surface->commitState(*front);
         m_queue.pop_front();
-        return;
     }
-
-    while (!m_queue.empty() && next != m_queue.end() && next->get()->lockMask == LOCK_REASON_NONE && !next->get()->updated.bits.buffer) {
-        next->get()->updateFrom(**front, true);
-        m_queue.pop_front();
-
-        front = m_queue.begin();
-        next  = std::next(front);
-    }
-
-    m_surface->commitState(**front);
-    m_queue.pop_front();
 }