diff --git a/examples/compositor.c b/examples/compositor.c
index 54ab5d5f1..d12529942 100644
--- a/examples/compositor.c
+++ b/examples/compositor.c
@@ -28,7 +28,7 @@ int os_create_anonymous_file(off_t size);
 
 struct sample_state {
 	struct wlr_renderer *renderer;
-	struct wlr_compositor compositor;
+	struct wlr_compositor *wlr_compositor;
 	struct wlr_wl_shell *wl_shell;
 	struct wlr_seat *wl_seat;
 	struct wlr_xdg_shell_v6 *xdg_shell;
@@ -95,7 +95,7 @@ static void handle_keyboard_key(struct keyboard_state *keyboard, uint32_t keycod
 
 	struct wl_resource *res = NULL;
 	struct wlr_seat_handle *seat_handle = NULL;
-	wl_list_for_each(res, &sample->compositor.surfaces, link) {
+	wl_list_for_each(res, &sample->wlr_compositor->surfaces, link) {
 		break;
 	}
 
@@ -153,7 +153,7 @@ int main() {
 		exit(EXIT_FAILURE);
 	}
 	wl_display_init_shm(compositor.display);
-	wlr_compositor_init(&state.compositor, compositor.display, state.renderer);
+	state.wlr_compositor = wlr_compositor_create(compositor.display, state.renderer);
 	state.wl_shell = wlr_wl_shell_create(compositor.display);
 	state.xdg_shell = wlr_xdg_shell_v6_create(compositor.display);
 	state.data_device_manager = wlr_data_device_manager_create(compositor.display);
@@ -185,7 +185,7 @@ int main() {
 	wlr_data_device_manager_destroy(state.data_device_manager);
 	wlr_xdg_shell_v6_destroy(state.xdg_shell);
 	wlr_wl_shell_destroy(state.wl_shell);
-	wlr_compositor_finish(&state.compositor);
+	wlr_compositor_destroy(state.wlr_compositor);
 	wlr_renderer_destroy(state.renderer);
 	compositor_fini(&compositor);
 }
diff --git a/include/wlr/types/wlr_compositor.h b/include/wlr/types/wlr_compositor.h
index 47abeeac9..1b2f890f3 100644
--- a/include/wlr/types/wlr_compositor.h
+++ b/include/wlr/types/wlr_compositor.h
@@ -11,9 +11,9 @@ struct wlr_compositor {
 	struct wl_listener destroy_surface_listener;
 };
 
-void wlr_compositor_finish(struct wlr_compositor *wlr_compositor);
-void wlr_compositor_init(struct wlr_compositor *wlr_compositor,
-		struct wl_display *display, struct wlr_renderer *renderer);
+void wlr_compositor_destroy(struct wlr_compositor *wlr_compositor);
+struct wlr_compositor *wlr_compositor_create(struct wl_display *display,
+		struct wlr_renderer *renderer);
 
 struct wlr_surface;
 void wl_compositor_surface_destroyed(struct wlr_compositor *wlr_compositor,
diff --git a/types/wlr_compositor.c b/types/wlr_compositor.c
index e3b2199ef..c153f5250 100644
--- a/types/wlr_compositor.c
+++ b/types/wlr_compositor.c
@@ -62,16 +62,23 @@ static void wl_compositor_bind(struct wl_client *wl_client, void *_compositor,
 	wl_list_insert(&compositor->wl_resources, wl_resource_get_link(wl_resource));
 }
 
-void wlr_compositor_finish(struct wlr_compositor *compositor) {
+void wlr_compositor_destroy(struct wlr_compositor *compositor) {
 	wl_global_destroy(compositor->wl_global);
+	free(compositor);
 }
 
-void wlr_compositor_init(struct wlr_compositor *compositor,
-		struct wl_display *display, struct wlr_renderer *renderer) {
+struct wlr_compositor *wlr_compositor_create(struct wl_display *display,
+		struct wlr_renderer *renderer) {
+	struct wlr_compositor *compositor = calloc(1, sizeof(struct wlr_compositor));
+	if (!compositor) {
+		wlr_log_errno(L_ERROR, "Could not allocate wlr compositor");
+		return NULL;
+	}
 	struct wl_global *wl_global = wl_global_create(display,
 		&wl_compositor_interface, 4, compositor, wl_compositor_bind);
 	compositor->wl_global = wl_global;
 	compositor->renderer = renderer;
 	wl_list_init(&compositor->wl_resources);
 	wl_list_init(&compositor->surfaces);
+	return compositor;
 }