diff --git a/src/Makefile.am b/src/Makefile.am
index 57ee77c..7823c1c 100644
--- a/src/Makefile.am
+++ b/src/Makefile.am
@@ -170,7 +170,8 @@ wmaker_SOURCES += \
 	backend/wayland/wl_atom.c \
 	backend/wayland/wl_signalfd.c \
 	backend/wayland/wl_xkb.c \
-	backend/wayland/wl_badge.c
+	backend/wayland/wl_badge.c \
+	backend/wayland/wl_fakeleader.c
 endif
 
 if USE_NESTED_FUNC
diff --git a/src/backend/wayland/wl_backend.c b/src/backend/wayland/wl_backend.c
index 0fb1b70..1687508 100644
--- a/src/backend/wayland/wl_backend.c
+++ b/src/backend/wayland/wl_backend.c
@@ -5489,49 +5489,6 @@ wl_coords_translate(WNativeWindow src, WNativeWindow dst,
 }
 
 
-/* ------------------------------------------------------------------ */
-/* Fake leader                                                         */
-/* ------------------------------------------------------------------ */
-
-static WNativeWindow wl_fake_leader_create(WScreen *scr)
-{
-    (void)scr;
-    /* Create a frame_buf with a tree to act as the dialog's content
-     * container.  The tree is essential — content reparented into the
-     * fake_leader (e.g. WINGs panel views) becomes a child of the tree
-     * and follows it when the fake_leader itself is reparented into
-     * a WMaker frame. */
-    struct wl_frame_buf *fb = wmalloc(sizeof(*fb));
-    memset(fb, 0, sizeof(*fb));
-
-    fb->id        = wl_state.next_synthetic_id++;
-    fb->parent_id = 0;
-    fb->width     = 1;
-    fb->height    = 1;
-    fb->image     = pixman_image_create_bits(PIXMAN_a8r8g8b8, 1, 1, NULL, 0);
-    wlr_buffer_init(&fb->base, &frame_buf_impl, 1, 1);
-
-    if (wl_state.scene) {
-        struct wlr_scene_tree *_pp = wl_state.level_trees[WL_LAYER_NORMAL]
-            ? wl_state.level_trees[WL_LAYER_NORMAL] : &wl_state.scene->tree;
-        fb->tree = wlr_scene_tree_create(_pp);
-        if (fb->tree) {
-            fb_attach_tree_listener(fb);
-            wlr_scene_node_set_position(&fb->tree->node, 0, 0);
-            fb->scene_buf = wlr_scene_buffer_create(fb->tree, &fb->base);
-            if (fb->scene_buf) {
-                fb_attach_scene_buf_listener(fb);
-                wlr_scene_node_set_position(&fb->scene_buf->node, 0, 0);
-                wlr_scene_node_set_enabled(&fb->scene_buf->node, false);
-            }
-            wlr_scene_node_set_enabled(&fb->tree->node, true);
-        }
-    }
-
-    wl_list_insert(&wl_state.frame_list, &fb->link);
-    return fb->id;
-}
-static void wl_fake_leader_destroy(WNativeWindow win) { (void)win; }
 
 /* ------------------------------------------------------------------ */
 /* Screen internals                                                    */
diff --git a/src/backend/wayland/wl_fakeleader.c b/src/backend/wayland/wl_fakeleader.c
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..d1a0305
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/backend/wayland/wl_fakeleader.c
@@ -0,0 +1,54 @@
+#ifdef HAVE_CONFIG_H
+#include "config.h"
+#endif
+#include <string.h>
+#include <wayland-server-core.h>
+#include <wlr/types/wlr_scene.h>
+#include <wlr/interfaces/wlr_buffer.h>
+#include <pixman.h>
+#include "../../screen.h"
+#include "wl_types.h"
+
+/* ------------------------------------------------------------------ */
+/* Fake leader                                                         */
+/* ------------------------------------------------------------------ */
+
+WNativeWindow wl_fake_leader_create(WScreen *scr)
+{
+    (void)scr;
+    /* Create a frame_buf with a tree to act as the dialog's content
+     * container.  The tree is essential — content reparented into the
+     * fake_leader (e.g. WINGs panel views) becomes a child of the tree
+     * and follows it when the fake_leader itself is reparented into
+     * a WMaker frame. */
+    struct wl_frame_buf *fb = wmalloc(sizeof(*fb));
+    memset(fb, 0, sizeof(*fb));
+
+    fb->id        = wl_state.next_synthetic_id++;
+    fb->parent_id = 0;
+    fb->width     = 1;
+    fb->height    = 1;
+    fb->image     = pixman_image_create_bits(PIXMAN_a8r8g8b8, 1, 1, NULL, 0);
+    wlr_buffer_init(&fb->base, &frame_buf_impl, 1, 1);
+
+    if (wl_state.scene) {
+        struct wlr_scene_tree *_pp = wl_state.level_trees[WL_LAYER_NORMAL]
+            ? wl_state.level_trees[WL_LAYER_NORMAL] : &wl_state.scene->tree;
+        fb->tree = wlr_scene_tree_create(_pp);
+        if (fb->tree) {
+            fb_attach_tree_listener(fb);
+            wlr_scene_node_set_position(&fb->tree->node, 0, 0);
+            fb->scene_buf = wlr_scene_buffer_create(fb->tree, &fb->base);
+            if (fb->scene_buf) {
+                fb_attach_scene_buf_listener(fb);
+                wlr_scene_node_set_position(&fb->scene_buf->node, 0, 0);
+                wlr_scene_node_set_enabled(&fb->scene_buf->node, false);
+            }
+            wlr_scene_node_set_enabled(&fb->tree->node, true);
+        }
+    }
+
+    wl_list_insert(&wl_state.frame_list, &fb->link);
+    return fb->id;
+}
+void wl_fake_leader_destroy(WNativeWindow win) { (void)win; }
diff --git a/src/backend/wayland/wl_types.h b/src/backend/wayland/wl_types.h
index 6a18591..d276629 100644
--- a/src/backend/wayland/wl_types.h
+++ b/src/backend/wayland/wl_types.h
@@ -514,3 +514,7 @@ int wl_xkb_get_group(void);
 RImage *wl_workspace_badge_render(WScreen *scr, WNativeWindow badge_win, const char *name, int name_len, int width, int height);
 RImage *wl_workspace_badge_get_background(WScreen *scr, int x, int y, int width, int height);
 void wl_workspace_badge_update(WScreen *scr, WNativeWindow badge_win, RImage *img);
+
+/* Fake leader declarations (extracted to wl_fakeleader.c) */
+WNativeWindow wl_fake_leader_create(WScreen *scr);
+void wl_fake_leader_destroy(WNativeWindow win);