diff --git a/tests/test.h b/tests/test.h
index 57d0a12..7057e8a 100644
--- a/tests/test.h
+++ b/tests/test.h
@@ -129,4 +129,5 @@ void	xim_adapter_callback_owner_loss(struct ct*);
 void	xim_adapter_commit_encoding(struct ct*);
 void	wl_modifier_mask(struct ct*);
 void	wl_forwarded_keys(struct ct*);
+void	wl_surrounding_text(struct ct*);
 void	wl_repeat_ends(struct ct*);
diff --git a/tests/unit_test.c b/tests/unit_test.c
index b3b1bd7..d266d7f 100644
--- a/tests/unit_test.c
+++ b/tests/unit_test.c
@@ -149,6 +149,7 @@ static const struct ct_test tests[] = {
 	{ "xim/commit-encoding", xim_adapter_commit_encoding },
 	{ "wl/modifier-mask", wl_modifier_mask },
 	{ "wl/forwarded-keys", wl_forwarded_keys },
+	{ "wl/surrounding-text", wl_surrounding_text },
 	{ "wl/repeat-ends", wl_repeat_ends },
 };
 #else
diff --git a/tests/wl_adapter_test.c b/tests/wl_adapter_test.c
index 35757b7..1fa8a72 100644
--- a/tests/wl_adapter_test.c
+++ b/tests/wl_adapter_test.c
@@ -107,6 +107,30 @@ wl_forwarded_keys(struct ct *t)
  * Arming a repeat needs the engine, which is not here; ending one does
  * not, and a repeat that outlives its key is the worst this can do.
  */
+/*
+ * The text before the cursor is what a reading may reach into, and a
+ * take-back is measured in the bytes those runes hold.
+ */
+void
+wl_surrounding_text(struct ct *t)
+{
+	sclear(&pendingsurround);
+	imsurrounding(nil, nil, "가나다라", 9, 9);
+	checkstr(t, "the text before the cursor", "가나다", &pendingsurround);
+	surround = pendingsurround;
+	CT_EQ_INT(t, 3, backbytes(1));
+	CT_EQ_INT(t, 6, backbytes(2));
+	CT_EQ_INT(t, 9, backbytes(9));
+	CT_EQ_INT(t, 0, backbytes(0));
+	/* A cursor past the end of the buffer is the whole of it. */
+	imsurrounding(nil, nil, "ab", 99, 99);
+	checkstr(t, "a cursor past the end", "ab", &pendingsurround);
+	/* An activation starts with none, whatever the last one had. */
+	imactivate(nil, nil);
+	CT_EQ_INT(t, 0, pendingsurround.n);
+	sclear(&surround);
+}
+
 void
 wl_repeat_ends(struct ct *t)
 {
diff --git a/wl.c b/wl.c
index 70b1f40..e0f5e4c 100644
--- a/wl.c
+++ b/wl.c
@@ -65,6 +65,7 @@ static int active;	/* a text input is being served */
 static int pendingactive;
 static int activated;	/* an activate arrived since the last done */
 static u32int purpose, pendingpurpose;
+static Str surround, pendingsurround;	/* the client's text before the cursor */
 static u32int sent[Maxcode/32];	/* keycodes passed on and still down */
 static u32int lasttime;	/* the compositor's clock, for a release of our own */
 static int reprate;	/* repeats a second the seat asks for; 0 is none */
@@ -116,11 +117,26 @@ sendrequest(int op, u32int ks, u32int mod, Keyres *res)
 	kr.op = op;
 	kr.ks = ks;
 	kr.mod = mod;
+	kr.surround = surround;
 	kr.reply = replyc;
 	chansend(keyc, &kr);
 	chanrecv(replyc, res);
 }
 
+/* The bytes the last n runes of the client's text take. */
+static int
+backbytes(int n)
+{
+	char utf[Maxutf];
+	Str s;
+	int i;
+
+	sclear(&s);
+	for(i = max(surround.n - n, 0); i < surround.n; i++)
+		sputr(&s, surround.r[i]);
+	return stoutf(&s, utf, sizeof utf);
+}
+
 /* The engine's modifier bits, read from the grab's own keyboard state. */
 static u32int
 modmask(void)
@@ -187,6 +203,10 @@ answer(Keyres *res, char *tail)
 	char utf[2*Maxutf];
 	int n;
 
+	/* The compositor takes the text back before it inserts ours. */
+	if(res->del > 0)
+		zwp_input_method_v2_delete_surrounding_text(im,
+			backbytes(res->del), 0);
 	n = stoutf(&res->commit, utf, sizeof utf);
 	if(tail[0] != '\0')
 		n += snprint(utf+n, sizeof utf - n, "%s", tail);
@@ -407,6 +427,7 @@ imactivate(void*, struct zwp_input_method_v2*)
 	pendingactive = 1;
 	activated = 1;
 	pendingpurpose = 0;
+	sclear(&pendingsurround);
 }
 
 static void
@@ -415,9 +436,19 @@ imdeactivate(void*, struct zwp_input_method_v2*)
 	pendingactive = 0;
 }
 
+/*
+ * The text around the cursor, of which a reading can use what comes
+ * before it.  A text input that sends none leaves this empty, and then
+ * nothing is ever reached back into or taken away.
+ */
 static void
-imsurrounding(void*, struct zwp_input_method_v2*, const char*, u32int, u32int)
+imsurrounding(void*, struct zwp_input_method_v2*, const char *text,
+	u32int cursor, u32int)
 {
+	u32int n;
+
+	n = strlen(text);
+	stail(&pendingsurround, (char*)text, cursor < n ? cursor : n);
 }
 
 static void
@@ -444,6 +475,7 @@ imdone(void*, struct zwp_input_method_v2*)
 	serial++;
 	washidden = hidden();
 	purpose = pendingpurpose;
+	surround = pendingsurround;
 	if(activated || (active && !pendingactive))
 		leave();
 	else if(active && !washidden && hidden())