diff --git a/core/src/clipboard.rs b/core/src/clipboard.rs
index 1ea53145e6..160ca46f07 100644
--- a/core/src/clipboard.rs
+++ b/core/src/clipboard.rs
@@ -7,6 +7,39 @@ use mime::{self, AllowedMimeTypes, AsMimeTypes, ClipboardStoreData};
 
 use crate::{widget::tree::State, window, Element};
 
+#[derive(Debug)]
+pub struct IconSurface<E> {
+    pub element: E,
+    pub state: State,
+}
+
+pub type DynIconSurface = IconSurface<Box<dyn Any>>;
+
+impl<T: 'static, R: 'static> IconSurface<Element<'static, (), T, R>> {
+    pub fn new(element: Element<'static, (), T, R>, state: State) -> Self {
+        Self { element, state }
+    }
+
+    fn upcast(self) -> DynIconSurface {
+        IconSurface {
+            element: Box::new(self.element),
+            state: self.state,
+        }
+    }
+}
+
+impl DynIconSurface {
+    /// Downcast `element` to concrete type `Element<(), T, R>`
+    ///
+    /// Panics if type doesn't match
+    pub fn downcast<T: 'static, R: 'static>(self) -> IconSurface<Element<'static, (), T, R>> {
+        IconSurface {
+            element: *self.element.downcast().expect("drag-and-drop icon surface has invalid element type"),
+            state: self.state,
+        }
+    }
+}
+
 /// A buffer for short-term storage and transfer within and between
 /// applications.
 pub trait Clipboard {
@@ -53,7 +86,7 @@ pub trait Clipboard {
         &mut self,
         _internal: bool,
         _source_surface: Option<DndSource>,
-        _icon_surface: Option<Box<dyn Any>>,
+        _icon_surface: Option<DynIconSurface>,
         _content: Box<dyn AsMimeTypes + Send + 'static>,
         _actions: DndAction,
     ) {
@@ -86,21 +119,18 @@ pub enum Kind {
 
 /// Starts a DnD operation.
 /// icon surface is a tuple of the icon element and optionally the icon element state.
-pub fn start_dnd<T: 'static, R: 'static, M: 'static>(
+pub fn start_dnd<T: 'static, R: 'static>(
     clipboard: &mut dyn Clipboard,
     internal: bool,
     source_surface: Option<DndSource>,
-    icon_surface: Option<(Element<'static, M, T, R>, State)>,
+    icon_surface: Option<IconSurface<Element<'static, (), T, R>>>,
     content: Box<dyn AsMimeTypes + Send + 'static>,
     actions: DndAction,
 ) {
     clipboard.start_dnd(
         internal,
         source_surface,
-        icon_surface.map(|i| {
-            let i: Box<dyn Any> = Box::new(i);
-            i
-        }),
+        icon_surface.map(IconSurface::upcast),
         content,
         actions,
     );
diff --git a/winit/src/clipboard.rs b/winit/src/clipboard.rs
index 26381d2554..097e65ca1e 100644
--- a/winit/src/clipboard.rs
+++ b/winit/src/clipboard.rs
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@
 use std::sync::Mutex;
 use std::{any::Any, borrow::Cow};
 
-use crate::core::clipboard::DndSource;
+use crate::core::clipboard::{DndSource, DynIconSurface};
 use crate::core::clipboard::Kind;
 use std::sync::Arc;
 use winit::dpi::LogicalSize;
@@ -26,7 +26,7 @@ pub struct Clipboard {
 pub(crate) struct StartDnd {
     pub(crate) internal: bool,
     pub(crate) source_surface: Option<DndSource>,
-    pub(crate) icon_surface: Option<Box<dyn Any>>,
+    pub(crate) icon_surface: Option<DynIconSurface>,
     pub(crate) content: Box<dyn mime::AsMimeTypes + Send + 'static>,
     pub(crate) actions: DndAction,
 }
@@ -261,7 +261,7 @@ impl crate::core::Clipboard for Clipboard {
         &mut self,
         internal: bool,
         source_surface: Option<DndSource>,
-        icon_surface: Option<Box<dyn Any>>,
+        icon_surface: Option<DynIconSurface>,
         content: Box<dyn mime::AsMimeTypes + Send + 'static>,
         actions: DndAction,
     ) {
diff --git a/winit/src/program.rs b/winit/src/program.rs
index 28254304e9..c9de2e2bd5 100644
--- a/winit/src/program.rs
+++ b/winit/src/program.rs
@@ -888,17 +888,7 @@ async fn run_instance<'a, P, C>(
                     let state = &window.state;
                     let icon_surface = icon_surface
                         .map(|i| {
-                            let e = i.downcast::<(
-                                core::Element<
-                                    'static,
-                                    (),
-                                    P::Theme,
-                                    P::Renderer,
-                                >,
-                                core::widget::tree::State,
-                            )>()
-                            .unwrap();
-                            let (mut e, widget_state) = *e;
+                            let mut icon_surface = i.downcast::<P::Theme, P::Renderer>();
 
                             let mut renderer = compositor.create_renderer();
 
@@ -913,16 +903,16 @@ async fn run_instance<'a, P, C>(
                             );
 
                             let mut tree = core::widget::Tree {
-                                id: e.as_widget().id(),
-                                tag: e.as_widget().tag(),
-                                state: widget_state,
-                                children: e.as_widget().children(),
+                                id: icon_surface.element.as_widget().id(),
+                                tag: icon_surface.element.as_widget().tag(),
+                                state: icon_surface.state,
+                                children: icon_surface.element.as_widget().children(),
                             };
 
-                            let size = e
+                            let size = icon_surface.element
                                 .as_widget()
                                 .layout(&mut tree, &renderer, &lim);
-                            e.as_widget_mut().diff(&mut tree);
+                            icon_surface.element.as_widget_mut().diff(&mut tree);
 
                             let size = lim.resolve(
                                 Length::Shrink,
@@ -935,7 +925,7 @@ async fn run_instance<'a, P, C>(
                             );
 
                             let mut ui = UserInterface::build(
-                                e,
+                                icon_surface.element,
                                 size,
                                 user_interface::Cache::default(),
                                 &mut renderer,