diff --git a/src/buffer.cc b/src/buffer.cc
index 937cd6bc..0fc1709b 100644
--- a/src/buffer.cc
+++ b/src/buffer.cc
@@ -43,7 +43,6 @@ Buffer::~Buffer()
 {
     m_hooks.run_hook("BufClose", m_name, Context(Editor(*this)));
 
-    m_windows.clear();
     BufferManager::instance().unregister_buffer(*this);
     assert(m_change_listeners.empty());
 }
@@ -388,20 +387,6 @@ void Buffer::erase(BufferIterator begin, BufferIterator end)
     do_erase(begin, end);
 }
 
-Window& Buffer::new_window()
-{
-    m_windows.emplace_back(new Window(*this));
-    return *m_windows.back();
-}
-
-void Buffer::delete_window(Window& window)
-{
-    assert(&window.buffer() == this);
-    auto window_it = std::find(m_windows.begin(), m_windows.end(), &window);
-    assert(window_it != m_windows.end());
-    m_windows.erase(window_it);
-}
-
 bool Buffer::is_modified() const
 {
     size_t history_cursor_index = m_history_cursor - m_history.begin();
diff --git a/src/buffer.hh b/src/buffer.hh
index db61d371..05776689 100644
--- a/src/buffer.hh
+++ b/src/buffer.hh
@@ -15,7 +15,6 @@ namespace Kakoune
 {
 
 class Buffer;
-class Window;
 
 struct BufferCoord : LineAndColumn<BufferCoord, LineCount, ByteCount>
 {
@@ -145,12 +144,6 @@ public:
 
     const String& name() const { return m_name; }
 
-    // Window handling
-    using WindowList = std::vector<std::unique_ptr<Window>>;
-    const WindowList& windows() const { return m_windows; }
-    Window& new_window();
-    void    delete_window(Window& window);
-
     // returns true if the buffer is in a different state than
     // the last time it was saved
     bool is_modified() const;
@@ -221,13 +214,11 @@ private:
     void apply_modification(const Modification& modification);
     void revert_modification(const Modification& modification);
 
-    WindowList m_windows;
-
     size_t m_last_save_undo_index;
     size_t m_timestamp;
 
-    // this mutable as adding or removing listeners is not muting the buffer
-    // observable state.
+    // this is mutable as adding or removing listeners is not muting the
+    // buffer observable state.
     mutable std::vector<BufferChangeListener*> m_change_listeners;
 
     OptionManager m_options;
diff --git a/src/client_manager.cc b/src/client_manager.cc
index 3490ebcb..d6f0df73 100644
--- a/src/client_manager.cc
+++ b/src/client_manager.cc
@@ -49,10 +49,13 @@ void ClientManager::remove_client_by_context(Context& context)
     assert(false);
 }
 
-Window& ClientManager::get_unused_window_for_buffer(Buffer& buffer) const
+Window& ClientManager::get_unused_window_for_buffer(Buffer& buffer)
 {
-    for (auto& w : buffer.windows())
+    for (auto& w : m_windows)
     {
+        if (&w->buffer() != &buffer)
+           continue;
+
         auto it = std::find_if(m_clients.begin(), m_clients.end(),
                                [&](const Client& client) {
                                    return &client.context->window() == w.get();
@@ -63,7 +66,8 @@ Window& ClientManager::get_unused_window_for_buffer(Buffer& buffer) const
             return *w;
         }
     }
-    return buffer.new_window();
+    m_windows.emplace_back(new Window(buffer));
+    return *m_windows.back();
 }
 
 void ClientManager::ensure_no_client_uses_buffer(Buffer& buffer)
@@ -88,6 +92,10 @@ void ClientManager::ensure_no_client_uses_buffer(Buffer& buffer)
             }
         }
     }
+    auto end = std::remove_if(m_windows.begin(), m_windows.end(),
+                              [&buffer](std::unique_ptr<Window>& w)
+                              { return &w->buffer() == &buffer; });
+    m_windows.erase(end, m_windows.end());
 }
 
 void ClientManager::redraw_clients() const
diff --git a/src/client_manager.hh b/src/client_manager.hh
index d4b78480..49415ae2 100644
--- a/src/client_manager.hh
+++ b/src/client_manager.hh
@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@ public:
     bool   empty() const { return m_clients.empty(); }
     size_t count() const { return m_clients.size(); }
 
-    Window& get_unused_window_for_buffer(Buffer& buffer) const;
+    Window& get_unused_window_for_buffer(Buffer& buffer);
     void    ensure_no_client_uses_buffer(Buffer& buffer);
 
     void redraw_clients() const;
@@ -50,6 +50,7 @@ private:
     };
 
     std::vector<Client> m_clients;
+    std::vector<std::unique_ptr<Window>> m_windows;
 };
 
 }
diff --git a/src/window.hh b/src/window.hh
index 396e0069..d4964111 100644
--- a/src/window.hh
+++ b/src/window.hh
@@ -22,6 +22,7 @@ class HighlighterGroup;
 class Window : public Editor, public OptionManagerWatcher
 {
 public:
+    Window(Buffer& buffer);
     ~Window();
 
     const DisplayCoord& position() const { return m_position; }
@@ -50,9 +51,6 @@ public:
     void   forget_timestamp() { m_timestamp = -1; }
 
 private:
-    friend class Buffer;
-
-    Window(Buffer& buffer);
     Window(const Window&) = delete;
 
     void on_incremental_insertion_end() override;