diff --git a/src/clientmem.rs b/src/clientmem.rs
index 1255ee22..1f763a8d 100644
--- a/src/clientmem.rs
+++ b/src/clientmem.rs
@@ -2,11 +2,14 @@ use {
     crate::{
         client::Client,
         cpu_worker::{AsyncCpuWork, CpuJob, CpuWork, CpuWorker},
+        gfx_api::{ShmMemory, ShmMemoryBacking},
         utils::vec_ext::VecExt,
     },
     std::{
         cell::Cell,
+        error::Error,
         mem::{ManuallyDrop, MaybeUninit},
+        ops::Deref,
         ptr,
         rc::Rc,
         sync::atomic::{compiler_fence, Ordering},
@@ -105,6 +108,7 @@ impl ClientMem {
         }
     }
 
+    #[expect(dead_code)]
     pub fn fd(&self) -> &Rc<OwnedFd> {
         &self.fd
     }
@@ -115,14 +119,17 @@ impl ClientMem {
 }
 
 impl ClientMemOffset {
+    #[expect(dead_code)]
     pub fn pool(&self) -> &ClientMem {
         &self.mem
     }
 
+    #[expect(dead_code)]
     pub fn offset(&self) -> usize {
         self.offset
     }
 
+    #[expect(dead_code)]
     pub fn ptr(&self) -> *const [Cell<u8>] {
         self.data
     }
@@ -263,3 +270,20 @@ impl CpuWork for CloseMemWork {
         None
     }
 }
+
+impl ShmMemory for ClientMemOffset {
+    fn len(&self) -> usize {
+        self.data.len()
+    }
+
+    fn safe_access(&self) -> ShmMemoryBacking {
+        match self.mem.sigbus_impossible() {
+            true => ShmMemoryBacking::Ptr(self.data),
+            false => ShmMemoryBacking::Fd(self.mem.fd.deref().clone(), self.offset),
+        }
+    }
+
+    fn access(&self, f: &mut dyn FnMut(&[Cell<u8>])) -> Result<(), Box<dyn Error + Sync + Send>> {
+        self.access(f).map_err(|e| e.into())
+    }
+}
diff --git a/src/gfx_api.rs b/src/gfx_api.rs
index 9fe14ef3..825a4a42 100644
--- a/src/gfx_api.rs
+++ b/src/gfx_api.rs
@@ -1,7 +1,6 @@
 use {
     crate::{
         allocator::Allocator,
-        clientmem::ClientMemOffset,
         cpu_worker::CpuWorker,
         cursor::Cursor,
         damage::DamageVisualizer,
@@ -513,11 +512,37 @@ pub struct PendingShmUpload {
     id: u64,
 }
 
+pub trait ShmMemory {
+    fn len(&self) -> usize;
+    fn safe_access(&self) -> ShmMemoryBacking;
+    fn access(&self, f: &mut dyn FnMut(&[Cell<u8>])) -> Result<(), Box<dyn Error + Sync + Send>>;
+}
+
+pub enum ShmMemoryBacking {
+    Ptr(*const [Cell<u8>]),
+    Fd(Rc<OwnedFd>, usize),
+}
+
+impl ShmMemory for Vec<Cell<u8>> {
+    fn len(&self) -> usize {
+        self.len()
+    }
+
+    fn safe_access(&self) -> ShmMemoryBacking {
+        ShmMemoryBacking::Ptr(&**self)
+    }
+
+    fn access(&self, f: &mut dyn FnMut(&[Cell<u8>])) -> Result<(), Box<dyn Error + Sync + Send>> {
+        f(self);
+        Ok(())
+    }
+}
+
 pub trait AsyncShmGfxTexture: GfxTexture {
     fn async_upload(
         self: Rc<Self>,
         callback: Rc<dyn AsyncShmGfxTextureCallback>,
-        mem: &Rc<ClientMemOffset>,
+        mem: Rc<dyn ShmMemory>,
         damage: Region,
     ) -> Result<Option<PendingShmUpload>, GfxError>;
 
diff --git a/src/gfx_apis/gl.rs b/src/gfx_apis/gl.rs
index 3ef1e19f..dd45501a 100644
--- a/src/gfx_apis/gl.rs
+++ b/src/gfx_apis/gl.rs
@@ -67,7 +67,6 @@ macro_rules! dynload {
 
 use {
     crate::{
-        clientmem::ClientMemError,
         gfx_api::{
             AcquireSync, CopyTexture, FillRect, GfxApiOpt, GfxContext, GfxError, GfxTexture,
             ReleaseSync, SyncFile,
@@ -95,7 +94,7 @@ use {
     },
     isnt::std_1::vec::IsntVecExt,
     once_cell::sync::Lazy,
-    std::{cell::RefCell, rc::Rc, sync::Arc},
+    std::{cell::RefCell, error::Error, rc::Rc, sync::Arc},
     thiserror::Error,
 };
 
@@ -199,7 +198,7 @@ enum RenderError {
     #[error("Buffer format {0} is not supported for shm buffers in OpenGL context")]
     UnsupportedShmFormat(&'static str),
     #[error("Could not access the client memory")]
-    AccessFailed(#[source] ClientMemError),
+    AccessFailed(#[source] Box<dyn Error + Sync + Send>),
 }
 
 #[derive(Default)]
diff --git a/src/gfx_apis/gl/renderer/texture.rs b/src/gfx_apis/gl/renderer/texture.rs
index efa45b84..7add2b78 100644
--- a/src/gfx_apis/gl/renderer/texture.rs
+++ b/src/gfx_apis/gl/renderer/texture.rs
@@ -1,10 +1,9 @@
 use {
     crate::{
-        clientmem::ClientMemOffset,
         format::Format,
         gfx_api::{
             AsyncShmGfxTexture, AsyncShmGfxTextureCallback, GfxError, GfxTexture, PendingShmUpload,
-            ShmGfxTexture,
+            ShmGfxTexture, ShmMemory,
         },
         gfx_apis::gl::{
             gl::texture::GlTexture,
@@ -102,12 +101,15 @@ impl AsyncShmGfxTexture for Texture {
     fn async_upload(
         self: Rc<Self>,
         _callback: Rc<dyn AsyncShmGfxTextureCallback>,
-        mem: &Rc<ClientMemOffset>,
-        damage: Region,
+        mem: Rc<dyn ShmMemory>,
+        _damage: Region,
     ) -> Result<Option<PendingShmUpload>, GfxError> {
-        mem.access(|data| self.clone().sync_upload(data, damage))
-            .map_err(RenderError::AccessFailed)??;
-        Ok(None)
+        let mut res = Ok(());
+        mem.access(&mut |data| {
+            res = self.clone().sync_upload(data, Region::default());
+        })
+        .map_err(RenderError::AccessFailed)?;
+        res.map(|_| None)
     }
 
     fn sync_upload(self: Rc<Self>, data: &[Cell<u8>], _damage: Region) -> Result<(), GfxError> {
diff --git a/src/gfx_apis/vulkan/image.rs b/src/gfx_apis/vulkan/image.rs
index aa02a734..6826c2f6 100644
--- a/src/gfx_apis/vulkan/image.rs
+++ b/src/gfx_apis/vulkan/image.rs
@@ -1,11 +1,10 @@
 use {
     crate::{
-        clientmem::ClientMemOffset,
         format::Format,
         gfx_api::{
             AcquireSync, AsyncShmGfxTexture, AsyncShmGfxTextureCallback,
             AsyncShmGfxTextureUploadCancellable, GfxApiOpt, GfxError, GfxFramebuffer, GfxImage,
-            GfxTexture, PendingShmUpload, ReleaseSync, ShmGfxTexture, SyncFile,
+            GfxTexture, PendingShmUpload, ReleaseSync, ShmGfxTexture, ShmMemory, SyncFile,
         },
         gfx_apis::vulkan::{
             allocator::VulkanAllocation, device::VulkanDevice, format::VulkanModifierLimits,
@@ -579,13 +578,13 @@ impl AsyncShmGfxTexture for VulkanImage {
     fn async_upload(
         self: Rc<Self>,
         callback: Rc<dyn AsyncShmGfxTextureCallback>,
-        mem: &Rc<ClientMemOffset>,
+        mem: Rc<dyn ShmMemory>,
         damage: Region,
     ) -> Result<Option<PendingShmUpload>, GfxError> {
         let VulkanImageMemory::Internal(shm) = &self.ty else {
             unreachable!();
         };
-        let pending = shm.async_upload(&self, mem, damage, callback)?;
+        let pending = shm.async_upload(&self, &mem, damage, callback)?;
         Ok(pending)
     }
 
diff --git a/src/gfx_apis/vulkan/shm_image.rs b/src/gfx_apis/vulkan/shm_image.rs
index 7dcbb199..ced7ea0a 100644
--- a/src/gfx_apis/vulkan/shm_image.rs
+++ b/src/gfx_apis/vulkan/shm_image.rs
@@ -1,6 +1,5 @@
 use {
     crate::{
-        clientmem::ClientMemOffset,
         cpu_worker::{
             jobs::{
                 img_copy::ImgCopyWork,
@@ -9,7 +8,9 @@ use {
             CpuJob, CpuWork, CpuWorker,
         },
         format::{Format, FormatShmInfo},
-        gfx_api::{AsyncShmGfxTextureCallback, PendingShmUpload, SyncFile},
+        gfx_api::{
+            AsyncShmGfxTextureCallback, PendingShmUpload, ShmMemory, ShmMemoryBacking, SyncFile,
+        },
         gfx_apis::vulkan::{
             allocator::VulkanAllocation,
             command::VulkanCommandBuffer,
@@ -329,7 +330,7 @@ impl VulkanShmImage {
     pub fn async_upload(
         &self,
         img: &Rc<VulkanImage>,
-        client_mem: &Rc<ClientMemOffset>,
+        client_mem: &Rc<dyn ShmMemory>,
         damage: Region,
         callback: Rc<dyn AsyncShmGfxTextureCallback>,
     ) -> Result<Option<PendingShmUpload>, VulkanError> {
@@ -350,13 +351,13 @@ impl VulkanShmImage {
         &self,
         img: &Rc<VulkanImage>,
         data: &VulkanShmImageAsyncData,
-        client_mem: &Rc<ClientMemOffset>,
+        client_mem: &Rc<dyn ShmMemory>,
         mut damage: Region,
     ) -> Result<(), VulkanError> {
         if data.busy.get() {
             return Err(VulkanError::AsyncCopyBusy);
         }
-        if self.size > client_mem.ptr().len() as u64 {
+        if self.size > client_mem.len() as u64 {
             return Err(VulkanError::InvalidBufferSize);
         }
         data.busy.set(true);
@@ -530,7 +531,7 @@ impl VulkanShmImage {
     fn async_upload_after_allocation(
         &self,
         img: &Rc<VulkanImage>,
-        client_mem: &Rc<ClientMemOffset>,
+        client_mem: &Rc<dyn ShmMemory>,
         res: Result<VulkanStagingBuffer, VulkanError>,
     ) -> Result<(), VulkanError> {
         let staging = Rc::new(res?);
@@ -546,73 +547,76 @@ impl VulkanShmImage {
         data: &VulkanShmImageAsyncData,
         staging: &VulkanStagingBuffer,
         copies: &[BufferImageCopy2],
-        client_mem: &Rc<ClientMemOffset>,
+        client_mem: &Rc<dyn ShmMemory>,
     ) -> Result<(), VulkanError> {
         img.renderer.check_defunct()?;
 
         let id = img.renderer.allocate_point();
         let pending;
-        if client_mem.pool().sigbus_impossible() {
-            let mut job = data.copy_job.take().unwrap_or_else(|| {
-                Box::new(CopyUploadJob {
-                    img: None,
-                    id,
-                    _mem: None,
-                    work: unsafe { ImgCopyWork::new() },
-                })
-            });
-            job.id = id;
-            job.img = Some(img.clone());
-            job._mem = Some(client_mem.clone());
-            job.work.src = client_mem.ptr() as _;
-            job.work.dst = staging.allocation.mem.unwrap();
-            job.work.width = img.width as _;
-            job.work.stride = img.stride as _;
-            job.work.bpp = self.shm_info.bpp as _;
-            job.work.rects.clear();
-            for copy in copies {
-                job.work.rects.push(
-                    Rect::new_sized(
-                        copy.image_offset.x as _,
-                        copy.image_offset.y as _,
-                        copy.image_extent.width as _,
-                        copy.image_extent.height as _,
-                    )
-                    .unwrap(),
-                );
+        match client_mem.safe_access() {
+            ShmMemoryBacking::Ptr(ptr) => {
+                let mut job = data.copy_job.take().unwrap_or_else(|| {
+                    Box::new(CopyUploadJob {
+                        img: None,
+                        id,
+                        _mem: None,
+                        work: unsafe { ImgCopyWork::new() },
+                    })
+                });
+                job.id = id;
+                job.img = Some(img.clone());
+                job._mem = Some(client_mem.clone());
+                job.work.src = ptr as _;
+                job.work.dst = staging.allocation.mem.unwrap();
+                job.work.width = img.width as _;
+                job.work.stride = img.stride as _;
+                job.work.bpp = self.shm_info.bpp as _;
+                job.work.rects.clear();
+                for copy in copies {
+                    job.work.rects.push(
+                        Rect::new_sized(
+                            copy.image_offset.x as _,
+                            copy.image_offset.y as _,
+                            copy.image_extent.width as _,
+                            copy.image_extent.height as _,
+                        )
+                        .unwrap(),
+                    );
+                }
+                pending = data.cpu.submit(job);
             }
-            pending = data.cpu.submit(job);
-        } else {
-            let mut min_offset = client_mem.ptr().len() as u64;
-            let mut max_offset = 0;
-            for copy in copies {
-                min_offset = min_offset.min(copy.buffer_offset);
-                let len = img.stride * (copy.image_extent.height - 1)
-                    + copy.image_extent.width * self.shm_info.bpp;
-                max_offset = max_offset.max(copy.buffer_offset + len as u64);
+            ShmMemoryBacking::Fd(fd, offset) => {
+                let mut min_offset = client_mem.len() as u64;
+                let mut max_offset = 0;
+                for copy in copies {
+                    min_offset = min_offset.min(copy.buffer_offset);
+                    let len = img.stride * (copy.image_extent.height - 1)
+                        + copy.image_extent.width * self.shm_info.bpp;
+                    max_offset = max_offset.max(copy.buffer_offset + len as u64);
+                }
+                let mut job = data.io_job.take().unwrap_or_else(|| {
+                    Box::new(IoUploadJob {
+                        img: None,
+                        id,
+                        _mem: None,
+                        work: unsafe { ReadWriteWork::new() },
+                        fd: None,
+                    })
+                });
+                job.id = id;
+                job.img = Some(img.clone());
+                job._mem = Some(client_mem.clone());
+                job.fd = Some(fd.clone());
+                unsafe {
+                    let config = job.work.config();
+                    config.fd = fd.raw();
+                    config.offset = offset + min_offset as usize;
+                    config.ptr = staging.allocation.mem.unwrap().add(min_offset as _);
+                    config.len = max_offset.saturating_sub(min_offset) as usize;
+                    config.write = false;
+                }
+                pending = data.cpu.submit(job);
             }
-            let mut job = data.io_job.take().unwrap_or_else(|| {
-                Box::new(IoUploadJob {
-                    img: None,
-                    id,
-                    _mem: None,
-                    work: unsafe { ReadWriteWork::new() },
-                    fd: None,
-                })
-            });
-            job.id = id;
-            job.img = Some(img.clone());
-            job._mem = Some(client_mem.clone());
-            job.fd = Some(client_mem.pool().fd().clone());
-            unsafe {
-                let config = job.work.config();
-                config.fd = client_mem.pool().fd().raw();
-                config.offset = client_mem.offset() + min_offset as usize;
-                config.ptr = staging.allocation.mem.unwrap().add(min_offset as _);
-                config.len = max_offset.saturating_sub(min_offset) as usize;
-                config.write = false;
-            }
-            pending = data.cpu.submit(job);
         }
 
         img.renderer.pending_cpu_jobs.set(id, pending);
@@ -653,7 +657,7 @@ impl VulkanShmImage {
 pub(super) struct IoUploadJob {
     img: Option<Rc<VulkanImage>>,
     id: u64,
-    _mem: Option<Rc<ClientMemOffset>>,
+    _mem: Option<Rc<dyn ShmMemory>>,
     fd: Option<Rc<OwnedFd>>,
     work: ReadWriteWork,
 }
@@ -661,7 +665,7 @@ pub(super) struct IoUploadJob {
 pub(super) struct CopyUploadJob {
     img: Option<Rc<VulkanImage>>,
     id: u64,
-    _mem: Option<Rc<ClientMemOffset>>,
+    _mem: Option<Rc<dyn ShmMemory>>,
     work: ImgCopyWork,
 }
 
diff --git a/src/ifs/wl_surface/commit_timeline.rs b/src/ifs/wl_surface/commit_timeline.rs
index da4a2c46..544d98a6 100644
--- a/src/ifs/wl_surface/commit_timeline.rs
+++ b/src/ifs/wl_surface/commit_timeline.rs
@@ -460,7 +460,7 @@ fn schedule_async_upload(
         }
     };
     back_tex
-        .async_upload(node_ref.clone(), mem, back.damage.get())
+        .async_upload(node_ref.clone(), mem.clone(), back.damage.get())
         .map_err(WlSurfaceError::PrepareAsyncUpload)
 }
 
diff --git a/src/it/test_gfx_api.rs b/src/it/test_gfx_api.rs
index 90157cfa..95c52864 100644
--- a/src/it/test_gfx_api.rs
+++ b/src/it/test_gfx_api.rs
@@ -1,14 +1,13 @@
 use {
     crate::{
         allocator::{Allocator, AllocatorError, BufferObject, BufferUsage},
-        clientmem::{ClientMemError, ClientMemOffset},
         cpu_worker::CpuWorker,
         format::{Format, ARGB8888, XRGB8888},
         gfx_api::{
             AcquireSync, AsyncShmGfxTexture, AsyncShmGfxTextureCallback, CopyTexture, FillRect,
             FramebufferRect, GfxApiOpt, GfxContext, GfxError, GfxFormat, GfxFramebuffer, GfxImage,
             GfxTexture, GfxWriteModifier, PendingShmUpload, ReleaseSync, ResetStatus,
-            ShmGfxTexture, SyncFile,
+            ShmGfxTexture, ShmMemory, SyncFile,
         },
         rect::{Rect, Region},
         theme::Color,
@@ -20,6 +19,7 @@ use {
     std::{
         any::Any,
         cell::{Cell, RefCell},
+        error::Error,
         ffi::CString,
         fmt::{Debug, Formatter},
         ops::Deref,
@@ -36,7 +36,7 @@ enum TestGfxError {
     #[error("Could not import dmabuf")]
     ImportDmaBuf(#[source] AllocatorError),
     #[error("Could not access the client memory")]
-    AccessFailed(#[source] ClientMemError),
+    AccessFailed(#[source] Box<dyn Error + Sync + Send>),
 }
 
 impl From<TestGfxError> for GfxError {
@@ -336,12 +336,15 @@ impl AsyncShmGfxTexture for TestGfxImage {
     fn async_upload(
         self: Rc<Self>,
         _callback: Rc<dyn AsyncShmGfxTextureCallback>,
-        mem: &Rc<ClientMemOffset>,
-        damage: Region,
+        mem: Rc<dyn ShmMemory>,
+        _damage: Region,
     ) -> Result<Option<PendingShmUpload>, GfxError> {
-        mem.access(|d| self.clone().sync_upload(d, damage))
-            .map_err(TestGfxError::AccessFailed)??;
-        Ok(None)
+        let mut res = Ok(());
+        mem.access(&mut |d| {
+            res = self.clone().sync_upload(d, Region::default());
+        })
+        .map_err(TestGfxError::AccessFailed)?;
+        res.map(|_| None)
     }
 
     fn sync_upload(self: Rc<Self>, mem: &[Cell<u8>], _damage: Region) -> Result<(), GfxError> {