diff --git a/libweston/perfetto/annotations.c b/libweston/perfetto/annotations.c
index f383a699f..8eccf79f8 100644
--- a/libweston/perfetto/annotations.c
+++ b/libweston/perfetto/annotations.c
@@ -26,21 +26,55 @@
 #include "config.h"
 #include <libweston/libweston.h>
 
+#include "libweston/pixel-formats.h"
 #include "perfetto/annotations.h"
 #include "shared/weston-assert.h"
 #include "weston-trace.h"
 
-WL_EXPORT int
-perfetto_annotate_int(struct weston_debug_annotation *annots,
-		      unsigned int count,
-		      const char *key,
-		      int value)
+
+static int
+do_perfetto_annotate_int(struct weston_debug_annotation *annots,
+			 unsigned int count,
+			 unsigned int parent,
+			 const char *key,
+			 unsigned int key_size,
+			 int value)
 {
 	weston_assert_u32_gt(NULL, WESTON_MAX_DEBUG_ANNOTS, count);
 
 	annots[count].type = WESTON_DEBUG_ANNOTATION_INT_VAL;
 	annots[count].ivalue = value;
+	annots[count].parent = parent;
 	annots[count].key = key;
+	annots[count].key_size = key_size;
+	return 1;
+}
+
+WL_EXPORT int
+perfetto_annotate_int(struct weston_debug_annotation *annots,
+		      unsigned int count,
+		      const char *key,
+		      unsigned int key_size,
+		      int value)
+{
+	return do_perfetto_annotate_int(annots, count, count, key, key_size, value);
+}
+
+static int
+do_perfetto_annotate_float(struct weston_debug_annotation *annots,
+			   unsigned int count,
+			   unsigned int parent,
+			   const char *key,
+			   unsigned int key_size,
+			   float value)
+{
+	weston_assert_u32_gt(NULL, WESTON_MAX_DEBUG_ANNOTS, count);
+
+	annots[count].type = WESTON_DEBUG_ANNOTATION_FLOAT_VAL;
+	annots[count].fvalue = value;
+	annots[count].parent = parent;
+	annots[count].key = key;
+	annots[count].key_size = key_size;
 
 	return 1;
 }
@@ -49,13 +83,27 @@ WL_EXPORT int
 perfetto_annotate_float(struct weston_debug_annotation *annots,
 			unsigned int count,
 			const char *key,
+			unsigned int key_size,
 			float value)
+{
+	return do_perfetto_annotate_float(annots, count, count, key, key_size, value);
+}
+
+static int
+do_perfetto_annotate_string(struct weston_debug_annotation *annots,
+			    unsigned int count,
+			    unsigned int parent,
+			    const char *key,
+			    unsigned int key_size,
+			    const char *value)
 {
 	weston_assert_u32_gt(NULL, WESTON_MAX_DEBUG_ANNOTS, count);
 
-	annots[count].type = WESTON_DEBUG_ANNOTATION_FLOAT_VAL;
-	annots[count].fvalue = value;
+	annots[count].type = WESTON_DEBUG_ANNOTATION_STR_VAL;
+	annots[count].svalue = value;
+	annots[count].parent = parent;
 	annots[count].key = key;
+	annots[count].key_size = key_size;
 
 	return 1;
 }
@@ -64,13 +112,58 @@ WL_EXPORT int
 perfetto_annotate_string(struct weston_debug_annotation *annots,
 			 unsigned int count,
 			 const char *key,
+			 unsigned int key_size,
 			 const char *value)
+{
+	return do_perfetto_annotate_string(annots, count, count, key, key_size, value);
+}
+
+static int
+perfetto_annotate_container(struct weston_debug_annotation *annots,
+			    unsigned int count,
+			    unsigned int parent,
+			    const char *key,
+			    unsigned int key_size)
 {
 	weston_assert_u32_gt(NULL, WESTON_MAX_DEBUG_ANNOTS, count);
 
-	annots[count].type = WESTON_DEBUG_ANNOTATION_STR_VAL;
-	annots[count].svalue = value;
+	annots[count].type = WESTON_DEBUG_ANNOTATION_CONTAINER;
 	annots[count].key = key;
+	annots[count].key_size = key_size;
+	annots[count].parent = parent;
 
 	return 1;
 }
+
+/* Helper macros for the complex annotations */
+#define ADD_STRING(parent, key, value) \
+	do_perfetto_annotate_string(annots, count + new_items, parent, key, sizeof(key), value)
+
+#define ADD_INT(parent, key, value) \
+	do_perfetto_annotate_int(annots, count + new_items, parent, key, sizeof(key), value)
+
+#define ADD_FLOAT(parent, key, value) \
+	do_perfetto_annotate_float(annots, count + new_items, parent, key, sizeof(key), value)
+
+WL_EXPORT int
+perfetto_annotate_buffer(struct weston_debug_annotation *annots,
+			 unsigned int count,
+			 const char *key,
+			 unsigned int key_size,
+			 const struct weston_buffer *buffer)
+{
+	int new_items = 0;
+	int parent = count;
+
+	if (!buffer)
+		return perfetto_annotate_string(annots, count, key, key_size, "None");
+
+	new_items += perfetto_annotate_container(annots, count, count, key, key_size);
+
+	new_items += ADD_STRING(parent, "format", buffer->pixel_format->drm_format_name);
+	new_items += ADD_STRING(parent, "modifier", buffer->format_modifier_name);
+	new_items += ADD_INT(parent, "width", buffer->width);
+	new_items += ADD_INT(parent, "height", buffer->height);
+
+	return new_items;
+}
diff --git a/libweston/perfetto/annotations.h b/libweston/perfetto/annotations.h
index 17a90db4b..aaa64e1e0 100644
--- a/libweston/perfetto/annotations.h
+++ b/libweston/perfetto/annotations.h
@@ -33,16 +33,26 @@ int
 perfetto_annotate_int(struct weston_debug_annotation *annots,
 		      unsigned int count,
 		      const char *key,
+		      unsigned int key_size,
 		      int value);
 
 int
 perfetto_annotate_float(struct weston_debug_annotation *annots,
 			unsigned int count,
 			const char *key,
+			unsigned int key_size,
 			float value);
 
 int
 perfetto_annotate_string(struct weston_debug_annotation *annots,
 			 unsigned int count,
 			 const char *key,
+			 unsigned int key_size,
 			 const char *value);
+
+int
+perfetto_annotate_buffer(struct weston_debug_annotation *annots,
+			 unsigned int count,
+			 const char *key,
+			 unsigned int key_size,
+			 const struct weston_buffer *buffer);
diff --git a/libweston/perfetto/u_perfetto.cc b/libweston/perfetto/u_perfetto.cc
index 6a472dcc4..168060e4d 100644
--- a/libweston/perfetto/u_perfetto.cc
+++ b/libweston/perfetto/u_perfetto.cc
@@ -151,6 +151,29 @@ util_perfetto_next_id(void)
 	return p_atomic_inc_return(&util_perfetto_unique_id);
 }
 
+static char *
+build_key(char *space, size_t size, struct weston_debug_annotation *annots, unsigned int idx)
+{
+	char *cur = space + size;
+
+	cur -= annots[idx].key_size;
+	memcpy(cur, annots[idx].key, annots[idx].key_size);
+
+	do {
+		idx = annots[idx].parent;
+
+		if (space + 2 + annots[idx].key_size - 1 >= cur)
+			return NULL;
+
+		*(--cur) = ':';
+		*(--cur) = ':';
+		cur -= annots[idx].key_size - 1;
+		memcpy(cur, annots[idx].key, annots[idx].key_size - 1);
+	} while (idx != annots[idx].parent);
+
+	return cur;
+}
+
 static void
 util_perfetto_flush_debug_annotation(perfetto::EventContext *ctx,
 				     unsigned int nr_entries,
@@ -160,15 +183,40 @@ util_perfetto_flush_debug_annotation(perfetto::EventContext *ctx,
 		return;
 
 	for (unsigned int idx = 0; idx < nr_entries; idx++) {
+		const char *key = annots[idx].key;
+		char keyspace[400];
+		bool use_built_key;
+
+		if (annots[idx].type == WESTON_DEBUG_ANNOTATION_CONTAINER)
+			continue;
+
+		use_built_key = false;
+		if (annots[idx].parent != idx) {
+			key = build_key(keyspace, sizeof(keyspace), annots, idx);
+			if (!key)
+				continue;
+
+			use_built_key = true;
+		}
+
 		switch (annots[idx].type) {
 		case WESTON_DEBUG_ANNOTATION_INT_VAL:
-			ctx->AddDebugAnnotation(annots[idx].key, annots[idx].ivalue);
+			if (use_built_key)
+				ctx->AddDebugAnnotation(perfetto::DynamicString(key), annots[idx].ivalue);
+			else
+				ctx->AddDebugAnnotation(key, annots[idx].ivalue);
 			break;
 		case WESTON_DEBUG_ANNOTATION_FLOAT_VAL:
-			ctx->AddDebugAnnotation(annots[idx].key, annots[idx].fvalue);
+			if (use_built_key)
+				ctx->AddDebugAnnotation(perfetto::DynamicString(key), annots[idx].fvalue);
+			else
+				ctx->AddDebugAnnotation(key, annots[idx].fvalue);
 			break;
 		case WESTON_DEBUG_ANNOTATION_STR_VAL:
-			ctx->AddDebugAnnotation(annots[idx].key, annots[idx].svalue);
+			if (use_built_key)
+				ctx->AddDebugAnnotation(perfetto::DynamicString(key), annots[idx].svalue);
+			else
+				ctx->AddDebugAnnotation(key, annots[idx].svalue);
 			break;
 		default:
 			break;
diff --git a/libweston/perfetto/u_perfetto.h b/libweston/perfetto/u_perfetto.h
index 4c84b7250..1ac50124b 100644
--- a/libweston/perfetto/u_perfetto.h
+++ b/libweston/perfetto/u_perfetto.h
@@ -43,16 +43,19 @@ enum weston_debug_annotation_type {
         WESTON_DEBUG_ANNOTATION_INT_VAL,
         WESTON_DEBUG_ANNOTATION_FLOAT_VAL,
         WESTON_DEBUG_ANNOTATION_STR_VAL,
+	WESTON_DEBUG_ANNOTATION_CONTAINER,
 };
 
 struct weston_debug_annotation {
         const char *key;
+	size_t key_size;
         enum weston_debug_annotation_type type;
         union {
                 int ivalue;
                 float fvalue;
                 const char *svalue;
         };
+	unsigned int parent;
 };
 
 #ifdef HAVE_PERFETTO
diff --git a/libweston/surface-state.c b/libweston/surface-state.c
index c1dc3ac29..3e8765841 100644
--- a/libweston/surface-state.c
+++ b/libweston/surface-state.c
@@ -205,13 +205,8 @@ weston_surface_attach(struct weston_surface *surface,
 	enum weston_paint_node_status pnode_changes = WESTON_PAINT_NODE_CLEAN;
 
 	WESTON_TRACE_BEGIN_ANNOTATION();
-	if (buffer) {
-		WESTON_TRACE_ANNOTATE(("surface", surface->internal_name),
-				      ("format", buffer->pixel_format->drm_format_name),
-				      ("modifier", buffer->format_modifier_name),
-				      ("width", buffer->width),
-				      ("height", buffer->height));
-	}
+	WESTON_TRACE_ANNOTATE(("surface", surface->internal_name),
+			      ("new buffer", buffer));
 	WESTON_TRACE_ANNOTATE_FUNC_FLOW(&surface->flow_id);
 
 	if (!buffer) {
diff --git a/libweston/weston-trace.h b/libweston/weston-trace.h
index db0b72512..031cb8327 100644
--- a/libweston/weston-trace.h
+++ b/libweston/weston-trace.h
@@ -89,8 +89,10 @@
 			unsigned int: perfetto_annotate_int,                   \
 			float: perfetto_annotate_float,                        \
 			char *: perfetto_annotate_string,                      \
-			const char *: perfetto_annotate_string                 \
-		) (__pd_annots, __pd_i, k, v);                                 \
+			const char *: perfetto_annotate_string,                \
+			struct weston_buffer *: perfetto_annotate_buffer,      \
+			const struct weston_buffer *: perfetto_annotate_buffer \
+		) (__pd_annots, __pd_i, k, sizeof(k), v);                      \
 	}
 
 #define _WESTON_TRACE_COMMIT_ANNOTATION(id, name)                                                       \