diff --git a/apps/openmw/mwlua/uibindings.cpp b/apps/openmw/mwlua/uibindings.cpp
index d42f7b0637..98a653949d 100644
--- a/apps/openmw/mwlua/uibindings.cpp
+++ b/apps/openmw/mwlua/uibindings.cpp
@@ -95,6 +95,13 @@ namespace MWLua
         MWBase::WindowManager* windowManager = MWBase::Environment::get().getWindowManager();
 
         auto element = context.mLua->sol().new_usertype<LuaUi::Element>("Element");
+        element[sol::meta_function::to_string] = [](const LuaUi::Element& element) {
+            std::stringstream res;
+            res << "UiElement";
+            if (element.mLayer != "")
+                res << "[" << element.mLayer << "]";
+            return res.str();
+        };
         element["layout"] = sol::property([](LuaUi::Element& element) { return element.mLayout; },
             [](LuaUi::Element& element, const sol::table& layout) { element.mLayout = layout; });
         element["update"] = [luaManager = context.mLuaManager](const std::shared_ptr<LuaUi::Element>& element) {
diff --git a/components/lua_ui/adapter.cpp b/components/lua_ui/adapter.cpp
index 2fd6365977..44493f6f46 100644
--- a/components/lua_ui/adapter.cpp
+++ b/components/lua_ui/adapter.cpp
@@ -18,11 +18,16 @@ namespace LuaUi
     {
         mContainer = MyGUI::Gui::getInstancePtr()->createWidget<LuaContainer>(
             "", MyGUI::IntCoord(), MyGUI::Align::Default, "", "");
-        mContainer->initialize(luaState, mContainer);
-        mContainer->onCoordChange([this](WidgetExtension* ext, MyGUI::IntCoord coord) { setSize(coord.size()); });
+        mContainer->initialize(luaState, mContainer, false);
+        mContainer->widget()->eventChangeCoord += MyGUI::newDelegate(this, &LuaAdapter::containerChangedCoord);
         mContainer->widget()->attachToWidget(this);
     }
 
+    void LuaAdapter::containerChangedCoord(MyGUI::Widget*)
+    {
+        setSize(mContainer->getSize());
+    }
+
     void LuaAdapter::attach(const std::shared_ptr<Element>& element)
     {
         detachElement();
@@ -44,14 +49,20 @@ namespace LuaUi
 
     void LuaAdapter::attachElement()
     {
-        if (mElement.get())
-            mElement->attachToWidget(mContainer);
+        if (!mElement.get())
+            return;
+        if (!mElement->mRoot)
+            throw std::logic_error("Attempting to use a destroyed UI Element");
+        mContainer->setChildren({ mElement->mRoot });
+        mElement->mRoot->updateCoord();
+        mContainer->updateCoord();
     }
 
     void LuaAdapter::detachElement()
     {
-        if (mElement.get())
-            mElement->detachFromWidget();
+        mContainer->setChildren({});
+        if (mElement && mElement->mRoot)
+            mElement->mRoot->widget()->detachFromWidget();
         mElement = nullptr;
     }
 }
diff --git a/components/lua_ui/adapter.hpp b/components/lua_ui/adapter.hpp
index d699e4992f..1524a55425 100644
--- a/components/lua_ui/adapter.hpp
+++ b/components/lua_ui/adapter.hpp
@@ -25,6 +25,8 @@ namespace LuaUi
 
         void attachElement();
         void detachElement();
+
+        void containerChangedCoord(MyGUI::Widget*);
     };
 }
 
diff --git a/components/lua_ui/container.hpp b/components/lua_ui/container.hpp
index 79d3cd8fa8..16f19d3c12 100644
--- a/components/lua_ui/container.hpp
+++ b/components/lua_ui/container.hpp
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@ namespace LuaUi
     {
         MYGUI_RTTI_DERIVED(LuaContainer)
 
+    public:
         MyGUI::IntSize calculateSize() override;
         void updateCoord() override;
 
diff --git a/components/lua_ui/content.cpp b/components/lua_ui/content.cpp
index 2e1d4ca0c4..dd169a9291 100644
--- a/components/lua_ui/content.cpp
+++ b/components/lua_ui/content.cpp
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 #include "content.hpp"
+#include "element.hpp"
 
 namespace LuaUi
 {
@@ -14,6 +15,8 @@ namespace LuaUi
 
     bool isValidContent(const sol::object& object)
     {
+        if (object.is<Element>())
+            return true;
         if (object.get_type() != sol::type::table)
             return false;
         sol::table table = object;
diff --git a/components/lua_ui/content.hpp b/components/lua_ui/content.hpp
index c8bb82ecf3..1a0379b817 100644
--- a/components/lua_ui/content.hpp
+++ b/components/lua_ui/content.hpp
@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@ namespace LuaUi
             : mTable(std::move(table))
         {
             if (!isValidContent(mTable))
-                throw std::domain_error("Expected a Content table");
+                throw std::domain_error("Invalid UI Content");
         }
 
         size_t size() const { return mTable.size(); }
@@ -43,17 +43,17 @@ namespace LuaUi
         }
         void insert(size_t index, const sol::table& table) { callMethod("insert", toLua(index), table); }
 
-        sol::table at(size_t index) const
+        sol::object at(size_t index) const
         {
             if (index < size())
-                return mTable.get<sol::table>(toLua(index));
+                return mTable.get<sol::object>(toLua(index));
             else
                 throw std::range_error("Invalid Content index");
         }
-        sol::table at(std::string_view name) const
+        sol::object at(std::string_view name) const
         {
             if (indexOf(name).has_value())
-                return mTable.get<sol::table>(name);
+                return mTable.get<sol::object>(name);
             else
                 throw std::range_error("Invalid Content key");
         }
diff --git a/components/lua_ui/content.lua b/components/lua_ui/content.lua
index fbd39d5f68..99fdb86b70 100644
--- a/components/lua_ui/content.lua
+++ b/components/lua_ui/content.lua
@@ -1,12 +1,17 @@
 local M = {}
 M.__Content = true
+
+function validateContentChild(v)
+    if not (type(v) == 'table' or v.__type and v.__type.name == 'LuaUi::Element') then
+        error('Content can only contain tables and Elements')
+    end
+end
+
 M.new = function(source)
     local result = {}
     result.__nameIndex = {}
     for i, v in ipairs(source) do
-        if type(v) ~= 'table' then
-            error('Content can only contain tables')
-        end
+        validateContentChild(v)
         result[i] = v
         if type(v.name) == 'string' then
             result.__nameIndex[v.name] = i
@@ -38,9 +43,7 @@ end
 local methods = {
     insert = function(self, index, value)
         validateIndex(self, index)
-        if type(value) ~= 'table' then
-            error('Content can only contain tables')
-        end
+        validateContentChild(value)
         for i = #self, index, -1 do
             rawset(self, i + 1, rawget(self, i))
             local name = rawget(self, i + 1)
@@ -56,7 +59,7 @@ local methods = {
     indexOf = function(self, value)
         if type(value) == 'string' then
             return self.__nameIndex[value]
-        elseif type(value) == 'table' then
+        else
             for i = 1, #self do
                 if rawget(self, i) == value then
                     return i
@@ -113,10 +116,9 @@ M.__newindex = function(self, key, value)
     local index = getIndexFromKey(self, key)
     if value == nil then
         remove(self, index)
-    elseif type(value) == 'table' then
-        assign(self, index, value)
     else
-        error('Content can only contain tables')
+        validateContentChild(value)
+        assign(self, index, value)
     end
 end
 M.__tostring = function(self)
diff --git a/components/lua_ui/element.cpp b/components/lua_ui/element.cpp
index 4fe9349b9e..71f2ba9c96 100644
--- a/components/lua_ui/element.cpp
+++ b/components/lua_ui/element.cpp
@@ -43,12 +43,70 @@ namespace LuaUi
             return type;
         }
 
-        void destroyWidget(LuaUi::WidgetExtension* ext)
+        void destroyWidget(WidgetExtension* ext)
         {
             ext->deinitialize();
             MyGUI::Gui::getInstancePtr()->destroyWidget(ext->widget());
         }
 
+        void destroyChild(WidgetExtension* ext)
+        {
+            if (!ext->isRoot())
+                destroyWidget(ext);
+            else
+                ext->widget()->detachFromWidget();
+        }
+
+        void detachElements(WidgetExtension* ext)
+        {
+            for (auto* child : ext->children())
+            {
+                if (child->isRoot())
+                    child->widget()->detachFromWidget();
+                else
+                    detachElements(child);
+            }
+            for (auto* child : ext->templateChildren())
+            {
+                if (child->isRoot())
+                    child->widget()->detachFromWidget();
+                else
+                    detachElements(child);
+            }
+        }
+
+        void destroyRoot(WidgetExtension* ext)
+        {
+            detachElements(ext);
+            destroyWidget(ext);
+        }
+
+        void updateRootCoord(WidgetExtension* ext)
+        {
+            WidgetExtension* root = ext;
+            while (root->getParent())
+                root = root->getParent();
+            root->updateCoord();
+        }
+
+        WidgetExtension* pluckElementRoot(const sol::object& child)
+        {
+            std::shared_ptr<Element> element = child.as<std::shared_ptr<Element>>();
+            WidgetExtension* root = element->mRoot;
+            if (!root)
+                throw std::logic_error("Using a destroyed element as a layout child");
+            WidgetExtension* parent = root->getParent();
+            if (parent)
+            {
+                auto children = parent->children();
+                std::remove(children.begin(), children.end(), root);
+                parent->setChildren(children);
+                root->widget()->detachFromWidget();
+            }
+            root->updateCoord();
+            return root;
+        }
+
         WidgetExtension* createWidget(const sol::table& layout, uint64_t depth);
         void updateWidget(WidgetExtension* ext, const sol::table& layout, uint64_t depth);
 
@@ -60,7 +118,7 @@ namespace LuaUi
             if (contentObj == sol::nil)
             {
                 for (WidgetExtension* w : children)
-                    destroyWidget(w);
+                    destroyChild(w);
                 return result;
             }
             ContentView content(LuaUtil::cast<sol::table>(contentObj));
@@ -69,22 +127,39 @@ namespace LuaUi
             for (size_t i = 0; i < minSize; i++)
             {
                 WidgetExtension* ext = children[i];
-                sol::table newLayout = content.at(i);
-                if (ext->widget()->getTypeName() == widgetType(newLayout))
+                sol::object child = content.at(i);
+                if (child.is<Element>())
                 {
-                    updateWidget(ext, newLayout, depth);
+                    WidgetExtension* root = pluckElementRoot(child);
+                    if (ext != root)
+                        destroyChild(ext);
+                    result[i] = root;
                 }
                 else
                 {
-                    destroyWidget(ext);
-                    ext = createWidget(newLayout, depth);
+                    sol::table newLayout = child.as<sol::table>();
+                    if (ext->widget()->getTypeName() == widgetType(newLayout))
+                    {
+                        updateWidget(ext, newLayout, depth);
+                    }
+                    else
+                    {
+                        destroyChild(ext);
+                        ext = createWidget(newLayout, depth);
+                    }
+                    result[i] = ext;
                 }
-                result[i] = ext;
             }
             for (size_t i = minSize; i < children.size(); i++)
-                destroyWidget(children[i]);
+                destroyChild(children[i]);
             for (size_t i = minSize; i < content.size(); i++)
-                result[i] = createWidget(content.at(i), depth);
+            {
+                sol::object child = content.at(i);
+                if (child.is<Element>())
+                    result[i] = pluckElementRoot(child);
+                else
+                    result[i] = createWidget(child.as<sol::table>(), depth);
+            }
             return result;
         }
 
@@ -97,7 +172,7 @@ namespace LuaUi
             ext->setTemplateChildren(updateContent(ext->templateChildren(), content, depth));
         }
 
-        void setEventCallbacks(LuaUi::WidgetExtension* ext, const sol::object& eventsObj)
+        void setEventCallbacks(WidgetExtension* ext, const sol::object& eventsObj)
         {
             ext->clearCallbacks();
             if (eventsObj == sol::nil)
@@ -130,7 +205,7 @@ namespace LuaUi
             WidgetExtension* ext = dynamic_cast<WidgetExtension*>(widget);
             if (!ext)
                 throw std::runtime_error("Invalid widget!");
-            ext->initialize(layout.lua_state(), widget);
+            ext->initialize(layout.lua_state(), widget, depth == 0);
 
             updateWidget(ext, layout, depth);
             return ext;
@@ -169,7 +244,6 @@ namespace LuaUi
 
     Element::Element(sol::table layout)
         : mRoot(nullptr)
-        , mAttachedTo(nullptr)
         , mLayout(std::move(layout))
         , mLayer()
         , mUpdate(false)
@@ -191,7 +265,7 @@ namespace LuaUi
         {
             mRoot = createWidget(layout(), 0);
             mLayer = setLayer(mRoot, layout());
-            updateAttachment();
+            updateRootCoord(mRoot);
         }
     }
 
@@ -201,15 +275,21 @@ namespace LuaUi
         {
             if (mRoot->widget()->getTypeName() != widgetType(layout()))
             {
-                destroyWidget(mRoot);
+                destroyRoot(mRoot);
+                WidgetExtension* parent = mRoot->getParent();
+                auto children = parent->children();
+                auto it = std::find(children.begin(), children.end(), mRoot);
                 mRoot = createWidget(layout(), 0);
+                *it = mRoot;
+                parent->setChildren(children);
+                mRoot->updateCoord();
             }
             else
             {
                 updateWidget(mRoot, layout(), 0);
             }
             mLayer = setLayer(mRoot, layout());
-            updateAttachment();
+            updateRootCoord(mRoot);
         }
         mUpdate = false;
     }
@@ -218,40 +298,10 @@ namespace LuaUi
     {
         if (mRoot)
         {
-            destroyWidget(mRoot);
+            destroyRoot(mRoot);
             mRoot = nullptr;
             mLayout = sol::make_object(mLayout.lua_state(), sol::nil);
         }
         sAllElements.erase(this);
     }
-
-    void Element::attachToWidget(WidgetExtension* w)
-    {
-        if (mAttachedTo)
-            throw std::logic_error("A UI element can't be attached to two widgets at once");
-        mAttachedTo = w;
-        updateAttachment();
-    }
-
-    void Element::detachFromWidget()
-    {
-        if (mRoot)
-            mRoot->widget()->detachFromWidget();
-        if (mAttachedTo)
-            mAttachedTo->setChildren({});
-        mAttachedTo = nullptr;
-    }
-
-    void Element::updateAttachment()
-    {
-        if (!mRoot)
-            return;
-        if (mAttachedTo)
-        {
-            if (!mLayer.empty())
-                Log(Debug::Warning) << "Ignoring element's layer " << mLayer << " because it's attached to a widget";
-            mAttachedTo->setChildren({ mRoot });
-            mAttachedTo->updateCoord();
-        }
-    }
 }
diff --git a/components/lua_ui/element.hpp b/components/lua_ui/element.hpp
index b57af92fee..5aadb1beab 100644
--- a/components/lua_ui/element.hpp
+++ b/components/lua_ui/element.hpp
@@ -17,7 +17,6 @@ namespace LuaUi
         }
 
         WidgetExtension* mRoot;
-        WidgetExtension* mAttachedTo;
         sol::object mLayout;
         std::string mLayer;
         bool mUpdate;
@@ -31,14 +30,10 @@ namespace LuaUi
 
         friend void clearUserInterface();
 
-        void attachToWidget(WidgetExtension* w);
-        void detachFromWidget();
-
     private:
         Element(sol::table layout);
         sol::table layout() { return LuaUtil::cast<sol::table>(mLayout); }
         static std::map<Element*, std::shared_ptr<Element>> sAllElements;
-        void updateAttachment();
     };
 }
 
diff --git a/components/lua_ui/widget.cpp b/components/lua_ui/widget.cpp
index e3188f6136..9550c9de73 100644
--- a/components/lua_ui/widget.cpp
+++ b/components/lua_ui/widget.cpp
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@ namespace LuaUi
         : mForcePosition(false)
         , mForceSize(false)
         , mPropagateEvents(true)
+        , mVisible(true)
         , mLua(nullptr)
         , mWidget(nullptr)
         , mSlot(this)
@@ -18,13 +19,15 @@ namespace LuaUi
         , mExternal(sol::nil)
         , mParent(nullptr)
         , mTemplateChild(false)
+        , mElementRoot(false)
     {
     }
 
-    void WidgetExtension::initialize(lua_State* lua, MyGUI::Widget* self)
+    void WidgetExtension::initialize(lua_State* lua, MyGUI::Widget* self, bool isRoot)
     {
         mLua = lua;
         mWidget = self;
+        mElementRoot = isRoot;
         initialize();
         updateTemplate();
     }
@@ -40,8 +43,6 @@ namespace LuaUi
         clearCallbacks();
         clearEvents(mWidget);
 
-        mOnCoordChange.reset();
-
         for (WidgetExtension* w : mChildren)
             w->deinitialize();
         for (WidgetExtension* w : mTemplateChildren)
@@ -92,10 +93,9 @@ namespace LuaUi
     {
         // workaround for MyGUI bug
         // parent visibility doesn't affect added children
-        MyGUI::Widget* widget = this->widget();
-        MyGUI::Widget* parent = widget->getParent();
-        bool inheritedVisible = widget->getVisible() && (parent == nullptr || parent->getInheritedVisible());
-        widget->setVisible(inheritedVisible);
+        MyGUI::Widget* parent = widget()->getParent();
+        bool inheritedVisible = mVisible && (parent == nullptr || parent->getInheritedVisible());
+        widget()->setVisible(inheritedVisible);
     }
 
     void WidgetExtension::attach(WidgetExtension* ext)
@@ -262,8 +262,6 @@ namespace LuaUi
         if (oldCoord != newCoord)
             mWidget->setCoord(newCoord);
         updateChildrenCoord();
-        if (oldCoord != newCoord && mOnCoordChange.has_value())
-            mOnCoordChange.value()(this, newCoord);
     }
 
     void WidgetExtension::setProperties(const sol::object& props)
@@ -280,7 +278,8 @@ namespace LuaUi
         mRelativeCoord = propertyValue("relativePosition", MyGUI::FloatPoint());
         mRelativeCoord = propertyValue("relativeSize", MyGUI::FloatSize());
         mAnchor = propertyValue("anchor", MyGUI::FloatSize());
-        mWidget->setVisible(propertyValue("visible", true));
+        mVisible = propertyValue("visible", true);
+        mWidget->setVisible(mVisible);
         mWidget->setPointer(propertyValue("pointer", std::string("arrow")));
         mWidget->setAlpha(propertyValue("alpha", 1.f));
         mWidget->setInheritsAlpha(propertyValue("inheritAlpha", true));
diff --git a/components/lua_ui/widget.hpp b/components/lua_ui/widget.hpp
index 81698b0479..c72b64ae3b 100644
--- a/components/lua_ui/widget.hpp
+++ b/components/lua_ui/widget.hpp
@@ -26,13 +26,16 @@ namespace LuaUi
         virtual ~WidgetExtension() = default;
 
         // must be called after creating the underlying MyGUI::Widget
-        void initialize(lua_State* lua, MyGUI::Widget* self);
+        void initialize(lua_State* lua, MyGUI::Widget* self, bool isRoot);
         // must be called after before destroying the underlying MyGUI::Widget
         virtual void deinitialize();
 
         MyGUI::Widget* widget() const { return mWidget; }
         WidgetExtension* slot() const { return mSlot; }
 
+        bool isRoot() const { return mElementRoot; }
+        WidgetExtension* getParent() const { return mParent; }
+
         void reset();
 
         const std::vector<WidgetExtension*>& children() { return mChildren; }
@@ -66,11 +69,6 @@ namespace LuaUi
             return parseExternal(mExternal, name, defaultValue);
         }
 
-        void onCoordChange(const std::optional<std::function<void(WidgetExtension*, MyGUI::IntCoord)>>& callback)
-        {
-            mOnCoordChange = callback;
-        }
-
         virtual MyGUI::IntSize calculateSize();
         virtual MyGUI::IntPoint calculatePosition(const MyGUI::IntSize& size);
         MyGUI::IntCoord calculateCoord();
@@ -137,6 +135,7 @@ namespace LuaUi
         MyGUI::FloatSize mAnchor;
 
         bool mPropagateEvents;
+        bool mVisible; // used to implement updateVisible
 
     private:
         // use lua_State* instead of sol::state_view because MyGUI requires a default constructor
@@ -152,6 +151,7 @@ namespace LuaUi
         sol::object mExternal;
         WidgetExtension* mParent;
         bool mTemplateChild;
+        bool mElementRoot;
 
         void attach(WidgetExtension* ext);
         void attachTemplate(WidgetExtension* ext);
@@ -172,8 +172,6 @@ namespace LuaUi
         void focusGain(MyGUI::Widget*, MyGUI::Widget*);
         void focusLoss(MyGUI::Widget*, MyGUI::Widget*);
 
-        std::optional<std::function<void(WidgetExtension*, MyGUI::IntCoord)>> mOnCoordChange;
-
         void updateVisible();
     };
 
diff --git a/files/lua_api/openmw/ui.lua b/files/lua_api/openmw/ui.lua
index 2fefe4fd84..451f919077 100644
--- a/files/lua_api/openmw/ui.lua
+++ b/files/lua_api/openmw/ui.lua
@@ -164,9 +164,9 @@
 
 ---
 -- Content. An array-like container, which allows to reference elements by their name.
--- Implements [iterables#List](iterables.html#List) of #Layout and [iterables#Map](iterables.html#Map) of #string to #Layout.
+-- Implements [iterables#List](iterables.html#List) of #Layout or #Element and [iterables#Map](iterables.html#Map) of #string to #Layout or #Element.
 -- @type Content
--- @list <#Layout>
+-- @list <#any>
 -- @usage
 -- local content = ui.content {
 --    { name = 'input' },
@@ -200,27 +200,27 @@
 -- @function [parent=#Content] __index
 -- @param self
 -- @param #string name
--- @return #Layout
+-- @return #any
 
 ---
 -- Puts the layout at given index by shifting all the elements after it
 -- @function [parent=#Content] insert
 -- @param self
 -- @param #number index
--- @param #Layout layout
+-- @param #any layoutOrElement
 
 ---
 -- Adds the layout at the end of the Content
 -- (same as calling insert with `last index + 1`)
 -- @function [parent=#Content] add
 -- @param self
--- @param #Layout layout
+-- @param #any layoutOrElement
 
 ---
 -- Finds the index of the given layout. If it is not in the container, returns nil
 -- @function [parent=#Content] indexOf
 -- @param self
--- @param #Layout layout
+-- @param #any layoutOrElement
 -- @return #number, #nil index
 
 ---
@@ -228,10 +228,35 @@
 -- @type Element
 
 ---
--- Refreshes the rendered element to match the current layout state
+-- Refreshes the rendered element to match the current layout state.
+-- Refreshes positions and sizes, but not the layout of the child Elements.
 -- @function [parent=#Element] update
 -- @param self
 
+-- @usage
+-- local child = ui.create {
+--     type = ui.TYPE.Text,
+--     props = {
+--         text = 'child 1',
+--     },
+-- }
+-- local parent = ui.create {
+--     content = ui.content {
+--         child,
+--         {
+--             type = ui.TYPE.Text,
+--             props = {
+--                 text = 'parent 1',
+--             },
+--         }
+--     }
+-- }
+-- -- ...
+-- child.layout.props.text = 'child 2'
+-- parent.layout.content[2].props.text = 'parent 2'
+-- parent:update() -- will show 'parent 2', but 'child 1'
+
+
 ---
 -- Destroys the element
 -- @function [parent=#Element] destroy