diff --git a/sway/commands/backend.c b/sway/commands/backend.c
index 900315f70..fed2515fc 100644
--- a/sway/commands/backend.c
+++ b/sway/commands/backend.c
@@ -21,6 +21,11 @@ static struct cmd_results *backend_cmd_add(int argc, char **argv) {
 		return error;
 	}
 
+	const char *name = NULL;
+	if (argc > 1) {
+		name = argv[1];
+	}
+
 	const char *type_name = argv[0];
 	enum sway_backend_type type;
 	if (strcasecmp(type_name, "wayland") == 0) {
@@ -39,7 +44,7 @@ static struct cmd_results *backend_cmd_add(int argc, char **argv) {
 	}
 
 	struct sway_backend *backend =
-		sway_backend_create(type, NULL);
+		sway_backend_create(type, name);
 	sway_server_add_backend(&server, backend);
 
 	return cmd_results_new(CMD_SUCCESS, NULL, NULL);
@@ -47,7 +52,6 @@ static struct cmd_results *backend_cmd_add(int argc, char **argv) {
 
 static struct cmd_results *backend_cmd_add_output(int argc, char **argv,
 		struct sway_backend *backend) {
-	// TODO allow to name the output
 	char *name = NULL;
 	if (argc > 0) {
 		name = argv[0];
@@ -90,8 +94,8 @@ struct cmd_results *cmd_backend(int argc, char **argv) {
 		return error;
 	}
 
-	int argc_new = argc-2;
-	char **argv_new = argv+2;
+	int argc_new = argc-1;
+	char **argv_new = argv+1;
 
 	if (strcasecmp("add", argv[0]) == 0) {
 		return backend_cmd_add(argc_new, argv_new);
@@ -107,6 +111,9 @@ struct cmd_results *cmd_backend(int argc, char **argv) {
 				"Cannot find backend: %s", argv[0]);
 	}
 
+	--argc_new;
+	++argv_new;
+
 	if (strcasecmp("add-output", argv[1]) == 0) {
 		return backend_cmd_add_output(argc_new, argv_new, backend);
 	} else if (strcasecmp("del-output", argv[1]) == 0) {
diff --git a/sway/server.c b/sway/server.c
index aaf118f6d..5fff0c9d4 100644
--- a/sway/server.c
+++ b/sway/server.c
@@ -146,6 +146,8 @@ struct sway_backend *sway_server_get_backend(struct sway_server *server,
 	return NULL;
 }
 
+static int backend_count = 0;
+
 struct sway_backend *sway_backend_create(enum sway_backend_type type,
 		const char *name) {
 	struct sway_backend *backend =
@@ -159,6 +161,9 @@ struct sway_backend *sway_backend_create(enum sway_backend_type type,
 		// TODO: figure out what to call the backend based on what the backend
 		// type is and how many other backends are configured of that type
 		// (<type>-<num>).
+		char new_name[256];
+		snprintf(new_name, sizeof(new_name), "backend-%d", ++backend_count);
+		backend->name = strdup(new_name);
 	} else {
 		backend->name = strdup(name);
 	}
@@ -232,7 +237,7 @@ void sway_server_add_backend(struct sway_server *server,
 		break;
 	}
 
-	if (backend == NULL) {
+	if (wlr_backend == NULL) {
 		wlr_log(L_ERROR, "could not create backend '%s'", backend->name);
 		sway_backend_destroy(backend);
 		return;