diff --git a/backend/backend.c b/backend/backend.c
index 1e57e8321..fb2446ca3 100644
--- a/backend/backend.c
+++ b/backend/backend.c
@@ -39,9 +39,10 @@
 #define WAIT_SESSION_TIMEOUT 10000 // ms
 
 void wlr_backend_init(struct wlr_backend *backend,
-		const struct wlr_backend_impl *impl) {
+		const struct wlr_backend_impl *impl, struct wl_event_loop *loop) {
 	*backend = (struct wlr_backend){
 		.impl = impl,
+		.event_loop = loop,
 	};
 	wl_signal_init(&backend->events.destroy);
 	wl_signal_init(&backend->events.new_input);
diff --git a/backend/drm/backend.c b/backend/drm/backend.c
index 4697234db..aa23e11d9 100644
--- a/backend/drm/backend.c
+++ b/backend/drm/backend.c
@@ -208,7 +208,7 @@ struct wlr_backend *wlr_drm_backend_create(struct wl_display *display,
 		wlr_log_errno(WLR_ERROR, "Allocation failed");
 		return NULL;
 	}
-	wlr_backend_init(&drm->backend, &backend_impl);
+	wlr_backend_init(&drm->backend, &backend_impl, wl_display_get_event_loop(display));
 
 	drm->session = session;
 	wl_list_init(&drm->fbs);
diff --git a/backend/headless/backend.c b/backend/headless/backend.c
index 8ab7d039e..a3f1a7ca1 100644
--- a/backend/headless/backend.c
+++ b/backend/headless/backend.c
@@ -72,7 +72,7 @@ struct wlr_backend *wlr_headless_backend_create(struct wl_display *display) {
 		return NULL;
 	}
 
-	wlr_backend_init(&backend->backend, &backend_impl);
+	wlr_backend_init(&backend->backend, &backend_impl, wl_display_get_event_loop(display));
 
 	backend->display = display;
 	wl_list_init(&backend->outputs);
diff --git a/backend/libinput/backend.c b/backend/libinput/backend.c
index cbdf8b72e..2a0b405ca 100644
--- a/backend/libinput/backend.c
+++ b/backend/libinput/backend.c
@@ -199,7 +199,7 @@ struct wlr_backend *wlr_libinput_backend_create(struct wl_display *display,
 		wlr_log(WLR_ERROR, "Allocation failed: %s", strerror(errno));
 		return NULL;
 	}
-	wlr_backend_init(&backend->backend, &backend_impl);
+	wlr_backend_init(&backend->backend, &backend_impl, wl_display_get_event_loop(display));
 
 	wl_list_init(&backend->devices);
 
diff --git a/backend/multi/backend.c b/backend/multi/backend.c
index 8c36834e4..d3ebfea9a 100644
--- a/backend/multi/backend.c
+++ b/backend/multi/backend.c
@@ -119,7 +119,7 @@ struct wlr_backend *wlr_multi_backend_create(struct wl_display *display) {
 	}
 
 	wl_list_init(&backend->backends);
-	wlr_backend_init(&backend->backend, &backend_impl);
+	wlr_backend_init(&backend->backend, &backend_impl, wl_display_get_event_loop(display));
 
 	wl_signal_init(&backend->events.backend_add);
 	wl_signal_init(&backend->events.backend_remove);
diff --git a/backend/wayland/backend.c b/backend/wayland/backend.c
index 9f78b6f1b..5e56ca85b 100644
--- a/backend/wayland/backend.c
+++ b/backend/wayland/backend.c
@@ -577,7 +577,7 @@ struct wlr_backend *wlr_wl_backend_create(struct wl_display *display,
 		return NULL;
 	}
 
-	wlr_backend_init(&wl->backend, &backend_impl);
+	wlr_backend_init(&wl->backend, &backend_impl, wl_display_get_event_loop(display));
 
 	wl->local_display = display;
 	wl_list_init(&wl->outputs);
diff --git a/backend/x11/backend.c b/backend/x11/backend.c
index fcaab6186..5102921aa 100644
--- a/backend/x11/backend.c
+++ b/backend/x11/backend.c
@@ -400,7 +400,7 @@ struct wlr_backend *wlr_x11_backend_create(struct wl_display *display,
 		return NULL;
 	}
 
-	wlr_backend_init(&x11->backend, &backend_impl);
+	wlr_backend_init(&x11->backend, &backend_impl, wl_display_get_event_loop(display));
 	x11->wl_display = display;
 	wl_list_init(&x11->outputs);
 
diff --git a/include/wlr/backend.h b/include/wlr/backend.h
index 9a8a2d874..2ea7621d6 100644
--- a/include/wlr/backend.h
+++ b/include/wlr/backend.h
@@ -19,6 +19,7 @@ struct wlr_backend_impl;
  */
 struct wlr_backend {
 	const struct wlr_backend_impl *impl;
+	struct wl_event_loop *event_loop;
 
 	struct {
 		/** Raised when destroyed */
diff --git a/include/wlr/backend/interface.h b/include/wlr/backend/interface.h
index da57cae90..c5d8bbf43 100644
--- a/include/wlr/backend/interface.h
+++ b/include/wlr/backend/interface.h
@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@ struct wlr_backend_impl {
  * to the provided struct wlr_backend_impl reference.
  */
 void wlr_backend_init(struct wlr_backend *backend,
-		const struct wlr_backend_impl *impl);
+		const struct wlr_backend_impl *impl, struct wl_event_loop *loop);
 /**
  * Emit the destroy event and clean up common backend state.
  */