diff --git a/src/libei-socket.c b/src/libei-socket.c
index 6c58b0a..d4aee17 100644
--- a/src/libei-socket.c
+++ b/src/libei-socket.c
@@ -73,7 +73,7 @@ static const struct ei_backend_interface interface = {
 };
 
 _public_ int
-ei_socket_init(struct ei *ei, const char *socketpath)
+ei_setup_backend_socket(struct ei *ei, const char *socketpath)
 {
 	assert(ei);
 	assert(!ei->backend);
diff --git a/src/libei.h b/src/libei.h
index b370c7d..9bcac73 100644
--- a/src/libei.h
+++ b/src/libei.h
@@ -109,10 +109,10 @@ void
 ei_configure_name(struct ei * ei, const char *name);
 
 /**
- * Initialize the ei context with a named socket as backend.
+ * Set this ei context to use the socket backend.
  */
 int
-ei_socket_init(struct ei *ei, const char *socketpath);
+ei_setup_backend_socket(struct ei *ei, const char *socketpath);
 
 struct ei *
 ei_ref(struct ei *ctx);
diff --git a/tools/ei-socket-client.c b/tools/ei-socket-client.c
index 42826de..1ba85ef 100644
--- a/tools/ei-socket-client.c
+++ b/tools/ei-socket-client.c
@@ -43,7 +43,7 @@ int main(int argc, char **argv)
 
 	ei_configure_name(ei, "ei-socket-client-demo");
 
-	int rc = ei_socket_init(ei, getenv("LIBEI_SOCKET") ? NULL : SOCKETNAME);
+	int rc = ei_setup_backend_socket(ei, getenv("LIBEI_SOCKET") ? NULL : SOCKETNAME);
 
 	if (rc != 0) {
 		fprintf(stderr, "init failed: %s\n", strerror(errno));