diff --git a/src/compositor.c b/src/compositor.c
index 07874f62b..44126ddb2 100644
--- a/src/compositor.c
+++ b/src/compositor.c
@@ -4867,6 +4867,15 @@ weston_compositor_get_user_data(struct weston_compositor *compositor)
 	return compositor->user_data;
 }
 
+static const char * const backend_map[] = {
+	[WESTON_BACKEND_DRM] =		"drm-backend.so",
+	[WESTON_BACKEND_FBDEV] =	"fbdev-backend.so",
+	[WESTON_BACKEND_HEADLESS] =	"headless-backend.so",
+	[WESTON_BACKEND_RDP] =		"rdp-backend.so",
+	[WESTON_BACKEND_WAYLAND] =	"wayland-backend.so",
+	[WESTON_BACKEND_X11] =		"x11-backend.so",
+};
+
 /** Load a backend into a weston_compositor
  *
  * A backend must be loaded to make a weston_compositor work. A backend
@@ -4881,13 +4890,16 @@ weston_compositor_get_user_data(struct weston_compositor *compositor)
  */
 WL_EXPORT int
 weston_compositor_load_backend(struct weston_compositor *compositor,
-			       const char *backend,
+			       enum weston_compositor_backend backend,
 			       struct weston_backend_config *config_base)
 {
 	int (*backend_init)(struct weston_compositor *c,
 			    struct weston_backend_config *config_base);
 
-	backend_init = weston_load_module(backend, "backend_init");
+	if (backend < 0 || backend >= ARRAY_LENGTH(backend_map))
+		return -1;
+
+	backend_init = weston_load_module(backend_map[backend], "backend_init");
 	if (!backend_init)
 		return -1;
 
diff --git a/src/compositor.h b/src/compositor.h
index 25407a26b..cccd43483 100644
--- a/src/compositor.h
+++ b/src/compositor.h
@@ -1466,9 +1466,19 @@ void
 weston_compositor_destroy(struct weston_compositor *ec);
 struct weston_compositor *
 weston_compositor_create(struct wl_display *display, void *user_data);
+
+enum weston_compositor_backend {
+	WESTON_BACKEND_DRM,
+	WESTON_BACKEND_FBDEV,
+	WESTON_BACKEND_HEADLESS,
+	WESTON_BACKEND_RDP,
+	WESTON_BACKEND_WAYLAND,
+	WESTON_BACKEND_X11,
+};
+
 int
 weston_compositor_load_backend(struct weston_compositor *compositor,
-			       const char *backend,
+			       enum weston_compositor_backend backend,
 			       struct weston_backend_config *config_base);
 void
 weston_compositor_exit(struct weston_compositor *ec);
diff --git a/src/main.c b/src/main.c
index 27276ffcf..9e970d602 100644
--- a/src/main.c
+++ b/src/main.c
@@ -1003,7 +1003,8 @@ load_drm_backend(struct weston_compositor *c, const char *backend,
 	config.configure_output = drm_configure_output;
 	config.configure_device = configure_input_device;
 
-	ret = weston_compositor_load_backend(c, backend, &config.base);
+	ret = weston_compositor_load_backend(c, WESTON_BACKEND_DRM,
+					     &config.base);
 
 	free(config.gbm_format);
 	free(config.seat_id);
@@ -1042,7 +1043,8 @@ load_headless_backend(struct weston_compositor *c, char const * backend,
 	config.base.struct_size = sizeof(struct weston_headless_backend_config);
 
 	/* load the actual wayland backend and configure it */
-	ret = weston_compositor_load_backend(c, backend, &config.base);
+	ret = weston_compositor_load_backend(c, WESTON_BACKEND_HEADLESS,
+					     &config.base);
 
 	return ret;
 }
@@ -1087,7 +1089,8 @@ load_rdp_backend(struct weston_compositor *c, char const * backend,
 
 	parse_options(rdp_options, ARRAY_LENGTH(rdp_options), argc, argv);
 
-	ret = weston_compositor_load_backend(c, backend, &config.base);
+	ret = weston_compositor_load_backend(c, WESTON_BACKEND_RDP,
+					     &config.base);
 
 	free(config.bind_address);
 	free(config.rdp_key);
@@ -1127,7 +1130,8 @@ load_fbdev_backend(struct weston_compositor *c, char const * backend,
 	config.configure_device = configure_input_device;
 
 	/* load the actual wayland backend and configure it */
-	ret = weston_compositor_load_backend(c, backend, &config.base);
+	ret = weston_compositor_load_backend(c, WESTON_BACKEND_FBDEV,
+					     &config.base);
 
 	free(config.device);
 
@@ -1263,7 +1267,8 @@ load_x11_backend(struct weston_compositor *c, char const * backend,
 	config.base.struct_size = sizeof(struct weston_x11_backend_config);
 
 	/* load the actual backend and configure it */
-	ret = weston_compositor_load_backend(c, backend, &config.base);
+	ret = weston_compositor_load_backend(c, WESTON_BACKEND_X11,
+					     &config.base);
 
 out:
 	for (j = 0; j < config.num_outputs; ++j)
@@ -1483,7 +1488,8 @@ load_wayland_backend(struct weston_compositor *c, char const * backend,
 	}
 
 	/* load the actual wayland backend and configure it */
-	ret = weston_compositor_load_backend(c, backend, &config.base);
+	ret = weston_compositor_load_backend(c, WESTON_BACKEND_WAYLAND,
+					     &config.base);
 	weston_wayland_backend_config_release(&config);
 	return ret;
 }