diff --git a/include/libweston/libweston.h b/include/libweston/libweston.h
index 7f45c9134..69481ed20 100644
--- a/include/libweston/libweston.h
+++ b/include/libweston/libweston.h
@@ -1440,6 +1440,8 @@ struct weston_compositor {
 	const struct pixel_format_info *read_format;
 
 	struct weston_backend *backend;
+	struct wl_list backend_list;
+
 	struct weston_launcher *launcher;
 
 	struct weston_dmabuf_feedback *default_dmabuf_feedback;
diff --git a/libweston/backend.h b/libweston/backend.h
index 46ad2885e..69cd91db6 100644
--- a/libweston/backend.h
+++ b/libweston/backend.h
@@ -40,6 +40,8 @@
 struct weston_hdr_metadata_type1;
 
 struct weston_backend {
+	struct wl_list link; /**< in weston_compositor::backend_list */
+
 	/** Bitfield of supported presentation clocks
 	 *
 	 * Bit positions correspond to system clock IDs.
diff --git a/libweston/compositor.c b/libweston/compositor.c
index 773915ec7..12ed1cabf 100644
--- a/libweston/compositor.c
+++ b/libweston/compositor.c
@@ -8973,6 +8973,8 @@ weston_compositor_create(struct wl_display *display,
 	wl_list_init(&ec->debug_binding_list);
 	wl_list_init(&ec->tablet_manager_resource_list);
 
+	wl_list_init(&ec->backend_list);
+
 	wl_list_init(&ec->plugin_api_list);
 
 	wl_data_device_manager_init(ec->wl_display);
@@ -9399,6 +9401,25 @@ weston_compositor_add_destroy_listener_once(struct weston_compositor *compositor
 	return true;
 }
 
+static void
+weston_compositor_shutdown_backends(struct weston_compositor *compositor)
+{
+	struct weston_backend *backend;
+
+	wl_list_for_each(backend, &compositor->backend_list, link)
+		if (backend->shutdown)
+			backend->shutdown(backend);
+}
+
+static void
+weston_compositor_destroy_backends(struct weston_compositor *compositor)
+{
+	struct weston_backend *backend, *tmp;
+
+	wl_list_for_each_safe(backend, tmp, &compositor->backend_list, link)
+		backend->destroy(backend);
+}
+
 /** Destroys the compositor.
  *
  * This function cleans up the compositor state and then destroys it.
@@ -9417,13 +9438,11 @@ weston_compositor_destroy(struct weston_compositor *compositor)
 
 	weston_compositor_xkb_destroy(compositor);
 
-	if (compositor->backend && compositor->backend->shutdown)
-		compositor->backend->shutdown(compositor->backend);
+	weston_compositor_shutdown_backends(compositor);
 
 	weston_compositor_shutdown(compositor);
 
-	if (compositor->backend)
-		compositor->backend->destroy(compositor->backend);
+	weston_compositor_destroy_backends(compositor);
 
 	/* The backend is responsible for destroying the heads. */
 	assert(wl_list_empty(&compositor->head_list));
@@ -9530,6 +9549,8 @@ weston_compositor_load_backend(struct weston_compositor *compositor,
 		return -1;
 	}
 
+	wl_list_insert(&compositor->backend_list, &compositor->backend->link);
+
 	return 0;
 }