diff --git a/libweston/backend-drm/drm-gbm.c b/libweston/backend-drm/drm-gbm.c
index 4fcb080bc..d1781cb62 100644
--- a/libweston/backend-drm/drm-gbm.c
+++ b/libweston/backend-drm/drm-gbm.c
@@ -278,7 +278,7 @@ drm_output_init_egl(struct drm_output *output, struct drm_backend *b)
 void
 drm_output_fini_egl(struct drm_output *output)
 {
-	struct drm_backend *b = to_drm_backend(output->base.compositor);
+	struct drm_backend *b = output->backend;
 
 	/* Destroying the GBM surface will destroy all our GBM buffers,
 	 * regardless of refcount. Ensure we destroy them here. */
diff --git a/libweston/backend-drm/drm-internal.h b/libweston/backend-drm/drm-internal.h
index aefd91702..7d1d4985e 100644
--- a/libweston/backend-drm/drm-internal.h
+++ b/libweston/backend-drm/drm-internal.h
@@ -553,6 +553,7 @@ struct drm_crtc {
 
 struct drm_output {
 	struct weston_output base;
+	struct drm_backend *backend;
 	struct drm_device *device;
 	struct drm_crtc *crtc;
 
diff --git a/libweston/backend-drm/drm.c b/libweston/backend-drm/drm.c
index d33f4f15e..73b6a67ec 100644
--- a/libweston/backend-drm/drm.c
+++ b/libweston/backend-drm/drm.c
@@ -1244,7 +1244,7 @@ err:
 static void
 drm_output_fini_pixman(struct drm_output *output)
 {
-	struct drm_backend *b = to_drm_backend(output->base.compositor);
+	struct drm_backend *b = output->backend;
 	unsigned int i;
 
 	/* Destroying the Pixman surface will destroy all our buffers,
@@ -1293,7 +1293,8 @@ static int
 drm_output_attach_head(struct weston_output *output_base,
 		       struct weston_head *head_base)
 {
-	struct drm_backend *b = to_drm_backend(output_base->compositor);
+	struct drm_output *output = to_drm_output(output_base);
+	struct drm_backend *b = output->backend;
 	struct drm_device *device = b->drm;
 
 	if (wl_list_length(&output_base->head_list) >= MAX_CLONED_CONNECTORS)
@@ -1322,7 +1323,8 @@ static void
 drm_output_detach_head(struct weston_output *output_base,
 		       struct weston_head *head_base)
 {
-	struct drm_backend *b = to_drm_backend(output_base->compositor);
+	struct drm_output *output = to_drm_output(output_base);
+	struct drm_backend *b = output->backend;
 	struct drm_device *device = b->drm;
 
 	if (!output_base->enabled)
@@ -1409,7 +1411,7 @@ drm_output_set_seat(struct weston_output *base,
 		    const char *seat)
 {
 	struct drm_output *output = to_drm_output(base);
-	struct drm_backend *b = to_drm_backend(base->compositor);
+	struct drm_backend *b = output->backend;
 
 	setup_output_seat_constraint(b, &output->base,
 				     seat ? seat : "");
@@ -1704,7 +1706,7 @@ err:
 static int
 drm_output_init_planes(struct drm_output *output)
 {
-	struct drm_backend *b = to_drm_backend(output->base.compositor);
+	struct drm_backend *b = output->backend;
 	struct drm_device *device = output->device;
 
 	output->scanout_plane =
@@ -1742,7 +1744,7 @@ drm_output_init_planes(struct drm_output *output)
 static void
 drm_output_deinit_planes(struct drm_output *output)
 {
-	struct drm_backend *b = to_drm_backend(output->base.compositor);
+	struct drm_backend *b = output->backend;
 	struct drm_device *device = output->device;
 
 	/* If the compositor is already shutting down, the planes have already
@@ -1939,7 +1941,7 @@ static void
 drm_output_deinit(struct weston_output *base)
 {
 	struct drm_output *output = to_drm_output(base);
-	struct drm_backend *b = to_drm_backend(base->compositor);
+	struct drm_backend *b = output->backend;
 	struct drm_device *device = b->drm;
 	struct drm_pending_state *pending;
 
@@ -2361,6 +2363,8 @@ drm_output_create(struct weston_backend *backend, const char *name)
 	output->base.attach_head = drm_output_attach_head;
 	output->base.detach_head = drm_output_detach_head;
 
+	output->backend = b;
+
 	output->destroy_pending = false;
 	output->disable_pending = false;
 
diff --git a/libweston/backend-drm/fb.c b/libweston/backend-drm/fb.c
index 6ae4ecd51..6fe19bf7f 100644
--- a/libweston/backend-drm/fb.c
+++ b/libweston/backend-drm/fb.c
@@ -531,7 +531,7 @@ drm_fb_get_from_paint_node(struct drm_output_state *state,
 			   struct weston_paint_node *pnode)
 {
 	struct drm_output *output = state->output;
-	struct drm_backend *b = to_drm_backend(output->base.compositor);
+	struct drm_backend *b = output->backend;
 	struct drm_device *device = output->device;
 	struct weston_view *ev = pnode->view;
 	struct weston_buffer *buffer = ev->surface->buffer_ref.buffer;