diff --git a/abstract_backend.cpp b/abstract_backend.cpp
index 8f0172caac..59fa327b79 100644
--- a/abstract_backend.cpp
+++ b/abstract_backend.cpp
@@ -33,12 +33,10 @@ namespace KWin
 AbstractBackend::AbstractBackend(QObject *parent)
     : QObject(parent)
 {
-    WaylandServer::self()->installBackend(this);
 }
 
 AbstractBackend::~AbstractBackend()
 {
-    WaylandServer::self()->uninstallBackend(this);
 }
 
 QImage AbstractBackend::softwareCursor() const
diff --git a/autotests/wayland/kwin_wayland_test.cpp b/autotests/wayland/kwin_wayland_test.cpp
index 76b1b9a866..6cacc6a082 100644
--- a/autotests/wayland/kwin_wayland_test.cpp
+++ b/autotests/wayland/kwin_wayland_test.cpp
@@ -24,6 +24,8 @@ along with this program.  If not, see <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
 #include "../../workspace.h"
 #include "../../xcbutils.h"
 
+#include <KPluginMetaData>
+
 #include <QAbstractEventDispatcher>
 #include <QPluginLoader>
 #include <QSocketNotifier>
@@ -47,9 +49,8 @@ WaylandTestApplication::WaylandTestApplication(int &argc, char **argv)
     setUseKActivities(false);
 #endif
     qputenv("KWIN_COMPOSE", QByteArrayLiteral("Q"));
-    WaylandServer *server = WaylandServer::create(this);
-    QPluginLoader loader(QStringLiteral(KWINBACKENDPATH));
-    loader.instance()->setParent(server);
+    initPlatform(KPluginMetaData(QStringLiteral(KWINBACKENDPATH)));
+    WaylandServer::create(this);
 }
 
 WaylandTestApplication::~WaylandTestApplication()
diff --git a/main.cpp b/main.cpp
index 25f5fae984..5de2e78668 100644
--- a/main.cpp
+++ b/main.cpp
@@ -22,6 +22,7 @@ along with this program.  If not, see <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
 #include "main.h"
 #include <config-kwin.h>
 // kwin
+#include "abstract_backend.h"
 #include "atoms.h"
 #include "composite.h"
 #include "cursor.h"
@@ -39,6 +40,7 @@ along with this program.  If not, see <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
 #include <KConfigGroup>
 #include <KCrash>
 #include <KLocalizedString>
+#include <KPluginMetaData>
 #include <KSharedConfig>
 // Qt
 #include <qplatformdefs.h>
@@ -528,5 +530,27 @@ QProcessEnvironment Application::processStartupEnvironment() const
     return QProcessEnvironment::systemEnvironment();
 }
 
+void Application::initPlatform(const KPluginMetaData &plugin)
+{
+    Q_ASSERT(!m_platform);
+    m_platform = qobject_cast<AbstractBackend*>(plugin.instantiate());
+    if (m_platform) {
+        m_platform->setParent(this);
+#if HAVE_INPUT
+        // check whether it needs libinput
+        const QJsonObject &metaData = plugin.rawData();
+        auto it = metaData.find(QStringLiteral("input"));
+        if (it != metaData.end()) {
+            if ((*it).isBool()) {
+                if (!(*it).toBool()) {
+                    qCDebug(KWIN_CORE) << "Platform does not support input, enforcing libinput support";
+                    setUseLibinput(true);
+                }
+            }
+        }
+#endif
+    }
+}
+
 } // namespace
 
diff --git a/main.h b/main.h
index 1ea9c1c1d8..e7b928ac1e 100644
--- a/main.h
+++ b/main.h
@@ -33,11 +33,14 @@ along with this program.  If not, see <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
 #include <QAbstractNativeEventFilter>
 #include <QProcessEnvironment>
 
+class KPluginMetaData;
 class QCommandLineParser;
 
 namespace KWin
 {
 
+class AbstractBackend;
+
 class XcbEventFilter : public QAbstractNativeEventFilter
 {
 public:
@@ -161,6 +164,11 @@ public:
 
     virtual QProcessEnvironment processStartupEnvironment() const;
 
+    void initPlatform(const KPluginMetaData &plugin);
+    AbstractBackend *platform() const {
+        return m_platform;
+    }
+
     static void setupMalloc();
     static void setupLocalizedString();
 
@@ -225,6 +233,7 @@ private:
 #ifdef KWIN_BUILD_ACTIVITIES
     bool m_useKActivities = true;
 #endif
+    AbstractBackend *m_platform = nullptr;
     static int crashes;
 };
 
diff --git a/main_wayland.cpp b/main_wayland.cpp
index c9ee426150..73396df1f3 100644
--- a/main_wayland.cpp
+++ b/main_wayland.cpp
@@ -693,26 +693,11 @@ int main(int argc, char * argv[])
     }
     server->init(parser.value(waylandSocketOption).toUtf8(), flags);
 
-    if (qobject_cast<KWin::AbstractBackend*>((*pluginIt).instantiate())) {
-#if HAVE_INPUT
-        // check whether it needs libinput
-        const QJsonObject &metaData = (*pluginIt).rawData();
-        auto it = metaData.find(QStringLiteral("input"));
-        if (it != metaData.end()) {
-            if ((*it).isBool()) {
-                if (!(*it).toBool()) {
-                    std::cerr << "Backend does not support input, enforcing libinput support" << std::endl;
-                    KWin::Application::setUseLibinput(true);
-                }
-            }
-        }
-#endif
-    }
-    if (!server->backend()) {
+    a.initPlatform(*pluginIt);
+    if (!a.platform()) {
         std::cerr << "FATAL ERROR: could not instantiate a backend" << std::endl;
         return 1;
     }
-    server->backend()->setParent(server);
     if (!deviceIdentifier.isEmpty()) {
         server->backend()->setDeviceIdentifier(deviceIdentifier);
     }
diff --git a/wayland_server.cpp b/wayland_server.cpp
index cb7a15c943..fbf54a9d09 100644
--- a/wayland_server.cpp
+++ b/wayland_server.cpp
@@ -238,7 +238,7 @@ void WaylandServer::init(const QByteArray &socketName, InitalizationFlags flags)
     m_outputManagement = m_display->createOutputManagement(m_display);
     connect(m_outputManagement, &OutputManagementInterface::configurationChangeRequested,
             this, [this](KWayland::Server::OutputConfigurationInterface *config) {
-                m_backend->configurationChangeRequested(config);
+                kwinApp()->platform()->configurationChangeRequested(config);
     });
 
     m_display->createSubCompositor(m_display)->create();
@@ -282,7 +282,7 @@ void WaylandServer::initWorkspace()
 
 void WaylandServer::initOutputs()
 {
-    if (m_backend && m_backend->handlesOutputs()) {
+    if (kwinApp()->platform()->handlesOutputs()) {
         return;
     }
     Screens *s = screens();
@@ -377,18 +377,6 @@ void WaylandServer::createInternalConnection()
     m_internalConnection.client->initConnection();
 }
 
-void WaylandServer::installBackend(AbstractBackend *backend)
-{
-    Q_ASSERT(!m_backend);
-    m_backend = backend;
-}
-
-void WaylandServer::uninstallBackend(AbstractBackend *backend)
-{
-    Q_ASSERT(m_backend == backend);
-    m_backend = nullptr;
-}
-
 void WaylandServer::removeClient(ShellClient *c)
 {
     m_clients.removeAll(c);
@@ -525,4 +513,9 @@ bool WaylandServer::isScreenLocked() const
            ScreenLocker::KSldApp::self()->lockState() == ScreenLocker::KSldApp::AcquiringLock;
 }
 
+AbstractBackend *WaylandServer::backend() const
+{
+    return kwinApp()->platform();
+}
+
 }
diff --git a/wayland_server.h b/wayland_server.h
index 26b2eec2b6..531b72e821 100644
--- a/wayland_server.h
+++ b/wayland_server.h
@@ -106,11 +106,7 @@ public:
     ShellClient *findClient(KWayland::Server::SurfaceInterface *surface) const;
     ShellClient *findClient(QWindow *w) const;
 
-    AbstractBackend *backend() const {
-        return m_backend;
-    }
-    void installBackend(AbstractBackend *backend);
-    void uninstallBackend(AbstractBackend *backend);
+    AbstractBackend *backend() const;
 
     /**
      * @returns file descriptor for Xwayland to connect to.
@@ -188,7 +184,6 @@ private:
         KWayland::Client::ShmPool *shm = nullptr;
 
     } m_internalConnection;
-    AbstractBackend *m_backend = nullptr;
     QList<ShellClient*> m_clients;
     QList<ShellClient*> m_internalClients;
     QHash<KWayland::Server::ClientConnection*, quint16> m_clientIds;