diff --git a/backends/drm/egl_gbm_backend.cpp b/backends/drm/egl_gbm_backend.cpp
index aedd297e4b..f761aaea1f 100644
--- a/backends/drm/egl_gbm_backend.cpp
+++ b/backends/drm/egl_gbm_backend.cpp
@@ -39,8 +39,6 @@ EglGbmBackend::EglGbmBackend(DrmBackend *b)
     , AbstractEglBackend()
     , m_backend(b)
 {
-    initializeEgl();
-    init();
     // Egl is always direct rendering
     setIsDirectRendering(true);
     setSyncsToVBlank(true);
@@ -117,6 +115,10 @@ bool EglGbmBackend::initializeEgl()
 
 void EglGbmBackend::init()
 {
+    if (!initializeEgl()) {
+        setFailed("Could not initialize egl");
+        return;
+    }
     if (!initRenderingContext()) {
         setFailed("Could not initialize rendering context");
         return;
diff --git a/backends/drm/egl_gbm_backend.h b/backends/drm/egl_gbm_backend.h
index 33eaf1e87b..6051cf59a4 100644
--- a/backends/drm/egl_gbm_backend.h
+++ b/backends/drm/egl_gbm_backend.h
@@ -48,13 +48,13 @@ public:
     bool usesOverlayWindow() const override;
     bool perScreenRendering() const override;
     QRegion prepareRenderingForScreen(int screenId) override;
+    void init() override;
 
 protected:
     void present() override;
     void cleanupSurfaces() override;
 
 private:
-    void init();
     bool initializeEgl();
     bool initBufferConfigs();
     bool initRenderingContext();
diff --git a/backends/hwcomposer/egl_hwcomposer_backend.cpp b/backends/hwcomposer/egl_hwcomposer_backend.cpp
index 3c4387f1c2..a1a9d5ef93 100644
--- a/backends/hwcomposer/egl_hwcomposer_backend.cpp
+++ b/backends/hwcomposer/egl_hwcomposer_backend.cpp
@@ -28,11 +28,6 @@ EglHwcomposerBackend::EglHwcomposerBackend(HwcomposerBackend *backend)
     : AbstractEglBackend()
     , m_backend(backend)
 {
-    if (!initializeEgl()) {
-        setFailed("Failed to initialize egl");
-        return;
-    }
-    init();
     // EGL is always direct rendering
     setIsDirectRendering(true);
     setSyncsToVBlank(true);
@@ -60,6 +55,10 @@ bool EglHwcomposerBackend::initializeEgl()
 
 void EglHwcomposerBackend::init()
 {
+    if (!initializeEgl()) {
+        setFailed("Failed to initialize egl");
+        return;
+    }
     if (!initRenderingContext()) {
         setFailed("Could not initialize rendering context");
         return;
diff --git a/backends/hwcomposer/egl_hwcomposer_backend.h b/backends/hwcomposer/egl_hwcomposer_backend.h
index df30d64949..1fbbaabfa1 100644
--- a/backends/hwcomposer/egl_hwcomposer_backend.h
+++ b/backends/hwcomposer/egl_hwcomposer_backend.h
@@ -37,12 +37,12 @@ public:
     void screenGeometryChanged(const QSize &size) override;
     QRegion prepareRenderingFrame() override;
     void endRenderingFrame(const QRegion &renderedRegion, const QRegion &damagedRegion) override;
+    void init() override;
 
 protected:
     void present() override;
 
 private:
-    void init();
     bool initializeEgl();
     bool initRenderingContext();
     bool initBufferConfigs();
diff --git a/backends/virtual/egl_gbm_backend.cpp b/backends/virtual/egl_gbm_backend.cpp
index 3e7eff73d1..15ad75ed3a 100644
--- a/backends/virtual/egl_gbm_backend.cpp
+++ b/backends/virtual/egl_gbm_backend.cpp
@@ -36,8 +36,6 @@ EglGbmBackend::EglGbmBackend(VirtualBackend *b)
     , AbstractEglBackend()
     , m_backend(b)
 {
-    initializeEgl();
-    init();
     // Egl is always direct rendering
     setIsDirectRendering(true);
 }
@@ -75,6 +73,10 @@ bool EglGbmBackend::initializeEgl()
 
 void EglGbmBackend::init()
 {
+    if (!initializeEgl()) {
+        setFailed("Could not initialize egl");
+        return;
+    }
     if (!initRenderingContext()) {
         setFailed("Could not initialize rendering context");
         return;
diff --git a/backends/virtual/egl_gbm_backend.h b/backends/virtual/egl_gbm_backend.h
index 256d5213bd..2d979f4abe 100644
--- a/backends/virtual/egl_gbm_backend.h
+++ b/backends/virtual/egl_gbm_backend.h
@@ -42,12 +42,12 @@ public:
     QRegion prepareRenderingFrame() override;
     void endRenderingFrame(const QRegion &renderedRegion, const QRegion &damagedRegion) override;
     bool usesOverlayWindow() const override;
+    void init() override;
 
 protected:
     void present() override;
 
 private:
-    void init();
     bool initializeEgl();
     bool initBufferConfigs();
     bool initRenderingContext();
diff --git a/backends/wayland/egl_wayland_backend.cpp b/backends/wayland/egl_wayland_backend.cpp
index 0efe8709be..62754292e5 100644
--- a/backends/wayland/egl_wayland_backend.cpp
+++ b/backends/wayland/egl_wayland_backend.cpp
@@ -55,8 +55,6 @@ EglWaylandBackend::EglWaylandBackend(Wayland::WaylandBackend *b)
         return;
     }
     connect(m_wayland, SIGNAL(shellSurfaceSizeChanged(QSize)), SLOT(overlaySizeChanged(QSize)));
-    initializeEgl();
-    init();
     // Egl is always direct rendering
     setIsDirectRendering(true);
 }
@@ -95,6 +93,10 @@ bool EglWaylandBackend::initializeEgl()
 
 void EglWaylandBackend::init()
 {
+    if (!initializeEgl()) {
+        setFailed("Could not initialize egl");
+        return;
+    }
     if (!initRenderingContext()) {
         setFailed("Could not initialize rendering context");
         return;
diff --git a/backends/wayland/egl_wayland_backend.h b/backends/wayland/egl_wayland_backend.h
index af2a4972d8..3057c2c384 100644
--- a/backends/wayland/egl_wayland_backend.h
+++ b/backends/wayland/egl_wayland_backend.h
@@ -58,6 +58,7 @@ public:
     virtual QRegion prepareRenderingFrame();
     virtual void endRenderingFrame(const QRegion &renderedRegion, const QRegion &damagedRegion);
     virtual bool usesOverlayWindow() const override;
+    void init() override;
 
 protected:
     virtual void present();
@@ -66,7 +67,6 @@ private Q_SLOTS:
     void overlaySizeChanged(const QSize &size);
 
 private:
-    void init();
     bool initializeEgl();
     bool initBufferConfigs();
     bool initRenderingContext();
diff --git a/eglonxbackend.cpp b/eglonxbackend.cpp
index f7c9475cc1..eca0dcf9c7 100644
--- a/eglonxbackend.cpp
+++ b/eglonxbackend.cpp
@@ -63,7 +63,6 @@ EglOnXBackend::EglOnXBackend(xcb_connection_t *connection, Display *display, xcb
     , m_x11ScreenNumber(screenNumber)
     , m_renderingWindow(renderingWindow)
 {
-    init();
     // Egl is always direct rendering
     setIsDirectRendering(true);
 }
diff --git a/eglonxbackend.h b/eglonxbackend.h
index e0572c10d8..4b8c5d2a0b 100644
--- a/eglonxbackend.h
+++ b/eglonxbackend.h
@@ -40,12 +40,12 @@ public:
     virtual void endRenderingFrame(const QRegion &damage, const QRegion &damagedRegion);
     virtual OverlayWindow* overlayWindow() override;
     virtual bool usesOverlayWindow() const override;
+    void init() override;
 
 protected:
     virtual void present();
 
 private:
-    void init();
     bool initBufferConfigs();
     bool initRenderingContext();
     /**
diff --git a/glxbackend.cpp b/glxbackend.cpp
index 34408533e8..c59c647b1a 100644
--- a/glxbackend.cpp
+++ b/glxbackend.cpp
@@ -114,7 +114,6 @@ GlxBackend::GlxBackend()
     , m_bufferAge(0)
     , haveSwapInterval(false)
 {
-    init();
 }
 
 static bool gs_tripleBufferUndetected = true;
diff --git a/glxbackend.h b/glxbackend.h
index e27693f8ef..77a4a7f830 100644
--- a/glxbackend.h
+++ b/glxbackend.h
@@ -71,12 +71,12 @@ public:
     virtual void doneCurrent() override;
     virtual OverlayWindow* overlayWindow() override;
     virtual bool usesOverlayWindow() const override;
+    void init() override;
 
 protected:
     virtual void present();
 
 private:
-    void init();
     bool initBuffer();
     void waitSync();
     bool initRenderingContext();
diff --git a/scene_opengl.cpp b/scene_opengl.cpp
index fb639d4338..53fd0dcfe9 100644
--- a/scene_opengl.cpp
+++ b/scene_opengl.cpp
@@ -578,7 +578,13 @@ SceneOpenGL *SceneOpenGL::createScene(QObject *parent)
         // no backend available
         return NULL;
     }
-    if (!backend || backend->isFailed()) {
+    if (!backend) {
+        return nullptr;
+    }
+    if (!backend->isFailed()) {
+        backend->init();
+    }
+    if (backend->isFailed()) {
         delete backend;
         return NULL;
     }
diff --git a/scene_opengl.h b/scene_opengl.h
index 2991a5f287..e669a862a9 100644
--- a/scene_opengl.h
+++ b/scene_opengl.h
@@ -377,6 +377,8 @@ class KWIN_EXPORT OpenGLBackend
 public:
     OpenGLBackend();
     virtual ~OpenGLBackend();
+
+    virtual void init() = 0;
     /**
      * @return Time passes since start of rendering current frame.
      * @see startRenderTimer