diff --git a/CMakeLists.txt b/CMakeLists.txt
index 4d2aeed4f5..056801feaa 100644
--- a/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -223,7 +223,6 @@ option(KWIN_BUILD_TABBOX "Enable building of KWin Tabbox functionality" ON)
 option(KWIN_BUILD_XRENDER_COMPOSITING "Enable building of KWin with XRender Compositing support" ON)
 cmake_dependent_option(KWIN_BUILD_ACTIVITIES "Enable building of KWin with kactivities support" ON "KF5Activities_FOUND" OFF)
 option(KWIN_PLASMA_ACTIVE "Enable building KWin for Plasma Active." OFF)
-option(KWIN_BUILD_EGL "Enables building the EGL backend in KWin" ON)
 
 option(KWIN_BUILD_COVERAGE "Build KWin with gcov support" OFF)
 
@@ -267,8 +266,6 @@ if( KWIN_BUILD_XRENDER_COMPOSITING )
     set( KWIN_HAVE_XRENDER_COMPOSITING 1 )
 endif()
 
-set(KWIN_HAVE_EGL ${KWIN_BUILD_EGL})
-
 if (XKB_FOUND)
   include_directories(${XKB_INCLUDE_DIR})
 endif()
@@ -281,11 +278,7 @@ configure_file(libkwineffects/kwinconfig.h.cmake ${CMAKE_CURRENT_BINARY_DIR}/lib
 if(XKB_FOUND AND KF5Wayland_FOUND)
     set(HAVE_WAYLAND TRUE)
     set(HAVE_XKB ${XKB_FOUND})
-    if (KWIN_HAVE_EGL)
-        set(HAVE_WAYLAND_EGL ${Wayland_Egl_FOUND})
-    else()
-        set(HAVE_WAYLAND_EGL FALSE)
-    endif()
+    set(HAVE_WAYLAND_EGL ${Wayland_Egl_FOUND})
     set(HAVE_WAYLAND_CURSOR ${Wayland_Cursor_FOUND})
     set(HAVE_X11_XCB ${X11_XCB_FOUND})
 else()
@@ -298,10 +291,6 @@ else()
     set(HAVE_GBM FALSE)
 endif()
 
-if(NOT KWIN_HAVE_EGL)
-    set(HAVE_GBM FALSE)
-endif()
-
 include(CheckIncludeFiles)
 check_include_files(unistd.h HAVE_UNISTD_H)
 check_include_files(malloc.h HAVE_MALLOC_H)
@@ -407,6 +396,8 @@ set(kwin_KDEINIT_SRCS
     decorations/settings.cpp
     decorations/decorationrenderer.cpp
     decorations/decorations_logging.cpp
+    abstract_egl_backend.cpp
+    eglonxbackend.cpp
    )
 
 if(KWIN_BUILD_TABBOX)
@@ -430,10 +421,6 @@ if(KWIN_BUILD_ACTIVITIES)
     )
 endif()
 
-if(KWIN_HAVE_EGL)
-    set(kwin_KDEINIT_SRCS ${kwin_KDEINIT_SRCS} abstract_egl_backend.cpp eglonxbackend.cpp)
-endif()
-
 if(HAVE_WAYLAND)
     set(kwin_KDEINIT_SRCS
             ${kwin_KDEINIT_SRCS}
diff --git a/backends/wayland/CMakeLists.txt b/backends/wayland/CMakeLists.txt
index a1670a34b1..7f643df2e1 100644
--- a/backends/wayland/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/backends/wayland/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -4,14 +4,14 @@ set(WAYLAND_BACKEND_SOURCES
     screens_wayland.cpp
     wayland_backend.cpp
 )
-if(KWIN_HAVE_EGL AND Wayland_Egl_FOUND)
+if(Wayland_Egl_FOUND)
     set(WAYLAND_BACKEND_SOURCES ${WAYLAND_BACKEND_SOURCES} egl_wayland_backend.cpp)
 endif()
 
 add_library(KWinWaylandWaylandBackend MODULE ${WAYLAND_BACKEND_SOURCES})
 target_link_libraries(KWinWaylandWaylandBackend kwin KF5::WaylandClient)
 
-if(KWIN_HAVE_EGL AND Wayland_Egl_FOUND)
+if(Wayland_Egl_FOUND)
     target_link_libraries(KWinWaylandWaylandBackend Wayland::Egl)
 endif()
 
diff --git a/backends/x11/x11windowed_backend.cpp b/backends/x11/x11windowed_backend.cpp
index 3ba9e5cd39..95a5b70ecf 100644
--- a/backends/x11/x11windowed_backend.cpp
+++ b/backends/x11/x11windowed_backend.cpp
@@ -23,11 +23,9 @@ along with this program.  If not, see <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
 #include "logging.h"
 #include "wayland_server.h"
 #include "xcbutils.h"
-#ifdef KWIN_HAVE_EGL
 #if HAVE_X11_XCB
 #include "eglonxbackend.h"
 #endif
-#endif
 #include <kwinxrenderutils.h>
 #include <QAbstractEventDispatcher>
 #include <QCoreApplication>
@@ -327,10 +325,8 @@ Screens *X11WindowedBackend::createScreens(QObject *parent)
 
 OpenGLBackend *X11WindowedBackend::createOpenGLBackend()
 {
-#ifdef KWIN_HAVE_EGL
 #if HAVE_X11_XCB
     return  new EglOnXBackend(connection(), display(), rootWindow(), screenNumer(), window());
-#endif
 #endif
     return nullptr;
 }
diff --git a/dbusinterface.cpp b/dbusinterface.cpp
index 01079a1b2a..42087dca5f 100644
--- a/dbusinterface.cpp
+++ b/dbusinterface.cpp
@@ -248,9 +248,7 @@ QStringList CompositorDBusInterface::supportedOpenGLPlatformInterfaces() const
     if (supportsGlx) {
         interfaces << QStringLiteral("glx");
     }
-#ifdef KWIN_HAVE_EGL
     interfaces << QStringLiteral("egl");
-#endif
     return interfaces;
 }
 
diff --git a/libkwineffects/kwinconfig.h.cmake b/libkwineffects/kwinconfig.h.cmake
index 3e34723aea..a8586cc9b6 100644
--- a/libkwineffects/kwinconfig.h.cmake
+++ b/libkwineffects/kwinconfig.h.cmake
@@ -19,7 +19,5 @@
 /* KWIN_HAVE_XRENDER_COMPOSITING - whether XRender-based compositing support is available */
 #cmakedefine KWIN_HAVE_XRENDER_COMPOSITING
 
-#cmakedefine KWIN_HAVE_EGL
-
 
 #endif
diff --git a/libkwineffects/kwinglutils.cpp b/libkwineffects/kwinglutils.cpp
index 66634d6795..7604554331 100644
--- a/libkwineffects/kwinglutils.cpp
+++ b/libkwineffects/kwinglutils.cpp
@@ -91,7 +91,6 @@ void initGLX()
 
 void initEGL()
 {
-#ifdef KWIN_HAVE_EGL
     EGLDisplay dpy = eglGetCurrentDisplay();
     int major, minor;
     eglInitialize(dpy, &major, &minor);
@@ -99,7 +98,6 @@ void initEGL()
     const QByteArray string = eglQueryString(dpy, EGL_EXTENSIONS);
     eglExtensions = string.split(' ');
     eglResolveFunctions();
-#endif
 }
 
 void initGL(OpenGLPlatformInterface platformInterface)
diff --git a/libkwineffects/kwinglutils_funcs.cpp b/libkwineffects/kwinglutils_funcs.cpp
index 4e763b7bb1..dfb673b7c0 100644
--- a/libkwineffects/kwinglutils_funcs.cpp
+++ b/libkwineffects/kwinglutils_funcs.cpp
@@ -24,7 +24,6 @@ along with this program.  If not, see <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
 
 
 // Resolves given function, using getProcAddress
-#ifdef KWIN_HAVE_EGL
 #define GL_RESOLVE( function ) \
     if (platformInterface == GlxPlatformInterface) \
         function = (function ## _func)getProcAddress( #function ); \
@@ -38,13 +37,6 @@ along with this program.  If not, see <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
     } else if (platformInterface == EglPlatformInterface) { \
         function = (function ## _func)eglGetProcAddress( #symbolName ); \
     }
-#else
-// same without the switch to egl
-#define GL_RESOLVE( function ) function = (function ## _func)getProcAddress( #function );
-
-#define GL_RESOLVE_WITH_EXT( function, symbolName ) \
-    function = (function ## _func)getProcAddress( #symbolName );
-#endif
 
 namespace KWin
 {
@@ -82,11 +74,9 @@ void glxResolveFunctions()
 }
 #endif
 
-#ifdef KWIN_HAVE_EGL
 void eglResolveFunctions()
 {
 }
-#endif
 
 void glResolveFunctions(OpenGLPlatformInterface platformInterface)
 {
diff --git a/libkwineffects/kwinglutils_funcs.h b/libkwineffects/kwinglutils_funcs.h
index eea28c5ae4..ba9dd46799 100644
--- a/libkwineffects/kwinglutils_funcs.h
+++ b/libkwineffects/kwinglutils_funcs.h
@@ -25,9 +25,7 @@ along with this program.  If not, see <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
 #include <kwinconfig.h>
 #include <kwinglobals.h>
 
-#ifdef KWIN_HAVE_EGL
 #include <epoxy/egl.h>
-#endif
 
 #ifndef KWIN_HAVE_OPENGLES
 #include <epoxy/glx.h>
@@ -57,9 +55,7 @@ namespace KWin
 void KWINGLUTILS_EXPORT glxResolveFunctions();
 #endif
 
-#ifdef KWIN_HAVE_EGL
 void KWINGLUTILS_EXPORT eglResolveFunctions();
-#endif
 
 void KWINGLUTILS_EXPORT glResolveFunctions(OpenGLPlatformInterface platformInterface);
 
diff --git a/options.cpp b/options.cpp
index 39efd9de53..64269d64bc 100644
--- a/options.cpp
+++ b/options.cpp
@@ -767,11 +767,6 @@ void Options::setGlPlatformInterface(OpenGLPlatformInterface interface)
 #ifdef KWIN_HAVE_OPENGLES
     qCDebug(KWIN_CORE) << "Forcing EGL native interface as compiled against OpenGL ES";
     interface = EglPlatformInterface;
-#else
-#ifndef KWIN_HAVE_EGL
-    qCDebug(KWIN_CORE) << "Forcing GLX native interface as compiled without EGL support";
-    interface = GlxPlatformInterface;
-#endif
 #endif
 
     if (m_glPlatformInterface == interface) {
diff --git a/scene_opengl.cpp b/scene_opengl.cpp
index 85c0b10478..3e9b849ea7 100644
--- a/scene_opengl.cpp
+++ b/scene_opengl.cpp
@@ -27,9 +27,7 @@ You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License
 along with this program.  If not, see <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
 *********************************************************************/
 #include "scene_opengl.h"
-#ifdef KWIN_HAVE_EGL
 #include "eglonxbackend.h"
-#endif // KWIN_HAVE_EGL
 #ifndef KWIN_HAVE_OPENGLES
 #include "glxbackend.h"
 #endif // KWIN_HAVE_OPENGLES
@@ -548,7 +546,6 @@ SceneOpenGL *SceneOpenGL::createScene(QObject *parent)
 #endif
         break;
     case EglPlatformInterface:
-#ifdef KWIN_HAVE_EGL
 #if HAVE_WAYLAND
         if (kwinApp()->shouldUseWaylandForCompositing()) {
             backend = waylandServer()->backend()->createOpenGLBackend();
@@ -557,7 +554,6 @@ SceneOpenGL *SceneOpenGL::createScene(QObject *parent)
         {
             backend = new EglOnXBackend();
         }
-#endif // KWIN_HAVE_EGL
         break;
     default:
         // no backend available