diff --git a/backend/drm/drm.c b/backend/drm/drm.c
index 0e898d3f..b3057166 100644
--- a/backend/drm/drm.c
+++ b/backend/drm/drm.c
@@ -707,7 +707,7 @@ void wlr_drm_scan_connectors(struct wlr_drm_backend *drm) {
 				drmModeFreeConnector(drm_conn);
 				continue;
 			}
-			wlr_output_init(&wlr_conn->output, &output_impl);
+			wlr_output_init(&wlr_conn->output, &drm->backend, &output_impl);
 
 			struct wl_event_loop *ev = wl_display_get_event_loop(drm->display);
 			wlr_conn->retry_pageflip = wl_event_loop_add_timer(ev, retry_pageflip,
diff --git a/backend/wayland/output.c b/backend/wayland/output.c
index e1138ee1..0216823e 100644
--- a/backend/wayland/output.c
+++ b/backend/wayland/output.c
@@ -241,7 +241,7 @@ struct wlr_output *wlr_wl_output_create(struct wlr_backend *_backend) {
 		wlr_log(L_ERROR, "Failed to allocate wlr_wl_backend_output");
 		return NULL;
 	}
-	wlr_output_init(&output->wlr_output, &output_impl);
+	wlr_output_init(&output->wlr_output, &backend->backend, &output_impl);
 	struct wlr_output *wlr_output = &output->wlr_output;
 
 	wlr_output->width = 640;
diff --git a/backend/x11/backend.c b/backend/x11/backend.c
index 4ecca325..d30ec376 100644
--- a/backend/x11/backend.c
+++ b/backend/x11/backend.c
@@ -264,7 +264,7 @@ static bool wlr_x11_backend_start(struct wlr_backend *backend) {
 
 	output->x11 = x11;
 
-	wlr_output_init(&output->wlr_output, &output_impl);
+	wlr_output_init(&output->wlr_output, &x11->backend, &output_impl);
 	snprintf(output->wlr_output.name, sizeof(output->wlr_output.name), "X11-1");
 
 	output->win = xcb_generate_id(x11->xcb_conn);
diff --git a/include/wlr/interfaces/wlr_output.h b/include/wlr/interfaces/wlr_output.h
index b7927569..17dd5538 100644
--- a/include/wlr/interfaces/wlr_output.h
+++ b/include/wlr/interfaces/wlr_output.h
@@ -1,8 +1,9 @@
 #ifndef WLR_INTERFACES_WLR_OUTPUT_H
 #define WLR_INTERFACES_WLR_OUTPUT_H
 
-#include <wlr/types/wlr_output.h>
 #include <stdbool.h>
+#include <wlr/types/wlr_output.h>
+#include <wlr/backend.h>
 
 struct wlr_output_impl {
 	void (*enable)(struct wlr_output *output, bool enable);
@@ -21,7 +22,8 @@ struct wlr_output_impl {
 	uint16_t (*get_gamma_size)(struct wlr_output *output);
 };
 
-void wlr_output_init(struct wlr_output *output, const struct wlr_output_impl *impl);
+void wlr_output_init(struct wlr_output *output, struct wlr_backend *backend,
+	const struct wlr_output_impl *impl);
 void wlr_output_free(struct wlr_output *output);
 void wlr_output_update_matrix(struct wlr_output *output);
 struct wl_global *wlr_output_create_global(
diff --git a/include/wlr/types/wlr_output.h b/include/wlr/types/wlr_output.h
index 312b51f8..a2d595ea 100644
--- a/include/wlr/types/wlr_output.h
+++ b/include/wlr/types/wlr_output.h
@@ -1,9 +1,10 @@
 #ifndef WLR_TYPES_WLR_OUTPUT_H
 #define WLR_TYPES_WLR_OUTPUT_H
 
+#include <stdbool.h>
 #include <wayland-server.h>
+#include <wlr/backend.h>
 #include <wlr/util/list.h>
-#include <stdbool.h>
 
 struct wlr_output_mode {
 	uint32_t flags; // enum wl_output_mode
@@ -15,6 +16,7 @@ struct wlr_output_impl;
 
 struct wlr_output {
 	const struct wlr_output_impl *impl;
+	struct wlr_backend *backend;
 
 	struct wl_global *wl_global;
 	struct wl_list wl_resources;
diff --git a/types/wlr_output.c b/types/wlr_output.c
index 5e10509e..c89c5c45 100644
--- a/types/wlr_output.c
+++ b/types/wlr_output.c
@@ -307,8 +307,9 @@ bool wlr_output_move_cursor(struct wlr_output *output, int x, int y) {
 	return output->impl->move_cursor(output, x, y);
 }
 
-void wlr_output_init(struct wlr_output *output,
+void wlr_output_init(struct wlr_output *output, struct wlr_backend *backend,
 		const struct wlr_output_impl *impl) {
+	output->backend = backend;
 	output->impl = impl;
 	output->modes = list_create();
 	output->transform = WL_OUTPUT_TRANSFORM_NORMAL;