diff --git a/include/libweston/libweston.h b/include/libweston/libweston.h
index 7a01a29e..ee9fbd5b 100644
--- a/include/libweston/libweston.h
+++ b/include/libweston/libweston.h
@@ -2202,6 +2202,8 @@ void
 weston_output_schedule_repaint_reset(struct weston_output *output);
 void
 weston_output_schedule_repaint_restart(struct weston_output *output);
+enum weston_compositor_backend
+weston_get_backend_type(struct weston_backend *backend);
 void
 weston_compositor_schedule_repaint(struct weston_compositor *compositor);
 void
diff --git a/libweston/backend.h b/libweston/backend.h
index 8b7e4e60..05a40f30 100644
--- a/libweston/backend.h
+++ b/libweston/backend.h
@@ -129,6 +129,11 @@ struct weston_backend {
 	 */
 	bool (*can_scanout_dmabuf)(struct weston_backend *backend,
 				   struct linux_dmabuf_buffer *buffer);
+
+	/** Identifies a particular backend_type from one
+	 * defined in weston_compositor_backend.
+	 */
+	enum weston_compositor_backend backend_type;
 };
 
 /* weston_head */
diff --git a/libweston/compositor.c b/libweston/compositor.c
index a4c77c3b..799bfa76 100644
--- a/libweston/compositor.c
+++ b/libweston/compositor.c
@@ -10189,6 +10189,7 @@ weston_compositor_load_backend(struct weston_compositor *compositor,
 		return NULL;
 
 	b = wl_container_of(compositor->backend_list.next, b, link);
+	b->backend_type = backend;
 
 	/* Return the last loaded backend. */
 	return b;
@@ -10456,3 +10457,21 @@ weston_output_finish_frame_from_timer(struct weston_output *output)
 
 	weston_output_finish_frame(output, &ts, 0);
 }
+
+/** Retrieve the backend type of as described in enum
+ * weston_compositor_backend. 
+ *
+ * Note that the backend must be loaded, with weston_compositor_load_backend
+ *
+ * \param backend weston_backend in question
+ * \returns a type of enum weston_compositor_backend
+ *
+ * \sa weston_compositor_load_backend
+ *
+ */
+WL_EXPORT enum weston_compositor_backend
+weston_get_backend_type(struct weston_backend *backend)
+{
+	assert(backend);
+	return backend->backend_type;
+}