diff --git a/libweston/backend-drm/drm.c b/libweston/backend-drm/drm.c
index 7134c809..647e3dc7 100644
--- a/libweston/backend-drm/drm.c
+++ b/libweston/backend-drm/drm.c
@@ -3260,8 +3260,6 @@ drm_destroy(struct weston_backend *backend)
 	struct drm_crtc *crtc, *crtc_tmp;
 	struct drm_writeback *writeback, *writeback_tmp;
 
-	weston_compositor_shutdown(ec);
-
 	wl_list_for_each_safe(crtc, crtc_tmp, &b->drm->crtc_list, link)
 		drm_crtc_destroy(crtc);
 
@@ -4021,7 +4019,6 @@ err_udev:
 err_launcher:
 	weston_launcher_destroy(compositor->launcher);
 err_compositor:
-	weston_compositor_shutdown(compositor);
 #ifdef BUILD_DRM_GBM
 	if (b->gbm)
 		gbm_device_destroy(b->gbm);
diff --git a/libweston/backend-headless/headless.c b/libweston/backend-headless/headless.c
index 40c51d61..9ddfa402 100644
--- a/libweston/backend-headless/headless.c
+++ b/libweston/backend-headless/headless.c
@@ -506,8 +506,6 @@ headless_destroy(struct weston_backend *backend)
 	struct weston_compositor *ec = b->compositor;
 	struct weston_head *base, *next;
 
-	weston_compositor_shutdown(ec);
-
 	wl_list_for_each_safe(base, next, &ec->head_list, compositor_link) {
 		if (to_headless_head(base))
 			headless_head_destroy(base);
@@ -625,8 +623,6 @@ headless_backend_create(struct weston_compositor *compositor,
 err_input:
 	if (b->theme)
 		theme_destroy(b->theme);
-
-	weston_compositor_shutdown(compositor);
 err_free:
 	free(b);
 	return NULL;
diff --git a/libweston/backend-pipewire/pipewire.c b/libweston/backend-pipewire/pipewire.c
index b45037f3..93ac835c 100644
--- a/libweston/backend-pipewire/pipewire.c
+++ b/libweston/backend-pipewire/pipewire.c
@@ -645,8 +645,6 @@ pipewire_destroy(struct weston_backend *base)
 	weston_log_scope_destroy(b->debug);
 	b->debug = NULL;
 
-	weston_compositor_shutdown(ec);
-
 	pw_loop_leave(b->loop);
 	pw_loop_destroy(b->loop);
 	wl_event_source_remove(b->loop_source);
@@ -1098,8 +1096,6 @@ pipewire_backend_create(struct weston_compositor *compositor,
 	return backend;
 
 err_compositor:
-	weston_compositor_shutdown(compositor);
-
 	free(backend);
 	return NULL;
 }
diff --git a/libweston/backend-rdp/rdp.c b/libweston/backend-rdp/rdp.c
index 02c5135e..92ac7100 100644
--- a/libweston/backend-rdp/rdp.c
+++ b/libweston/backend-rdp/rdp.c
@@ -740,8 +740,6 @@ rdp_destroy(struct weston_backend *backend)
 		b->verbose = NULL;
 	}
 
-	weston_compositor_shutdown(ec);
-
 	wl_list_for_each_safe(base, next, &ec->head_list, compositor_link) {
 		if (to_rdp_head(base))
 			rdp_head_destroy(base);
@@ -2035,8 +2033,6 @@ err_compositor:
 		if (to_rdp_head(base))
 			rdp_head_destroy(base);
 	}
-
-	weston_compositor_shutdown(compositor);
 err_free_strings:
 	if (b->clipboard_debug)
 		weston_log_scope_destroy(b->clipboard_debug);
diff --git a/libweston/backend-vnc/vnc.c b/libweston/backend-vnc/vnc.c
index 050bddef..05154c66 100644
--- a/libweston/backend-vnc/vnc.c
+++ b/libweston/backend-vnc/vnc.c
@@ -884,8 +884,6 @@ vnc_destroy(struct weston_backend *base)
 	struct weston_compositor *ec = backend->compositor;
 	struct weston_head *head, *next;
 
-	weston_compositor_shutdown(ec);
-
 	wl_event_source_remove(backend->aml_event);
 
 	aml_unref(backend->aml);
@@ -1344,7 +1342,6 @@ err_output:
 	wl_list_for_each_safe(base, next, &compositor->head_list, compositor_link)
 		vnc_head_destroy(base);
 err_compositor:
-	weston_compositor_shutdown(compositor);
 	free(backend);
 	return NULL;
 }
diff --git a/libweston/backend-wayland/wayland.c b/libweston/backend-wayland/wayland.c
index 53e53ebb..5730a5d3 100644
--- a/libweston/backend-wayland/wayland.c
+++ b/libweston/backend-wayland/wayland.c
@@ -2756,8 +2756,6 @@ wayland_destroy(struct weston_backend *backend)
 	struct wayland_parent_output *output, *next_output;
 	struct wayland_input *input, *next_input;
 
-	weston_compositor_shutdown(ec);
-
 	wl_list_for_each_safe(base, next, &ec->head_list, compositor_link) {
 		if (to_wayland_head(base))
 			wayland_head_destroy(base);
@@ -2961,7 +2959,6 @@ err_renderer:
 err_display:
 	wl_display_disconnect(b->parent.wl_display);
 err_compositor:
-	weston_compositor_shutdown(compositor);
 	free(b->formats);
 	free(b);
 	return NULL;
@@ -2978,7 +2975,6 @@ wayland_backend_destroy(struct wayland_backend *b)
 		cairo_device_destroy(b->frame_device);
 	wl_cursor_theme_destroy(b->cursor_theme);
 
-	weston_compositor_shutdown(b->compositor);
 	cleanup_after_cairo();
 	free(b->formats);
 	free(b);
diff --git a/libweston/backend-x11/x11.c b/libweston/backend-x11/x11.c
index dc42c95d..19983c14 100644
--- a/libweston/backend-x11/x11.c
+++ b/libweston/backend-x11/x11.c
@@ -1844,8 +1844,6 @@ x11_destroy(struct weston_backend *base)
 	struct weston_compositor *ec = backend->compositor;
 	struct weston_head *head, *next;
 
-	weston_compositor_shutdown(ec); /* destroys outputs, too */
-
 	wl_list_for_each_safe(head, next, &ec->head_list, compositor_link) {
 		if (to_x11_head(head))
 			x11_head_destroy(head);
diff --git a/libweston/compositor.c b/libweston/compositor.c
index f95a3eff..766ebd52 100644
--- a/libweston/compositor.c
+++ b/libweston/compositor.c
@@ -8714,7 +8714,7 @@ fail:
 /** weston_compositor_shutdown
  * \ingroup compositor
  */
-WL_EXPORT void
+static void
 weston_compositor_shutdown(struct weston_compositor *ec)
 {
 	struct weston_output *output, *next;
@@ -9091,6 +9091,8 @@ weston_compositor_destroy(struct weston_compositor *compositor)
 	if (compositor->backend && compositor->backend->shutdown)
 		compositor->backend->shutdown(compositor->backend);
 
+	weston_compositor_shutdown(compositor);
+
 	if (compositor->backend)
 		compositor->backend->destroy(compositor->backend);
 
@@ -9196,6 +9198,7 @@ weston_compositor_load_backend(struct weston_compositor *compositor,
 
 	if (backend_init(compositor, config_base) < 0) {
 		compositor->backend = NULL;
+		weston_compositor_shutdown(compositor);
 		return -1;
 	}
 
diff --git a/libweston/libweston-internal.h b/libweston/libweston-internal.h
index aaf94366..e43f484a 100644
--- a/libweston/libweston-internal.h
+++ b/libweston/libweston-internal.h
@@ -243,8 +243,6 @@ weston_compositor_set_presentation_clock(struct weston_compositor *compositor,
 int
 weston_compositor_set_presentation_clock_software(
 					struct weston_compositor *compositor);
-void
-weston_compositor_shutdown(struct weston_compositor *ec);
 
 void
 weston_compositor_xkb_destroy(struct weston_compositor *ec);