diff --git a/src/backends/meta-backend.c b/src/backends/meta-backend.c
index 27a98730e..76cd5b53b 100644
--- a/src/backends/meta-backend.c
+++ b/src/backends/meta-backend.c
@@ -761,45 +761,6 @@ upower_vanished (GDBusConnection *connection,
   g_clear_object (&priv->upower_proxy);
 }
 
-static void
-meta_backend_constructed (GObject *object)
-{
-  MetaBackend *backend = META_BACKEND (object);
-  MetaBackendPrivate *priv = meta_backend_get_instance_private (backend);
-  MetaBackendClass *backend_class =
-   META_BACKEND_GET_CLASS (backend);
-
-  g_assert (priv->context);
-
-  priv->settings = meta_settings_new (backend);
-
-#ifdef HAVE_LIBWACOM
-  priv->wacom_db = libwacom_database_new ();
-  if (!priv->wacom_db)
-    {
-      g_warning ("Could not create database of Wacom devices, "
-                 "expect tablets to misbehave");
-    }
-#endif
-
-  if (backend_class->is_lid_closed == meta_backend_real_is_lid_closed)
-    {
-      priv->upower_watch_id = g_bus_watch_name (G_BUS_TYPE_SYSTEM,
-                                                "org.freedesktop.UPower",
-                                                G_BUS_NAME_WATCHER_FLAGS_NONE,
-                                                upower_appeared,
-                                                upower_vanished,
-                                                backend,
-                                                NULL);
-    }
-
-#ifdef HAVE_EGL
-  priv->egl = g_object_new (META_TYPE_EGL, NULL);
-#endif
-
-  G_OBJECT_CLASS (meta_backend_parent_class)->constructed (object);
-}
-
 static void
 meta_backend_set_property (GObject      *object,
                            guint         prop_id,
@@ -849,7 +810,6 @@ meta_backend_class_init (MetaBackendClass *klass)
   GObjectClass *object_class = G_OBJECT_CLASS (klass);
 
   object_class->dispose = meta_backend_dispose;
-  object_class->constructed = meta_backend_constructed;
   object_class->set_property = meta_backend_set_property;
   object_class->get_property = meta_backend_get_property;
 
@@ -1181,6 +1141,35 @@ meta_backend_initable_init (GInitable     *initable,
 
   priv->in_init = TRUE;
 
+  g_assert (priv->context);
+
+  priv->settings = meta_settings_new (backend);
+
+#ifdef HAVE_LIBWACOM
+  priv->wacom_db = libwacom_database_new ();
+  if (!priv->wacom_db)
+    {
+      g_warning ("Could not create database of Wacom devices, "
+                 "expect tablets to misbehave");
+    }
+#endif
+
+  if (META_BACKEND_GET_CLASS (backend)->is_lid_closed ==
+      meta_backend_real_is_lid_closed)
+    {
+      priv->upower_watch_id = g_bus_watch_name (G_BUS_TYPE_SYSTEM,
+                                                "org.freedesktop.UPower",
+                                                G_BUS_NAME_WATCHER_FLAGS_NONE,
+                                                upower_appeared,
+                                                upower_vanished,
+                                                backend,
+                                                NULL);
+    }
+
+#ifdef HAVE_EGL
+  priv->egl = g_object_new (META_TYPE_EGL, NULL);
+#endif
+
   if (META_BACKEND_GET_CLASS (backend)->init_basic &&
       !META_BACKEND_GET_CLASS (backend)->init_basic (backend, error))
     return FALSE;
diff --git a/src/backends/x11/cm/meta-backend-x11-cm.c b/src/backends/x11/cm/meta-backend-x11-cm.c
index c9a67fdeb..5b5da8766 100644
--- a/src/backends/x11/cm/meta-backend-x11-cm.c
+++ b/src/backends/x11/cm/meta-backend-x11-cm.c
@@ -97,6 +97,29 @@ on_device_added (ClutterSeat        *seat,
     apply_keymap (x11);
 }
 
+static gboolean
+meta_backend_x11_cm_init_basic (MetaBackend  *backend,
+                                GError      **error)
+{
+  MetaBackendClass *parent_backend_class =
+    META_BACKEND_CLASS (meta_backend_x11_cm_parent_class);
+  MetaBackendX11Cm *x11_cm = META_BACKEND_X11_CM (backend);
+  MetaGpuXrandr *gpu_xrandr;
+
+  if (x11_cm->display_name)
+    g_setenv ("DISPLAY", x11_cm->display_name, TRUE);
+
+  /*
+   * The X server deals with multiple GPUs for us, so we just see what the X
+   * server gives us as one single GPU, even though it may actually be backed
+   * by multiple.
+   */
+  gpu_xrandr = meta_gpu_xrandr_new (META_BACKEND_X11 (x11_cm));
+  meta_backend_add_gpu (backend, META_GPU (gpu_xrandr));
+
+  return parent_backend_class->init_basic (backend, error);
+}
+
 static gboolean
 meta_backend_x11_cm_init_render (MetaBackend  *backend,
                                  GError      **error)
@@ -508,30 +531,9 @@ meta_backend_x11_cm_finalize (GObject *object)
   G_OBJECT_CLASS (meta_backend_x11_cm_parent_class)->finalize (object);
 }
 
-static void
-meta_backend_x11_cm_constructed (GObject *object)
-{
-  MetaBackendX11Cm *x11_cm = META_BACKEND_X11_CM (object);
-
-  if (x11_cm->display_name)
-    g_setenv ("DISPLAY", x11_cm->display_name, TRUE);
-
-  G_OBJECT_CLASS (meta_backend_x11_cm_parent_class)->constructed (object);
-}
-
 static void
 meta_backend_x11_cm_init (MetaBackendX11Cm *backend_x11_cm)
 {
-  MetaGpuXrandr *gpu_xrandr;
-
-  /*
-   * The X server deals with multiple GPUs for us, so we just see what the X
-   * server gives us as one single GPU, even though it may actually be backed
-   * by multiple.
-   */
-  gpu_xrandr = meta_gpu_xrandr_new (META_BACKEND_X11 (backend_x11_cm));
-  meta_backend_add_gpu (META_BACKEND (backend_x11_cm),
-                        META_GPU (gpu_xrandr));
 }
 
 static void
@@ -543,8 +545,8 @@ meta_backend_x11_cm_class_init (MetaBackendX11CmClass *klass)
 
   object_class->set_property = meta_backend_x11_cm_set_property;
   object_class->finalize = meta_backend_x11_cm_finalize;
-  object_class->constructed = meta_backend_x11_cm_constructed;
 
+  backend_class->init_basic = meta_backend_x11_cm_init_basic;
   backend_class->init_render = meta_backend_x11_cm_init_render;
   backend_class->get_capabilities = meta_backend_x11_cm_get_capabilities;
   backend_class->create_renderer = meta_backend_x11_cm_create_renderer;
diff --git a/src/backends/x11/nested/meta-backend-x11-nested.c b/src/backends/x11/nested/meta-backend-x11-nested.c
index 96dc7d34f..0733fb3df 100644
--- a/src/backends/x11/nested/meta-backend-x11-nested.c
+++ b/src/backends/x11/nested/meta-backend-x11-nested.c
@@ -247,16 +247,20 @@ meta_backend_x11_nested_get_capabilities (MetaBackend *backend)
   return META_BACKEND_CAPABILITY_NONE;
 }
 
-static void
-meta_backend_x11_nested_constructed (GObject *object)
+static gboolean
+meta_backend_x11_nested_init_basic (MetaBackend  *backend,
+                                    GError      **error)
 {
-  MetaBackendX11Nested *backend_x11_nested = META_BACKEND_X11_NESTED (object);
-  GObjectClass *parent_class =
-    G_OBJECT_CLASS (meta_backend_x11_nested_parent_class);
+  MetaBackendX11Nested *backend_x11_nested = META_BACKEND_X11_NESTED (backend);
+  MetaBackendClass *parent_backend_class =
+    META_BACKEND_CLASS (meta_backend_x11_nested_parent_class);
 
-  parent_class->constructed (object);
+  if (!parent_backend_class->init_basic (backend, error))
+    return FALSE;
 
   init_gpus (backend_x11_nested);
+
+  return TRUE;
 }
 
 static void
@@ -284,9 +288,9 @@ meta_backend_x11_nested_class_init (MetaBackendX11NestedClass *klass)
   MetaBackendClass *backend_class = META_BACKEND_CLASS (klass);
   MetaBackendX11Class *backend_x11_class = META_BACKEND_X11_CLASS (klass);
 
-  object_class->constructed = meta_backend_x11_nested_constructed;
   object_class->dispose = meta_backend_x11_nested_dispose;
 
+  backend_class->init_basic = meta_backend_x11_nested_init_basic;
   backend_class->get_capabilities = meta_backend_x11_nested_get_capabilities;
   backend_class->create_renderer = meta_backend_x11_nested_create_renderer;
   backend_class->create_monitor_manager = meta_backend_x11_nested_create_monitor_manager;