diff --git a/src/backends/meta-backend.c b/src/backends/meta-backend.c
index 202102849..42800b6fd 100644
--- a/src/backends/meta-backend.c
+++ b/src/backends/meta-backend.c
@@ -355,15 +355,6 @@ on_device_removed (ClutterDeviceManager *device_manager,
     }
 }
 
-static MetaMonitorManager *
-create_monitor_manager (MetaBackend *backend)
-{
-  if (g_getenv ("META_DUMMY_MONITORS"))
-    return g_object_new (META_TYPE_MONITOR_MANAGER_DUMMY, NULL);
-
-  return META_BACKEND_GET_CLASS (backend)->create_monitor_manager (backend);
-}
-
 static void
 create_device_monitors (MetaBackend          *backend,
                         ClutterDeviceManager *device_manager)
@@ -441,7 +432,7 @@ meta_backend_real_post_init (MetaBackend *backend)
   clutter_actor_realize (priv->stage);
   META_BACKEND_GET_CLASS (backend)->select_stage_events (backend);
 
-  priv->monitor_manager = create_monitor_manager (backend);
+  meta_monitor_manager_setup (priv->monitor_manager);
 
   meta_backend_sync_screen_size (backend);
 
@@ -579,6 +570,15 @@ experimental_features_changed (MetaSettings            *settings,
 #endif /* HAVE_REMOTE_DESKTOP */
 }
 
+static MetaMonitorManager *
+meta_backend_create_monitor_manager (MetaBackend *backend)
+{
+  if (g_getenv ("META_DUMMY_MONITORS"))
+    return g_object_new (META_TYPE_MONITOR_MANAGER_DUMMY, NULL);
+
+  return META_BACKEND_GET_CLASS (backend)->create_monitor_manager (backend);
+}
+
 static MetaRenderer *
 meta_backend_create_renderer (MetaBackend *backend,
                               GError     **error)
@@ -601,16 +601,18 @@ meta_backend_initable_init (GInitable     *initable,
 
   priv->egl = g_object_new (META_TYPE_EGL, NULL);
 
+  priv->orientation_manager = g_object_new (META_TYPE_ORIENTATION_MANAGER, NULL);
+
   priv->renderer = meta_backend_create_renderer (backend, error);
   if (!priv->renderer)
     return FALSE;
 
+  priv->monitor_manager = meta_backend_create_monitor_manager (backend);
+
   priv->cursor_tracker = g_object_new (META_TYPE_CURSOR_TRACKER, NULL);
 
   priv->dnd = g_object_new (META_TYPE_DND, NULL);
 
-  priv->orientation_manager = g_object_new (META_TYPE_ORIENTATION_MANAGER, NULL);
-
   return TRUE;
 }
 
diff --git a/src/backends/meta-monitor-manager-private.h b/src/backends/meta-monitor-manager-private.h
index fe011b78d..ad3bf80fc 100644
--- a/src/backends/meta-monitor-manager-private.h
+++ b/src/backends/meta-monitor-manager-private.h
@@ -259,6 +259,8 @@ struct _MetaMonitorManagerClass
   MetaLogicalMonitorLayoutMode (*get_default_layout_mode) (MetaMonitorManager *);
 };
 
+void                meta_monitor_manager_setup (MetaMonitorManager *manager);
+
 void                meta_monitor_manager_rebuild (MetaMonitorManager *manager,
                                                   MetaMonitorsConfig *config);
 void                meta_monitor_manager_rebuild_derived (MetaMonitorManager *manager,
diff --git a/src/backends/meta-monitor-manager.c b/src/backends/meta-monitor-manager.c
index 3288501b3..6511926b2 100644
--- a/src/backends/meta-monitor-manager.c
+++ b/src/backends/meta-monitor-manager.c
@@ -676,6 +676,20 @@ experimental_features_changed (MetaSettings           *settings,
   meta_settings_update_ui_scaling_factor (settings);
 }
 
+void
+meta_monitor_manager_setup (MetaMonitorManager *manager)
+{
+  manager->in_init = TRUE;
+
+  manager->config_manager = meta_monitor_config_manager_new (manager);
+
+  meta_monitor_manager_read_current_state (manager);
+
+  meta_monitor_manager_ensure_initial_config (manager);
+
+  manager->in_init = FALSE;
+}
+
 static void
 meta_monitor_manager_constructed (GObject *object)
 {
@@ -707,17 +721,8 @@ meta_monitor_manager_constructed (GObject *object)
                            manager, 0);
 
   manager->current_switch_config = META_MONITOR_SWITCH_CONFIG_UNKNOWN;
-  manager->in_init = TRUE;
-
-  manager->config_manager = meta_monitor_config_manager_new (manager);
-
-  meta_monitor_manager_read_current_state (manager);
-
-  meta_monitor_manager_ensure_initial_config (manager);
 
   initialize_dbus_interface (manager);
-
-  manager->in_init = FALSE;
 }
 
 static void
diff --git a/src/backends/native/meta-monitor-manager-kms.c b/src/backends/native/meta-monitor-manager-kms.c
index e96dded32..b58f5c3ef 100644
--- a/src/backends/native/meta-monitor-manager-kms.c
+++ b/src/backends/native/meta-monitor-manager-kms.c
@@ -798,31 +798,6 @@ meta_monitor_manager_kms_resume (MetaMonitorManagerKms *manager_kms)
   handle_hotplug_event (manager);
 }
 
-static void
-meta_monitor_manager_kms_init (MetaMonitorManagerKms *manager_kms)
-{
-  MetaBackend *backend = meta_get_backend ();
-  MetaRenderer *renderer = meta_backend_get_renderer (backend);
-  MetaRendererNative *renderer_native = META_RENDERER_NATIVE (renderer);
-  GSource *source;
-
-  manager_kms->fd = meta_renderer_native_get_kms_fd (renderer_native);
-
-  drmSetClientCap (manager_kms->fd, DRM_CLIENT_CAP_UNIVERSAL_PLANES, 1);
-
-  const char *subsystems[2] = { "drm", NULL };
-  manager_kms->udev = g_udev_client_new (subsystems);
-  meta_monitor_manager_kms_connect_uevent_handler (manager_kms);
-
-  source = g_source_new (&kms_event_funcs, sizeof (MetaKmsSource));
-  manager_kms->source = (MetaKmsSource *) source;
-  manager_kms->source->fd_tag = g_source_add_unix_fd (source,
-                                                      manager_kms->fd,
-                                                      G_IO_IN | G_IO_ERR);
-  manager_kms->source->manager_kms = manager_kms;
-  g_source_attach (source, NULL);
-}
-
 static void
 get_crtc_connectors (MetaMonitorManager *manager,
                      MetaCrtc           *crtc,
@@ -1122,6 +1097,31 @@ meta_monitor_manager_kms_finalize (GObject *object)
   G_OBJECT_CLASS (meta_monitor_manager_kms_parent_class)->finalize (object);
 }
 
+static void
+meta_monitor_manager_kms_init (MetaMonitorManagerKms *manager_kms)
+{
+  MetaBackend *backend = meta_get_backend ();
+  MetaRenderer *renderer = meta_backend_get_renderer (backend);
+  MetaRendererNative *renderer_native = META_RENDERER_NATIVE (renderer);
+  GSource *source;
+
+  manager_kms->fd = meta_renderer_native_get_kms_fd (renderer_native);
+
+  drmSetClientCap (manager_kms->fd, DRM_CLIENT_CAP_UNIVERSAL_PLANES, 1);
+
+  const char *subsystems[2] = { "drm", NULL };
+  manager_kms->udev = g_udev_client_new (subsystems);
+  meta_monitor_manager_kms_connect_uevent_handler (manager_kms);
+
+  source = g_source_new (&kms_event_funcs, sizeof (MetaKmsSource));
+  manager_kms->source = (MetaKmsSource *) source;
+  manager_kms->source->fd_tag = g_source_add_unix_fd (source,
+                                                      manager_kms->fd,
+                                                      G_IO_IN | G_IO_ERR);
+  manager_kms->source->manager_kms = manager_kms;
+  g_source_attach (source, NULL);
+}
+
 static void
 meta_monitor_manager_kms_class_init (MetaMonitorManagerKmsClass *klass)
 {