diff --git a/clutter/clutter-backend-private.h b/clutter/clutter-backend-private.h
index 72563a3b1..d18d6da64 100644
--- a/clutter/clutter-backend-private.h
+++ b/clutter/clutter-backend-private.h
@@ -99,6 +99,8 @@ struct _ClutterBackendClass
   void (* settings_changed)   (ClutterBackend *backend);
 };
 
+ClutterBackend *        _clutter_create_backend                         (void);
+
 ClutterStageWindow *    _clutter_backend_create_stage                   (ClutterBackend         *backend,
                                                                          ClutterStage           *wrapper,
                                                                          GError                **error);
diff --git a/clutter/clutter-backend.c b/clutter/clutter-backend.c
index a30a6930d..2b6c42986 100644
--- a/clutter/clutter-backend.c
+++ b/clutter/clutter-backend.c
@@ -83,6 +83,9 @@
 /* XXX - should probably warn, here */
 #include "tslib/clutter-event-tslib.h"
 #endif
+#ifdef CLUTTER_WINDOWING_EGL
+#include "egl/clutter-backend-eglnative.h"
+#endif
 #ifdef CLUTTER_INPUT_WAYLAND
 #include "wayland/clutter-device-manager-wayland.h"
 #endif
@@ -126,6 +129,7 @@ static guint backend_signals[LAST_SIGNAL] = { 0, };
 static struct wl_display *_wayland_compositor_display;
 #endif
 
+static const char *allowed_backend;
 
 static void
 clutter_backend_dispose (GObject *gobject)
@@ -463,6 +467,58 @@ clutter_backend_real_create_stage (ClutterBackend  *backend,
                        NULL);
 }
 
+ClutterBackend *
+_clutter_create_backend (void)
+{
+  const char *backend = allowed_backend;
+  ClutterBackend *retval = NULL;
+
+  if (backend == NULL)
+    {
+      const char *backend_env = g_getenv ("CLUTTER_BACKEND");
+
+      if (backend_env != NULL)
+	backend = g_intern_string (backend_env);
+    }
+
+#ifdef CLUTTER_WINDOWING_OSX
+  if (backend == NULL || backend == I_(CLUTTER_WINDOWING_OSX))
+    retval = g_object_new (CLUTTER_TYPE_BACKEND_OSX, NULL);
+  else
+#endif
+#ifdef CLUTTER_WINDOWING_WIN32
+  if (backend == NULL || backend == I_(CLUTTER_WINDOWING_WIN32))
+    retval = g_object_new (CLUTTER_TYPE_BACKEND_WIN32, NULL);
+  else
+#endif
+#ifdef CLUTTER_WINDOWING_X11
+  if (backend == NULL || backend == I_(CLUTTER_WINDOWING_X11))
+    retval = g_object_new (CLUTTER_TYPE_BACKEND_X11, NULL);
+  else
+#endif
+#ifdef CLUTTER_WINDOWING_WAYLAND
+  if (backend == NULL || backend == I_(CLUTTER_WINDOWING_WAYLAND))
+    retval = g_object_new (CLUTTER_TYPE_BACKEND_WAYLAND, NULL);
+  else
+#endif
+#ifdef CLUTTER_WINDOWING_EGL
+  if (backend == NULL || backend == I_(CLUTTER_WINDOWING_EGL))
+    retval = g_object_new (CLUTTER_TYPE_BACKEND_EGL_NATIVE, NULL);
+  else
+#endif
+#ifdef CLUTTER_WINDOWING_GDK
+  if (backend == NULL || backend == I_(CLUTTER_WINDOWING_GDK))
+    retval = g_object_new (CLUTTER_TYPE_BACKEND_GDK, NULL);
+  else
+#endif
+  if (backend == NULL)
+    g_error ("No default Clutter backend found.");
+  else
+    g_error ("Unsupported Clutter backend: '%s'", backend);
+
+  return retval;
+}
+
 static void
 clutter_backend_real_init_events (ClutterBackend *backend)
 {
@@ -506,8 +562,8 @@ clutter_backend_real_init_events (ClutterBackend *backend)
 #endif
 #ifdef CLUTTER_INPUT_EVDEV
   /* Evdev can be used regardless of the windowing system */
-  if (input_backend != NULL &&
-      strcmp (input_backend, CLUTTER_INPUT_EVDEV) == 0)
+  if ((input_backend != NULL && strcmp (input_backend, CLUTTER_INPUT_EVDEV) == 0) ||
+      clutter_check_windowing_backend (CLUTTER_WINDOWING_EGL))
     {
       _clutter_events_evdev_init (backend);
     }
@@ -1326,3 +1382,21 @@ clutter_wayland_set_compositor_display (void *display)
   _wayland_compositor_display = display;
 }
 #endif
+
+/**
+ * clutter_set_windowing_backend:
+ * @first_backend: the name of a clutter window backend
+ *
+ * Restricts clutter to only use the specified backend.
+ * This must be called before the first API call to clutter, including
+ * clutter_get_option_context()
+ *
+ * Since: 1.16
+ */
+void
+clutter_set_windowing_backend (const char *backend_type)
+{
+  g_return_if_fail (backend_type != NULL);
+
+  allowed_backend = g_intern_string (backend_type);
+}
diff --git a/clutter/clutter-backend.h b/clutter/clutter-backend.h
index 474c4264e..8f900b784 100644
--- a/clutter/clutter-backend.h
+++ b/clutter/clutter-backend.h
@@ -59,6 +59,9 @@ GType clutter_backend_get_type    (void) G_GNUC_CONST;
 
 ClutterBackend *clutter_get_default_backend (void);
 
+CLUTTER_AVAILABLE_IN_1_16
+void           clutter_set_windowing_backend (const char *backend_type);
+
 gdouble                     clutter_backend_get_resolution            (ClutterBackend             *backend);
 
 void                        clutter_backend_set_font_options          (ClutterBackend             *backend,
diff --git a/clutter/clutter-main.c b/clutter/clutter-main.c
index d0d6185e2..ef83665d9 100644
--- a/clutter/clutter-main.c
+++ b/clutter/clutter-main.c
@@ -1390,53 +1390,6 @@ _clutter_context_is_initialized (void)
   return ClutterCntx->is_initialized;
 }
 
-static ClutterBackend *
-clutter_create_backend (void)
-{
-  const char *backend = g_getenv ("CLUTTER_BACKEND");
-  ClutterBackend *retval = NULL;
-
-  if (backend != NULL)
-    backend = g_intern_string (backend);
-
-#ifdef CLUTTER_WINDOWING_OSX
-  if (backend == NULL || backend == I_(CLUTTER_WINDOWING_OSX))
-    retval = g_object_new (CLUTTER_TYPE_BACKEND_OSX, NULL);
-  else
-#endif
-#ifdef CLUTTER_WINDOWING_WIN32
-  if (backend == NULL || backend == I_(CLUTTER_WINDOWING_WIN32))
-    retval = g_object_new (CLUTTER_TYPE_BACKEND_WIN32, NULL);
-  else
-#endif
-#ifdef CLUTTER_WINDOWING_X11
-  if (backend == NULL || backend == I_(CLUTTER_WINDOWING_X11))
-    retval = g_object_new (CLUTTER_TYPE_BACKEND_X11, NULL);
-  else
-#endif
-#ifdef CLUTTER_WINDOWING_WAYLAND
-  if (backend == NULL || backend == I_(CLUTTER_WINDOWING_WAYLAND))
-    retval = g_object_new (CLUTTER_TYPE_BACKEND_WAYLAND, NULL);
-  else
-#endif
-#ifdef CLUTTER_WINDOWING_EGL
-  if (backend == NULL || backend == I_(CLUTTER_WINDOWING_EGL))
-    retval = g_object_new (CLUTTER_TYPE_BACKEND_EGL_NATIVE, NULL);
-  else
-#endif
-#ifdef CLUTTER_WINDOWING_GDK
-  if (backend == NULL || backend == I_(CLUTTER_WINDOWING_GDK))
-    retval = g_object_new (CLUTTER_TYPE_BACKEND_GDK, NULL);
-  else
-#endif
-  if (backend == NULL)
-    g_error ("No default Clutter backend found.");
-  else
-    g_error ("Unsupported Clutter backend: '%s'", backend);
-
-  return retval;
-}
-
 static ClutterMainContext *
 clutter_context_get_default_unlocked (void)
 {
@@ -1449,7 +1402,7 @@ clutter_context_get_default_unlocked (void)
       ctx->is_initialized = FALSE;
 
       /* create the windowing system backend */
-      ctx->backend = clutter_create_backend ();
+      ctx->backend = _clutter_create_backend ();
 
       /* create the default settings object, and store a back pointer to
        * the backend singleton
diff --git a/clutter/clutter.symbols b/clutter/clutter.symbols
index 7b4bffd1f..7226492ee 100644
--- a/clutter/clutter.symbols
+++ b/clutter/clutter.symbols
@@ -1193,6 +1193,7 @@ clutter_settings_get_type
 clutter_set_default_frame_rate
 clutter_set_font_flags
 clutter_set_motion_events_enabled
+clutter_set_windowing_backend
 clutter_shader_compile
 clutter_shader_effect_get_program
 clutter_shader_effect_get_shader