diff --git a/include/sway/server.h b/include/sway/server.h
index 2d796d047..11f6b8823 100644
--- a/include/sway/server.h
+++ b/include/sway/server.h
@@ -34,6 +34,7 @@ struct sway_server {
 	const char *socket;
 
 	struct wlr_backend *backend;
+	struct wlr_session *session;
 	// secondary headless backend used for creating virtual outputs on-the-fly
 	struct wlr_backend *headless_backend;
 	struct wlr_renderer *renderer;
diff --git a/sway/input/keyboard.c b/sway/input/keyboard.c
index 5e5692f19..0b90b6aff 100644
--- a/sway/input/keyboard.c
+++ b/sway/input/keyboard.c
@@ -264,13 +264,9 @@ static bool keyboard_execute_compositor_binding(struct sway_keyboard *keyboard,
 		xkb_keysym_t keysym = pressed_keysyms[i];
 		if (keysym >= XKB_KEY_XF86Switch_VT_1 &&
 				keysym <= XKB_KEY_XF86Switch_VT_12) {
-			if (wlr_backend_is_multi(server.backend)) {
-				struct wlr_session *session =
-					wlr_backend_get_session(server.backend);
-				if (session) {
-					unsigned vt = keysym - XKB_KEY_XF86Switch_VT_1 + 1;
-					wlr_session_change_vt(session, vt);
-				}
+			if (server.session) {
+				unsigned vt = keysym - XKB_KEY_XF86Switch_VT_1 + 1;
+				wlr_session_change_vt(server.session, vt);
 			}
 			return true;
 		}
diff --git a/sway/server.c b/sway/server.c
index ef7d4c4b8..042f20be2 100644
--- a/sway/server.c
+++ b/sway/server.c
@@ -69,8 +69,8 @@ bool server_init(struct sway_server *server) {
 	sway_log(SWAY_DEBUG, "Initializing Wayland server");
 	server->wl_display = wl_display_create();
 	server->wl_event_loop = wl_display_get_event_loop(server->wl_display);
-	server->backend = wlr_backend_autocreate(server->wl_display);
 
+	server->backend = wlr_backend_autocreate(server->wl_display, &server->session);
 	if (!server->backend) {
 		sway_log(SWAY_ERROR, "Unable to create backend");
 		return false;