diff --git a/xarray/backends/plugins.py b/xarray/backends/plugins.py
index 97455d8acc0..6e1784af5b6 100644
--- a/xarray/backends/plugins.py
+++ b/xarray/backends/plugins.py
@@ -215,15 +215,21 @@ def guess_engine(
 def get_backend(engine: str | type[BackendEntrypoint]) -> BackendEntrypoint:
     """Select open_dataset method based on current engine."""
     if isinstance(engine, str):
-        engines = list_engines()
-        if engine not in engines:
-            raise ValueError(
-                f"unrecognized engine '{engine}' must be one of your download engines: {list(engines)}. "
-                "To install additional dependencies, see:\n"
-                "https://docs.xarray.dev/en/stable/user-guide/io.html \n"
-                "https://docs.xarray.dev/en/stable/getting-started-guide/installing.html"
-            )
-        backend = engines[engine]
+        if engine in BACKEND_ENTRYPOINTS:
+            # fast path for built-in engines
+            backend_cls = BACKEND_ENTRYPOINTS[engine][1]
+            set_missing_parameters({engine: backend_cls})
+            backend = backend_cls()
+        else:
+            engines = list_engines()
+            if engine not in engines:
+                raise ValueError(
+                    f"unrecognized engine '{engine}' must be one of your download engines: {list(engines)}. "
+                    "To install additional dependencies, see:\n"
+                    "https://docs.xarray.dev/en/stable/user-guide/io.html \n"
+                    "https://docs.xarray.dev/en/stable/getting-started-guide/installing.html"
+                )
+            backend = engines[engine]
     elif issubclass(engine, BackendEntrypoint):
         backend = engine()
     else: