diff --git a/qutebrowser/browser/history.py b/qutebrowser/browser/history.py
index 77dfbbdfdcd..4e2e126f666 100644
--- a/qutebrowser/browser/history.py
+++ b/qutebrowser/browser/history.py
@@ -23,10 +23,10 @@
 import collections
 
 from PyQt5.QtCore import pyqtSignal, pyqtSlot, QUrl, QObject
-from PyQt5.QtWebKit import QWebHistoryInterface
 
 from qutebrowser.commands import cmdutils
-from qutebrowser.utils import utils, objreg, standarddir, log, qtutils
+from qutebrowser.utils import (utils, objreg, standarddir, log, qtutils,
+                               usertypes)
 from qutebrowser.config import config
 from qutebrowser.misc import lineparser
 
@@ -108,34 +108,6 @@ def from_str(cls, line):
         return cls(atime, url, title, redirect=redirect)
 
 
-class WebHistoryInterface(QWebHistoryInterface):
-
-    """Glue code between WebHistory and Qt's QWebHistoryInterface.
-
-    Attributes:
-        _history: The WebHistory object.
-    """
-
-    def __init__(self, webhistory, parent=None):
-        super().__init__(parent)
-        self._history = webhistory
-
-    def addHistoryEntry(self, url_string):
-        """Required for a QWebHistoryInterface impl, obsoleted by add_url."""
-        pass
-
-    def historyContains(self, url_string):
-        """Called by WebKit to determine if a URL is contained in the history.
-
-        Args:
-            url_string: The URL (as string) to check for.
-
-        Return:
-            True if the url is in the history, False otherwise.
-        """
-        return url_string in self._history.history_dict
-
-
 class WebHistory(QObject):
 
     """The global history of visited pages.
@@ -296,7 +268,7 @@ def add_from_tab(self, url, requested_url, title):
         self.add_url(url, title)
 
     def add_url(self, url, title="", *, redirect=False, atime=None):
-        """Called by WebKit when a URL should be added to the history.
+        """Called via add_from_tab when a URL should be added to the history.
 
         Args:
             url: A url (as QUrl) to add to the history.
@@ -333,5 +305,7 @@ def init(parent=None):
                          parent=parent)
     objreg.register('web-history', history)
 
-    interface = WebHistoryInterface(history, parent=history)
-    QWebHistoryInterface.setDefaultInterface(interface)
+    used_backend = usertypes.arg2backend[objreg.get('args').backend]
+    if used_backend == usertypes.Backend.QtWebKit:
+        from qutebrowser.browser.webkit import webkithistory
+        webkithistory.init(history)
diff --git a/qutebrowser/browser/webkit/webkithistory.py b/qutebrowser/browser/webkit/webkithistory.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..abd80eb3932
--- /dev/null
+++ b/qutebrowser/browser/webkit/webkithistory.py
@@ -0,0 +1,61 @@
+# vim: ft=python fileencoding=utf-8 sts=4 sw=4 et:
+
+# Copyright 2015-2016 Florian Bruhin (The Compiler) <mail@qutebrowser.org>
+#
+# This file is part of qutebrowser.
+#
+# qutebrowser is free software: you can redistribute it and/or modify
+# it under the terms of the GNU General Public License as published by
+# the Free Software Foundation, either version 3 of the License, or
+# (at your option) any later version.
+#
+# qutebrowser is distributed in the hope that it will be useful,
+# but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
+# MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the
+# GNU General Public License for more details.
+#
+# You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License
+# along with qutebrowser.  If not, see <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
+
+"""QtWebKit specific part of history."""
+
+
+from PyQt5.QtWebKit import QWebHistoryInterface
+
+
+class WebHistoryInterface(QWebHistoryInterface):
+
+    """Glue code between WebHistory and Qt's QWebHistoryInterface.
+
+    Attributes:
+        _history: The WebHistory object.
+    """
+
+    def __init__(self, webhistory, parent=None):
+        super().__init__(parent)
+        self._history = webhistory
+
+    def addHistoryEntry(self, url_string):
+        """Required for a QWebHistoryInterface impl, obsoleted by add_url."""
+        pass
+
+    def historyContains(self, url_string):
+        """Called by WebKit to determine if a URL is contained in the history.
+
+        Args:
+            url_string: The URL (as string) to check for.
+
+        Return:
+            True if the url is in the history, False otherwise.
+        """
+        return url_string in self._history.history_dict
+
+
+def init(history):
+    """Initialize the QWebHistoryInterface.
+
+    Args:
+        history: The WebHistory object.
+    """
+    interface = WebHistoryInterface(history, parent=history)
+    QWebHistoryInterface.setDefaultInterface(interface)