diff --git a/lib/vtls/axtls.c b/lib/vtls/axtls.c
index 9b08d4981..65f3b2409 100644
--- a/lib/vtls/axtls.c
+++ b/lib/vtls/axtls.c
@@ -703,6 +703,7 @@ static void *Curl_axtls_get_internals(struct ssl_connect_data *connssl,
 
 const struct Curl_ssl Curl_ssl_axtls = {
   "axtls",                        /* name */
+  CURLSSLBACKEND_AXTLS,
 
   0, /* have_ca_path */
   0, /* have_certinfo */
diff --git a/lib/vtls/axtls.h b/lib/vtls/axtls.h
index 63adf8fc5..3f1e129c2 100644
--- a/lib/vtls/axtls.h
+++ b/lib/vtls/axtls.h
@@ -29,9 +29,6 @@
 
 extern const struct Curl_ssl Curl_ssl_axtls;
 
-/* Set the API backend definition to axTLS */
-#define CURL_SSL_BACKEND CURLSSLBACKEND_AXTLS
-
 #endif /* USE_AXTLS */
 #endif /* HEADER_CURL_AXTLS_H */
 
diff --git a/lib/vtls/cyassl.c b/lib/vtls/cyassl.c
index 6385f8960..01ed678df 100644
--- a/lib/vtls/cyassl.c
+++ b/lib/vtls/cyassl.c
@@ -979,6 +979,7 @@ static void *Curl_cyassl_get_internals(struct ssl_connect_data *connssl,
 
 const struct Curl_ssl Curl_ssl_cyassl = {
   "cyassl",                        /* name */
+  CURLSSLBACKEND_CYASSL,
 
   0, /* have_ca_path */
   0, /* have_certinfo */
diff --git a/lib/vtls/cyassl.h b/lib/vtls/cyassl.h
index 8a6771e2a..01e11cc23 100644
--- a/lib/vtls/cyassl.h
+++ b/lib/vtls/cyassl.h
@@ -27,8 +27,5 @@
 
 extern const struct Curl_ssl Curl_ssl_cyassl;
 
-/* Set the API backend definition to CyaSSL */
-#define CURL_SSL_BACKEND CURLSSLBACKEND_CYASSL
-
 #endif /* USE_CYASSL */
 #endif /* HEADER_CURL_CYASSL_H */
diff --git a/lib/vtls/darwinssl.c b/lib/vtls/darwinssl.c
index c0e71ccbe..f65e93d86 100644
--- a/lib/vtls/darwinssl.c
+++ b/lib/vtls/darwinssl.c
@@ -2891,6 +2891,7 @@ static void *Curl_darwinssl_get_internals(struct ssl_connect_data *connssl,
 
 const struct Curl_ssl Curl_ssl_darwinssl = {
   "darwinssl",                        /* name */
+  CURLSSLBACKEND_DARWINSSL,
 
   0, /* have_ca_path */
   0, /* have_certinfo */
diff --git a/lib/vtls/darwinssl.h b/lib/vtls/darwinssl.h
index aace2946d..23c7f705c 100644
--- a/lib/vtls/darwinssl.h
+++ b/lib/vtls/darwinssl.h
@@ -28,8 +28,5 @@
 
 extern const struct Curl_ssl Curl_ssl_darwinssl;
 
-/* Set the API backend definition to SecureTransport */
-#define CURL_SSL_BACKEND CURLSSLBACKEND_DARWINSSL
-
 #endif /* USE_DARWINSSL */
 #endif /* HEADER_CURL_DARWINSSL_H */
diff --git a/lib/vtls/gskit.c b/lib/vtls/gskit.c
index 5d6bb0c8f..9d5568cf9 100644
--- a/lib/vtls/gskit.c
+++ b/lib/vtls/gskit.c
@@ -1354,6 +1354,7 @@ static void *Curl_gskit_get_internals(struct ssl_connect_data *connssl,
 
 const struct Curl_ssl Curl_ssl_gskit = {
   "gskit",                        /* name */
+  CURLSSLBACKEND_GSKIT,
 
   0, /* have_ca_path */
   1, /* have_certinfo */
diff --git a/lib/vtls/gskit.h b/lib/vtls/gskit.h
index 91e55987c..466ee4d9d 100644
--- a/lib/vtls/gskit.h
+++ b/lib/vtls/gskit.h
@@ -33,9 +33,6 @@
 
 extern const struct Curl_ssl Curl_ssl_gskit;
 
-/* Set the API backend definition to GSKit */
-#define CURL_SSL_BACKEND CURLSSLBACKEND_GSKIT
-
 #endif /* USE_GSKIT */
 
 #endif /* HEADER_CURL_GSKIT_H */
diff --git a/lib/vtls/gtls.c b/lib/vtls/gtls.c
index 6364a61cf..f63f5460f 100644
--- a/lib/vtls/gtls.c
+++ b/lib/vtls/gtls.c
@@ -1807,6 +1807,7 @@ static void *Curl_gtls_get_internals(struct ssl_connect_data *connssl,
 
 const struct Curl_ssl Curl_ssl_gnutls = {
   "gnutls",                      /* name */
+  CURLSSLBACKEND_GNUTLS,
 
   1, /* have_ca_path */
   1, /* have_certinfo */
@@ -1829,7 +1830,7 @@ const struct Curl_ssl Curl_ssl_gnutls = {
   Curl_gtls_get_internals,       /* get_internals */
   Curl_gtls_close,               /* close */
   Curl_none_close_all,           /* close_all */
-  Curl_glts_session_free,        /* session_free */
+  Curl_gtls_session_free,        /* session_free */
   Curl_none_set_engine,          /* set_engine */
   Curl_none_set_engine_default,  /* set_engine_default */
   Curl_none_engines_list,        /* engines_list */
diff --git a/lib/vtls/gtls.h b/lib/vtls/gtls.h
index 0dcf13a56..780fc109d 100644
--- a/lib/vtls/gtls.h
+++ b/lib/vtls/gtls.h
@@ -30,8 +30,5 @@
 
 extern const struct Curl_ssl Curl_ssl_gnutls;
 
-/* Set the API backend definition to GnuTLS */
-#define CURL_SSL_BACKEND CURLSSLBACKEND_GNUTLS
-
 #endif /* USE_GNUTLS */
 #endif /* HEADER_CURL_GTLS_H */
diff --git a/lib/vtls/mbedtls.c b/lib/vtls/mbedtls.c
index a46fb5fdc..61eee09bc 100644
--- a/lib/vtls/mbedtls.c
+++ b/lib/vtls/mbedtls.c
@@ -1040,6 +1040,7 @@ static void *Curl_mbedtls_get_internals(struct ssl_connect_data *connssl,
 
 const struct Curl_ssl Curl_ssl_mbedtls = {
   "mbedtls",                        /* name */
+  CURLSSLBACKEND_MBEDTLS,
 
   0, /* have_ca_path */
   0, /* have_certinfo */
diff --git a/lib/vtls/mbedtls.h b/lib/vtls/mbedtls.h
index 842b4d50f..4a938605b 100644
--- a/lib/vtls/mbedtls.h
+++ b/lib/vtls/mbedtls.h
@@ -28,7 +28,5 @@
 
 extern const struct Curl_ssl Curl_ssl_mbedtls;
 
-#define CURL_SSL_BACKEND CURLSSLBACKEND_MBEDTLS
-
 #endif /* USE_MBEDTLS */
 #endif /* HEADER_CURL_MBEDTLS_H */
diff --git a/lib/vtls/nss.c b/lib/vtls/nss.c
index 2d132f5b1..14dd15423 100644
--- a/lib/vtls/nss.c
+++ b/lib/vtls/nss.c
@@ -2344,6 +2344,7 @@ static void *Curl_nss_get_internals(struct ssl_connect_data *connssl,
 
 const struct Curl_ssl Curl_ssl_nss = {
   "nss",                        /* name */
+  CURLSSLBACKEND_NSS,
 
   1, /* have_ca_path */
   1, /* have_certinfo */
diff --git a/lib/vtls/nssg.h b/lib/vtls/nssg.h
index 5c3015a8b..41e51b021 100644
--- a/lib/vtls/nssg.h
+++ b/lib/vtls/nssg.h
@@ -35,8 +35,5 @@ CURLcode Curl_nss_force_init(struct Curl_easy *data);
 
 extern const struct Curl_ssl Curl_ssl_nss;
 
-/* Set the API backend definition to NSS */
-#define CURL_SSL_BACKEND CURLSSLBACKEND_NSS
-
 #endif /* USE_NSS */
 #endif /* HEADER_CURL_NSSG_H */
diff --git a/lib/vtls/openssl.c b/lib/vtls/openssl.c
index bc5475e53..a96604dd6 100644
--- a/lib/vtls/openssl.c
+++ b/lib/vtls/openssl.c
@@ -3417,6 +3417,7 @@ static void *Curl_ossl_get_internals(struct ssl_connect_data *connssl,
 
 const struct Curl_ssl Curl_ssl_openssl = {
   "openssl",                     /* name */
+  CURLSSLBACKEND_OPENSSL,
 
   1, /* have_ca_path */
   1, /* have_certinfo */
diff --git a/lib/vtls/openssl.h b/lib/vtls/openssl.h
index 030addac6..114dc4bae 100644
--- a/lib/vtls/openssl.h
+++ b/lib/vtls/openssl.h
@@ -33,8 +33,5 @@
 
 extern const struct Curl_ssl Curl_ssl_openssl;
 
-/* Set the API backend definition to OpenSSL */
-#define CURL_SSL_BACKEND CURLSSLBACKEND_OPENSSL
-
 #endif /* USE_OPENSSL */
 #endif /* HEADER_CURL_SSLUSE_H */
diff --git a/lib/vtls/polarssl.c b/lib/vtls/polarssl.c
index 7d1b3b1fd..ae3f6f814 100644
--- a/lib/vtls/polarssl.c
+++ b/lib/vtls/polarssl.c
@@ -902,6 +902,7 @@ static void *Curl_polarssl_get_internals(struct ssl_connect_data *connssl,
 
 const struct Curl_ssl Curl_ssl_polarssl = {
   "polarssl",                        /* name */
+  CURLSSLBACKEND_POLARSSL,
 
   1, /* have_ca_path */
   0, /* have_certinfo */
diff --git a/lib/vtls/polarssl.h b/lib/vtls/polarssl.h
index ce534fa53..23c3636ee 100644
--- a/lib/vtls/polarssl.h
+++ b/lib/vtls/polarssl.h
@@ -28,8 +28,5 @@
 
 extern const struct Curl_ssl Curl_ssl_polarssl;
 
-/* Set the API backend definition to PolarSSL */
-#define CURL_SSL_BACKEND CURLSSLBACKEND_POLARSSL
-
 #endif /* USE_POLARSSL */
 #endif /* HEADER_CURL_POLARSSL_H */
diff --git a/lib/vtls/schannel.c b/lib/vtls/schannel.c
index d3f44018b..b1cd60e11 100644
--- a/lib/vtls/schannel.c
+++ b/lib/vtls/schannel.c
@@ -1817,6 +1817,7 @@ static void *Curl_schannel_get_internals(struct ssl_connect_data *connssl,
 
 const struct Curl_ssl Curl_ssl_schannel = {
   "schannel",                        /* name */
+  CURLSSLBACKEND_SCHANNEL,
 
   0, /* have_ca_path */
   1, /* have_certinfo */
diff --git a/lib/vtls/schannel.h b/lib/vtls/schannel.h
index 4a254df4b..932103da4 100644
--- a/lib/vtls/schannel.h
+++ b/lib/vtls/schannel.h
@@ -30,8 +30,5 @@
 
 extern const struct Curl_ssl Curl_ssl_schannel;
 
-/* Set the API backend definition to Schannel */
-#define CURL_SSL_BACKEND CURLSSLBACKEND_SCHANNEL
-
 #endif /* USE_SCHANNEL */
 #endif /* HEADER_CURL_SCHANNEL_H */
diff --git a/lib/vtls/vtls.c b/lib/vtls/vtls.c
index bc72ad31e..3e52220fc 100644
--- a/lib/vtls/vtls.c
+++ b/lib/vtls/vtls.c
@@ -132,7 +132,11 @@ void Curl_free_primary_ssl_config(struct ssl_primary_config* sslc)
 
 int Curl_ssl_backend(void)
 {
-  return (int)CURL_SSL_BACKEND;
+#ifdef USE_SSL
+  return Curl_ssl->id;
+#else
+  return (int)CURLSSLBACKEND_NONE;
+#endif
 }
 
 #ifdef USE_SSL
diff --git a/lib/vtls/vtls.h b/lib/vtls/vtls.h
index e993fb77c..7d2296952 100644
--- a/lib/vtls/vtls.h
+++ b/lib/vtls/vtls.h
@@ -28,6 +28,7 @@ struct ssl_connect_data;
 
 struct Curl_ssl {
   const char *name;
+  int id; /* one of the CURLSSLBACKEND_* constants */
 
   unsigned have_ca_path:1;      /* supports CAPATH */
   unsigned have_certinfo:1;     /* supports CURLOPT_CERTINFO */
@@ -242,8 +243,6 @@ bool Curl_ssl_false_start(void);
 #define SSL_SHUTDOWN_TIMEOUT 10000 /* ms */
 
 #else
-/* Set the API backend definition to none */
-#define CURL_SSL_BACKEND CURLSSLBACKEND_NONE
 
 /* When SSL support is not present, just define away these function calls */
 #define Curl_ssl_init() 1