diff --git a/src/backend/curses.rs b/src/backend/curses.rs
index 21cba50..2ec2904 100644
--- a/src/backend/curses.rs
+++ b/src/backend/curses.rs
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@ use ncurses;
 pub struct NcursesBackend;
 
 impl backend::Backend for NcursesBackend {
-    fn init() {
+    fn init() -> Self {
         ::std::env::set_var("ESCDELAY", "25");
         ncurses::setlocale(ncurses::LcCategory::all, "");
         ncurses::initscr();
@@ -19,25 +19,27 @@ impl backend::Backend for NcursesBackend {
         ncurses::curs_set(ncurses::CURSOR_VISIBILITY::CURSOR_INVISIBLE);
         ncurses::wbkgd(unsafe { ncurses::stdscr },
                        ncurses::COLOR_PAIR(ColorStyle::Background.id()));
+
+        NcursesBackend
     }
 
-    fn screen_size() -> (usize, usize) {
+    fn screen_size(&self) -> (usize, usize) {
         let mut x: i32 = 0;
         let mut y: i32 = 0;
         ncurses::getmaxyx(unsafe { ncurses::stdscr }, &mut y, &mut x);
         (x as usize, y as usize)
     }
 
-    fn has_colors() -> bool {
+    fn has_colors(&self) -> bool {
         ncurses::has_colors()
     }
 
-    fn finish() {
+    fn finish(&mut self) {
         ncurses::endwin();
     }
 
 
-    fn init_color_style(style: ColorStyle, foreground: &Color,
+    fn init_color_style(&mut self, style: ColorStyle, foreground: &Color,
                         background: &Color) {
         // TODO: build the color on the spot
 
@@ -46,7 +48,7 @@ impl backend::Backend for NcursesBackend {
                            find_closest(background) as i16);
     }
 
-    fn with_color<F: FnOnce()>(color: ColorStyle, f: F) {
+    fn with_color<F: FnOnce()>(&self, color: ColorStyle, f: F) {
         let mut current_style: ncurses::attr_t = 0;
         let mut current_color: i16 = 0;
         ncurses::attr_get(&mut current_style, &mut current_color);
@@ -58,7 +60,7 @@ impl backend::Backend for NcursesBackend {
         ncurses::attron(current_style);
     }
 
-    fn with_effect<F: FnOnce()>(effect: Effect, f: F) {
+    fn with_effect<F: FnOnce()>(&self, effect: Effect, f: F) {
         let style = match effect {
             Effect::Reverse => ncurses::A_REVERSE(),
             Effect::Simple => ncurses::A_NORMAL(),
@@ -72,15 +74,15 @@ impl backend::Backend for NcursesBackend {
         ncurses::clear();
     }
 
-    fn refresh() {
+    fn refresh(&self) {
         ncurses::refresh();
     }
 
-    fn print_at((x, y): (usize, usize), text: &str) {
+    fn print_at(&self, (x, y): (usize, usize), text: &str) {
         ncurses::mvaddstr(y as i32, x as i32, text);
     }
 
-    fn poll_event() -> Event {
+    fn poll_event(&self) -> Event {
         let ch: i32 = ncurses::getch();
 
         // Is it a UTF-8 starting point?
@@ -92,7 +94,7 @@ impl backend::Backend for NcursesBackend {
         }
     }
 
-    fn set_refresh_rate(fps: u32) {
+    fn set_refresh_rate(&mut self, fps: u32) {
         if fps == 0 {
             ncurses::timeout(-1);
         } else {
diff --git a/src/backend/mod.rs b/src/backend/mod.rs
index 3511322..f6f243a 100644
--- a/src/backend/mod.rs
+++ b/src/backend/mod.rs
@@ -7,23 +7,23 @@ mod curses;
 pub use self::curses::NcursesBackend;
 
 pub trait Backend {
-    fn init();
-    fn finish();
+    fn init() -> Self;
+    fn finish(&mut self);
 
     fn clear();
-    fn refresh();
+    fn refresh(&self);
 
-    fn has_colors() -> bool;
+    fn has_colors(&self) -> bool;
 
-    fn init_color_style(style: theme::ColorStyle, foreground: &theme::Color,
-                        background: &theme::Color);
+    fn init_color_style(&mut self, style: theme::ColorStyle,
+                        foreground: &theme::Color, background: &theme::Color);
 
-    fn print_at((usize, usize), &str);
+    fn print_at(&self, (usize, usize), &str);
 
-    fn poll_event() -> event::Event;
-    fn set_refresh_rate(fps: u32);
-    fn screen_size() -> (usize, usize);
+    fn poll_event(&self) -> event::Event;
+    fn set_refresh_rate(&mut self, fps: u32);
+    fn screen_size(&self) -> (usize, usize);
 
-    fn with_color<F: FnOnce()>(color: theme::ColorStyle, f: F);
-    fn with_effect<F: FnOnce()>(effect: theme::Effect, f: F);
+    fn with_color<F: FnOnce()>(&self, color: theme::ColorStyle, f: F);
+    fn with_effect<F: FnOnce()>(&self, effect: theme::Effect, f: F);
 }
diff --git a/src/lib.rs b/src/lib.rs
index e811fcd..58bab26 100644
--- a/src/lib.rs
+++ b/src/lib.rs
@@ -149,10 +149,10 @@ impl Cursive {
     /// Creates a new Cursive root, and initialize ncurses.
     pub fn new() -> Self {
         // Default delay is way too long. 25 is imperceptible yet works fine.
-        B::init();
+        let mut backend = B::init();
 
         let theme = theme::load_default();
-        theme.activate();
+        theme.activate(&mut backend);
         // let theme = theme::load_theme("assets/style.toml").unwrap();
 
         let (tx, rx) = mpsc::channel();
@@ -166,7 +166,7 @@ impl Cursive {
             running: true,
             cb_source: rx,
             cb_sink: tx,
-            backend: NcursesBackend,
+            backend: backend,
         };
 
         res.screens.push(views::StackView::new());
@@ -258,7 +258,7 @@ impl Cursive {
     /// Sets the current theme.
     pub fn set_theme(&mut self, theme: theme::Theme) {
         self.theme = theme;
-        self.theme.activate();
+        self.theme.activate(&mut self.backend);
         B::clear();
     }
 
@@ -284,8 +284,8 @@ impl Cursive {
     /// Regularly redraws everything, even when no input is given.
     /// Between 0 and 1000.
     /// Call with fps=0 to disable (default value).
-    pub fn set_fps(&self, fps: u32) {
-        B::set_refresh_rate(fps)
+    pub fn set_fps(&mut self, fps: u32) {
+        self.backend.set_refresh_rate(fps)
     }
 
     /// Returns a reference to the currently active screen.
@@ -430,7 +430,7 @@ impl Cursive {
 
     /// Returns the size of the screen, in characters.
     pub fn screen_size(&self) -> Vec2 {
-        let (x, y) = B::screen_size();
+        let (x, y) = self.backend.screen_size();
 
         Vec2 {
             x: x as usize,
@@ -472,7 +472,7 @@ impl Cursive {
         let id = self.active_screen;
         self.screens.get_mut(id).unwrap().draw(&printer);
 
-        B::refresh();
+        self.backend.refresh();
     }
 
     /// Runs the event loop.
@@ -500,7 +500,7 @@ impl Cursive {
 
             // Wait for next event.
             // (If set_fps was called, this returns -1 now and then)
-            let event = B::poll_event();
+            let event = self.backend.poll_event();
             if event == Event::WindowResize {
                 B::clear();
             }
@@ -535,6 +535,6 @@ impl Cursive {
 
 impl Drop for Cursive {
     fn drop(&mut self) {
-        B::finish();
+        self.backend.finish();
     }
 }
diff --git a/src/printer.rs b/src/printer.rs
index c42c50c..b453743 100644
--- a/src/printer.rs
+++ b/src/printer.rs
@@ -56,7 +56,7 @@ impl<'a> Printer<'a> {
         let text = &text[..prefix_len];
 
         let p = p + self.offset;
-        B::print_at((p.x, p.y), text);
+        self.backend.print_at((p.x, p.y), text);
     }
 
     /// Prints a vertical line using the given character.
@@ -69,7 +69,7 @@ impl<'a> Printer<'a> {
 
         let p = p + self.offset;
         for y in 0..len {
-            B::print_at((p.x, (p.y + y)), c);
+            self.backend.print_at((p.x, (p.y + y)), c);
         }
     }
 
@@ -83,7 +83,7 @@ impl<'a> Printer<'a> {
 
         let p = p + self.offset;
         for x in 0..len {
-            B::print_at((p.x + x, p.y), c);
+            self.backend.print_at((p.x + x, p.y), c);
         }
     }
 
@@ -105,7 +105,7 @@ impl<'a> Printer<'a> {
     pub fn with_color<F>(&self, c: ColorStyle, f: F)
         where F: FnOnce(&Printer)
     {
-        B::with_color(c, || f(self));
+        self.backend.with_color(c, || f(self));
     }
 
     /// Same as `with_color`, but apply a ncurses style instead,
@@ -115,7 +115,7 @@ impl<'a> Printer<'a> {
     pub fn with_effect<F>(&self, effect: Effect, f: F)
         where F: FnOnce(&Printer)
     {
-        B::with_effect(effect, || f(self));
+        self.backend.with_effect(effect, || f(self));
     }
 
     /// Prints a rectangular box.
diff --git a/src/theme.rs b/src/theme.rs
index 7dd0171..8fe6a80 100644
--- a/src/theme.rs
+++ b/src/theme.rs
@@ -230,33 +230,33 @@ impl Theme {
     /// **Don't use this directly.** Uses [`Cursive::set_theme`] instead.
     ///
     /// [`Cursive::set_theme`]: ../struct.Cursive.html#method.set_theme
-    pub fn activate(&self) {
+    pub fn activate(&self, backend: &mut B) {
         // Initialize each color with the backend
-        B::init_color_style(ColorStyle::Background,
+        backend.init_color_style(ColorStyle::Background,
                             &self.colors.view,
                             &self.colors.background);
-        B::init_color_style(ColorStyle::Shadow,
+        backend.init_color_style(ColorStyle::Shadow,
                             &self.colors.shadow,
                             &self.colors.shadow);
-        B::init_color_style(ColorStyle::Primary,
+        backend.init_color_style(ColorStyle::Primary,
                             &self.colors.primary,
                             &self.colors.view);
-        B::init_color_style(ColorStyle::Secondary,
+        backend.init_color_style(ColorStyle::Secondary,
                             &self.colors.secondary,
                             &self.colors.view);
-        B::init_color_style(ColorStyle::Tertiary,
+        backend.init_color_style(ColorStyle::Tertiary,
                             &self.colors.tertiary,
                             &self.colors.view);
-        B::init_color_style(ColorStyle::TitlePrimary,
+        backend.init_color_style(ColorStyle::TitlePrimary,
                             &self.colors.title_primary,
                             &self.colors.view);
-        B::init_color_style(ColorStyle::TitleSecondary,
+        backend.init_color_style(ColorStyle::TitleSecondary,
                             &self.colors.title_secondary,
                             &self.colors.view);
-        B::init_color_style(ColorStyle::Highlight,
+        backend.init_color_style(ColorStyle::Highlight,
                             &self.colors.view,
                             &self.colors.highlight);
-        B::init_color_style(ColorStyle::HighlightInactive,
+        backend.init_color_style(ColorStyle::HighlightInactive,
                             &self.colors.view,
                             &self.colors.highlight_inactive);
     }