diff --git a/dgl/src/WindowPrivateData.cpp b/dgl/src/WindowPrivateData.cpp
index 9082710a..56bf8e57 100644
--- a/dgl/src/WindowPrivateData.cpp
+++ b/dgl/src/WindowPrivateData.cpp
@@ -156,7 +156,7 @@ void Window::PrivateData::init(const uint width, const uint height, const bool r
 
     // FIXME this is bad
     puglRealize(view);
-    puglX11GlEnter(view, NULL);
+    puglBackendEnter(view);
 }
 
 // -----------------------------------------------------------------------
diff --git a/dgl/src/pugl.cpp b/dgl/src/pugl.cpp
index 29f02eda..507c0411 100644
--- a/dgl/src/pugl.cpp
+++ b/dgl/src/pugl.cpp
@@ -93,6 +93,14 @@ const char* puglGetWindowTitle(const PuglView* view)
     return view->title;
 }
 
+// --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
+// expose backend enter
+
+void puglBackendEnter(PuglView* view)
+{
+    view->backend->enter(view, NULL);
+}
+
 // --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 // set window size without changing frame x/y position
 
diff --git a/dgl/src/pugl.hpp b/dgl/src/pugl.hpp
index 2248fd73..959ce560 100644
--- a/dgl/src/pugl.hpp
+++ b/dgl/src/pugl.hpp
@@ -37,6 +37,10 @@ PUGL_BEGIN_DECLS
 PUGL_API const char*
 puglGetWindowTitle(const PuglView* view);
 
+// expose backend enter
+PUGL_API void
+puglBackendEnter(PuglView* view);
+
 // set window size without changing frame x/y position
 PUGL_API PuglStatus
 puglSetWindowSize(PuglView* view, unsigned int width, unsigned int height);