diff --git a/desktop-shell/shell.c b/desktop-shell/shell.c
index 0fe46582..ed7e8961 100644
--- a/desktop-shell/shell.c
+++ b/desktop-shell/shell.c
@@ -6347,6 +6347,7 @@ shell_destroy(struct wl_listener *listener, void *data)
 	wl_list_remove(&shell->idle_listener.link);
 	wl_list_remove(&shell->wake_listener.link);
 
+	text_backend_destroy(shell->text_backend);
 	input_panel_destroy(shell);
 
 	wl_list_for_each_safe(shell_output, tmp, &shell->output_list, link) {
@@ -6513,7 +6514,8 @@ module_init(struct weston_compositor *ec,
 	if (input_panel_setup(shell) < 0)
 		return -1;
 
-	if (text_backend_init(ec) < 0)
+	shell->text_backend = text_backend_init(ec);
+	if (!shell->text_backend)
 		return -1;
 
 	shell_configuration(shell);
diff --git a/desktop-shell/shell.h b/desktop-shell/shell.h
index f76f1810..c0585a22 100644
--- a/desktop-shell/shell.h
+++ b/desktop-shell/shell.h
@@ -148,6 +148,8 @@ struct desktop_shell {
 	bool showing_input_panels;
 	bool prepare_event_sent;
 
+	struct text_backend *text_backend;
+
 	struct {
 		struct weston_surface *surface;
 		pixman_box32_t cursor_rectangle;
diff --git a/ivi-shell/ivi-shell.c b/ivi-shell/ivi-shell.c
index 896ba1b4..f958fd46 100644
--- a/ivi-shell/ivi-shell.c
+++ b/ivi-shell/ivi-shell.c
@@ -343,6 +343,7 @@ shell_destroy(struct wl_listener *listener, void *data)
 		container_of(listener, struct ivi_shell, destroy_listener);
 	struct ivi_shell_surface *ivisurf, *next;
 
+	text_backend_destroy(shell->text_backend);
 	input_panel_destroy(shell);
 
 	wl_list_for_each_safe(ivisurf, next, &shell->ivi_surface_list, link) {
@@ -439,7 +440,8 @@ module_init(struct weston_compositor *compositor,
 	if (input_panel_setup(shell) < 0)
 		goto out_settings;
 
-	if (text_backend_init(compositor) < 0)
+	shell->text_backend = text_backend_init(compositor);
+	if (!shell->text_backend)
 		goto out_settings;
 
 	if (wl_global_create(compositor->wl_display,
diff --git a/ivi-shell/ivi-shell.h b/ivi-shell/ivi-shell.h
index bd2571eb..9a05eb2a 100644
--- a/ivi-shell/ivi-shell.h
+++ b/ivi-shell/ivi-shell.h
@@ -35,6 +35,8 @@ struct ivi_shell
 
 	struct wl_list ivi_surface_list; /* struct ivi_shell_surface::link */
 
+	struct text_backend *text_backend;
+
 	struct wl_listener show_input_panel_listener;
 	struct wl_listener hide_input_panel_listener;
 	struct wl_listener update_input_panel_listener;
diff --git a/src/compositor.h b/src/compositor.h
index 3586f5bf..9069fe1c 100644
--- a/src/compositor.h
+++ b/src/compositor.h
@@ -1456,9 +1456,14 @@ weston_screenshooter_shoot(struct weston_output *output, struct weston_buffer *b
 struct clipboard *
 clipboard_create(struct weston_seat *seat);
 
-int
+struct text_backend;
+
+struct text_backend *
 text_backend_init(struct weston_compositor *ec);
 
+void
+text_backend_destroy(struct text_backend *text_backend);
+
 struct weston_process;
 typedef void (*weston_process_cleanup_func_t)(struct weston_process *process,
 					    int status);
diff --git a/src/text-backend.c b/src/text-backend.c
index 55013a26..9485f7ec 100644
--- a/src/text-backend.c
+++ b/src/text-backend.c
@@ -109,7 +109,6 @@ struct text_backend {
 	} input_method;
 
 	struct wl_listener seat_created_listener;
-	struct wl_listener destroy_listener;
 };
 
 static void
@@ -1037,21 +1036,17 @@ text_backend_configuration(struct text_backend *text_backend)
 	free(client);
 }
 
-static void
-text_backend_notifier_destroy(struct wl_listener *listener, void *data)
+WL_EXPORT void
+text_backend_destroy(struct text_backend *text_backend)
 {
-	struct text_backend *text_backend =
-		container_of(listener, struct text_backend, destroy_listener);
-
 	if (text_backend->input_method.client)
 		wl_client_destroy(text_backend->input_method.client);
 
 	free(text_backend->input_method.path);
-
 	free(text_backend);
 }
 
-WL_EXPORT int
+WL_EXPORT struct text_backend *
 text_backend_init(struct weston_compositor *ec)
 {
 	struct text_backend *text_backend;
@@ -1059,7 +1054,7 @@ text_backend_init(struct weston_compositor *ec)
 
 	text_backend = zalloc(sizeof(*text_backend));
 	if (text_backend == NULL)
-		return -1;
+		return NULL;
 
 	text_backend->compositor = ec;
 
@@ -1071,10 +1066,7 @@ text_backend_init(struct weston_compositor *ec)
 	wl_signal_add(&ec->seat_created_signal,
 		      &text_backend->seat_created_listener);
 
-	text_backend->destroy_listener.notify = text_backend_notifier_destroy;
-	wl_signal_add(&ec->destroy_signal, &text_backend->destroy_listener);
-
 	text_input_manager_create(ec);
 
-	return 0;
+	return text_backend;
 }