diff --git a/src/video/glvideo.c b/src/video/glvideo.c
index 42177f3f..cae9bb73 100644
--- a/src/video/glvideo.c
+++ b/src/video/glvideo.c
@@ -893,6 +893,8 @@ __attribute__((constructor(CTOR_PRIORITY_EARLY)))
 static void _init_glvideo(void) {
     LOG("Initializing OpenGL renderer");
 
+    assert((video_backend == NULL) && "there can only be one!");
+
     glvideo_backend.init      = &gldriver_init;
     glvideo_backend.main_loop = &gldriver_main_loop;
     glvideo_backend.reshape   = &gldriver_reshape;
diff --git a/src/video/xvideo.c b/src/video/xvideo.c
index 1d488e8a..7a553ddb 100644
--- a/src/video/xvideo.c
+++ b/src/video/xvideo.c
@@ -942,6 +942,8 @@ __attribute__((constructor(CTOR_PRIORITY_EARLY)))
 static void _init_xvideo(void) {
     LOG("Initializing X11 renderer");
 
+    assert((video_backend == NULL) && "there can only be one!");
+
     xvideo_backend.init      = &xdriver_init;
     xvideo_backend.main_loop = &xdriver_main_loop;
     xvideo_backend.reshape   = &xdriver_reshape;