diff --git a/src/posix/cocoa/i_video.mm b/src/posix/cocoa/i_video.mm
index deb65ae69..97da4360a 100644
--- a/src/posix/cocoa/i_video.mm
+++ b/src/posix/cocoa/i_video.mm
@@ -94,7 +94,7 @@
 EXTERN_CVAR(Bool, vid_hidpi)
 EXTERN_CVAR(Int,  vid_defwidth)
 EXTERN_CVAR(Int,  vid_defheight)
-EXTERN_CVAR(Int,  vid_enablevulkan)
+EXTERN_CVAR(Int,  vid_preferbackend)
 EXTERN_CVAR(Bool, vk_debug)
 
 CVAR(Bool, mvk_debug, false, 0)
@@ -348,7 +348,7 @@ class CocoaVideo : public IVideo
 public:
 	CocoaVideo()
 	{
-		ms_isVulkanEnabled = vid_enablevulkan == 1 && NSAppKitVersionNumber >= 1404; // NSAppKitVersionNumber10_11
+		ms_isVulkanEnabled = vid_preferbackend == 1 && NSAppKitVersionNumber >= 1404; // NSAppKitVersionNumber10_11
 	}
 
 	~CocoaVideo()
diff --git a/src/posix/sdl/sdlglvideo.cpp b/src/posix/sdl/sdlglvideo.cpp
index 39eae8b76..49463e0ac 100644
--- a/src/posix/sdl/sdlglvideo.cpp
+++ b/src/posix/sdl/sdlglvideo.cpp
@@ -73,7 +73,7 @@ EXTERN_CVAR (Int, vid_adapter)
 EXTERN_CVAR (Int, vid_displaybits)
 EXTERN_CVAR (Int, vid_defwidth)
 EXTERN_CVAR (Int, vid_defheight)
-EXTERN_CVAR (Int, vid_enablevulkan)
+EXTERN_CVAR (Int, vid_preferbackend)
 EXTERN_CVAR (Bool, cl_capfps)
 
 // PUBLIC DATA DEFINITIONS -------------------------------------------------
@@ -246,7 +246,7 @@ SDLVideo::SDLVideo ()
 	}
 
 #ifdef HAVE_VULKAN
-	Priv::vulkanEnabled = vid_enablevulkan == 1
+	Priv::vulkanEnabled = vid_preferbackend == 1
 		&& Priv::Vulkan_GetDrawableSize && Priv::Vulkan_GetInstanceExtensions && Priv::Vulkan_CreateSurface;
 
 	if (Priv::vulkanEnabled)
diff --git a/src/win32/i_system.cpp b/src/win32/i_system.cpp
index 36e042b1f..6e435e26f 100644
--- a/src/win32/i_system.cpp
+++ b/src/win32/i_system.cpp
@@ -119,8 +119,7 @@ EXTERN_CVAR (Bool, queryiwad);
 EXTERN_CVAR (Bool, disableautoload)
 EXTERN_CVAR (Bool, autoloadlights)
 EXTERN_CVAR (Bool, autoloadbrightmaps)
-//EXTERN_CVAR (Int, vid_enablevulkan) // hack - we're just disabling it for now, this code does nothing
-uint32_t vid_enablevulkan = 0;
+EXTERN_CVAR (Int, vid_preferbackend)
 
 extern HWND Window, ConWindow, GameTitleWindow;
 extern HANDLE StdOut;
@@ -590,7 +589,7 @@ BOOL CALLBACK IWADBoxCallback(HWND hDlg, UINT message, WPARAM wParam, LPARAM lPa
 		// Check the current video settings.
 		//SendDlgItemMessage( hDlg, vid_renderer ? IDC_WELCOME_OPENGL : IDC_WELCOME_SOFTWARE, BM_SETCHECK, BST_CHECKED, 0 );
 		SendDlgItemMessage( hDlg, IDC_WELCOME_FULLSCREEN, BM_SETCHECK, fullscreen ? BST_CHECKED : BST_UNCHECKED, 0 );
-		SendDlgItemMessage( hDlg, IDC_WELCOME_VULKAN, BM_SETCHECK, vid_enablevulkan ? BST_CHECKED : BST_UNCHECKED, 0 );
+		SendDlgItemMessage( hDlg, IDC_WELCOME_VULKAN, BM_SETCHECK, (vid_preferbackend == 1) ? BST_CHECKED : BST_UNCHECKED, 0 );
 
 		// [SP] This is our's
 		SendDlgItemMessage( hDlg, IDC_WELCOME_NOAUTOLOAD, BM_SETCHECK, disableautoload ? BST_CHECKED : BST_UNCHECKED, 0 );
@@ -636,7 +635,8 @@ BOOL CALLBACK IWADBoxCallback(HWND hDlg, UINT message, WPARAM wParam, LPARAM lPa
 			SetQueryIWad(hDlg);
 			// [SP] Upstreamed from Zandronum
 			fullscreen = SendDlgItemMessage( hDlg, IDC_WELCOME_FULLSCREEN, BM_GETCHECK, 0, 0 ) == BST_CHECKED;
-			vid_enablevulkan = SendDlgItemMessage( hDlg, IDC_WELCOME_VULKAN, BM_GETCHECK, 0, 0 ) == BST_CHECKED;
+			if (SendDlgItemMessage(hDlg, IDC_WELCOME_VULKAN, BM_GETCHECK, 0, 0) == BST_CHECKED) vid_preferbackend = 1;
+			else if (SendDlgItemMessage(hDlg, IDC_WELCOME_VULKAN, BM_GETCHECK, 0, 0) != BST_CHECKED && vid_preferbackend == 1) vid_preferbackend = 0;
 
 			// [SP] This is our's.
 			disableautoload = SendDlgItemMessage( hDlg, IDC_WELCOME_NOAUTOLOAD, BM_GETCHECK, 0, 0 ) == BST_CHECKED;