diff --git a/src/unix/lwt_engine.ml b/src/unix/lwt_engine.ml
index 22634712a..17618e133 100644
--- a/src/unix/lwt_engine.ml
+++ b/src/unix/lwt_engine.ml
@@ -180,7 +180,7 @@ class libev ?(backend=Ev_backend.default) () = object
   val loop = ev_init backend
   method loop = loop
 
-  method backend = lazy (ev_backend loop)
+  method backend = ev_backend loop
 
   method private cleanup = ev_stop loop
 
diff --git a/src/unix/lwt_engine.mli b/src/unix/lwt_engine.mli
index d35371557..fbdd7d199 100644
--- a/src/unix/lwt_engine.mli
+++ b/src/unix/lwt_engine.mli
@@ -147,7 +147,7 @@ end
 class libev : ?backend:Ev_backend.t -> unit -> object
   inherit t
 
-  method backend : Ev_backend.t Lazy.t
+  method backend : Ev_backend.t
     (** The backend picked by libev. *)
 
   val loop : ev_loop
@@ -213,7 +213,7 @@ sig
   class libev_1 : object
     inherit t
     val loop : ev_loop
-    method backend : Ev_backend.t Lazy.t
+    method backend : Ev_backend.t
     method loop : ev_loop
   end
   [@@ocaml.deprecated
@@ -228,7 +228,7 @@ sig
   class libev_2 : ?backend:Ev_backend.t -> unit -> object
     inherit t
     val loop : ev_loop
-    method backend : Ev_backend.t Lazy.t
+    method backend : Ev_backend.t
     method loop : ev_loop
   end
   [@@ocaml.deprecated