diff --git a/chardev/char-mux.c b/chardev/char-mux.c
index 1b925c8dec..6055e76293 100644
--- a/chardev/char-mux.c
+++ b/chardev/char-mux.c
@@ -304,6 +304,7 @@ void mux_set_focus(Chardev *chr, int focus)
     }
 
     d->focus = focus;
+    chr->be = d->backends[focus];
     mux_chr_send_event(d, d->focus, CHR_EVENT_MUX_IN);
 }