diff --git a/src/network/ssl/qsslsocket.cpp b/src/network/ssl/qsslsocket.cpp
index 67f9b58c28f..d2d4b5fc324 100644
--- a/src/network/ssl/qsslsocket.cpp
+++ b/src/network/ssl/qsslsocket.cpp
@@ -2844,6 +2844,11 @@ QTlsBackend *QSslSocketPrivate::tlsBackendInUse()
     if (!activeBackendName.size())
         activeBackendName = QTlsBackend::defaultBackendName();
 
+    if (!activeBackendName.size()) {
+        qCWarning(lcSsl, "No functional TLS backend was found");
+        return nullptr;
+    }
+
     return tlsBackend = QTlsBackend::findBackend(activeBackendName);
 }
 
diff --git a/src/network/ssl/qtlsbackend.cpp b/src/network/ssl/qtlsbackend.cpp
index ac6d965bd3d..1df462e3627 100644
--- a/src/network/ssl/qtlsbackend.cpp
+++ b/src/network/ssl/qtlsbackend.cpp
@@ -110,8 +110,10 @@ public:
             return names;
 
         names.reserve(backends.size());
-        for (const auto *factory : backends)
-            names.append(factory->backendName());
+        for (const auto *backend : backends) {
+            if (backend->isValid())
+                names.append(backend->backendName());
+        }
 
         return names;
     }
@@ -198,6 +200,11 @@ QTlsBackend::~QTlsBackend()
         backends->removeBackend(this);
 }
 
+bool QTlsBackend::isValid() const
+{
+    return true;
+}
+
 QString QTlsBackend::backendName() const
 {
     return QStringLiteral("dummyTLS");
diff --git a/src/network/ssl/qtlsbackend_openssl.cpp b/src/network/ssl/qtlsbackend_openssl.cpp
index b0dd920aedb..e288498820f 100644
--- a/src/network/ssl/qtlsbackend_openssl.cpp
+++ b/src/network/ssl/qtlsbackend_openssl.cpp
@@ -41,6 +41,10 @@
 #include "qtlskey_openssl_p.h"
 #include "qx509_openssl_p.h"
 
+// TLSTODO: Later, this code (ensure initialised, etc.)
+// must move from the socket to backend.
+#include "qsslsocket_p.h"
+//
 #include "qsslsocket_openssl_symbols_p.h"
 
 #include <qssl.h>
@@ -83,6 +87,13 @@ QString QTlsBackendOpenSSL::backendName() const
     return builtinBackendNames[nameIndexOpenSSL];
 }
 
+bool QTlsBackendOpenSSL::isValid() const
+{
+    // TLSTODO: backend should do initialization,
+    // not socket.
+    return QSslSocket::supportsSsl();
+}
+
 QList<QSsl::SslProtocol> QTlsBackendOpenSSL::supportedProtocols() const
 {
     QList<QSsl::SslProtocol> protocols;
diff --git a/src/network/ssl/qtlsbackend_openssl_p.h b/src/network/ssl/qtlsbackend_openssl_p.h
index 67472980af5..478e4762c29 100644
--- a/src/network/ssl/qtlsbackend_openssl_p.h
+++ b/src/network/ssl/qtlsbackend_openssl_p.h
@@ -68,6 +68,7 @@ public:
     static void clearErrorQueue();
 private:
     QString backendName() const override;
+    bool isValid() const override;
 
     QList<QSsl::SslProtocol> supportedProtocols() const override;
     QList<QSsl::SupportedFeature> supportedFeatures() const override;
diff --git a/src/network/ssl/qtlsbackend_p.h b/src/network/ssl/qtlsbackend_p.h
index e077521b32d..c1d5137ca35 100644
--- a/src/network/ssl/qtlsbackend_p.h
+++ b/src/network/ssl/qtlsbackend_p.h
@@ -195,6 +195,8 @@ public:
     QTlsBackend();
     ~QTlsBackend() override;
 
+    virtual bool isValid() const;
+
     virtual QString backendName() const = 0;
     virtual QList<QSsl::SslProtocol> supportedProtocols() const = 0;
     virtual QList<QSsl::SupportedFeature> supportedFeatures() const = 0;