diff --git a/debian/changelog b/debian/changelog
index 08fc6b48..85b7db47 100644
--- a/debian/changelog
+++ b/debian/changelog
@@ -27,6 +27,10 @@ byobu (5.6) unreleased; urgency=low
     - use BYOBU_READLINK instead of READLINK
   * usr/bin/byobu-select-session: LP: #911500
     - detect and avoid some circular byobu-inside-byobu infinite loops
+  * usr/bin/byobu, usr/bin/byobu-ctrl-a, usr/bin/byobu-reconnect-
+    sockets, usr/lib/byobu/color, usr/lib/byobu/date,
+    usr/lib/byobu/include/shutil, usr/lib/byobu/time:
+    - make check for BYOBU_BACKEND explitly tmux|screen
 
   [ Ryan Thompson ]
   * usr/bin/byobu-select-session: LP: #919391
diff --git a/usr/bin/byobu b/usr/bin/byobu
index cc040f6a..52bf9a95 100755
--- a/usr/bin/byobu
+++ b/usr/bin/byobu
@@ -98,7 +98,7 @@ case $BYOBU_BACKEND in
 		PROFILE="-f $BYOBU_PREFIX/share/$PKG/profiles/tmuxrc"
 		sessions=$($BYOBU_BACKEND list-sessions 2>/dev/null) || true
 	;;
-	*)
+	screen)
 		# Allow override of default window list, with BYOBU_WINDOWS environment variable
 		CUSTOM_WINDOW_SET=0
 		if [ -s "$BYOBU_WINDOWS" ]; then
diff --git a/usr/bin/byobu-ctrl-a b/usr/bin/byobu-ctrl-a
index 9db0c5fc..8c4f8a47 100755
--- a/usr/bin/byobu-ctrl-a
+++ b/usr/bin/byobu-ctrl-a
@@ -90,6 +90,9 @@ case "$bind_to" in
 esac
 
 case "$BYOBU_BACKEND" in
+	tmux)
+		true
+	;;
 	screen)
 		$BYOBU_BACKEND -X at 0 source "$BYOBU_CONFIG_DIR/profile"
 	;;
diff --git a/usr/bin/byobu-reconnect-sockets b/usr/bin/byobu-reconnect-sockets
index 15d447a2..58cbff1f 100755
--- a/usr/bin/byobu-reconnect-sockets
+++ b/usr/bin/byobu-reconnect-sockets
@@ -49,7 +49,7 @@ export_and_send () {
 		tmux)
 			tmux setenv "$var" "$value"
 		;;
-		*)
+		screen)
 			screen -X setenv "$var" "$value"
 		;;
 	esac
diff --git a/usr/lib/byobu/color b/usr/lib/byobu/color
index df421ff3..cebfab5f 100755
--- a/usr/lib/byobu/color
+++ b/usr/lib/byobu/color
@@ -29,7 +29,7 @@ __color() {
 		tmux)
 			true
 		;;
-		*)
+		screen)
 			printf "\005{= $BACKGROUND$FOREGROUND}"
 		;;
 	esac
diff --git a/usr/lib/byobu/date b/usr/lib/byobu/date
index 0c4e3e21..93e92a50 100755
--- a/usr/lib/byobu/date
+++ b/usr/lib/byobu/date
@@ -28,7 +28,7 @@ __date() {
 		tmux)
 			date +"%Y-%m-%d "
 		;;
-		*)
+		screen)
 			bd=$(date "+%m%d")
 			[ "$bd" = "0320" ] && msg="$(echo SGFwcHkgQmlydGhkYXkgU2NyZWVuIC0tIGh0dHA6Ly9iaXQubHkvc2NyZWVuLWJkYXkK | base64 -di)" && $BYOBU_BACKEND -X -S "byobu" at "*" echo "[$msg]"
 			color none; printf "\005Y-\005m-\005d"; color --
diff --git a/usr/lib/byobu/include/shutil b/usr/lib/byobu/include/shutil
index 3c82bcd6..d452d016 100755
--- a/usr/lib/byobu/include/shutil
+++ b/usr/lib/byobu/include/shutil
@@ -116,7 +116,7 @@ color() {
 		tmux)
 			color_tmux "$@"
 		;;
-		*)
+		screen)
 			color_screen "$@"
 		;;
 	esac
diff --git a/usr/lib/byobu/time b/usr/lib/byobu/time
index 46dfba64..512af6f8 100755
--- a/usr/lib/byobu/time
+++ b/usr/lib/byobu/time
@@ -28,7 +28,7 @@ __time() {
 		tmux)
 			date +"%H:%M:%S"
 		;;
-		*)
+		screen)
 			printf "\0050c:\005s"
 		;;
 	esac