diff --git a/defs.h b/defs.h
index e5d3fefe..172a30b7 100644
--- a/defs.h
+++ b/defs.h
@@ -101,6 +101,8 @@ typedef struct SocketPeerInfo SocketPeerInfo;
 
 typedef struct Backend Backend;
 typedef struct BackendVtable BackendVtable;
+typedef struct Interactor Interactor;
+typedef struct InteractorVtable InteractorVtable;
 
 typedef struct Ldisc_tag Ldisc;
 typedef struct LogContext LogContext;
diff --git a/network.h b/network.h
index 0b600f63..099895bc 100644
--- a/network.h
+++ b/network.h
@@ -129,26 +129,6 @@ struct PlugVtable {
      * want the connection for some reason, or 0 on success.
      */
     int (*accepting)(Plug *p, accept_fn_t constructor, accept_ctx_t ctx);
-
-    /*
-     * Returns a user-facing description of the nature of the network
-     * connection being made. Used in interactive proxy authentication
-     * to announce which connection attempt is now in control of the
-     * Seat.
-     *
-     * The idea is not just to be written in natural language, but to
-     * connect with the user's idea of _why_ they think some
-     * connection is being made. For example, instead of saying 'TCP
-     * connection to 123.45.67.89 port 22', you might say 'SSH
-     * connection to [logical host name for SSH host key purposes]'.
-     *
-     * This function pointer may be NULL, or may exist but return
-     * NULL, in which case no user-facing description is available.
-     *
-     * If a non-NULL string is returned, it must be freed by the
-     * caller.
-     */
-    char *(*description)(Plug *p);
 };
 
 /* Proxy indirection layer.
@@ -256,8 +236,6 @@ static inline void plug_sent (Plug *p, size_t bufsize)
 { p->vt->sent(p, bufsize); }
 static inline int plug_accepting(Plug *p, accept_fn_t cons, accept_ctx_t ctx)
 { return p->vt->accepting(p, cons, ctx); }
-static inline char *plug_description(Plug *p)
-{ return p->vt->description ? p->vt->description(p) : NULL; }
 
 /*
  * Special error values are returned from sk_namelookup and sk_new
diff --git a/otherbackends/raw.c b/otherbackends/raw.c
index 569d2c62..9a391d94 100644
--- a/otherbackends/raw.c
+++ b/otherbackends/raw.c
@@ -25,6 +25,7 @@ struct Raw {
 
     Plug plug;
     Backend backend;
+    Interactor interactor;
 };
 
 static void raw_size(Backend *be, int width, int height);
@@ -116,24 +117,21 @@ static void raw_sent(Plug *plug, size_t bufsize)
     seat_sent(raw->seat, raw->bufsize);
 }
 
-static char *raw_plug_description(Plug *plug)
-{
-    Raw *raw = container_of(plug, Raw, plug);
-    return dupstr(raw->description);
-}
-
-static char *raw_backend_description(Backend *backend)
-{
-    Raw *raw = container_of(backend, Raw, backend);
-    return dupstr(raw->description);
-}
-
 static const PlugVtable Raw_plugvt = {
     .log = raw_log,
     .closing = raw_closing,
     .receive = raw_receive,
     .sent = raw_sent,
-    .description = raw_plug_description,
+};
+
+static char *raw_description(Interactor *itr)
+{
+    Raw *raw = container_of(itr, Raw, interactor);
+    return dupstr(raw->description);
+}
+
+static const InteractorVtable Raw_interactorvt = {
+    .description = raw_description,
 };
 
 /*
@@ -159,6 +157,8 @@ static char *raw_init(const BackendVtable *vt, Seat *seat,
     memset(raw, 0, sizeof(Raw));
     raw->plug.vt = &Raw_plugvt;
     raw->backend.vt = vt;
+    raw->interactor.vt = &Raw_interactorvt;
+    raw->backend.interactor = &raw->interactor;
     raw->s = NULL;
     raw->closed_on_socket_error = false;
     *backend_handle = &raw->backend;
@@ -354,7 +354,6 @@ const BackendVtable raw_backend = {
     .provide_ldisc = raw_provide_ldisc,
     .unthrottle = raw_unthrottle,
     .cfg_info = raw_cfg_info,
-    .description = raw_backend_description,
     .id = "raw",
     .displayname_tc = "Raw",
     .displayname_lc = "raw",
diff --git a/otherbackends/rlogin.c b/otherbackends/rlogin.c
index b9b21786..3ab3c070 100644
--- a/otherbackends/rlogin.c
+++ b/otherbackends/rlogin.c
@@ -32,6 +32,7 @@ struct Rlogin {
 
     Plug plug;
     Backend backend;
+    Interactor interactor;
 };
 
 static void rlogin_startup(Rlogin *rlogin, int prompt_result,
@@ -193,24 +194,21 @@ static void rlogin_startup(Rlogin *rlogin, int prompt_result,
         ldisc_check_sendok(rlogin->ldisc);
 }
 
-static char *rlogin_plug_description(Plug *plug)
-{
-    Rlogin *rlogin = container_of(plug, Rlogin, plug);
-    return dupstr(rlogin->description);
-}
-
-static char *rlogin_backend_description(Backend *backend)
-{
-    Rlogin *rlogin = container_of(backend, Rlogin, backend);
-    return dupstr(rlogin->description);
-}
-
 static const PlugVtable Rlogin_plugvt = {
     .log = rlogin_log,
     .closing = rlogin_closing,
     .receive = rlogin_receive,
     .sent = rlogin_sent,
-    .description = rlogin_plug_description,
+};
+
+static char *rlogin_description(Interactor *itr)
+{
+    Rlogin *rlogin = container_of(itr, Rlogin, interactor);
+    return dupstr(rlogin->description);
+}
+
+static const InteractorVtable Rlogin_interactorvt = {
+    .description = rlogin_description,
 };
 
 /*
@@ -236,6 +234,8 @@ static char *rlogin_init(const BackendVtable *vt, Seat *seat,
     memset(rlogin, 0, sizeof(Rlogin));
     rlogin->plug.vt = &Rlogin_plugvt;
     rlogin->backend.vt = vt;
+    rlogin->interactor.vt = &Rlogin_interactorvt;
+    rlogin->backend.interactor = &rlogin->interactor;
     rlogin->s = NULL;
     rlogin->closed_on_socket_error = false;
     rlogin->seat = seat;
@@ -461,7 +461,6 @@ const BackendVtable rlogin_backend = {
     .provide_ldisc = rlogin_provide_ldisc,
     .unthrottle = rlogin_unthrottle,
     .cfg_info = rlogin_cfg_info,
-    .description = rlogin_backend_description,
     .id = "rlogin",
     .displayname_tc = "Rlogin",
     .displayname_lc = "Rlogin", /* proper name, so capitalise it anyway */
diff --git a/otherbackends/supdup.c b/otherbackends/supdup.c
index 3bde828e..3588e9f3 100644
--- a/otherbackends/supdup.c
+++ b/otherbackends/supdup.c
@@ -107,6 +107,7 @@ struct supdup_tag
 
     Plug plug;
     Backend backend;
+    Interactor interactor;
 };
 
 #define SUPDUP_MAX_BACKLOG 4096
@@ -642,17 +643,15 @@ static void supdup_send_config(Supdup *supdup)
     supdup_send_36bits(supdup, TTYROL);         // scroll amount
 }
 
-static char *supdup_plug_description(Plug *plug)
+static char *supdup_description(Interactor *itr)
 {
-    Supdup *supdup = container_of(plug, Supdup, plug);
+    Supdup *supdup = container_of(itr, Supdup, interactor);
     return dupstr(supdup->description);
 }
 
-static char *supdup_backend_description(Backend *backend)
-{
-    Supdup *supdup = container_of(backend, Supdup, backend);
-    return dupstr(supdup->description);
-}
+static const InteractorVtable Supdup_interactorvt = {
+    .description = supdup_description,
+};
 
 /*
 * Called to set up the Supdup connection.
@@ -673,7 +672,6 @@ static char *supdup_init(const BackendVtable *x, Seat *seat,
         .closing = supdup_closing,
         .receive = supdup_receive,
         .sent = supdup_sent,
-        .description = supdup_plug_description,
     };
     SockAddr *addr;
     const char *err;
@@ -686,6 +684,8 @@ static char *supdup_init(const BackendVtable *x, Seat *seat,
     memset(supdup, 0, sizeof(Supdup));
     supdup->plug.vt = &fn_table;
     supdup->backend.vt = &supdup_backend;
+    supdup->interactor.vt = &Supdup_interactorvt;
+    supdup->backend.interactor = &supdup->interactor;
     supdup->logctx = logctx;
     supdup->conf = conf_copy(conf);
     supdup->s = NULL;
@@ -952,7 +952,6 @@ const BackendVtable supdup_backend = {
     .provide_ldisc = supdup_provide_ldisc,
     .unthrottle = supdup_unthrottle,
     .cfg_info = supdup_cfg_info,
-    .description = supdup_backend_description,
     .id = "supdup",
     .displayname_tc = "SUPDUP",
     .displayname_lc = "SUPDUP", /* proper name, so capitalise it anyway */
diff --git a/otherbackends/telnet.c b/otherbackends/telnet.c
index 819cbcb0..bbf539c9 100644
--- a/otherbackends/telnet.c
+++ b/otherbackends/telnet.c
@@ -200,6 +200,7 @@ struct Telnet {
 
     Plug plug;
     Backend backend;
+    Interactor interactor;
 };
 
 #define TELNET_MAX_BACKLOG 4096
@@ -681,24 +682,21 @@ static void telnet_sent(Plug *plug, size_t bufsize)
     seat_sent(telnet->seat, telnet->bufsize);
 }
 
-static char *telnet_plug_description(Plug *plug)
-{
-    Telnet *telnet = container_of(plug, Telnet, plug);
-    return dupstr(telnet->description);
-}
-
-static char *telnet_backend_description(Backend *backend)
-{
-    Telnet *telnet = container_of(backend, Telnet, backend);
-    return dupstr(telnet->description);
-}
-
 static const PlugVtable Telnet_plugvt = {
     .log = telnet_log,
     .closing = telnet_closing,
     .receive = telnet_receive,
     .sent = telnet_sent,
-    .description = telnet_plug_description,
+};
+
+static char *telnet_description(Interactor *itr)
+{
+    Telnet *telnet = container_of(itr, Telnet, interactor);
+    return dupstr(telnet->description);
+}
+
+static const InteractorVtable Telnet_interactorvt = {
+    .description = telnet_description,
 };
 
 /*
@@ -724,6 +722,8 @@ static char *telnet_init(const BackendVtable *vt, Seat *seat,
     memset(telnet, 0, sizeof(Telnet));
     telnet->plug.vt = &Telnet_plugvt;
     telnet->backend.vt = vt;
+    telnet->interactor.vt = &Telnet_interactorvt;
+    telnet->backend.interactor = &telnet->interactor;
     telnet->conf = conf_copy(conf);
     telnet->s = NULL;
     telnet->socket_connected = false;
@@ -1098,7 +1098,6 @@ const BackendVtable telnet_backend = {
     .provide_ldisc = telnet_provide_ldisc,
     .unthrottle = telnet_unthrottle,
     .cfg_info = telnet_cfg_info,
-    .description = telnet_backend_description,
     .id = "telnet",
     .displayname_tc = "Telnet",
     .displayname_lc = "Telnet", /* proper name, so capitalise it anyway */
diff --git a/putty.h b/putty.h
index 4e1f9dde..ffbfa000 100644
--- a/putty.h
+++ b/putty.h
@@ -633,8 +633,56 @@ enum {
 /* In (no)sshproxy.c */
 extern const bool ssh_proxy_supported;
 
+/*
+ * The Interactor trait is implemented by anything that is capable of
+ * presenting interactive prompts or questions to the user during
+ * network connection setup. Every Backend that ever needs to do this
+ * is an Interactor, but also, while a Backend is making its initial
+ * network connection, it may go via network proxy code which is also
+ * an Interactor and can ask questions of its own.
+ */
+struct Interactor {
+    const InteractorVtable *vt;
+};
+
+struct InteractorVtable {
+    /*
+     * Returns a user-facing description of the nature of the network
+     * connection being made. Used in interactive proxy authentication
+     * to announce which connection attempt is now in control of the
+     * Seat.
+     *
+     * The idea is not just to be written in natural language, but to
+     * connect with the user's idea of _why_ they think some
+     * connection is being made. For example, instead of saying 'TCP
+     * connection to 123.45.67.89 port 22', you might say 'SSH
+     * connection to [logical host name for SSH host key purposes]'.
+     *
+     * The returned string must be freed by the caller.
+     */
+    char *(*description)(Interactor *itr);
+};
+
+static inline char *interactor_description(Interactor *itr)
+{ return itr->vt->description(itr); }
+
+/* Interactors that are Backends will find this helper function useful
+ * in constructing their description strings */
+char *default_description(const BackendVtable *backvt,
+                          const char *host, int port);
+
+/*
+ * The Backend trait is the top-level one that governs each of the
+ * user-facing main modes that PuTTY can use to talk to some
+ * destination: SSH, Telnet, serial port, pty, etc.
+ */
+
 struct Backend {
     const BackendVtable *vt;
+
+    /* Many Backends are also Interactors. If this one is, a pointer
+     * to its Interactor trait lives here. */
+    Interactor *interactor;
 };
 struct BackendVtable {
     char *(*init) (const BackendVtable *vt, Seat *seat,
@@ -680,28 +728,6 @@ struct BackendVtable {
      * connections that would be lost if this one were terminated. */
     char *(*close_warn_text)(Backend *be);
 
-    /*
-     * Returns a user-facing description of the nature of the network
-     * connection being made. Used in interactive proxy authentication
-     * to announce which connection attempt is now in control of the
-     * Seat.
-     *
-     * The idea is not just to be written in natural language, but to
-     * connect with the user's idea of _why_ they think some
-     * connection is being made. For example, instead of saying 'TCP
-     * connection to 123.45.67.89 port 22', you might say 'SSH
-     * connection to [logical host name for SSH host key purposes]'.
-     *
-     * This function pointer may be NULL, or may exist but return
-     * NULL, in which case no user-facing description is available.
-     * (Backends which are never proxied, such as pty and ConPTY, need
-     * not bother to fill this in.)
-     *
-     * If a non-NULL string is returned, it must be freed by the
-     * caller.
-     */
-    char *(*description)(Backend *be);
-
     /* 'id' is a machine-readable name for the backend, used in
      * saved-session storage. 'displayname_tc' and 'displayname_lc'
      * are human-readable names, one in title-case for config boxes,
@@ -750,11 +776,6 @@ static inline void backend_unthrottle(Backend *be, size_t bufsize)
 { be->vt->unthrottle(be, bufsize); }
 static inline int backend_cfg_info(Backend *be)
 { return be->vt->cfg_info(be); }
-static inline char *backend_description(Backend *be)
-{ return be->vt->description ? be->vt->description(be) : NULL; }
-
-char *default_description(const BackendVtable *backvt,
-                          const char *host, int port);
 
 extern const struct BackendVtable *const backends[];
 /*
diff --git a/ssh/ssh.c b/ssh/ssh.c
index c9ce2b0b..e240c0c7 100644
--- a/ssh/ssh.c
+++ b/ssh/ssh.c
@@ -39,6 +39,7 @@ struct Ssh {
 
     Plug plug;
     Backend backend;
+    Interactor interactor;
 
     Ldisc *ldisc;
     LogContext *logctx;
@@ -718,24 +719,21 @@ static char *ssh_close_warn_text(Backend *be)
     return msg;
 }
 
-static char *ssh_plug_description(Plug *plug)
-{
-    Ssh *ssh = container_of(plug, Ssh, plug);
-    return dupstr(ssh->description);
-}
-
-static char *ssh_backend_description(Backend *backend)
-{
-    Ssh *ssh = container_of(backend, Ssh, backend);
-    return dupstr(ssh->description);
-}
-
 static const PlugVtable Ssh_plugvt = {
     .log = ssh_socket_log,
     .closing = ssh_closing,
     .receive = ssh_receive,
     .sent = ssh_sent,
-    .description = ssh_plug_description,
+};
+
+static char *ssh_description(Interactor *itr)
+{
+    Ssh *ssh = container_of(itr, Ssh, interactor);
+    return dupstr(ssh->description);
+}
+
+static const InteractorVtable Ssh_interactorvt = {
+    .description = ssh_description,
 };
 
 /*
@@ -940,6 +938,8 @@ static char *ssh_init(const BackendVtable *vt, Seat *seat,
     ssh->term_height = conf_get_int(ssh->conf, CONF_height);
 
     ssh->backend.vt = vt;
+    ssh->interactor.vt = &Ssh_interactorvt;
+    ssh->backend.interactor = &ssh->interactor;
     *backend_handle = &ssh->backend;
 
     ssh->bare_connection = (vt->protocol == PROT_SSHCONN);
@@ -1264,7 +1264,6 @@ const BackendVtable ssh_backend = {
     .cfg_info = ssh_cfg_info,
     .test_for_upstream = ssh_test_for_upstream,
     .close_warn_text = ssh_close_warn_text,
-    .description = ssh_backend_description,
     .id = "ssh",
     .displayname_tc = "SSH",
     .displayname_lc = "SSH", /* proper name, so capitalise it anyway */
@@ -1291,7 +1290,6 @@ const BackendVtable sshconn_backend = {
     .cfg_info = ssh_cfg_info,
     .test_for_upstream = ssh_test_for_upstream,
     .close_warn_text = ssh_close_warn_text,
-    .description = ssh_backend_description,
     .id = "ssh-connection",
     .displayname_tc = "Bare ssh-connection",
     .displayname_lc = "bare ssh-connection",