diff --git a/CMakeLists.txt b/CMakeLists.txt
index a3c74d41..6acd9181 100644
--- a/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -97,8 +97,13 @@ add_executable(bidi_test
 target_link_libraries(bidi_test guiterminal utils ${platform_libraries})
 
 add_executable(plink
-  ${platform}/plink.c
-  be_all_s.c)
+  ${platform}/plink.c)
+# Note: if we ever port Plink to a platform where we can't implement a
+# serial backend, this be_list command will need to become platform-
+# dependent, so that it only sets the SERIAL option on platforms where
+# that backend exists. For the moment, though, we have serial port
+# backends for both our platforms, so we can do this unconditionally.
+be_list(plink Plink SSH SERIAL OTHERBACKENDS)
 target_link_libraries(plink
   eventloop noterminal console sshclient otherbackends settings network crypto
   utils
@@ -106,16 +111,16 @@ target_link_libraries(plink
 installed_program(plink)
 
 add_executable(pscp
-  pscp.c
-  be_ssh.c)
+  pscp.c)
+be_list(pscp PSCP SSH)
 target_link_libraries(pscp
   sftpclient eventloop console sshclient settings network crypto utils
   ${platform_libraries})
 installed_program(pscp)
 
 add_executable(psftp
-  psftp.c
-  be_ssh.c)
+  psftp.c)
+be_list(psftp PSFTP SSH)
 target_link_libraries(psftp
   sftpclient eventloop console sshclient settings network crypto utils
   ${platform_libraries})
diff --git a/be_all.c b/be_all.c
deleted file mode 100644
index 668541b8..00000000
--- a/be_all.c
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,31 +0,0 @@
-/*
- * Linking module for PuTTY proper: list the available backends
- * including ssh.
- */
-
-#include <stdio.h>
-#include "putty.h"
-
-/*
- * This appname is not strictly in the right place, since Plink
- * also uses this module. However, Plink doesn't currently use any
- * of the dialog-box sorts of things that make use of appname, so
- * it shouldn't do any harm here. I'm trying to avoid having to
- * have tiny little source modules containing nothing but
- * declarations of appname, for as long as I can...
- */
-const char *const appname = "PuTTY";
-
-const int be_default_protocol = PROT_SSH;
-
-const struct BackendVtable *const backends[] = {
-    &ssh_backend,
-    &telnet_backend,
-    &rlogin_backend,
-    &supdup_backend,
-    &raw_backend,
-    &sshconn_backend,
-    NULL
-};
-
-const size_t n_ui_backends = 1;
diff --git a/be_all_s.c b/be_all_s.c
deleted file mode 100644
index 4e502930..00000000
--- a/be_all_s.c
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,32 +0,0 @@
-/*
- * Linking module for PuTTY proper: list the available backends
- * including ssh, plus the serial backend.
- */
-
-#include <stdio.h>
-#include "putty.h"
-
-/*
- * This appname is not strictly in the right place, since Plink
- * also uses this module. However, Plink doesn't currently use any
- * of the dialog-box sorts of things that make use of appname, so
- * it shouldn't do any harm here. I'm trying to avoid having to
- * have tiny little source modules containing nothing but
- * declarations of appname, for as long as I can...
- */
-const char *const appname = "PuTTY";
-
-const int be_default_protocol = PROT_SSH;
-
-const struct BackendVtable *const backends[] = {
-    &ssh_backend,
-    &serial_backend,
-    &telnet_backend,
-    &rlogin_backend,
-    &supdup_backend,
-    &raw_backend,
-    &sshconn_backend,
-    NULL
-};
-
-const size_t n_ui_backends = 2;
diff --git a/be_list.c b/be_list.c
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..09437a69
--- /dev/null
+++ b/be_list.c
@@ -0,0 +1,118 @@
+/*
+ * Source file that is rebuilt per application, and provides the list
+ * of backends, the default protocol, and the application name.
+ *
+ * This file expects the build system to provide some per-application
+ * definitions on the compiler command line. So you don't just add it
+ * directly to the sources list for an application. Instead you call
+ * the be_list() function defined in setup.cmake, e.g.
+ *
+ *    be_list(target-name AppName [SSH] [SERIAL] [OTHERBACKENDS])
+ *
+ * This translates into the following command-line macro definitions
+ * used by the code below:
+ *
+ *  - APPNAME should be defined to the name of the program, in
+ *    user-facing capitalisation (e.g. PuTTY rather than putty).
+ *    Unquoted: it's easier to stringify it in the preprocessor than
+ *    to persuade cmake to put the right quotes on the command line on
+ *    all build platforms.
+ *
+ *  - The following macros should each be defined to 1 if a given set
+ *    of backends should be added to the backends[] list, or 0 if they
+ *    should not be:
+ *
+ *     * SSH: the two SSH backends (SSH proper, and bare-ssh-connection)
+ *
+ *     * SERIAL: the serial port backend
+ *
+ *     * OTHERBACKENDS: the non-cryptographic network protocol backends
+ *       (Telnet, Rlogin, SUPDUP, Raw)
+ */
+
+#include <stdio.h>
+#include "putty.h"
+
+const char *const appname = STR(APPNAME);
+
+/*
+ * Define the default protocol for the application. This is always a
+ * network backend (serial ports come second behind network, in every
+ * case). Applications that don't have either (such as pterm) don't
+ * need this variable anyway, so just set it to -1.
+ */
+#if SSH
+const int be_default_protocol = PROT_SSH;
+#elif OTHERBACKENDS
+const int be_default_protocol = PROT_TELNET;
+#else
+const int be_default_protocol = -1;
+#endif
+
+/*
+ * List all the configured backends, in the order they should appear
+ * in the config box.
+ */
+const struct BackendVtable *const backends[] = {
+    /*
+     * Start with the most-preferred network-remote-login protocol.
+     * That's SSH if present, otherwise Telnet if present.
+     */
+#if SSH
+    &ssh_backend,
+#elif OTHERBACKENDS
+    &telnet_backend,         /* Telnet at the top if SSH is absent  */
+#endif
+
+    /*
+     * Second on the list is the serial-port backend, if available.
+     */
+#if SERIAL
+    &serial_backend,
+#endif
+
+    /*
+     * After that come the remaining network protocols: Telnet if it
+     * hasn't already appeared above, and Rlogin, SUPDUP and Raw.
+     */
+#if OTHERBACKENDS && SSH
+    &telnet_backend,         /* only if SSH displaced it at the top  */
+#endif
+#if OTHERBACKENDS
+    &rlogin_backend,
+    &supdup_backend,
+    &raw_backend,
+#endif
+
+    /*
+     * Bare ssh-connection / PSUSAN is a niche protocol and goes well
+     * down the list.
+     */
+#if SSH
+    &sshconn_backend,
+#endif
+
+    /*
+     * Done. Null pointer to mark the end of the list.
+     */
+    NULL
+};
+
+/*
+ * Number of backends at the start of the above list that should have
+ * radio buttons in the config UI.
+ *
+ * The rule is: the most-preferred network backend, and Serial, each
+ * get a radio button if present.
+ *
+ * The rest will be relegated to a dropdown list.
+ */
+const size_t n_ui_backends =
+    0
+#if SSH || OTHERBACKENDS
+    + 1
+#endif
+#if SERIAL
+    + 1
+#endif
+    ;
diff --git a/be_none.c b/be_none.c
deleted file mode 100644
index 588bb1d4..00000000
--- a/be_none.c
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,15 +0,0 @@
-/*
- * Linking module for programs that do not support selection of backend
- * (such as pterm).
- */
-
-#include <stdio.h>
-#include "putty.h"
-
-const int be_default_protocol = -1;
-
-const struct BackendVtable *const backends[] = {
-    NULL
-};
-
-const size_t n_ui_backends = 0;
diff --git a/be_nos_s.c b/be_nos_s.c
deleted file mode 100644
index 097433aa..00000000
--- a/be_nos_s.c
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,22 +0,0 @@
-/*
- * Linking module for PuTTYtel: list the available backends not
- * including ssh.
- */
-
-#include <stdio.h>
-#include "putty.h"
-
-const int be_default_protocol = PROT_TELNET;
-
-const char *const appname = "PuTTYtel";
-
-const struct BackendVtable *const backends[] = {
-    &telnet_backend,
-    &serial_backend,
-    &rlogin_backend,
-    &supdup_backend,
-    &raw_backend,
-    NULL
-};
-
-const size_t n_ui_backends = 2;
diff --git a/be_nossh.c b/be_nossh.c
deleted file mode 100644
index 1c94f3ae..00000000
--- a/be_nossh.c
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,21 +0,0 @@
-/*
- * Linking module for PuTTYtel: list the available backends not
- * including ssh.
- */
-
-#include <stdio.h>
-#include "putty.h"
-
-const int be_default_protocol = PROT_TELNET;
-
-const char *const appname = "PuTTYtel";
-
-const struct BackendVtable *const backends[] = {
-    &telnet_backend,
-    &rlogin_backend,
-    &supdup_backend,
-    &raw_backend,
-    NULL
-};
-
-const size_t n_ui_backends = 1;
diff --git a/be_ssh.c b/be_ssh.c
deleted file mode 100644
index 81be62d8..00000000
--- a/be_ssh.c
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,18 +0,0 @@
-/*
- * Linking module for programs that are restricted to only using
- * SSH-type protocols (pscp and psftp). These still have a choice of
- * two actual backends, because they can also speak PROT_SSHCONN.
- */
-
-#include <stdio.h>
-#include "putty.h"
-
-const int be_default_protocol = PROT_SSH;
-
-const struct BackendVtable *const backends[] = {
-    &ssh_backend,
-    &sshconn_backend,
-    NULL
-};
-
-const size_t n_ui_backends = 0;  /* not used in programs with a config UI */
diff --git a/cmake/setup.cmake b/cmake/setup.cmake
index 6612de97..26079f31 100644
--- a/cmake/setup.cmake
+++ b/cmake/setup.cmake
@@ -78,6 +78,20 @@ else()
   set(platform unix)
 endif()
 
+function(be_list TARGET NAME)
+  cmake_parse_arguments(OPT "SSH;SERIAL;OTHERBACKENDS" "" "" "${ARGN}")
+  add_library(${TARGET}-be-list OBJECT ${CMAKE_SOURCE_DIR}/be_list.c)
+  foreach(setting SSH SERIAL OTHERBACKENDS)
+    if(OPT_${setting})
+      target_compile_definitions(${TARGET}-be-list PRIVATE ${setting}=1)
+    else()
+      target_compile_definitions(${TARGET}-be-list PRIVATE ${setting}=0)
+    endif()
+  endforeach()
+  target_compile_definitions(${TARGET}-be-list PRIVATE APPNAME=${NAME})
+  target_sources(${TARGET} PRIVATE $<TARGET_OBJECTS:${TARGET}-be-list>)
+endfunction()
+
 include(cmake/platforms/${platform}.cmake)
 
 include_directories(
diff --git a/fuzzterm.c b/fuzzterm.c
index a1902ede..f1477054 100644
--- a/fuzzterm.c
+++ b/fuzzterm.c
@@ -171,7 +171,6 @@ bool dlg_coloursel_results(union control *ctrl, dlgparam *dp,
 void dlg_refresh(union control *ctrl, dlgparam *dp) { }
 bool dlg_is_visible(union control *ctrl, dlgparam *dp) { return false; }
 
-const char *const appname = "FuZZterm";
 const int ngsslibs = 0;
 const char *const gsslibnames[0] = { };
 const struct keyvalwhere gsslibkeywords[0] = { };
diff --git a/pscp.c b/pscp.c
index 837e89d9..192341c3 100644
--- a/pscp.c
+++ b/pscp.c
@@ -49,8 +49,6 @@ static void source(const char *src);
 static void rsource(const char *src);
 static void sink(const char *targ, const char *src);
 
-const char *const appname = "PSCP";
-
 /*
  * The maximum amount of queued data we accept before we stop and
  * wait for the server to process some.
diff --git a/psftp.c b/psftp.c
index d0317c2e..bddc18a2 100644
--- a/psftp.c
+++ b/psftp.c
@@ -14,8 +14,6 @@
 #include "ssh.h"
 #include "ssh/sftp.h"
 
-const char *const appname = "PSFTP";
-
 /*
  * Since SFTP is a request-response oriented protocol, it requires
  * no buffer management: when we send data, we stop and wait for an
diff --git a/unix/CMakeLists.txt b/unix/CMakeLists.txt
index 1030f486..51d03f0f 100644
--- a/unix/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/unix/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -49,11 +49,11 @@ add_sources_from_current_dir(agent
 
 add_executable(fuzzterm
   ${CMAKE_SOURCE_DIR}/fuzzterm.c
-  ${CMAKE_SOURCE_DIR}/be_none.c
   ${CMAKE_SOURCE_DIR}/logging.c
   ${CMAKE_SOURCE_DIR}/stubs/noprint.c
   unicode.c
   no-gtk.c)
+be_list(fuzzterm FuZZterm)
 add_dependencies(fuzzterm generated_licence_h)
 target_link_libraries(fuzzterm
   guiterminal eventloop charset settings utils)
@@ -68,11 +68,11 @@ add_sources_from_current_dir(psocks no-gtk.c)
 
 add_executable(psusan
   psusan.c
-  ${CMAKE_SOURCE_DIR}/be_none.c
   ${CMAKE_SOURCE_DIR}/stubs/nogss.c
   ${CMAKE_SOURCE_DIR}/ssh/scpserver.c
   no-gtk.c
   pty.c)
+be_list(psusan psusan)
 target_link_libraries(psusan
   eventloop sshserver keygen settings network crypto utils)
 installed_program(psusan)
@@ -108,11 +108,11 @@ target_link_libraries(testzlib utils)
 
 add_executable(uppity
   uppity.c
-  ${CMAKE_SOURCE_DIR}/be_none.c
   ${CMAKE_SOURCE_DIR}/ssh/scpserver.c
   no-gtk.c
   pty.c
   ${CMAKE_SOURCE_DIR}/stubs/nogss.c)
+be_list(uppity Uppity)
 target_link_libraries(uppity
   eventloop sshserver keygen settings network crypto utils)
 
@@ -131,13 +131,13 @@ if(GTK_FOUND)
 
   add_executable(pageant
     pageant.c
-    ${CMAKE_SOURCE_DIR}/be_none.c
     ${CMAKE_SOURCE_DIR}/stubs/nogss.c
     askpass.c
     x11.c
     noise.c
     ${CMAKE_SOURCE_DIR}/ssh/x11fwd.c
     ${CMAKE_SOURCE_DIR}/proxy/nosshproxy.c)
+  be_list(pageant Pageant)
   target_link_libraries(pageant
     eventloop console agent settings network crypto utils
     ${GTK_LIBRARIES})
@@ -146,10 +146,10 @@ if(GTK_FOUND)
   add_executable(pterm
     pterm.c
     main-gtk-simple.c
-    ${CMAKE_SOURCE_DIR}/be_none.c
     ${CMAKE_SOURCE_DIR}/stubs/nogss.c
     ${CMAKE_SOURCE_DIR}/proxy/nosshproxy.c
     pty.c)
+  be_list(pterm pterm)
   target_link_libraries(pterm
     guiterminal eventloop settings charset utils
     ${GTK_LIBRARIES} ${X11_LIBRARIES})
@@ -159,18 +159,18 @@ if(GTK_FOUND)
     pterm.c
     main-gtk-application.c
     ${CMAKE_SOURCE_DIR}/stubs/nocmdline.c
-    ${CMAKE_SOURCE_DIR}/be_none.c
     ${CMAKE_SOURCE_DIR}/stubs/nogss.c
     ${CMAKE_SOURCE_DIR}/proxy/nosshproxy.c
     pty.c)
+  be_list(ptermapp pterm)
   target_link_libraries(ptermapp
     guiterminal eventloop settings charset utils
     ${GTK_LIBRARIES} ${X11_LIBRARIES})
 
   add_executable(putty
     putty.c
-    main-gtk-simple.c
-    ${CMAKE_SOURCE_DIR}/be_all_s.c)
+    main-gtk-simple.c)
+  be_list(putty PuTTY SSH SERIAL OTHERBACKENDS)
   target_link_libraries(putty
     guiterminal eventloop sshclient otherbackends settings
     network crypto charset utils
@@ -182,8 +182,8 @@ if(GTK_FOUND)
   add_executable(puttyapp
     putty.c
     main-gtk-application.c
-    ${CMAKE_SOURCE_DIR}/stubs/nocmdline.c
-    ${CMAKE_SOURCE_DIR}/be_all_s.c)
+    ${CMAKE_SOURCE_DIR}/stubs/nocmdline.c)
+  be_list(puttyapp PuTTY SSH SERIAL OTHERBACKENDS)
   target_link_libraries(puttyapp
     guiterminal eventloop sshclient otherbackends settings
     network crypto charset utils
@@ -192,11 +192,11 @@ if(GTK_FOUND)
   add_executable(puttytel
     putty.c
     main-gtk-simple.c
-    ${CMAKE_SOURCE_DIR}/be_nos_s.c
     ${CMAKE_SOURCE_DIR}/stubs/nogss.c
     ${CMAKE_SOURCE_DIR}/stubs/norand.c
     ${CMAKE_SOURCE_DIR}/proxy/nocproxy.c
     ${CMAKE_SOURCE_DIR}/proxy/nosshproxy.c)
+  be_list(puttytel PuTTYtel SERIAL OTHERBACKENDS)
   target_link_libraries(puttytel
     guiterminal eventloop otherbackends settings network charset utils
     ${GTK_LIBRARIES} ${X11_LIBRARIES})
diff --git a/unix/pageant.c b/unix/pageant.c
index f2f75eac..f8a766db 100644
--- a/unix/pageant.c
+++ b/unix/pageant.c
@@ -235,8 +235,6 @@ void keylist_update(void)
 
 #define PAGEANT_DIR_PREFIX "/tmp/pageant"
 
-const char *const appname = "Pageant";
-
 static bool time_to_die = false;
 
 /*
diff --git a/unix/psusan.c b/unix/psusan.c
index 6560adf2..1d5816d5 100644
--- a/unix/psusan.c
+++ b/unix/psusan.c
@@ -41,8 +41,6 @@
 #include "ssh.h"
 #include "ssh/server.h"
 
-const char *const appname = "psusan";
-
 void modalfatalbox(const char *p, ...)
 {
     va_list ap;
diff --git a/unix/pterm.c b/unix/pterm.c
index b18e3442..649e7b83 100644
--- a/unix/pterm.c
+++ b/unix/pterm.c
@@ -7,7 +7,6 @@
 
 #include "putty.h"
 
-const char *const appname = "pterm";
 const bool use_event_log = false;      /* pterm doesn't need it */
 const bool new_session = false, saved_sessions = false; /* or these */
 const bool dup_check_launchable = false; /* no need to check host name
diff --git a/unix/uppity.c b/unix/uppity.c
index 7f74fed6..b5c30075 100644
--- a/unix/uppity.c
+++ b/unix/uppity.c
@@ -43,8 +43,6 @@
 #include "ssh.h"
 #include "ssh/server.h"
 
-const char *const appname = "uppity";
-
 void modalfatalbox(const char *p, ...)
 {
     va_list ap;
diff --git a/windows/CMakeLists.txt b/windows/CMakeLists.txt
index 10769ee1..7338f4c2 100644
--- a/windows/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/windows/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -92,8 +92,8 @@ add_executable(putty
   window.c
   putty.c
   help.c
-  ${CMAKE_SOURCE_DIR}/be_all_s.c
   putty.rc)
+be_list(putty PuTTY SSH SERIAL OTHERBACKENDS)
 add_dependencies(putty generated_licence_h)
 target_link_libraries(putty
   guiterminal guimisc eventloop sshclient otherbackends settings network crypto
@@ -108,12 +108,12 @@ add_executable(puttytel
   window.c
   putty.c
   help.c
-  ${CMAKE_SOURCE_DIR}/be_nos_s.c
   ${CMAKE_SOURCE_DIR}/stubs/nogss.c
   ${CMAKE_SOURCE_DIR}/stubs/norand.c
   ${CMAKE_SOURCE_DIR}/proxy/nocproxy.c
   ${CMAKE_SOURCE_DIR}/proxy/nosshproxy.c
   puttytel.rc)
+be_list(puttytel PuTTYtel SERIAL OTHERBACKENDS)
 add_dependencies(puttytel generated_licence_h)
 target_link_libraries(puttytel
   guiterminal guimisc eventloop otherbackends settings network utils
@@ -149,11 +149,11 @@ if(HAVE_CONPTY)
     pterm.c
     help.c
     conpty.c
-    be_conpty.c
     ${CMAKE_SOURCE_DIR}/stubs/nogss.c
     ${CMAKE_SOURCE_DIR}/stubs/norand.c
-    ${CMAKE_SOURCE_DIR}/proxy/stubs/nosshproxy.c
+    ${CMAKE_SOURCE_DIR}/proxy/nosshproxy.c
     pterm.rc)
+  be_list(pterm pterm)
   add_dependencies(pterm generated_licence_h)
   target_link_libraries(pterm
     guiterminal guimisc eventloop settings network utils
diff --git a/windows/be_conpty.c b/windows/be_conpty.c
deleted file mode 100644
index d8f000b1..00000000
--- a/windows/be_conpty.c
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,13 +0,0 @@
-#include <stdio.h>
-#include "putty.h"
-
-const char *const appname = "pterm";
-
-const int be_default_protocol = -1;
-
-const struct BackendVtable *const backends[] = {
-    &conpty_backend,
-    NULL
-};
-
-const size_t n_ui_backends = 1;