diff --git a/example/list_devices.c b/example/list_devices.c
index f542b2d..c68a057 100644
--- a/example/list_devices.c
+++ b/example/list_devices.c
@@ -87,9 +87,14 @@ int main(int argc, char **argv) {
         }
     }
 
+    struct SoundIo *soundio = soundio_create();
+    if (!soundio) {
+        fprintf(stderr, "out of memory\n");
+        return 1;
+    }
+
     int err;
-    struct SoundIo *soundio;
-    if ((err = soundio_create(&soundio))) {
+    if ((err = soundio_connect(soundio))) {
         fprintf(stderr, "%s\n", soundio_error_string(err));
         return err;
     }
diff --git a/src/dummy.cpp b/src/dummy.cpp
index 5dd6ee3..3a4efbd 100644
--- a/src/dummy.cpp
+++ b/src/dummy.cpp
@@ -89,15 +89,8 @@ static void destroy_dummy(SoundIo *soundio) {
     if (sid->mutex)
         soundio_os_mutex_destroy(sid->mutex);
 
-    if (soundio->safe_devices_info) {
-        for (int i = 0; i < soundio->safe_devices_info->input_devices.length; i += 1)
-            soundio_device_unref(soundio->safe_devices_info->input_devices.at(i));
-        for (int i = 0; i < soundio->safe_devices_info->output_devices.length; i += 1)
-            soundio_device_unref(soundio->safe_devices_info->output_devices.at(i));
-        destroy(soundio->safe_devices_info);
-        soundio->safe_devices_info = nullptr;
-    }
-
+    destroy(sid);
+    soundio->backend_data = nullptr;
 }
 
 static void flush_events(SoundIo *soundio) {
@@ -379,4 +372,3 @@ int soundio_dummy_init(SoundIo *soundio) {
 
     return 0;
 }
-
diff --git a/src/soundio.cpp b/src/soundio.cpp
index b8b6bf5..e23efde 100644
--- a/src/soundio.cpp
+++ b/src/soundio.cpp
@@ -54,6 +54,7 @@ const char * soundio_sample_format_string(enum SoundIoSampleFormat sample_format
 
 const char *soundio_backend_name(enum SoundIoBackend backend) {
     switch (backend) {
+        case SoundIoBackendNone: return "(none)";
         case SoundIoBackendPulseAudio: return "PulseAudio";
         case SoundIoBackendDummy: return "Dummy";
     }
@@ -64,39 +65,78 @@ void soundio_destroy(struct SoundIo *soundio) {
     if (!soundio)
         return;
 
-    if (soundio->destroy)
-        soundio->destroy(soundio);
+    soundio_disconnect(soundio);
 
     destroy(soundio);
 }
 
-int soundio_create(struct SoundIo **out_soundio) {
-    *out_soundio = NULL;
-
+struct SoundIo * soundio_create(void) {
     struct SoundIo *soundio = create<SoundIo>();
     if (!soundio) {
         soundio_destroy(soundio);
-        return SoundIoErrorNoMem;
+        return NULL;
     }
+    return soundio;
+}
 
+int soundio_connect(struct SoundIo *soundio) {
     int err;
 
+    soundio->current_backend = SoundIoBackendPulseAudio;
     err = soundio_pulseaudio_init(soundio);
     if (err != SoundIoErrorInitAudioBackend) {
-        soundio_destroy(soundio);
+        soundio_disconnect(soundio);
         return err;
     }
 
+    soundio->current_backend = SoundIoBackendDummy;
     err = soundio_dummy_init(soundio);
     if (err) {
-        soundio_destroy(soundio);
+        soundio_disconnect(soundio);
         return err;
     }
 
-    *out_soundio = soundio;
     return 0;
 }
 
+void soundio_disconnect(struct SoundIo *soundio) {
+    if (soundio->destroy)
+        soundio->destroy(soundio);
+    assert(!soundio->backend_data);
+
+    soundio->current_backend = SoundIoBackendNone;
+
+    if (soundio->safe_devices_info) {
+        for (int i = 0; i < soundio->safe_devices_info->input_devices.length; i += 1)
+            soundio_device_unref(soundio->safe_devices_info->input_devices.at(i));
+        for (int i = 0; i < soundio->safe_devices_info->output_devices.length; i += 1)
+            soundio_device_unref(soundio->safe_devices_info->output_devices.at(i));
+        destroy(soundio->safe_devices_info);
+        soundio->safe_devices_info = nullptr;
+    }
+
+    soundio->destroy = nullptr;
+    soundio->flush_events = nullptr;
+    soundio->wait_events = nullptr;
+    soundio->wakeup = nullptr;
+    soundio->refresh_devices = nullptr;
+
+    soundio->output_device_init = nullptr;
+    soundio->output_device_destroy = nullptr;
+    soundio->output_device_start = nullptr;
+    soundio->output_device_free_count = nullptr;
+    soundio->output_device_begin_write = nullptr;
+    soundio->output_device_write = nullptr;
+    soundio->output_device_clear_buffer = nullptr;
+
+    soundio->input_device_init = nullptr;
+    soundio->input_device_destroy = nullptr;
+    soundio->input_device_start = nullptr;
+    soundio->input_device_peek = nullptr;
+    soundio->input_device_drop = nullptr;
+    soundio->input_device_clear_buffer = nullptr;
+}
+
 void soundio_flush_events(struct SoundIo *soundio) {
     if (soundio->flush_events)
         soundio->flush_events(soundio);
diff --git a/src/soundio.h b/src/soundio.h
index 001e071..38fa1c5 100644
--- a/src/soundio.h
+++ b/src/soundio.h
@@ -88,6 +88,7 @@ enum SoundIoChannelLayoutId {
 };
 
 enum SoundIoBackend {
+    SoundIoBackendNone,
     SoundIoBackendPulseAudio,
     SoundIoBackendDummy,
 };
@@ -145,7 +146,6 @@ struct SoundIoInputDevice {
 
 struct SoundIo {
     enum SoundIoBackend current_backend;
-    void *backend_data;
 
     // safe to read without a mutex from a single thread
     struct SoundIoDevicesInfo *safe_devices_info;
@@ -154,6 +154,8 @@ struct SoundIo {
     void (*on_devices_change)(struct SoundIo *);
     void (*on_events_signal)(struct SoundIo *);
 
+
+    void *backend_data;
     void (*destroy)(struct SoundIo *);
     void (*flush_events)(struct SoundIo *);
     void (*wait_events)(struct SoundIo *);
@@ -184,10 +186,12 @@ struct SoundIo {
 
 // Create a SoundIo context.
 // Returns an error code.
-int soundio_create(struct SoundIo **out_soundio);
-
+struct SoundIo * soundio_create(void);
 void soundio_destroy(struct SoundIo *soundio);
 
+int soundio_connect(struct SoundIo *soundio);
+void soundio_disconnect(struct SoundIo *soundio);
+
 const char *soundio_error_string(int error);
 const char *soundio_backend_name(enum SoundIoBackend backend);