diff --git a/common/src/api/java/dev/engine_room/flywheel/api/backend/Backend.java b/common/src/api/java/dev/engine_room/flywheel/api/backend/Backend.java
index ca63659c7..6cc6228f9 100644
--- a/common/src/api/java/dev/engine_room/flywheel/api/backend/Backend.java
+++ b/common/src/api/java/dev/engine_room/flywheel/api/backend/Backend.java
@@ -14,9 +14,15 @@ public interface Backend {
 	Engine createEngine(LevelAccessor level);
 
 	/**
-	 * Get a fallback backend in case this backend is not supported.
+	 * The priority of this backend.
+	 * <p>The backend with the highest priority upon first launch will be chosen as the default backend.
+	 *
+	 * <p>If the selected backend becomes unavailable for whatever reason, the next supported backend
+	 * with a LOWER priority than the selected one will be chosen.
+	 *
+	 * @return The priority of this backend.
 	 */
-	Backend findFallback();
+	int priority();
 
 	/**
 	 * Check if this backend is supported.
diff --git a/common/src/backend/java/dev/engine_room/flywheel/backend/Backends.java b/common/src/backend/java/dev/engine_room/flywheel/backend/Backends.java
index 59e255cd5..81cdf2408 100644
--- a/common/src/backend/java/dev/engine_room/flywheel/backend/Backends.java
+++ b/common/src/backend/java/dev/engine_room/flywheel/backend/Backends.java
@@ -17,6 +17,7 @@ public final class Backends {
 	 */
 	public static final Backend INSTANCING = SimpleBackend.builder()
 			.engineFactory(level -> new EngineImpl(level, new InstancedDrawManager(InstancingPrograms.get()), 256))
+			.priority(500)
 			.supported(() -> GlCompat.SUPPORTS_INSTANCING && InstancingPrograms.allLoaded() && !ShadersModHandler.isShaderPackInUse())
 			.register(Flywheel.rl("instancing"));
 
@@ -25,7 +26,7 @@ public final class Backends {
 	 */
 	public static final Backend INDIRECT = SimpleBackend.builder()
 			.engineFactory(level -> new EngineImpl(level, new IndirectDrawManager(IndirectPrograms.get()), 256))
-			.fallback(() -> Backends.INSTANCING)
+			.priority(1000)
 			.supported(() -> GlCompat.SUPPORTS_INDIRECT && IndirectPrograms.allLoaded() && !ShadersModHandler.isShaderPackInUse())
 			.register(Flywheel.rl("indirect"));
 
diff --git a/common/src/lib/java/dev/engine_room/flywheel/lib/backend/SimpleBackend.java b/common/src/lib/java/dev/engine_room/flywheel/lib/backend/SimpleBackend.java
index cdec1433f..bc09227c1 100644
--- a/common/src/lib/java/dev/engine_room/flywheel/lib/backend/SimpleBackend.java
+++ b/common/src/lib/java/dev/engine_room/flywheel/lib/backend/SimpleBackend.java
@@ -3,22 +3,20 @@ package dev.engine_room.flywheel.lib.backend;
 import java.util.Objects;
 import java.util.function.BooleanSupplier;
 import java.util.function.Function;
-import java.util.function.Supplier;
 
 import dev.engine_room.flywheel.api.backend.Backend;
-import dev.engine_room.flywheel.api.backend.BackendManager;
 import dev.engine_room.flywheel.api.backend.Engine;
 import net.minecraft.resources.ResourceLocation;
 import net.minecraft.world.level.LevelAccessor;
 
 public final class SimpleBackend implements Backend {
 	private final Function<LevelAccessor, Engine> engineFactory;
-	private final Supplier<Backend> fallback;
+	private final int priority;
 	private final BooleanSupplier isSupported;
 
-	public SimpleBackend(Function<LevelAccessor, Engine> engineFactory, Supplier<Backend> fallback, BooleanSupplier isSupported) {
+	public SimpleBackend(int priority, Function<LevelAccessor, Engine> engineFactory, BooleanSupplier isSupported) {
+		this.priority = priority;
 		this.engineFactory = engineFactory;
-		this.fallback = fallback;
 		this.isSupported = isSupported;
 	}
 
@@ -32,13 +30,8 @@ public final class SimpleBackend implements Backend {
 	}
 
 	@Override
-	public Backend findFallback() {
-		if (isSupported()) {
-			return this;
-		} else {
-			return fallback.get()
-					.findFallback();
-		}
+	public int priority() {
+		return priority;
 	}
 
 	@Override
@@ -48,7 +41,7 @@ public final class SimpleBackend implements Backend {
 
 	public static final class Builder {
 		private Function<LevelAccessor, Engine> engineFactory;
-		private Supplier<Backend> fallback = BackendManager::offBackend;
+		private int priority = 0;
 		private BooleanSupplier isSupported;
 
 		public Builder engineFactory(Function<LevelAccessor, Engine> engineFactory) {
@@ -56,8 +49,8 @@ public final class SimpleBackend implements Backend {
 			return this;
 		}
 
-		public Builder fallback(Supplier<Backend> fallback) {
-			this.fallback = fallback;
+		public Builder priority(int priority) {
+			this.priority = priority;
 			return this;
 		}
 
@@ -68,10 +61,9 @@ public final class SimpleBackend implements Backend {
 
 		public Backend register(ResourceLocation id) {
 			Objects.requireNonNull(engineFactory);
-			Objects.requireNonNull(fallback);
 			Objects.requireNonNull(isSupported);
 
-			return Backend.REGISTRY.registerAndGet(id, new SimpleBackend(engineFactory, fallback, isSupported));
+			return Backend.REGISTRY.registerAndGet(id, new SimpleBackend(priority, engineFactory, isSupported));
 		}
 	}
 }
diff --git a/common/src/main/java/dev/engine_room/flywheel/impl/BackendManagerImpl.java b/common/src/main/java/dev/engine_room/flywheel/impl/BackendManagerImpl.java
index bd2ae4a78..75133adeb 100644
--- a/common/src/main/java/dev/engine_room/flywheel/impl/BackendManagerImpl.java
+++ b/common/src/main/java/dev/engine_room/flywheel/impl/BackendManagerImpl.java
@@ -1,8 +1,9 @@
 package dev.engine_room.flywheel.impl;
 
+import java.util.ArrayList;
+
 import dev.engine_room.flywheel.api.Flywheel;
 import dev.engine_room.flywheel.api.backend.Backend;
-import dev.engine_room.flywheel.backend.Backends;
 import dev.engine_room.flywheel.impl.visualization.VisualizationManagerImpl;
 import dev.engine_room.flywheel.lib.backend.SimpleBackend;
 import net.minecraft.client.multiplayer.ClientLevel;
@@ -31,21 +32,48 @@ public final class BackendManagerImpl {
 		return backend != OFF_BACKEND;
 	}
 
+	// Don't store this statically because backends can theoretically change their priorities at runtime.
+	private static ArrayList<Backend> backendsByPriority() {
+		var backends = new ArrayList<>(Backend.REGISTRY.getAll());
+
+		// Sort with keys backwards so that the highest priority is first.
+		backends.sort((a, b) -> Integer.compare(b.priority(), a.priority()));
+		return backends;
+	}
+
 	private static Backend findDefaultBackend() {
-		// TODO: Automatically select the best default config based on the user's driver
-		// TODO: Figure out how this will work if custom backends are registered and without hardcoding the default backends
-		return Backends.INDIRECT;
+		var backendsByPriority = backendsByPriority();
+		if (backendsByPriority.isEmpty()) {
+			// This probably shouldn't happen, but fail gracefully.
+			FlwImpl.LOGGER.warn("No backends registered, defaulting to 'flywheel:off'");
+			return OFF_BACKEND;
+		}
+
+		return backendsByPriority.get(0);
 	}
 
 	private static void chooseBackend() {
 		var preferred = FlwConfig.INSTANCE.backend();
-		var actual = preferred.findFallback();
-
-		if (preferred != actual) {
-			FlwImpl.LOGGER.warn("Flywheel backend fell back from '{}' to '{}'", Backend.REGISTRY.getIdOrThrow(preferred), Backend.REGISTRY.getIdOrThrow(actual));
+		if (preferred.isSupported()) {
+			backend = preferred;
+			return;
 		}
 
-		backend = actual;
+		var backendsByPriority = backendsByPriority();
+
+		var startIndex = backendsByPriority.indexOf(preferred) + 1;
+
+		// For safety in case we don't find anything
+		backend = OFF_BACKEND;
+		for (int i = startIndex; i < backendsByPriority.size(); i++) {
+			var candidate = backendsByPriority.get(i);
+			if (candidate.isSupported()) {
+				backend = candidate;
+				break;
+			}
+		}
+
+		FlwImpl.LOGGER.warn("Flywheel backend fell back from '{}' to '{}'", Backend.REGISTRY.getIdOrThrow(preferred), Backend.REGISTRY.getIdOrThrow(backend));
 	}
 
 	public static String getBackendString() {