diff --git a/src/uterm_input.c b/src/uterm_input.c
index 7c7379e..0d15dd6 100644
--- a/src/uterm_input.c
+++ b/src/uterm_input.c
@@ -53,28 +53,6 @@ enum device_feature {
 	FEATURE_HAS_LEDS = 0x02,
 };
 
-struct uterm_input_dev {
-	struct shl_dlist list;
-	struct uterm_input *input;
-
-	unsigned int features;
-	int rfd;
-	char *node;
-	struct ev_fd *fd;
-	struct kbd_dev *kbd;
-};
-
-struct uterm_input {
-	unsigned long ref;
-	struct ev_eloop *eloop;
-	int awake;
-
-	struct shl_hook *hook;
-	struct kbd_desc *desc;
-
-	struct shl_dlist devices;
-};
-
 static void input_free_dev(struct uterm_input_dev *dev);
 
 static void notify_key(struct uterm_input_dev *dev,
@@ -89,7 +67,7 @@ static void notify_key(struct uterm_input_dev *dev,
 		return;
 
 	memset(&ev, 0, sizeof(ev));
-	ret = kbd_dev_process(dev->kbd, value, code, &ev);
+	ret = uxkb_dev_process(dev, value, code, &ev);
 	if (ret)
 		return;
 
@@ -156,7 +134,7 @@ static int input_wake_up_dev(struct uterm_input_dev *dev)
 		}
 
 		/* rediscover the keyboard state if sth changed during sleep */
-		kbd_dev_reset(dev->kbd, ledbits);
+		uxkb_dev_reset(dev, ledbits);
 
 		ret = ev_eloop_new_fd(dev->input->eloop, &dev->fd,
 						dev->rfd, EV_READABLE,
@@ -201,7 +179,7 @@ static void input_new_dev(struct uterm_input *input,
 	if (!dev->node)
 		goto err_free;
 
-	ret = kbd_desc_alloc(input->desc, &dev->kbd);
+	ret = uxkb_dev_init(dev);
 	if (ret)
 		goto err_node;
 
@@ -216,7 +194,7 @@ static void input_new_dev(struct uterm_input *input,
 	return;
 
 err_kbd:
-	kbd_dev_unref(dev->kbd);
+	uxkb_dev_destroy(dev);
 err_node:
 	free(dev->node);
 err_free:
@@ -228,7 +206,7 @@ static void input_free_dev(struct uterm_input_dev *dev)
 	log_debug("free device %s", dev->node);
 	input_sleep_dev(dev);
 	shl_dlist_unlink(&dev->list);
-	kbd_dev_unref(dev->kbd);
+	uxkb_dev_destroy(dev);
 	free(dev->node);
 	free(dev);
 }
@@ -257,11 +235,7 @@ int uterm_input_new(struct uterm_input **out,
 	if (ret)
 		goto err_free;
 
-	ret = kbd_desc_new(&input->desc,
-			   layout,
-			   variant,
-			   options,
-			   KBD_UXKB);
+	ret = uxkb_desc_init(input, layout, variant, options);
 	if (ret)
 		goto err_hook;
 
@@ -301,7 +275,7 @@ void uterm_input_unref(struct uterm_input *input)
 		input_free_dev(dev);
 	}
 
-	kbd_desc_unref(input->desc);
+	uxkb_desc_destroy(input);
 	shl_hook_free(input->hook);
 	ev_eloop_unref(input->eloop);
 	free(input);
@@ -467,28 +441,3 @@ bool uterm_input_is_awake(struct uterm_input *input)
 
 	return input->awake > 0;
 }
-
-void uterm_input_keysym_to_string(struct uterm_input *input,
-				  uint32_t keysym, char *str, size_t size)
-{
-	if (!str || !size)
-		return;
-	if (!input) {
-		*str = 0;
-		return;
-	}
-
-	kbd_desc_keysym_to_string(input->desc, keysym, str, size);
-}
-
-int uterm_input_string_to_keysym(struct uterm_input *input, const char *n,
-				 uint32_t *out)
-{
-	if (!n || !out)
-		return -EINVAL;
-
-	if (input)
-		return kbd_desc_string_to_keysym(input->desc, n, out);
-
-	return uxkb_string_to_keysym(n, out);
-}
diff --git a/src/uterm_input.h b/src/uterm_input.h
index b3d7b02..18e1997 100644
--- a/src/uterm_input.h
+++ b/src/uterm_input.h
@@ -34,172 +34,49 @@
 #include <stdlib.h>
 #include <xkbcommon/xkbcommon-keysyms.h>
 #include "eloop.h"
+#include "shl_dlist.h"
 #include "uterm.h"
 
-struct kbd_desc;
-struct kbd_dev;
+struct uterm_input_dev {
+	struct shl_dlist list;
+	struct uterm_input *input;
 
-struct kbd_desc_ops {
-	int (*init) (struct kbd_desc **out, const char *layout,
-		     const char *variant, const char *options);
-	void (*ref) (struct kbd_desc *desc);
-	void (*unref) (struct kbd_desc *desc);
-	int (*alloc) (struct kbd_desc *desc, struct kbd_dev **out);
-	void (*keysym_to_string) (uint32_t keysym, char *str, size_t size);
-	int (*string_to_keysym) (const char *n, uint32_t *out);
-};
-
-struct kbd_dev_ops {
-	void (*ref) (struct kbd_dev *dev);
-	void (*unref) (struct kbd_dev *dev);
-	void (*reset) (struct kbd_dev *dev, const unsigned long *ledbits);
-	int (*process) (struct kbd_dev *dev, uint16_t state, uint16_t code,
-			struct uterm_input_event *out);
-};
-
-struct uxkb_desc {
-	struct xkb_context *ctx;
-	struct xkb_keymap *keymap;
-};
-
-struct uxkb_dev {
+	unsigned int features;
+	int rfd;
+	char *node;
+	struct ev_fd *fd;
 	struct xkb_state *state;
 };
 
-static const bool uxkb_available = true;
-extern const struct kbd_desc_ops uxkb_desc_ops;
-extern const struct kbd_dev_ops uxkb_dev_ops;
-
-extern int uxkb_string_to_keysym(const char *n, uint32_t *out);
-
-struct kbd_desc {
+struct uterm_input {
 	unsigned long ref;
-	const struct kbd_desc_ops *ops;
+	struct ev_eloop *eloop;
+	int awake;
 
-	union {
-		struct uxkb_desc uxkb;
-	};
+	struct shl_hook *hook;
+	struct xkb_context *ctx;
+	struct xkb_keymap *keymap;
+
+	struct shl_dlist devices;
 };
 
-struct kbd_dev {
-	unsigned long ref;
-	struct kbd_desc *desc;
-	const struct kbd_dev_ops *ops;
-
-	union {
-		struct uxkb_dev uxkb;
-	};
-};
-
-enum kbd_mode {
-	KBD_UXKB,
-};
-
-static inline int kbd_desc_new(struct kbd_desc **out, const char *layout,
-			       const char *variant, const char *options,
-			       unsigned int mode)
-{
-	const struct kbd_desc_ops *ops;
-
-	switch (mode) {
-	case KBD_UXKB:
-		if (!uxkb_available) {
-			log_error("XKB KBD backend not available");
-			return -EOPNOTSUPP;
-		}
-		ops = &uxkb_desc_ops;
-		break;
-	default:
-		log_error("unknown KBD backend %u", mode);
-		return -EINVAL;
-	}
-
-	return ops->init(out, layout, variant, options);
-}
-
-static inline void kbd_desc_ref(struct kbd_desc *desc)
-{
-	if (!desc)
-		return;
-
-	return desc->ops->ref(desc);
-}
-
-static inline void kbd_desc_unref(struct kbd_desc *desc)
-{
-	if (!desc)
-		return;
-
-	return desc->ops->unref(desc);
-}
-
-static inline int kbd_desc_alloc(struct kbd_desc *desc, struct kbd_dev **out)
-{
-	if (!desc)
-		return -EINVAL;
-
-	return desc->ops->alloc(desc, out);
-}
-
-static inline void kbd_desc_keysym_to_string(struct kbd_desc *desc,
-					     uint32_t keysym,
-					     char *str, size_t size)
-{
-	if (!desc)
-		return;
-
-	return desc->ops->keysym_to_string(keysym, str, size);
-}
-
-static inline int kbd_desc_string_to_keysym(struct kbd_desc *desc,
-					    const char *n,
-					    uint32_t *out)
-{
-	if (!desc)
-		return -EINVAL;
-
-	return desc->ops->string_to_keysym(n, out);
-}
-
-static inline void kbd_dev_ref(struct kbd_dev *dev)
-{
-	if (!dev)
-		return;
-
-	return dev->ops->ref(dev);
-}
-
-static inline void kbd_dev_unref(struct kbd_dev *dev)
-{
-	if (!dev)
-		return;
-
-	return dev->ops->unref(dev);
-}
-
-static inline void kbd_dev_reset(struct kbd_dev *dev,
-				 const unsigned long *ledbits)
-{
-	if (!dev)
-		return;
-
-	return dev->ops->reset(dev, ledbits);
-}
-
-static inline int kbd_dev_process(struct kbd_dev *dev,
-				  uint16_t key_state,
-				  uint16_t code,
-				  struct uterm_input_event *out)
-{
-	if (!dev)
-		return -EINVAL;
-
-	return dev->ops->process(dev, key_state, code, out);
-}
-
 static inline bool input_bit_is_set(const unsigned long *array, int bit)
 {
 	return !!(array[bit / LONG_BIT] & (1LL << (bit % LONG_BIT)));
 }
 
+int uxkb_desc_init(struct uterm_input *input,
+		   const char *layout,
+		   const char *variant,
+		   const char *options);
+void uxkb_desc_destroy(struct uterm_input *input);
+
+int uxkb_dev_init(struct uterm_input_dev *dev);
+void uxkb_dev_destroy(struct uterm_input_dev *dev);
+int uxkb_dev_process(struct uterm_input_dev *dev,
+		     uint16_t key_state,
+		     uint16_t code,
+		     struct uterm_input_event *out);
+void uxkb_dev_reset(struct uterm_input_dev *dev, const unsigned long *ledbits);
+
 #endif /* UTERM_INPUT_H */
diff --git a/src/uterm_input_uxkb.c b/src/uterm_input_uxkb.c
index ddc9b67..a046c9a 100644
--- a/src/uterm_input_uxkb.c
+++ b/src/uterm_input_uxkb.c
@@ -38,22 +38,71 @@
 
 #define LOG_SUBSYSTEM "input_uxkb"
 
-static void uxkb_dev_ref(struct kbd_dev *kbd)
+int uxkb_desc_init(struct uterm_input *input,
+		   const char *layout,
+		   const char *variant,
+		   const char *options)
 {
-	if (!kbd || !kbd->ref)
-		return;
+	int ret;
+	struct xkb_rule_names rmlvo = {
+		.rules = "evdev",
+		.model = "evdev",
+		.layout = layout,
+		.variant = variant,
+		.options = options,
+	};
 
-	++kbd->ref;
+	input->ctx = xkb_context_new(0);
+	if (!input->ctx) {
+		log_error("cannot create XKB context");
+		return -ENOMEM;
+	}
+
+	input->keymap = xkb_map_new_from_names(input->ctx, &rmlvo, 0);
+	if (!input->keymap) {
+		log_warn("failed to create keymap (%s, %s, %s), "
+			 "reverting to default US keymap",
+			 layout, variant, options);
+
+		rmlvo.layout = "us";
+		rmlvo.variant = "";
+		rmlvo.options = "";
+
+		input->keymap = xkb_map_new_from_names(input->ctx, &rmlvo, 0);
+		if (!input->keymap) {
+			log_warn("failed to create XKB keymap");
+			ret = -EFAULT;
+			goto err_ctx;
+		}
+	}
+
+	log_debug("new keyboard description (%s, %s, %s)",
+		  layout, variant, options);
+	return 0;
+
+err_ctx:
+	xkb_context_unref(input->ctx);
+	return ret;
 }
 
-static void uxkb_dev_unref(struct kbd_dev *kbd)
+void uxkb_desc_destroy(struct uterm_input *input)
 {
-	if (!kbd || !kbd->ref || --kbd->ref)
-		return;
+	xkb_map_unref(input->keymap);
+	xkb_context_unref(input->ctx);
+}
 
-	xkb_state_unref(kbd->uxkb.state);
-	kbd_desc_unref(kbd->desc);
-	free(kbd);
+int uxkb_dev_init(struct uterm_input_dev *dev)
+{
+	dev->state = xkb_state_new(dev->input->keymap);
+	if (!dev->state)
+		return -ENOMEM;
+
+	return 0;
+}
+
+void uxkb_dev_destroy(struct uterm_input_dev *dev)
+{
+	xkb_state_unref(dev->state);
 }
 
 #define EVDEV_KEYCODE_OFFSET 8
@@ -63,10 +112,10 @@ enum {
 	KEY_REPEATED = 2,
 };
 
-static int uxkb_dev_process(struct kbd_dev *kbd,
-			    uint16_t key_state,
-			    uint16_t code,
-			    struct uterm_input_event *out)
+int uxkb_dev_process(struct uterm_input_dev *dev,
+		     uint16_t key_state,
+		     uint16_t code,
+		     struct uterm_input_event *out)
 {
 	struct xkb_state *state;
 	struct xkb_keymap *keymap;
@@ -74,10 +123,7 @@ static int uxkb_dev_process(struct kbd_dev *kbd,
 	const xkb_keysym_t *keysyms;
 	int num_keysyms;
 
-	if (!kbd)
-		return -EINVAL;
-
-	state = kbd->uxkb.state;
+	state = dev->state;
 	keymap = xkb_state_get_map(state);
 	keycode = code + EVDEV_KEYCODE_OFFSET;
 
@@ -115,7 +161,7 @@ static int uxkb_dev_process(struct kbd_dev *kbd,
  * We don't reset the locked group, this should survive a VT switch, etc. The
  * locked modifiers are reset according to the keyboard LEDs.
  */
-static void uxkb_dev_reset(struct kbd_dev *kbd, const unsigned long *ledbits)
+void uxkb_dev_reset(struct uterm_input_dev *dev, const unsigned long *ledbits)
 {
 	unsigned int i;
 	struct xkb_state *state;
@@ -128,9 +174,6 @@ static void uxkb_dev_reset(struct kbd_dev *kbd, const unsigned long *ledbits)
 		{ LED_SCROLLL, XKB_LED_NAME_SCROLL },
 	};
 
-	if (!kbd)
-		return;
-
 	/* TODO: Urghs, while the input device was closed we might have missed
 	 * some events that affect internal state. As xkbcommon does not provide
 	 * a way to reset the internal state, we simply recreate the state. This
@@ -138,13 +181,13 @@ static void uxkb_dev_reset(struct kbd_dev *kbd, const unsigned long *ledbits)
 	 * It also has a bug that if the CTRL-Release event is skipped, then
 	 * every further release will never perform a _real_ release. Kind of
 	 * buggy so we should fix it upstream. */
-	state = xkb_state_new(kbd->desc->uxkb.keymap);
+	state = xkb_state_new(dev->input->keymap);
 	if (!state) {
 		log_warning("cannot recreate xkb-state");
 		return;
 	}
-	xkb_state_unref(kbd->uxkb.state);
-	kbd->uxkb.state = state;
+	xkb_state_unref(dev->state);
+	dev->state = state;
 
 	for (i = 0; i < sizeof(led_names) / sizeof(*led_names); i++) {
 		if (!input_bit_is_set(ledbits, led_names[i].led))
@@ -158,144 +201,3 @@ static void uxkb_dev_reset(struct kbd_dev *kbd, const unsigned long *ledbits)
 		 */
 	}
 }
-
-static int uxkb_desc_init(struct kbd_desc **out,
-			  const char *layout,
-			  const char *variant,
-			  const char *options)
-{
-	int ret;
-	struct kbd_desc *desc;
-	struct xkb_rule_names rmlvo = {
-		.rules = "evdev",
-		.model = "evdev",
-		.layout = layout,
-		.variant = variant,
-		.options = options,
-	};
-
-	if (!out)
-		return -EINVAL;
-
-	desc = malloc(sizeof(*desc));
-	if (!desc)
-		return -ENOMEM;
-
-	memset(desc, 0, sizeof(*desc));
-	desc->ref = 1;
-	desc->ops = &uxkb_desc_ops;
-
-	desc->uxkb.ctx = xkb_context_new(0);
-	if (!desc->uxkb.ctx) {
-		ret = -ENOMEM;
-		goto err_desc;
-	}
-
-	desc->uxkb.keymap = xkb_map_new_from_names(desc->uxkb.ctx, &rmlvo, 0);
-	if (!desc->uxkb.keymap) {
-		log_warn("failed to create keymap (%s, %s, %s), "
-			 "reverting to default US keymap",
-			 layout, variant, options);
-
-		rmlvo.layout = "us";
-		rmlvo.variant = "";
-		rmlvo.options = "";
-
-		desc->uxkb.keymap = xkb_map_new_from_names(desc->uxkb.ctx,
-							   &rmlvo, 0);
-		if (!desc->uxkb.keymap) {
-			log_warn("failed to create keymap");
-			ret = -EFAULT;
-			goto err_ctx;
-		}
-	}
-
-	log_debug("new keyboard description (%s, %s, %s)",
-			layout, variant, options);
-	*out = desc;
-	return 0;
-
-err_ctx:
-	xkb_context_unref(desc->uxkb.ctx);
-err_desc:
-	free(desc);
-	return ret;
-}
-
-static void uxkb_desc_ref(struct kbd_desc *desc)
-{
-	if (!desc || !desc->ref)
-		return;
-
-	++desc->ref;
-}
-
-static void uxkb_desc_unref(struct kbd_desc *desc)
-{
-	if (!desc || !desc->ref || --desc->ref)
-		return;
-
-	log_debug("destroying keyboard description");
-	xkb_map_unref(desc->uxkb.keymap);
-	xkb_context_unref(desc->uxkb.ctx);
-	free(desc);
-}
-
-static int uxkb_desc_alloc(struct kbd_desc *desc, struct kbd_dev **out)
-{
-	struct kbd_dev *kbd;
-
-	kbd = malloc(sizeof(*kbd));
-	if (!kbd)
-		return -ENOMEM;
-
-	memset(kbd, 0, sizeof(*kbd));
-	kbd->ref = 1;
-	kbd->desc = desc;
-	kbd->ops = &uxkb_dev_ops;
-
-	kbd->uxkb.state = xkb_state_new(desc->uxkb.keymap);
-	if (!kbd->uxkb.state) {
-		free(kbd);
-		return -ENOMEM;
-	}
-
-	kbd_desc_ref(desc);
-	*out = kbd;
-	return 0;
-}
-
-static void uxkb_keysym_to_string(uint32_t keysym, char *str, size_t size)
-{
-	xkb_keysym_get_name(keysym, str, size);
-}
-
-int uxkb_string_to_keysym(const char *n, uint32_t *out)
-{
-	uint32_t keysym;
-
-	/* TODO: fix xkbcommon upstream to be case-insensitive if case-sensitive
-	 * match fails. */
-	keysym = xkb_keysym_from_name(n);
-	if (!keysym)
-		return -EFAULT;
-
-	*out = keysym;
-	return 0;
-}
-
-const struct kbd_desc_ops uxkb_desc_ops = {
-	.init = uxkb_desc_init,
-	.ref = uxkb_desc_ref,
-	.unref = uxkb_desc_unref,
-	.alloc = uxkb_desc_alloc,
-	.keysym_to_string = uxkb_keysym_to_string,
-	.string_to_keysym = uxkb_string_to_keysym,
-};
-
-const struct kbd_dev_ops uxkb_dev_ops = {
-	.ref = uxkb_dev_ref,
-	.unref = uxkb_dev_unref,
-	.reset = uxkb_dev_reset,
-	.process = uxkb_dev_process,
-};