diff --git a/internal/backend/azure/azure.go b/internal/backend/azure/azure.go
index 737cf0e14..1c844f97f 100644
--- a/internal/backend/azure/azure.go
+++ b/internal/backend/azure/azure.go
@@ -125,13 +125,10 @@ func open(cfg Config, rt http.RoundTripper) (*Backend, error) {
 	}
 
 	be := &Backend{
-		container:   client,
-		cfg:         cfg,
-		connections: cfg.Connections,
-		Layout: &layout.DefaultLayout{
-			Path: cfg.Prefix,
-			Join: path.Join,
-		},
+		container:    client,
+		cfg:          cfg,
+		connections:  cfg.Connections,
+		Layout:       layout.NewDefaultLayout(cfg.Prefix, path.Join),
 		listMaxItems: defaultListMaxItems,
 	}
 
diff --git a/internal/backend/b2/b2.go b/internal/backend/b2/b2.go
index 9717cdd0e..3ef2bcbe3 100644
--- a/internal/backend/b2/b2.go
+++ b/internal/backend/b2/b2.go
@@ -107,13 +107,10 @@ func Open(ctx context.Context, cfg Config, rt http.RoundTripper) (backend.Backen
 	}
 
 	be := &b2Backend{
-		client: client,
-		bucket: bucket,
-		cfg:    cfg,
-		Layout: &layout.DefaultLayout{
-			Join: path.Join,
-			Path: cfg.Prefix,
-		},
+		client:       client,
+		bucket:       bucket,
+		cfg:          cfg,
+		Layout:       layout.NewDefaultLayout(cfg.Prefix, path.Join),
 		listMaxItems: defaultListMaxItems,
 		canDelete:    true,
 	}
@@ -143,13 +140,10 @@ func Create(ctx context.Context, cfg Config, rt http.RoundTripper) (backend.Back
 	}
 
 	be := &b2Backend{
-		client: client,
-		bucket: bucket,
-		cfg:    cfg,
-		Layout: &layout.DefaultLayout{
-			Join: path.Join,
-			Path: cfg.Prefix,
-		},
+		client:       client,
+		bucket:       bucket,
+		cfg:          cfg,
+		Layout:       layout.NewDefaultLayout(cfg.Prefix, path.Join),
 		listMaxItems: defaultListMaxItems,
 	}
 	return be, nil
diff --git a/internal/backend/gs/gs.go b/internal/backend/gs/gs.go
index 0af226f5d..b4d4ecfd4 100644
--- a/internal/backend/gs/gs.go
+++ b/internal/backend/gs/gs.go
@@ -105,17 +105,14 @@ func open(cfg Config, rt http.RoundTripper) (*Backend, error) {
 	}
 
 	be := &Backend{
-		gcsClient:   gcsClient,
-		projectID:   cfg.ProjectID,
-		connections: cfg.Connections,
-		bucketName:  cfg.Bucket,
-		region:      cfg.Region,
-		bucket:      gcsClient.Bucket(cfg.Bucket),
-		prefix:      cfg.Prefix,
-		Layout: &layout.DefaultLayout{
-			Path: cfg.Prefix,
-			Join: path.Join,
-		},
+		gcsClient:    gcsClient,
+		projectID:    cfg.ProjectID,
+		connections:  cfg.Connections,
+		bucketName:   cfg.Bucket,
+		region:       cfg.Region,
+		bucket:       gcsClient.Bucket(cfg.Bucket),
+		prefix:       cfg.Prefix,
+		Layout:       layout.NewDefaultLayout(cfg.Prefix, path.Join),
 		listMaxItems: defaultListMaxItems,
 	}
 
diff --git a/internal/backend/layout/layout_default.go b/internal/backend/layout/layout_default.go
index 3f73a941d..d2c4634d3 100644
--- a/internal/backend/layout/layout_default.go
+++ b/internal/backend/layout/layout_default.go
@@ -11,8 +11,8 @@ import (
 // subdirs, two characters each (taken from the first two characters of the
 // file name).
 type DefaultLayout struct {
-	Path string
-	Join func(...string) string
+	path string
+	join func(...string) string
 }
 
 var defaultLayoutPaths = map[backend.FileType]string{
@@ -25,8 +25,8 @@ var defaultLayoutPaths = map[backend.FileType]string{
 
 func NewDefaultLayout(path string, join func(...string) string) *DefaultLayout {
 	return &DefaultLayout{
-		Path: path,
-		Join: join,
+		path: path,
+		join: join,
 	}
 }
 
@@ -44,32 +44,32 @@ func (l *DefaultLayout) Dirname(h backend.Handle) string {
 	p := defaultLayoutPaths[h.Type]
 
 	if h.Type == backend.PackFile && len(h.Name) > 2 {
-		p = l.Join(p, h.Name[:2]) + "/"
+		p = l.join(p, h.Name[:2]) + "/"
 	}
 
-	return l.Join(l.Path, p) + "/"
+	return l.join(l.path, p) + "/"
 }
 
 // Filename returns a path to a file, including its name.
 func (l *DefaultLayout) Filename(h backend.Handle) string {
 	name := h.Name
 	if h.Type == backend.ConfigFile {
-		return l.Join(l.Path, "config")
+		return l.join(l.path, "config")
 	}
 
-	return l.Join(l.Dirname(h), name)
+	return l.join(l.Dirname(h), name)
 }
 
 // Paths returns all directory names needed for a repo.
 func (l *DefaultLayout) Paths() (dirs []string) {
 	for _, p := range defaultLayoutPaths {
-		dirs = append(dirs, l.Join(l.Path, p))
+		dirs = append(dirs, l.join(l.path, p))
 	}
 
 	// also add subdirs
 	for i := 0; i < 256; i++ {
 		subdir := hex.EncodeToString([]byte{byte(i)})
-		dirs = append(dirs, l.Join(l.Path, defaultLayoutPaths[backend.PackFile], subdir))
+		dirs = append(dirs, l.join(l.path, defaultLayoutPaths[backend.PackFile], subdir))
 	}
 
 	return dirs
@@ -81,6 +81,6 @@ func (l *DefaultLayout) Basedir(t backend.FileType) (dirname string, subdirs boo
 		subdirs = true
 	}
 
-	dirname = l.Join(l.Path, defaultLayoutPaths[t])
+	dirname = l.join(l.path, defaultLayoutPaths[t])
 	return
 }
diff --git a/internal/backend/layout/layout_rest.go b/internal/backend/layout/layout_rest.go
index 822dd4a7e..78fc6c826 100644
--- a/internal/backend/layout/layout_rest.go
+++ b/internal/backend/layout/layout_rest.go
@@ -1,18 +1,24 @@
 package layout
 
 import (
+	"path"
+
 	"github.com/restic/restic/internal/backend"
 )
 
 // RESTLayout implements the default layout for the REST protocol.
 type RESTLayout struct {
-	URL  string
-	Path string
-	Join func(...string) string
+	url string
 }
 
 var restLayoutPaths = defaultLayoutPaths
 
+func NewRESTLayout(url string) *RESTLayout {
+	return &RESTLayout{
+		url: url,
+	}
+}
+
 func (l *RESTLayout) String() string {
 	return "<RESTLayout>"
 }
@@ -25,10 +31,10 @@ func (l *RESTLayout) Name() string {
 // Dirname returns the directory path for a given file type and name.
 func (l *RESTLayout) Dirname(h backend.Handle) string {
 	if h.Type == backend.ConfigFile {
-		return l.URL + l.Join(l.Path, "/")
+		return l.url + "/"
 	}
 
-	return l.URL + l.Join(l.Path, "/", restLayoutPaths[h.Type]) + "/"
+	return l.url + path.Join("/", restLayoutPaths[h.Type]) + "/"
 }
 
 // Filename returns a path to a file, including its name.
@@ -39,18 +45,18 @@ func (l *RESTLayout) Filename(h backend.Handle) string {
 		name = "config"
 	}
 
-	return l.URL + l.Join(l.Path, "/", restLayoutPaths[h.Type], name)
+	return l.url + path.Join("/", restLayoutPaths[h.Type], name)
 }
 
 // Paths returns all directory names
 func (l *RESTLayout) Paths() (dirs []string) {
 	for _, p := range restLayoutPaths {
-		dirs = append(dirs, l.URL+l.Join(l.Path, p))
+		dirs = append(dirs, l.url+path.Join("/", p))
 	}
 	return dirs
 }
 
 // Basedir returns the base dir name for files of type t.
 func (l *RESTLayout) Basedir(t backend.FileType) (dirname string, subdirs bool) {
-	return l.URL + l.Join(l.Path, restLayoutPaths[t]), false
+	return l.url + path.Join("/", restLayoutPaths[t]), false
 }
diff --git a/internal/backend/layout/layout_test.go b/internal/backend/layout/layout_test.go
index de5ae7d69..af5105c20 100644
--- a/internal/backend/layout/layout_test.go
+++ b/internal/backend/layout/layout_test.go
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@ import (
 	"path/filepath"
 	"reflect"
 	"sort"
+	"strings"
 	"testing"
 
 	"github.com/restic/restic/internal/backend"
@@ -97,8 +98,8 @@ func TestDefaultLayout(t *testing.T) {
 
 	t.Run("Paths", func(t *testing.T) {
 		l := &DefaultLayout{
-			Path: tempdir,
-			Join: filepath.Join,
+			path: tempdir,
+			join: filepath.Join,
 		}
 
 		dirs := l.Paths()
@@ -126,8 +127,8 @@ func TestDefaultLayout(t *testing.T) {
 	for _, test := range tests {
 		t.Run(fmt.Sprintf("%v/%v", test.Type, test.Handle.Name), func(t *testing.T) {
 			l := &DefaultLayout{
-				Path: test.path,
-				Join: test.join,
+				path: test.path,
+				join: test.join,
 			}
 
 			filename := l.Filename(test.Handle)
@@ -139,7 +140,7 @@ func TestDefaultLayout(t *testing.T) {
 }
 
 func TestRESTLayout(t *testing.T) {
-	path := rtest.TempDir(t)
+	url := `https://hostname.foo`
 
 	var tests = []struct {
 		backend.Handle
@@ -147,44 +148,43 @@ func TestRESTLayout(t *testing.T) {
 	}{
 		{
 			backend.Handle{Type: backend.PackFile, Name: "0123456"},
-			filepath.Join(path, "data", "0123456"),
+			strings.Join([]string{url, "data", "0123456"}, "/"),
 		},
 		{
 			backend.Handle{Type: backend.ConfigFile, Name: "CFG"},
-			filepath.Join(path, "config"),
+			strings.Join([]string{url, "config"}, "/"),
 		},
 		{
 			backend.Handle{Type: backend.SnapshotFile, Name: "123456"},
-			filepath.Join(path, "snapshots", "123456"),
+			strings.Join([]string{url, "snapshots", "123456"}, "/"),
 		},
 		{
 			backend.Handle{Type: backend.IndexFile, Name: "123456"},
-			filepath.Join(path, "index", "123456"),
+			strings.Join([]string{url, "index", "123456"}, "/"),
 		},
 		{
 			backend.Handle{Type: backend.LockFile, Name: "123456"},
-			filepath.Join(path, "locks", "123456"),
+			strings.Join([]string{url, "locks", "123456"}, "/"),
 		},
 		{
 			backend.Handle{Type: backend.KeyFile, Name: "123456"},
-			filepath.Join(path, "keys", "123456"),
+			strings.Join([]string{url, "keys", "123456"}, "/"),
 		},
 	}
 
 	l := &RESTLayout{
-		Path: path,
-		Join: filepath.Join,
+		url: url,
 	}
 
 	t.Run("Paths", func(t *testing.T) {
 		dirs := l.Paths()
 
 		want := []string{
-			filepath.Join(path, "data"),
-			filepath.Join(path, "snapshots"),
-			filepath.Join(path, "index"),
-			filepath.Join(path, "locks"),
-			filepath.Join(path, "keys"),
+			strings.Join([]string{url, "data"}, "/"),
+			strings.Join([]string{url, "snapshots"}, "/"),
+			strings.Join([]string{url, "index"}, "/"),
+			strings.Join([]string{url, "locks"}, "/"),
+			strings.Join([]string{url, "keys"}, "/"),
 		}
 
 		sort.Strings(want)
@@ -213,19 +213,19 @@ func TestRESTLayoutURLs(t *testing.T) {
 		dir string
 	}{
 		{
-			&RESTLayout{URL: "https://hostname.foo", Path: "", Join: path.Join},
+			&RESTLayout{url: "https://hostname.foo"},
 			backend.Handle{Type: backend.PackFile, Name: "foobar"},
 			"https://hostname.foo/data/foobar",
 			"https://hostname.foo/data/",
 		},
 		{
-			&RESTLayout{URL: "https://hostname.foo:1234/prefix/repo", Path: "/", Join: path.Join},
+			&RESTLayout{url: "https://hostname.foo:1234/prefix/repo"},
 			backend.Handle{Type: backend.LockFile, Name: "foobar"},
 			"https://hostname.foo:1234/prefix/repo/locks/foobar",
 			"https://hostname.foo:1234/prefix/repo/locks/",
 		},
 		{
-			&RESTLayout{URL: "https://hostname.foo:1234/prefix/repo", Path: "/", Join: path.Join},
+			&RESTLayout{url: "https://hostname.foo:1234/prefix/repo"},
 			backend.Handle{Type: backend.ConfigFile, Name: "foobar"},
 			"https://hostname.foo:1234/prefix/repo/config",
 			"https://hostname.foo:1234/prefix/repo/",
diff --git a/internal/backend/rest/rest.go b/internal/backend/rest/rest.go
index d0a08175b..7bdedff39 100644
--- a/internal/backend/rest/rest.go
+++ b/internal/backend/rest/rest.go
@@ -8,7 +8,6 @@ import (
 	"io"
 	"net/http"
 	"net/url"
-	"path"
 	"strings"
 
 	"github.com/restic/restic/internal/backend"
@@ -66,7 +65,7 @@ func Open(_ context.Context, cfg Config, rt http.RoundTripper) (*Backend, error)
 	be := &Backend{
 		url:         cfg.URL,
 		client:      http.Client{Transport: rt},
-		Layout:      &layout.RESTLayout{URL: url, Join: path.Join},
+		Layout:      layout.NewRESTLayout(url),
 		connections: cfg.Connections,
 	}
 
diff --git a/internal/backend/swift/swift.go b/internal/backend/swift/swift.go
index e6412d0bf..dfa2055cd 100644
--- a/internal/backend/swift/swift.go
+++ b/internal/backend/swift/swift.go
@@ -72,10 +72,7 @@ func Open(ctx context.Context, cfg Config, rt http.RoundTripper) (backend.Backen
 		connections: cfg.Connections,
 		container:   cfg.Container,
 		prefix:      cfg.Prefix,
-		Layout: &layout.DefaultLayout{
-			Path: cfg.Prefix,
-			Join: path.Join,
-		},
+		Layout:      layout.NewDefaultLayout(cfg.Prefix, path.Join),
 	}
 
 	// Authenticate if needed