diff --git a/qutebrowser/app.py b/qutebrowser/app.py
index b8649b7fb..05420a9e4 100644
--- a/qutebrowser/app.py
+++ b/qutebrowser/app.py
@@ -513,12 +513,13 @@ class Quitter:
                     with tokenize.open(os.path.join(dirpath, fn)) as f:
                         compile(f.read(), fn, 'exec')
 
-    def _get_restart_args(self, pages=(), session=None):
+    def _get_restart_args(self, pages=(), session=None, override_args=None):
         """Get the current working directory and args to relaunch qutebrowser.
 
         Args:
             pages: The pages to re-open.
             session: The session to load, or None.
+            override_args: Argument overrides as a dict.
 
         Return:
             An (args, cwd) tuple.
@@ -569,6 +570,9 @@ class Quitter:
             argdict['temp_basedir'] = False
             argdict['temp_basedir_restarted'] = True
 
+        if override_args is not None:
+            argdict.update(override_args)
+
         # Dump the data
         data = json.dumps(argdict)
         args += ['--json-args', data]
@@ -593,7 +597,7 @@ class Quitter:
         if ok:
             self.shutdown(restart=True)
 
-    def restart(self, pages=(), session=None):
+    def restart(self, pages=(), session=None, override_args=None):
         """Inner logic to restart qutebrowser.
 
         The "better" way to restart is to pass a session (_restart usually) as
@@ -606,6 +610,7 @@ class Quitter:
         Args:
             pages: A list of URLs to open.
             session: The session to load, or None.
+            override_args: Argument overrides as a dict.
 
         Return:
             True if the restart succeeded, False otherwise.
@@ -621,7 +626,7 @@ class Quitter:
             session_manager.save(session, with_private=True)
         # Open a new process and immediately shutdown the existing one
         try:
-            args, cwd = self._get_restart_args(pages, session)
+            args, cwd = self._get_restart_args(pages, session, override_args)
             if cwd is None:
                 subprocess.Popen(args)
             else:
diff --git a/qutebrowser/misc/backendproblem.py b/qutebrowser/misc/backendproblem.py
index fdd13346c..806c32a36 100644
--- a/qutebrowser/misc/backendproblem.py
+++ b/qutebrowser/misc/backendproblem.py
@@ -35,8 +35,10 @@ from qutebrowser.utils import usertypes, objreg, version, qtutils, log
 from qutebrowser.misc import objects, msgbox
 
 
-_Result = usertypes.enum('_Result', ['quit', 'restart'], is_int=True,
-                         start=QDialog.Accepted + 1)
+_Result = usertypes.enum(
+    '_Result',
+    ['quit', 'restart', 'restart_webkit', 'restart_webengine'],
+    is_int=True, start=QDialog.Accepted + 1)
 
 
 @attr.s
@@ -105,7 +107,13 @@ class _Dialog(QDialog):
         config.instance.set_obj(setting, value, save_yaml=True)
         save_manager = objreg.get('save-manager')
         save_manager.save_all(is_exit=True)
-        self.done(_Result.restart)
+
+        if setting == 'backend' and value == 'webkit':
+            self.done(_Result.restart_webkit)
+        elif setting == 'backend' and value == 'webengine':
+            self.done(_Result.restart_webengine)
+        else:
+            self.done(_Result.restart)
 
 
 def _show_dialog(*args, **kwargs):
@@ -113,17 +121,21 @@ def _show_dialog(*args, **kwargs):
     dialog = _Dialog(*args, **kwargs)
 
     status = dialog.exec_()
+    quitter = objreg.get('quitter')
 
     if status in [_Result.quit, QDialog.Rejected]:
-        sys.exit(usertypes.Exit.err_init)
+        pass
+    elif status == _Result.restart_webkit:
+        quitter.restart(override_args={'backend': 'webkit'})
+    elif status == _Result.restart_webengine:
+        quitter.restart(override_args={'backend': 'webengine'})
     elif status == _Result.restart:
-        # FIXME pass --backend webengine
-        quitter = objreg.get('quitter')
         quitter.restart()
-        sys.exit(usertypes.Exit.err_init)
     else:
         assert False, status
 
+    sys.exit(usertypes.Exit.err_init)
+
 
 def _handle_nouveau_graphics():
     force_sw_var = 'QT_XCB_FORCE_SOFTWARE_OPENGL'