diff --git a/gtk2_ardour/ardev_common.sh.in b/gtk2_ardour/ardev_common.sh.in
index 2bd9c51515..850a83c954 100644
--- a/gtk2_ardour/ardev_common.sh.in
+++ b/gtk2_ardour/ardev_common.sh.in
@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@ export ARDOUR_DATA_PATH=$TOP:$TOP/build:$TOP/gtk2_ardour:$TOP/build/gtk2_ardour:
 export ARDOUR_MIDIMAPS_PATH=$TOP/midi_maps:.
 export ARDOUR_MCP_PATH=$TOP/mcp:.
 export ARDOUR_EXPORT_FORMATS_PATH=$TOP/export:.
-export ARDOUR_BACKEND_PATH=$TOP/build/libs/ardour
+export ARDOUR_BACKEND_PATH=$libs/backends/jack
 
 #
 # even though we set the above variables, ardour requires that these 
diff --git a/libs/ardour/jack_api.cc b/libs/backends/jack/jack_api.cc
similarity index 95%
rename from libs/ardour/jack_api.cc
rename to libs/backends/jack/jack_api.cc
index fcfc499107..0136161181 100644
--- a/libs/ardour/jack_api.cc
+++ b/libs/backends/jack/jack_api.cc
@@ -17,9 +17,9 @@
 
 */
 
-#include "ardour/jack_connection.h"
-#include "ardour/jack_audiobackend.h"
-#include "ardour/jack_portengine.h"
+#include "jack_connection.h"
+#include "jack_audiobackend.h"
+#include "jack_portengine.h"
 
 using namespace ARDOUR;
 
diff --git a/libs/ardour/jack_audiobackend.cc b/libs/backends/jack/jack_audiobackend.cc
similarity index 99%
rename from libs/ardour/jack_audiobackend.cc
rename to libs/backends/jack/jack_audiobackend.cc
index 8f3dffa40d..22e5a525ea 100644
--- a/libs/ardour/jack_audiobackend.cc
+++ b/libs/backends/jack/jack_audiobackend.cc
@@ -31,10 +31,10 @@
 #include "ardour/session.h"
 #include "ardour/types.h"
 
-#include "ardour/jack_audiobackend.h"
-#include "ardour/jack_connection.h"
-#include "ardour/jack_portengine.h"
-#include "ardour/jack_utils.h"
+#include "jack_audiobackend.h"
+#include "jack_connection.h"
+#include "jack_portengine.h"
+#include "jack_utils.h"
 
 #include "i18n.h"
 
diff --git a/libs/ardour/ardour/jack_audiobackend.h b/libs/backends/jack/jack_audiobackend.h
similarity index 100%
rename from libs/ardour/ardour/jack_audiobackend.h
rename to libs/backends/jack/jack_audiobackend.h
diff --git a/libs/ardour/jack_connection.cc b/libs/backends/jack/jack_connection.cc
similarity index 98%
rename from libs/ardour/jack_connection.cc
rename to libs/backends/jack/jack_connection.cc
index 5772d3dbb3..da0127c584 100644
--- a/libs/ardour/jack_connection.cc
+++ b/libs/backends/jack/jack_connection.cc
@@ -22,8 +22,8 @@
 
 #include "pbd/epa.h"
 
-#include "ardour/jack_connection.h"
-#include "ardour/jack_utils.h"
+#include "jack_connection.h"
+#include "jack_utils.h"
 
 #define GET_PRIVATE_JACK_POINTER(j)  jack_client_t* _priv_jack = (jack_client_t*) (j); if (!_priv_jack) { return; }
 #define GET_PRIVATE_JACK_POINTER_RET(j,r) jack_client_t* _priv_jack = (jack_client_t*) (j); if (!_priv_jack) { return r; }
diff --git a/libs/ardour/ardour/jack_connection.h b/libs/backends/jack/jack_connection.h
similarity index 100%
rename from libs/ardour/ardour/jack_connection.h
rename to libs/backends/jack/jack_connection.h
diff --git a/libs/ardour/jack_portengine.cc b/libs/backends/jack/jack_portengine.cc
similarity index 99%
rename from libs/ardour/jack_portengine.cc
rename to libs/backends/jack/jack_portengine.cc
index 4595857175..bd352a2f11 100644
--- a/libs/ardour/jack_portengine.cc
+++ b/libs/backends/jack/jack_portengine.cc
@@ -22,8 +22,9 @@
 
 #include "pbd/error.h"
 
-#include "ardour/jack_portengine.h"
-#include "ardour/jack_connection.h"
+#include "jack_portengine.h"
+#include "jack_connection.h"
+
 #include "ardour/port_manager.h"
 
 #include "i18n.h"
diff --git a/libs/ardour/ardour/jack_portengine.h b/libs/backends/jack/jack_portengine.h
similarity index 100%
rename from libs/ardour/ardour/jack_portengine.h
rename to libs/backends/jack/jack_portengine.h
diff --git a/libs/ardour/jack_slave.cc b/libs/backends/jack/jack_slave.cc
similarity index 100%
rename from libs/ardour/jack_slave.cc
rename to libs/backends/jack/jack_slave.cc
diff --git a/libs/ardour/jack_utils.cc b/libs/backends/jack/jack_utils.cc
similarity index 99%
rename from libs/ardour/jack_utils.cc
rename to libs/backends/jack/jack_utils.cc
index 4e2392aced..77f3d95aa1 100644
--- a/libs/ardour/jack_utils.cc
+++ b/libs/backends/jack/jack_utils.cc
@@ -18,10 +18,6 @@
 
 */
 
-#ifdef WAF_BUILD
-#include "libardour-config.h"
-#endif
-
 #ifdef HAVE_ALSA
 #include <alsa/asoundlib.h>
 #endif
@@ -51,7 +47,7 @@
 #include "pbd/file_utils.h"
 #include "pbd/search_path.h"
 
-#include "ardour/jack_utils.h"
+#include "jack_utils.h"
 
 #ifdef __APPLE
 #include <CFBundle.h>
diff --git a/libs/ardour/ardour/jack_utils.h b/libs/backends/jack/jack_utils.h
similarity index 100%
rename from libs/ardour/ardour/jack_utils.h
rename to libs/backends/jack/jack_utils.h
diff --git a/libs/backends/jack/wscript b/libs/backends/jack/wscript
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..3c47f3a652
--- /dev/null
+++ b/libs/backends/jack/wscript
@@ -0,0 +1,51 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env python
+from waflib.extras import autowaf as autowaf
+import os
+import sys
+import re
+
+# Library version (UNIX style major, minor, micro)
+# major increment <=> incompatible changes
+# minor increment <=> compatible changes (additions)
+# micro increment <=> no interface changes
+JACKBACKEND_VERSION = '1.0.0'
+I18N_PACKAGE = 'jack-backend'
+
+# Mandatory variables
+top = '.'
+out = 'build'
+
+def options(opt):
+    autowaf.set_options(opt)
+
+def configure(conf):
+    autowaf.configure(conf)
+
+def build(bld):
+    obj = bld(features = 'cxx cxxshlib')
+    obj.source = [ 
+            'jack_api.cc',
+            'jack_connection.cc',
+            'jack_audiobackend.cc',
+            'jack_portengine.cc',
+            'jack_utils.cc'
+            ]
+    obj.includes = ['.']
+    obj.cxxflags = [ '-fPIC' ]
+    obj.name     = 'jack_audiobackend'
+    obj.target   = 'jack_audiobackend'
+    obj.uselib   = [ 'JACK' ]
+    obj.use      = 'ardour libpbd'
+    obj.vnum     = JACKBACKEND_VERSION
+    obj.install_path  = os.path.join(bld.env['LIBDIR'], 'ardour3', 'backends')
+    obj.defines = ['PACKAGE="' + I18N_PACKAGE + '"']
+    
+
+    #
+    # device discovery code in the jack backend needs ALSA
+    # on Linux.
+    # 
+
+    if re.search ("linux", sys.platform) != None:
+       obj.uselib += [ 'ALSA' ]
+
diff --git a/libs/backends/wscript b/libs/backends/wscript
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..b8779b7713
--- /dev/null
+++ b/libs/backends/wscript
@@ -0,0 +1,27 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env python
+from waflib.extras import autowaf as autowaf
+import os
+
+# Mandatory variables
+top = '.'
+out = 'build'
+
+backends = [ 'jack' ]
+
+def options(opt):
+    autowaf.set_options(opt)
+
+def sub_config_and_use(conf, name, has_objects = True):
+    conf.recurse(name)
+    autowaf.set_local_lib(conf, name, has_objects)
+
+def configure(conf):
+    autowaf.set_recursive()
+    autowaf.configure(conf)
+
+    for i in backends:
+        sub_config_and_use(conf, i)
+
+def build(bld):
+    for i in backends:
+        bld.recurse(i)
diff --git a/wscript b/wscript
index 6691f06dee..c4cba628dd 100644
--- a/wscript
+++ b/wscript
@@ -29,6 +29,7 @@ children = [
         'libs/rubberband',
         'libs/surfaces',
         'libs/panners',
+        'libs/backends',
         'libs/timecode',
         'libs/ardour',
         'libs/gtkmm2ext',