diff --git a/include/transport/storagebackend.h b/include/transport/storagebackend.h
index 6bac4aa77c53580aaad2e998f6ce02a73345bb05..f0a13df5b0f9a7dbade28d1b004a7dc84381c4da 100644
--- a/include/transport/storagebackend.h
+++ b/include/transport/storagebackend.h
@@ -80,6 +80,8 @@ struct BuddyInfo {
 	int flags;
 };
 
+class Config;
+
 /// Abstract class defining storage backends.
 class StorageBackend
 {
@@ -87,6 +89,8 @@ class StorageBackend
 		/// Virtual desctructor.
 		virtual ~StorageBackend() {}
 
+		static StorageBackend *createBackend(Config *config, std::string &error);
+
 		/// connect
 		virtual bool connect() = 0;