diff --git a/backend/src/media/backends/azure-backend.ts b/backend/src/media/backends/azure-backend.ts
index b007f1a47..9de51a3c7 100644
--- a/backend/src/media/backends/azure-backend.ts
+++ b/backend/src/media/backends/azure-backend.ts
@@ -35,16 +35,17 @@ export class AzureBackend implements MediaBackend {
     private mediaConfig: MediaConfig,
   ) {
     this.logger.setContext(AzureBackend.name);
-    this.config = (this.mediaConfig.backend as AzureMediaConfig).azure;
-    if (this.mediaConfig.backend.use === BackendType.AZURE) {
-      // only create the client if the backend is configured to azure
-      const blobServiceClient = BlobServiceClient.fromConnectionString(
-        this.config.connectionString,
-      );
-      this.credential =
-        blobServiceClient.credential as StorageSharedKeyCredential;
-      this.client = blobServiceClient.getContainerClient(this.config.container);
+    // only create the backend if azure is configured
+    if (this.mediaConfig.backend.use !== BackendType.AZURE) {
+      return;
     }
+    this.config = this.mediaConfig.backend.azure;
+    const blobServiceClient = BlobServiceClient.fromConnectionString(
+      this.config.connectionString,
+    );
+    this.credential =
+      blobServiceClient.credential as StorageSharedKeyCredential;
+    this.client = blobServiceClient.getContainerClient(this.config.container);
   }
 
   async saveFile(
diff --git a/backend/src/media/backends/filesystem-backend.ts b/backend/src/media/backends/filesystem-backend.ts
index 4434c8419..c0277a058 100644
--- a/backend/src/media/backends/filesystem-backend.ts
+++ b/backend/src/media/backends/filesystem-backend.ts
@@ -8,13 +8,11 @@ import { FileTypeResult } from 'file-type';
 import { promises as fs } from 'fs';
 import { join } from 'path';
 
-import mediaConfiguration, {
-  FilesystemMediaConfig,
-  MediaConfig,
-} from '../../config/media.config';
+import mediaConfiguration, { MediaConfig } from '../../config/media.config';
 import { MediaBackendError } from '../../errors/errors';
 import { ConsoleLoggerService } from '../../logger/console-logger.service';
 import { MediaBackend } from '../media-backend.interface';
+import { BackendType } from './backend-type.enum';
 
 @Injectable()
 export class FilesystemBackend implements MediaBackend {
@@ -26,9 +24,12 @@ export class FilesystemBackend implements MediaBackend {
     private mediaConfig: MediaConfig,
   ) {
     this.logger.setContext(FilesystemBackend.name);
-    this.uploadDirectory = (
-      this.mediaConfig.backend as FilesystemMediaConfig
-    ).filesystem.uploadPath;
+    // only create the backend if local filesystem is configured
+    if (this.mediaConfig.backend.use !== BackendType.FILESYSTEM) {
+      this.uploadDirectory = '';
+      return;
+    }
+    this.uploadDirectory = this.mediaConfig.backend.filesystem.uploadPath;
   }
 
   async saveFile(
diff --git a/backend/src/media/backends/imgur-backend.ts b/backend/src/media/backends/imgur-backend.ts
index 825cbe937..3fc11a31c 100644
--- a/backend/src/media/backends/imgur-backend.ts
+++ b/backend/src/media/backends/imgur-backend.ts
@@ -14,6 +14,7 @@ import mediaConfiguration, {
 import { MediaBackendError } from '../../errors/errors';
 import { ConsoleLoggerService } from '../../logger/console-logger.service';
 import { MediaBackend } from '../media-backend.interface';
+import { BackendType } from './backend-type.enum';
 
 type UploadResult = {
   data: {
@@ -37,7 +38,11 @@ export class ImgurBackend implements MediaBackend {
     private mediaConfig: MediaConfig,
   ) {
     this.logger.setContext(ImgurBackend.name);
-    this.config = (this.mediaConfig.backend as ImgurMediaConfig).imgur;
+    // only create the backend if imgur is configured
+    if (this.mediaConfig.backend.use !== BackendType.IMGUR) {
+      return;
+    }
+    this.config = this.mediaConfig.backend.imgur;
   }
 
   async saveFile(uuid: string, buffer: Buffer): Promise<string> {
diff --git a/backend/src/media/backends/s3-backend.ts b/backend/src/media/backends/s3-backend.ts
index 7d28b1e26..373c16e04 100644
--- a/backend/src/media/backends/s3-backend.ts
+++ b/backend/src/media/backends/s3-backend.ts
@@ -33,6 +33,7 @@ export class S3Backend implements MediaBackend {
     private mediaConfig: MediaConfig,
   ) {
     this.logger.setContext(S3Backend.name);
+    // only create the backend if s3 is configured
     if (this.mediaConfig.backend.use !== BackendType.S3) {
       return;
     }
diff --git a/backend/src/media/backends/webdav-backend.ts b/backend/src/media/backends/webdav-backend.ts
index a98d5261f..2594e5d35 100644
--- a/backend/src/media/backends/webdav-backend.ts
+++ b/backend/src/media/backends/webdav-backend.ts
@@ -29,37 +29,37 @@ export class WebdavBackend implements MediaBackend {
     private mediaConfig: MediaConfig,
   ) {
     this.logger.setContext(WebdavBackend.name);
-    if (this.mediaConfig.backend.use === BackendType.WEBDAV) {
-      this.config = this.mediaConfig.backend.webdav;
-      const url = new URL(this.config.connectionString);
-      this.baseUrl = url.toString();
-      if (this.config.uploadDir && this.config.uploadDir !== '') {
-        this.baseUrl = WebdavBackend.joinURL(
-          this.baseUrl,
-          this.config.uploadDir,
-        );
-      }
-      this.authHeader = WebdavBackend.generateBasicAuthHeader(
-        url.username,
-        url.password,
-      );
-      fetch(this.baseUrl, {
-        method: 'PROPFIND',
-        headers: {
-          Accept: 'text/plain', // eslint-disable-line @typescript-eslint/naming-convention
-          Authorization: this.authHeader, // eslint-disable-line @typescript-eslint/naming-convention
-          Depth: '0', // eslint-disable-line @typescript-eslint/naming-convention
-        },
-      })
-        .then((response) => {
-          if (!response.ok) {
-            throw new Error(`Can't access ${this.baseUrl}`);
-          }
-        })
-        .catch(() => {
-          throw new Error(`Can't access ${this.baseUrl}`);
-        });
+    // only create the backend if WebDAV is configured
+    if (this.mediaConfig.backend.use !== BackendType.WEBDAV) {
+      return;
     }
+
+    this.config = this.mediaConfig.backend.webdav;
+    const url = new URL(this.config.connectionString);
+    this.baseUrl = url.toString();
+    if (this.config.uploadDir && this.config.uploadDir !== '') {
+      this.baseUrl = WebdavBackend.joinURL(this.baseUrl, this.config.uploadDir);
+    }
+    this.authHeader = WebdavBackend.generateBasicAuthHeader(
+      url.username,
+      url.password,
+    );
+    fetch(this.baseUrl, {
+      method: 'PROPFIND',
+      headers: {
+        Accept: 'text/plain', // eslint-disable-line @typescript-eslint/naming-convention
+        Authorization: this.authHeader, // eslint-disable-line @typescript-eslint/naming-convention
+        Depth: '0', // eslint-disable-line @typescript-eslint/naming-convention
+      },
+    })
+      .then((response) => {
+        if (!response.ok) {
+          throw new Error(`Can't access ${this.baseUrl}`);
+        }
+      })
+      .catch(() => {
+        throw new Error(`Can't access ${this.baseUrl}`);
+      });
   }
 
   async saveFile(