diff --git a/internal/backend/azure/azure.go b/internal/backend/azure/azure.go
index ff89a6b01..e99680ce3 100644
--- a/internal/backend/azure/azure.go
+++ b/internal/backend/azure/azure.go
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@ import (
 	"strings"
 
 	"github.com/restic/restic/internal/backend"
+	"github.com/restic/restic/internal/backend/sema"
 	"github.com/restic/restic/internal/debug"
 	"github.com/restic/restic/internal/errors"
 	"github.com/restic/restic/internal/restic"
@@ -25,7 +26,7 @@ type Backend struct {
 	accountName  string
 	container    *storage.Container
 	connections  uint
-	sem          *backend.Semaphore
+	sem          sema.Semaphore
 	prefix       string
 	listMaxItems int
 	backend.Layout
@@ -48,7 +49,7 @@ func open(cfg Config, rt http.RoundTripper) (*Backend, error) {
 
 	service := client.GetBlobService()
 
-	sem, err := backend.NewSemaphore(cfg.Connections)
+	sem, err := sema.New(cfg.Connections)
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, err
 	}
diff --git a/internal/backend/b2/b2.go b/internal/backend/b2/b2.go
index 7f8019a74..46e01450b 100644
--- a/internal/backend/b2/b2.go
+++ b/internal/backend/b2/b2.go
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@ import (
 	"path"
 
 	"github.com/restic/restic/internal/backend"
+	"github.com/restic/restic/internal/backend/sema"
 	"github.com/restic/restic/internal/debug"
 	"github.com/restic/restic/internal/errors"
 	"github.com/restic/restic/internal/restic"
@@ -23,7 +24,7 @@ type b2Backend struct {
 	cfg          Config
 	listMaxItems int
 	backend.Layout
-	sem *backend.Semaphore
+	sem sema.Semaphore
 }
 
 const defaultListMaxItems = 1000
@@ -58,7 +59,7 @@ func Open(ctx context.Context, cfg Config, rt http.RoundTripper) (restic.Backend
 		return nil, errors.Wrap(err, "Bucket")
 	}
 
-	sem, err := backend.NewSemaphore(cfg.Connections)
+	sem, err := sema.New(cfg.Connections)
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, err
 	}
@@ -99,7 +100,7 @@ func Create(ctx context.Context, cfg Config, rt http.RoundTripper) (restic.Backe
 		return nil, errors.Wrap(err, "NewBucket")
 	}
 
-	sem, err := backend.NewSemaphore(cfg.Connections)
+	sem, err := sema.New(cfg.Connections)
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, err
 	}
@@ -284,11 +285,11 @@ func (be *b2Backend) Remove(ctx context.Context, h restic.Handle) error {
 }
 
 type semLocker struct {
-	*backend.Semaphore
+	sema.Semaphore
 }
 
-func (sm semLocker) Lock()   { sm.GetToken() }
-func (sm semLocker) Unlock() { sm.ReleaseToken() }
+func (sm *semLocker) Lock()   { sm.GetToken() }
+func (sm *semLocker) Unlock() { sm.ReleaseToken() }
 
 // List returns a channel that yields all names of blobs of type t.
 func (be *b2Backend) List(ctx context.Context, t restic.FileType, fn func(restic.FileInfo) error) error {
@@ -298,7 +299,7 @@ func (be *b2Backend) List(ctx context.Context, t restic.FileType, fn func(restic
 	defer cancel()
 
 	prefix, _ := be.Basedir(t)
-	iter := be.bucket.List(ctx, b2.ListPrefix(prefix), b2.ListPageSize(be.listMaxItems), b2.ListLocker(semLocker{be.sem}))
+	iter := be.bucket.List(ctx, b2.ListPrefix(prefix), b2.ListPageSize(be.listMaxItems), b2.ListLocker(&semLocker{be.sem}))
 
 	for iter.Next() {
 		obj := iter.Object()
diff --git a/internal/backend/gs/gs.go b/internal/backend/gs/gs.go
index 92de75887..5e464ab32 100644
--- a/internal/backend/gs/gs.go
+++ b/internal/backend/gs/gs.go
@@ -14,6 +14,7 @@ import (
 	"cloud.google.com/go/storage"
 	"github.com/pkg/errors"
 	"github.com/restic/restic/internal/backend"
+	"github.com/restic/restic/internal/backend/sema"
 	"github.com/restic/restic/internal/debug"
 	"github.com/restic/restic/internal/restic"
 
@@ -35,7 +36,7 @@ type Backend struct {
 	gcsClient    *storage.Client
 	projectID    string
 	connections  uint
-	sem          *backend.Semaphore
+	sem          sema.Semaphore
 	bucketName   string
 	bucket       *storage.BucketHandle
 	prefix       string
@@ -97,7 +98,7 @@ func open(cfg Config, rt http.RoundTripper) (*Backend, error) {
 		return nil, errors.Wrap(err, "getStorageClient")
 	}
 
-	sem, err := backend.NewSemaphore(cfg.Connections)
+	sem, err := sema.New(cfg.Connections)
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, err
 	}
diff --git a/internal/backend/local/local.go b/internal/backend/local/local.go
index 22fb8c8e5..bb644c949 100644
--- a/internal/backend/local/local.go
+++ b/internal/backend/local/local.go
@@ -9,12 +9,12 @@ import (
 	"path/filepath"
 	"syscall"
 
-	"github.com/restic/restic/internal/errors"
-	"github.com/restic/restic/internal/restic"
-
 	"github.com/restic/restic/internal/backend"
+	"github.com/restic/restic/internal/backend/sema"
 	"github.com/restic/restic/internal/debug"
+	"github.com/restic/restic/internal/errors"
 	"github.com/restic/restic/internal/fs"
+	"github.com/restic/restic/internal/restic"
 
 	"github.com/cenkalti/backoff/v4"
 )
@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@ import (
 // Local is a backend in a local directory.
 type Local struct {
 	Config
-	sem *backend.Semaphore
+	sem sema.Semaphore
 	backend.Layout
 	backend.Modes
 }
@@ -38,7 +38,7 @@ func open(ctx context.Context, cfg Config) (*Local, error) {
 		return nil, err
 	}
 
-	sem, err := backend.NewSemaphore(cfg.Connections)
+	sem, err := sema.New(cfg.Connections)
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, err
 	}
diff --git a/internal/backend/mem/mem_backend.go b/internal/backend/mem/mem_backend.go
index b14149d52..3880f4404 100644
--- a/internal/backend/mem/mem_backend.go
+++ b/internal/backend/mem/mem_backend.go
@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@ import (
 	"sync"
 
 	"github.com/restic/restic/internal/backend"
+	"github.com/restic/restic/internal/backend/sema"
 	"github.com/restic/restic/internal/debug"
 	"github.com/restic/restic/internal/errors"
 	"github.com/restic/restic/internal/restic"
@@ -32,12 +33,12 @@ const connectionCount = 2
 type MemoryBackend struct {
 	data memMap
 	m    sync.Mutex
-	sem  *backend.Semaphore
+	sem  sema.Semaphore
 }
 
 // New returns a new backend that saves all data in a map in memory.
 func New() *MemoryBackend {
-	sem, err := backend.NewSemaphore(connectionCount)
+	sem, err := sema.New(connectionCount)
 	if err != nil {
 		panic(err)
 	}
diff --git a/internal/backend/rest/rest.go b/internal/backend/rest/rest.go
index b9824bb53..c39ad3941 100644
--- a/internal/backend/rest/rest.go
+++ b/internal/backend/rest/rest.go
@@ -17,6 +17,7 @@ import (
 	"golang.org/x/net/context/ctxhttp"
 
 	"github.com/restic/restic/internal/backend"
+	"github.com/restic/restic/internal/backend/sema"
 	"github.com/restic/restic/internal/debug"
 	"github.com/restic/restic/internal/errors"
 	"github.com/restic/restic/internal/restic"
@@ -31,7 +32,7 @@ var _ restic.Backend = &Backend{}
 type Backend struct {
 	url         *url.URL
 	connections uint
-	sem         *backend.Semaphore
+	sem         sema.Semaphore
 	client      *http.Client
 	backend.Layout
 }
@@ -46,7 +47,7 @@ const (
 func Open(cfg Config, rt http.RoundTripper) (*Backend, error) {
 	client := &http.Client{Transport: rt}
 
-	sem, err := backend.NewSemaphore(cfg.Connections)
+	sem, err := sema.New(cfg.Connections)
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, err
 	}
diff --git a/internal/backend/s3/s3.go b/internal/backend/s3/s3.go
index ac1a1d5ce..d6978cc28 100644
--- a/internal/backend/s3/s3.go
+++ b/internal/backend/s3/s3.go
@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@ import (
 	"time"
 
 	"github.com/restic/restic/internal/backend"
+	"github.com/restic/restic/internal/backend/sema"
 	"github.com/restic/restic/internal/debug"
 	"github.com/restic/restic/internal/errors"
 	"github.com/restic/restic/internal/restic"
@@ -25,7 +26,7 @@ import (
 // Backend stores data on an S3 endpoint.
 type Backend struct {
 	client *minio.Client
-	sem    *backend.Semaphore
+	sem    sema.Semaphore
 	cfg    Config
 	backend.Layout
 }
@@ -101,7 +102,7 @@ func open(ctx context.Context, cfg Config, rt http.RoundTripper) (*Backend, erro
 		return nil, errors.Wrap(err, "minio.New")
 	}
 
-	sem, err := backend.NewSemaphore(cfg.Connections)
+	sem, err := sema.New(cfg.Connections)
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, err
 	}
diff --git a/internal/backend/sema/semaphore.go b/internal/backend/sema/semaphore.go
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..7ee912979
--- /dev/null
+++ b/internal/backend/sema/semaphore.go
@@ -0,0 +1,65 @@
+// Package sema implements semaphores.
+package sema
+
+import (
+	"context"
+	"io"
+
+	"github.com/restic/restic/internal/errors"
+)
+
+// A Semaphore limits access to a restricted resource.
+type Semaphore struct {
+	ch chan struct{}
+}
+
+// New returns a new semaphore with capacity n.
+func New(n uint) (Semaphore, error) {
+	if n == 0 {
+		return Semaphore{}, errors.New("capacity must be a positive number")
+	}
+	return Semaphore{
+		ch: make(chan struct{}, n),
+	}, nil
+}
+
+// GetToken blocks until a Token is available.
+func (s Semaphore) GetToken() { s.ch <- struct{}{} }
+
+// ReleaseToken returns a token.
+func (s Semaphore) ReleaseToken() { <-s.ch }
+
+// ReleaseTokenOnClose wraps an io.ReadCloser to return a token on Close.
+// Before returning the token, cancel, if not nil, will be run
+// to free up context resources.
+func (s Semaphore) ReleaseTokenOnClose(rc io.ReadCloser, cancel context.CancelFunc) io.ReadCloser {
+	return &wrapReader{ReadCloser: rc, sem: s, cancel: cancel}
+}
+
+type wrapReader struct {
+	io.ReadCloser
+	eofSeen bool
+	sem     Semaphore
+	cancel  context.CancelFunc
+}
+
+func (wr *wrapReader) Read(p []byte) (int, error) {
+	if wr.eofSeen { // XXX Why do we do this?
+		return 0, io.EOF
+	}
+
+	n, err := wr.ReadCloser.Read(p)
+	if err == io.EOF {
+		wr.eofSeen = true
+	}
+	return n, err
+}
+
+func (wr *wrapReader) Close() error {
+	err := wr.ReadCloser.Close()
+	if wr.cancel != nil {
+		wr.cancel()
+	}
+	wr.sem.ReleaseToken()
+	return err
+}
diff --git a/internal/backend/semaphore.go b/internal/backend/semaphore.go
deleted file mode 100644
index 28b97472b..000000000
--- a/internal/backend/semaphore.go
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,69 +0,0 @@
-package backend
-
-import (
-	"context"
-	"io"
-
-	"github.com/restic/restic/internal/errors"
-)
-
-// Semaphore limits access to a restricted resource.
-type Semaphore struct {
-	ch chan struct{}
-}
-
-// NewSemaphore returns a new semaphore with capacity n.
-func NewSemaphore(n uint) (*Semaphore, error) {
-	if n == 0 {
-		return nil, errors.New("must be a positive number")
-	}
-	return &Semaphore{
-		ch: make(chan struct{}, n),
-	}, nil
-}
-
-// GetToken blocks until a Token is available.
-func (s *Semaphore) GetToken() {
-	s.ch <- struct{}{}
-}
-
-// ReleaseToken returns a token.
-func (s *Semaphore) ReleaseToken() {
-	<-s.ch
-}
-
-// ReleaseTokenOnClose wraps an io.ReadCloser to return a token on Close. Before returning the token,
-// cancel, if provided, will be run to free up context resources.
-func (s *Semaphore) ReleaseTokenOnClose(rc io.ReadCloser, cancel context.CancelFunc) io.ReadCloser {
-	return &wrapReader{rc, false, func() {
-		if cancel != nil {
-			cancel()
-		}
-		s.ReleaseToken()
-	}}
-}
-
-// wrapReader wraps an io.ReadCloser to run an additional function on Close.
-type wrapReader struct {
-	io.ReadCloser
-	eofSeen bool
-	f       func()
-}
-
-func (wr *wrapReader) Read(p []byte) (int, error) {
-	if wr.eofSeen {
-		return 0, io.EOF
-	}
-
-	n, err := wr.ReadCloser.Read(p)
-	if err == io.EOF {
-		wr.eofSeen = true
-	}
-	return n, err
-}
-
-func (wr *wrapReader) Close() error {
-	err := wr.ReadCloser.Close()
-	wr.f()
-	return err
-}
diff --git a/internal/backend/sftp/sftp.go b/internal/backend/sftp/sftp.go
index 99eb2c09a..0019e588c 100644
--- a/internal/backend/sftp/sftp.go
+++ b/internal/backend/sftp/sftp.go
@@ -13,12 +13,12 @@ import (
 	"path"
 	"time"
 
+	"github.com/restic/restic/internal/backend"
+	"github.com/restic/restic/internal/backend/sema"
+	"github.com/restic/restic/internal/debug"
 	"github.com/restic/restic/internal/errors"
 	"github.com/restic/restic/internal/restic"
 
-	"github.com/restic/restic/internal/backend"
-	"github.com/restic/restic/internal/debug"
-
 	"github.com/cenkalti/backoff/v4"
 	"github.com/pkg/sftp"
 )
@@ -33,7 +33,7 @@ type SFTP struct {
 
 	posixRename bool
 
-	sem *backend.Semaphore
+	sem sema.Semaphore
 	backend.Layout
 	Config
 	backend.Modes
@@ -121,7 +121,7 @@ func (r *SFTP) clientError() error {
 func Open(ctx context.Context, cfg Config) (*SFTP, error) {
 	debug.Log("open backend with config %#v", cfg)
 
-	sem, err := backend.NewSemaphore(cfg.Connections)
+	sem, err := sema.New(cfg.Connections)
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, err
 	}
diff --git a/internal/backend/swift/swift.go b/internal/backend/swift/swift.go
index b127cb832..2cab8a3fb 100644
--- a/internal/backend/swift/swift.go
+++ b/internal/backend/swift/swift.go
@@ -14,6 +14,7 @@ import (
 	"time"
 
 	"github.com/restic/restic/internal/backend"
+	"github.com/restic/restic/internal/backend/sema"
 	"github.com/restic/restic/internal/debug"
 	"github.com/restic/restic/internal/errors"
 	"github.com/restic/restic/internal/restic"
@@ -26,7 +27,7 @@ import (
 type beSwift struct {
 	conn        *swift.Connection
 	connections uint
-	sem         *backend.Semaphore
+	sem         sema.Semaphore
 	container   string // Container name
 	prefix      string // Prefix of object names in the container
 	backend.Layout
@@ -40,7 +41,7 @@ var _ restic.Backend = &beSwift{}
 func Open(ctx context.Context, cfg Config, rt http.RoundTripper) (restic.Backend, error) {
 	debug.Log("config %#v", cfg)
 
-	sem, err := backend.NewSemaphore(cfg.Connections)
+	sem, err := sema.New(cfg.Connections)
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, err
 	}