diff --git a/src/gameconfigfile.cpp b/src/gameconfigfile.cpp
index 2b020cbfac..fe07d73e80 100644
--- a/src/gameconfigfile.cpp
+++ b/src/gameconfigfile.cpp
@@ -64,6 +64,7 @@ EXTERN_CVAR (Color, am_cdwallcolor)
 EXTERN_CVAR (Bool, wi_percents)
 EXTERN_CVAR (Int, gl_texture_hqresizemode)
 EXTERN_CVAR (Int, gl_texture_hqresizemult)
+EXTERN_CVAR (Int, vid_preferbackend)
 
 FGameConfigFile::FGameConfigFile ()
 {
@@ -509,6 +510,16 @@ void FGameConfigFile::DoGlobalSetup ()
 					if (v.Int == 3) var->SetGenericRep(newvalue, CVAR_Int);
 				}
 			}
+			if (last < 219)
+			{
+				// migrate vid_enablevulkan to vid_preferbackend
+				auto var = FindCVar("vid_enablevulkan", NULL);
+				if (var != NULL)
+				{
+					UCVarValue v = var->GetGenericRep(CVAR_Int);
+					vid_preferbackend = v.Int;
+				}
+			}
 		}
 	}
 }
diff --git a/src/version.h b/src/version.h
index ebeeb3217a..19f5263a14 100644
--- a/src/version.h
+++ b/src/version.h
@@ -65,7 +65,7 @@ const char *GetVersionString();
 // Version stored in the ini's [LastRun] section.
 // Bump it if you made some configuration change that you want to
 // be able to migrate in FGameConfigFile::DoGlobalSetup().
-#define LASTRUNVERSION "218"
+#define LASTRUNVERSION "219"
 
 // Protocol version used in demos.
 // Bump it if you change existing DEM_ commands or add new ones.