diff --git a/src/backends.jl b/src/backends.jl
index eae321f8..4183cf3b 100644
--- a/src/backends.jl
+++ b/src/backends.jl
@@ -316,6 +316,9 @@ function _initialize_backend(pkg::AbstractBackend)
     end
 end
 
+_initialize_backend(pkg::GRBackend) = nothing
+
+
 function add_backend_string(pkg::AbstractBackend)
     sym = backend_package_name(pkg)
     """
diff --git a/src/backends/gr.jl b/src/backends/gr.jl
index 1d4fbca6..7b51fff6 100644
--- a/src/backends/gr.jl
+++ b/src/backends/gr.jl
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@
 import GR
 export GR
 
+
 # --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
 const gr_linetype = KW(