diff --git a/REQUIRE b/REQUIRE
index 1488666b..a3780a85 100644
--- a/REQUIRE
+++ b/REQUIRE
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
 julia 0.4-
 
 Colors
+Reexport
diff --git a/src/Plots.jl b/src/Plots.jl
index 52fddabd..ce643933 100644
--- a/src/Plots.jl
+++ b/src/Plots.jl
@@ -2,7 +2,8 @@ __precompile__()
 
 module Plots
 
-using Colors
+using Reexport
+@reexport using Colors
 
 export
   plotter,
@@ -93,6 +94,11 @@ savepng(plt::PlottingObject, args...; kw...) = savepng(plt.plotter, plt, args...
 savepng(::PlottingPackage, plt::PlottingObject, fn::AbstractString, args...) = error("unsupported")  # fallback so multiple dispatch doesn't get confused if it's missing
 
 
+function __init__()
+  global const CURRENT_BACKEND = pickDefaultBackend()
+  println("[Plots.jl] Default backend: ", CURRENT_BACKEND.sym)
+end
+
 # ---------------------------------------------------------
 
 end # module
diff --git a/src/plot.jl b/src/plot.jl
index 60c8acc7..d3c4996f 100644
--- a/src/plot.jl
+++ b/src/plot.jl
@@ -117,7 +117,7 @@ end
 # Then once inputs have been converted, build the series args, map functions, etc.
 # This should cut down on boilerplate code and allow more focused dispatch on type
 
-typealias FuncOrFuncs Union(Function, AVec{Function})
+typealias FuncOrFuncs Union{Function, AVec{Function}}
 
 # missing
 convertToAnyVector(v::Void; kw...) = Any[nothing]
diff --git a/src/plotter.jl b/src/plotter.jl
index 8bf1808d..e86b2037 100644
--- a/src/plotter.jl
+++ b/src/plotter.jl
@@ -48,34 +48,40 @@ CurrentBackend(sym::Symbol) = CurrentBackend(sym, backend(sym))
 
 function pickDefaultBackend()
   try
-    Pkg.installed("Immerse")
-    return CurrentBackend(:immerse)
+    if Pkg.installed("Immerse") != nothing
+      return CurrentBackend(:immerse)
+    end
   end
   try
-    Pkg.installed("Qwt")
-    return CurrentBackend(:qwt)
+    if Pkg.installed("Qwt") != nothing
+      return CurrentBackend(:qwt)
+    end
   end
   try
-    Pkg.installed("PyPlot")
-    return CurrentBackend(:pyplot)
+    if Pkg.installed("PyPlot") != nothing
+      return CurrentBackend(:pyplot)
+    end
   end
   try
-    Pkg.installed("Gadfly")
-    return CurrentBackend(:gadfly)
+    if Pkg.installed("Gadfly") != nothing
+      return CurrentBackend(:gadfly)
+    end
   end
   try
-    Pkg.installed("UnicodePlots")
-    return CurrentBackend(:unicodeplots)
+    if Pkg.installed("UnicodePlots") != nothing
+      return CurrentBackend(:unicodeplots)
+    end
   end
   try
-    Pkg.installed("Winston")
-    return CurrentBackend(:winston)
+    if Pkg.installed("Winston") != nothing
+      return CurrentBackend(:winston)
+    end
   end
   warn("You don't have any of the supported backends installed!  Chose from ", backends())
   return CurrentBackend(:gadfly)
 end
-const CURRENT_BACKEND = pickDefaultBackend()
-println("[Plots.jl] Default backend: ", CURRENT_BACKEND.sym)
+# const CURRENT_BACKEND = pickDefaultBackend()
+# println("[Plots.jl] Default backend: ", CURRENT_BACKEND.sym)
 
 
 # ---------------------------------------------------------
diff --git a/test/REQUIRE b/test/REQUIRE
index 89b650ca..d7bfba89 100644
--- a/test/REQUIRE
+++ b/test/REQUIRE
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 julia 0.4-
 
 Colors
+Reexport
 FactCheck
 PyPlot
 UnicodePlots