diff --git a/include/proto/proto_tcp.h b/include/proto/proto_tcp.h
index 3baed1fdda..b871003a45 100644
--- a/include/proto/proto_tcp.h
+++ b/include/proto/proto_tcp.h
@@ -30,8 +30,7 @@
 int tcpv4_bind_socket(int fd, int flags, struct sockaddr_in *local, struct sockaddr_in *remote);
 void tcpv4_add_listener(struct listener *listener);
 void tcpv6_add_listener(struct listener *listener);
-int tcpv4_connect_server(struct stream_interface *si,
-			 struct proxy *be, struct server *srv);
+int tcpv4_connect_server(struct stream_interface *si);
 int tcp_inspect_request(struct session *s, struct buffer *req, int an_bit);
 int tcp_inspect_response(struct session *s, struct buffer *rep, int an_bit);
 int tcp_persist_rdp_cookie(struct session *s, struct buffer *req, int an_bit);
diff --git a/include/types/stream_interface.h b/include/types/stream_interface.h
index ea7b266a3f..aae25c6373 100644
--- a/include/types/stream_interface.h
+++ b/include/types/stream_interface.h
@@ -74,12 +74,30 @@ enum {
 	SI_FL_NOLINGER   = 0x0080,  /* may close without lingering. One-shot. */
 };
 
+/* target types */
+enum {
+	TARG_TYPE_NONE = 0,         /* no target set, pointer is NULL by definition */
+	TARG_TYPE_PROXY,            /* target is a proxy   ; use address with the proxy's settings */
+	TARG_TYPE_SERVER,           /* target is a server  ; use address with server's and its proxy's settings */
+	TARG_TYPE_APPLET,           /* target is an applet ; use only the applet */
+};
+
 #define SI_FL_CAP_SPLICE (SI_FL_CAP_SPLTCP)
 
 struct server;
 struct proxy;
 struct si_applet;
 
+struct target {
+	int type;
+	union {
+		void *v;              /* pointer value, for any type */
+		struct proxy *p;      /* when type is TARG_TYPE_PROXY  */
+		struct server *s;     /* when type is TARG_TYPE_SERVER */
+		struct si_applet *a;  /* when type is TARG_TYPE_APPLET */
+	} ptr;
+};
+
 /* A stream interface has 3 parts :
  *  - the buffer side, which interfaces to the buffers.
  *  - the remote side, which describes the state and address of the other side.
@@ -108,10 +126,11 @@ struct stream_interface {
 	void (*shutw)(struct stream_interface *);  /* shutw function */
 	void (*chk_rcv)(struct stream_interface *);/* chk_rcv function */
 	void (*chk_snd)(struct stream_interface *);/* chk_snd function */
-	int (*connect)(struct stream_interface *, struct proxy *, struct server *); /* connect function if any */
+	int  (*connect)(struct stream_interface *); /* connect function if any */
 	void (*release)(struct stream_interface *); /* handler to call after the last close() */
 
 	/* struct members below are the "remote" part, as seen from the buffer side */
+	struct target target;	/* the target to connect to (server, proxy, applet, ...) */
 	int conn_retries;	/* number of connect retries left */
 	int fd;                 /* file descriptor for a stream driver when known */
 	struct {
diff --git a/src/backend.c b/src/backend.c
index 0e1f9255a7..0d5081a2f1 100644
--- a/src/backend.c
+++ b/src/backend.c
@@ -936,10 +936,17 @@ int connect_server(struct session *s)
 	 */
 	stream_sock_prepare_interface(s->req->cons);
 	s->req->cons->connect = tcpv4_connect_server;
+	if (s->srv) {
+		s->req->cons->target.type = TARG_TYPE_SERVER;
+		s->req->cons->target.ptr.s = s->srv;
+	} else {
+		s->req->cons->target.type = TARG_TYPE_PROXY;
+		s->req->cons->target.ptr.p = s->be;
+	}
 
 	assign_tproxy_address(s);
 
-	err = s->req->cons->connect(s->req->cons, s->be, s->srv);
+	err = s->req->cons->connect(s->req->cons);
 
 	if (err != SN_ERR_NONE)
 		return err;
diff --git a/src/peers.c b/src/peers.c
index 6c754652a2..5e3b353e35 100644
--- a/src/peers.c
+++ b/src/peers.c
@@ -1155,6 +1155,10 @@ struct session *peer_session_create(struct peer *peer, struct peer_session *ps)
 	s->si[0].state = s->si[0].prev_state = SI_ST_EST;
 	s->si[0].err_type = SI_ET_NONE;
 	s->si[0].err_loc = NULL;
+	s->si[0].connect   = NULL;
+	s->si[0].applet.handler = NULL;
+	s->si[0].target.ptr.v = NULL;
+	s->si[0].target.type = TARG_TYPE_NONE;
 	s->si[0].exp = TICK_ETERNITY;
 	s->si[0].flags = SI_FL_NONE;
 	if (s->fe->options2 & PR_O2_INDEPSTR)
@@ -1172,6 +1176,9 @@ struct session *peer_session_create(struct peer *peer, struct peer_session *ps)
 	s->si[1].err_type = SI_ET_NONE;
 	s->si[1].err_loc = NULL;
 	s->si[1].connect = tcpv4_connect_server;
+	s->si[1].applet.handler = NULL;
+	s->si[1].target.ptr.p = s->be;
+	s->si[1].target.type = TARG_TYPE_PROXY;
 	s->si[1].exp = TICK_ETERNITY;
 	s->si[1].flags = SI_FL_NONE;
 	if (s->be->options2 & PR_O2_INDEPSTR)
diff --git a/src/proto_tcp.c b/src/proto_tcp.c
index 174d661db8..2d79e22d26 100644
--- a/src/proto_tcp.c
+++ b/src/proto_tcp.c
@@ -181,10 +181,12 @@ int tcpv4_bind_socket(int fd, int flags, struct sockaddr_in *local, struct socka
 
 
 /*
- * This function initiates a connection to the server assigned to this session
- * (s->srv, si->addr.s.to). A source address may be pointed to by si->addr.s.from.
- * Note that this is only used in case of transparent proxying. Normal source bind
- * addresses are still determined locally (due to the possible need of a source port).
+ * This function initiates a connection to the target assigned to this session
+ * (si->{target,addr.s.to}). A source address may be pointed to by si->addr.s.from
+ * in case of transparent proxying. Normal source bind addresses are still
+ * determined locally (due to the possible need of a source port).
+ * si->target may point either to a valid server or to a backend, depending
+ * on si->target.type. Only TARG_TYPE_PROXY and TARG_TYPE_SERVER are supported.
  *
  * It can return one of :
  *  - SN_ERR_NONE if everything's OK
@@ -196,9 +198,24 @@ int tcpv4_bind_socket(int fd, int flags, struct sockaddr_in *local, struct socka
  * Additionnally, in the case of SN_ERR_RESOURCE, an emergency log will be emitted.
  */
 
-int tcpv4_connect_server(struct stream_interface *si, struct proxy *be, struct server *srv)
+int tcpv4_connect_server(struct stream_interface *si)
 {
 	int fd;
+	struct server *srv;
+	struct proxy *be;
+
+	switch (si->target.type) {
+	case TARG_TYPE_PROXY:
+		be = si->target.ptr.p;
+		srv = NULL;
+		break;
+	case TARG_TYPE_SERVER:
+		srv = si->target.ptr.s;
+		be = srv->proxy;
+		break;
+	default:
+		return SN_ERR_INTERNAL;
+	}
 
 	if ((fd = si->fd = socket(AF_INET, SOCK_STREAM, IPPROTO_TCP)) == -1) {
 		qfprintf(stderr, "Cannot get a server socket.\n");
diff --git a/src/session.c b/src/session.c
index fdf8043ec3..87f74641c0 100644
--- a/src/session.c
+++ b/src/session.c
@@ -169,6 +169,8 @@ int session_accept(struct listener *l, int cfd, struct sockaddr_storage *addr)
 	s->si[0].connect   = NULL;
 	s->si[0].applet.handler = NULL;
 	s->si[0].release   = NULL;
+	s->si[0].target.type  = TARG_TYPE_NONE;
+	s->si[0].target.ptr.v = NULL;
 	s->si[0].exp       = TICK_ETERNITY;
 	s->si[0].flags     = SI_FL_NONE;
 
@@ -192,6 +194,8 @@ int session_accept(struct listener *l, int cfd, struct sockaddr_storage *addr)
 	s->si[1].connect   = NULL;
 	s->si[1].applet.handler = NULL;
 	s->si[1].release   = NULL;
+	s->si[1].target.type  = TARG_TYPE_NONE;
+	s->si[1].target.ptr.v = NULL;
 	s->si[1].shutr     = stream_int_shutr;
 	s->si[1].shutw     = stream_int_shutw;
 	s->si[1].exp       = TICK_ETERNITY;
diff --git a/src/stream_interface.c b/src/stream_interface.c
index 71fc864a04..db13973929 100644
--- a/src/stream_interface.c
+++ b/src/stream_interface.c
@@ -313,6 +313,8 @@ struct task *stream_int_register_handler(struct stream_interface *si, struct si_
 	si->chk_rcv = stream_int_chk_rcv;
 	si->chk_snd = stream_int_chk_snd;
 	si->connect = NULL;
+	si->target.type = TARG_TYPE_APPLET;
+	si->target.ptr.a = app;
 	si->applet.handler = app;
 	si->release   = NULL;
 	si->flags |= SI_FL_WAIT_DATA;
@@ -337,6 +339,8 @@ struct task *stream_int_register_handler_task(struct stream_interface *si,
 	si->chk_rcv = stream_int_chk_rcv;
 	si->chk_snd = stream_int_chk_snd;
 	si->connect = NULL;
+	si->target.type = TARG_TYPE_NONE;
+	si->target.ptr.v   = NULL;
 	si->applet.handler = NULL; /* not used when running as an external task */
 	si->release   = NULL;
 	si->flags |= SI_FL_WAIT_DATA;
@@ -366,6 +370,8 @@ void stream_int_unregister_handler(struct stream_interface *si)
 	si->applet.handler = NULL;
 	si->release   = NULL;
 	si->owner = NULL;
+	si->target.type = TARG_TYPE_NONE;
+	si->target.ptr.v = NULL;
 }
 
 /*