diff --git a/modules/backend/classes/BackendController.php b/modules/backend/classes/BackendController.php
index 80277a5e0..b62981f4d 100644
--- a/modules/backend/classes/BackendController.php
+++ b/modules/backend/classes/BackendController.php
@@ -6,13 +6,13 @@ use File;
 use View;
 use Event;
 use Config;
+use Request;
 use Response;
+use Closure;
 use Illuminate\Routing\Controller as ControllerBase;
 use October\Rain\Router\Helper as RouterHelper;
-use Closure;
 use System\Classes\PluginManager;
 
-
 /**
  * This is the master controller for all back-end pages.
  * All requests that are prefixed with the backend URI pattern are sent here,
@@ -55,6 +55,28 @@ class BackendController extends ControllerBase
      */
     public function __construct()
     {
+        // Find requested controller to determine if any middleware has been attached
+        $pathParts = explode('/', str_replace(Request::root() . '/', '', Request::url()));
+        if (count($pathParts)) {
+            // Drop off preceding backend URL part if needed
+            if (!empty(Config::get('cms.backendUri', 'backend'))) {
+                array_shift($pathParts);
+            }
+            $path = implode('/', $pathParts);
+
+            $requestedController = $this->getRequestedController($path);
+            if (!is_null($requestedController) && count($requestedController['controller']->getMiddleware())) {
+                $action = $requestedController['action'];
+
+                // Collect applicable middleware and insert middleware into pipeline
+                collect($requestedController['controller']->getMiddleware())->reject(function ($data) use ($action) {
+                    return static::methodExcludedByOptions($action, $data['options']);
+                })->pluck('middleware')->map(function ($middleware) {
+                    $this->middleware($middleware);
+                });
+            }
+        }
+
         $this->extendableConstruct();
     }
 
@@ -110,6 +132,34 @@ class BackendController extends ControllerBase
                 : $this->passToCmsController($url);
         }
 
+        $controllerRequest = $this->getRequestedController($url);
+        if (!is_null($controllerRequest)) {
+            return $controllerRequest['controller']->run(
+                $controllerRequest['action'],
+                $controllerRequest['params']
+            );
+        }
+
+        /*
+         * Fall back on Cms controller
+         */
+        return $this->passToCmsController($url);
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Determines the controller and action to load in the backend via a provided URL.
+     *
+     * If a suitable controller is found, this will return an array with the controller class name as a string, the
+     * action to call as a string and an array of parameters. If a suitable controller and action cannot be found,
+     * this method will return null.
+     *
+     * @param string $url A URL to determine the requested controller and action for
+     * @return array|null A suitable controller, action and parameters in an array if found, otherwise null.
+     */
+    protected function getRequestedController($url)
+    {
+        $params = RouterHelper::segmentizeUrl($url);
+
         /*
          * Look for a Module controller
          */
@@ -123,7 +173,11 @@ class BackendController extends ControllerBase
             $action,
             base_path().'/modules'
         )) {
-            return $controllerObj->run($action, $controllerParams);
+            return [
+                'controller' => $controllerObj,
+                'action' => $action,
+                'params' => $controllerParams
+            ];
         }
 
         /*
@@ -146,14 +200,15 @@ class BackendController extends ControllerBase
                 $action,
                 plugins_path()
             )) {
-                return $controllerObj->run($action, $controllerParams);
+                return [
+                    'controller' => $controllerObj,
+                    'action' => $action,
+                    'params' => $controllerParams
+                ];
             }
         }
 
-        /*
-         * Fall back on Cms controller
-         */
-        return $this->passToCmsController($url);
+        return null;
     }
 
     /**
@@ -203,4 +258,17 @@ class BackendController extends ControllerBase
 
         return $actionName;
     }
-}
\ No newline at end of file
+
+    /**
+     * Determine if the given options exclude a particular method.
+     *
+     * @param  string  $method
+     * @param  array  $options
+     * @return bool
+     */
+    protected static function methodExcludedByOptions($method, array $options)
+    {
+        return (isset($options['only']) && !in_array($method, (array) $options['only'])) ||
+            (!empty($options['except']) && in_array($method, (array) $options['except']));
+    }
+}
diff --git a/modules/backend/classes/Controller.php b/modules/backend/classes/Controller.php
index bc9ab177f..515a2786a 100644
--- a/modules/backend/classes/Controller.php
+++ b/modules/backend/classes/Controller.php
@@ -18,9 +18,9 @@ use October\Rain\Exception\AjaxException;
 use October\Rain\Exception\SystemException;
 use October\Rain\Exception\ValidationException;
 use October\Rain\Exception\ApplicationException;
-use October\Rain\Extension\Extendable;
 use Illuminate\Database\Eloquent\MassAssignmentException;
 use Illuminate\Http\RedirectResponse;
+use Illuminate\Routing\Controller as ControllerBase;
 
 /**
  * The Backend base controller class, used by Backend controllers.
@@ -29,7 +29,7 @@ use Illuminate\Http\RedirectResponse;
  * @package october\backend
  * @author Alexey Bobkov, Samuel Georges
  */
-class Controller extends Extendable
+class Controller extends ControllerBase
 {
     use \System\Traits\ViewMaker;
     use \System\Traits\AssetMaker;
@@ -37,6 +37,12 @@ class Controller extends Extendable
     use \System\Traits\EventEmitter;
     use \Backend\Traits\ErrorMaker;
     use \Backend\Traits\WidgetMaker;
+    use \October\Rain\Extension\ExtendableTrait;
+
+    /**
+     * @var array Behaviors implemented by this controller.
+     */
+    public $implement;
 
     /**
      * @var object Reference the logged in admin user.
@@ -146,8 +152,6 @@ class Controller extends Extendable
          */
         $this->user = BackendAuth::getUser();
 
-        parent::__construct();
-
         /*
          * Media Manager widget is available on all back-end pages
          */
@@ -155,6 +159,36 @@ class Controller extends Extendable
             $manager = new MediaManager($this, 'ocmediamanager');
             $manager->bindToController();
         }
+
+        $this->extendableConstruct();
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Extend this object properties upon construction.
+     */
+    public static function extend(Closure $callback)
+    {
+        self::extendableExtendCallback($callback);
+    }
+
+    public function __get($name)
+    {
+        return $this->extendableGet($name);
+    }
+
+    public function __set($name, $value)
+    {
+        $this->extendableSet($name, $value);
+    }
+
+    public function __call($name, $params)
+    {
+        return $this->extendableCall($name, $params);
+    }
+
+    public static function __callStatic($name, $params)
+    {
+        return self::extendableCallStatic($name, $params);
     }
 
     /**