diff --git a/lxd/backup/backup_instance.go b/lxd/backup/backup_instance.go
index <HASH>..<HASH> 100644
--- a/lxd/backup/backup_instance.go
+++ b/lxd/backup/backup_instance.go
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@ import (
 	"strings"
 	"time"
 
+	"github.com/lxc/lxd/lxd/operations"
 	"github.com/lxc/lxd/lxd/project"
 	"github.com/lxc/lxd/lxd/state"
 	"github.com/lxc/lxd/shared"
@@ -16,6 +17,7 @@ import (
 type Instance interface {
 	Name() string
 	Project() string
+	Operation() *operations.Operation
 }
 
 // InstanceBackup represents an instance backup.
@@ -47,6 +49,11 @@ func (b *InstanceBackup) InstanceOnly() bool {
 	return b.instanceOnly
 }
 
+// Instance returns the instance to be backed up.
+func (b *InstanceBackup) Instance() Instance {
+	return b.instance
+}
+
 // Rename renames an instance backup.
 func (b *InstanceBackup) Rename(newName string) error {
 	oldBackupPath := shared.VarPath("backups", "instances", project.Instance(b.instance.Project(), b.name))
lxd/backup/backup/instance: expose instance interface