diff --git a/backends/python.js b/backends/python.js
index 4fc1bc9..5df646b 100644
--- a/backends/python.js
+++ b/backends/python.js
@@ -3,7 +3,17 @@
 var PromiseA = require('bluebird');
 var fs = PromiseA.promisifyAll(require('fs'));
 
-module.exports.create = function (defaults, opts) {
+module.exports.create = function (defaults, opts, extra) {
+  // v1.0.0 backwards compat
+  if (3 === arguments.length) {
+    opts.pythonClientPath = defaults;
+    defaults = opts;
+    opts = extra;
+  }
+  else if (2 !== arguments.length) {
+    throw new Error("Instead of creating the python backend yourself, just pass it to LE. See the README.md");
+  }
+
   defaults.webroot = true;
   defaults.renewByDefault = true;
   defaults.text = true;