diff --git a/src/cryptography/hazmat/primitives/hashes.py b/src/cryptography/hazmat/primitives/hashes.py
index fee4e0eea69c..3362c2ab1507 100644
--- a/src/cryptography/hazmat/primitives/hashes.py
+++ b/src/cryptography/hazmat/primitives/hashes.py
@@ -75,8 +75,6 @@ def __init__(
             raise TypeError("Expected instance of hashes.HashAlgorithm.")
         self._algorithm = algorithm
 
-        self._backend = backend
-
         if ctx is None:
             from cryptography.hazmat.backends.openssl.backend import (
                 backend as ossl,