diff --git a/.github/workflows/pr-nginx-tests.yml b/.github/workflows/pr-nginx-tests.yml
index 69505a0..0843e1e 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/pr-nginx-tests.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/pr-nginx-tests.yml
@@ -34,6 +34,7 @@ jobs:
           - examples/1.17
           - examples/1.16
           - examples/custom
+          - examples/backends
 
     steps:
       - name: Checkout code
diff --git a/builders/nginx.js b/builders/nginx.js
index 21b6a6e..fc921bb 100644
--- a/builders/nginx.js
+++ b/builders/nginx.js
@@ -62,6 +62,7 @@ module.exports = {
     },
     renderArch: 'amd64',
     renderTemplate: '1.0.6',
+    backends: [],
     ssl: false,
     webroot: '.',
   },
@@ -108,6 +109,17 @@ module.exports = {
         ],
       };
 
+      // Add depends_on for any configured backends
+      const backends = _.isArray(options.backends) ? options.backends : [];
+      if (!_.isEmpty(backends)) {
+        nginx.depends_on = {};
+        backends.forEach(backend => {
+          nginx.depends_on[backend] = {condition: 'service_started'};
+        });
+        // Also inject backend names as env var for use in templates
+        nginx.environment.LANDO_NGINX_BACKENDS = backends.join(',');
+      }
+
       // Send it downstream
       super(id, options, {services: _.set({}, options.name, nginx)});
     }
diff --git a/examples/backends/.lando.yml b/examples/backends/.lando.yml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..34d7b77
--- /dev/null
+++ b/examples/backends/.lando.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,27 @@
+name: lando-nginx-backends
+services:
+  frontend:
+    type: nginx:1.29
+    webroot: .
+    backends:
+      - backend1
+      - backend2
+    build_as_root:
+      - apt-get update && apt-get install -y curl
+    config:
+      vhosts: config/proxy.conf
+  backend1:
+    type: nginx:1.29
+    webroot: backend1
+    build_as_root:
+      - apt-get update && apt-get install -y curl
+  backend2:
+    type: nginx:1.29
+    webroot: backend2
+    build_as_root:
+      - apt-get update && apt-get install -y curl
+
+# This is important because it lets lando know to test against the plugin in this repo
+# DO NOT REMOVE THIS!
+plugins:
+  "@lando/nginx": ../..
diff --git a/examples/backends/README.md b/examples/backends/README.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..04ca33b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/examples/backends/README.md
@@ -0,0 +1,50 @@
+# NGINX Backends Example
+
+This example exists primarily to test the following documentation:
+
+* [nginx Service](https://docs.lando.dev/plugins/nginx)
+
+## Start up tests
+
+Run the following commands to get up and running with this example.
+
+```bash
+# Should start up successfully
+lando poweroff
+lando start
+```
+
+## Verification commands
+
+Run the following commands to validate things are rolling as they should.
+
+```bash
+# Should serve frontend content from the app root
+lando ssh -s frontend -c "curl -s http://localhost" | grep FRONTEND
+
+# Should be able to reach backend1 through the frontend proxy
+lando ssh -s frontend -c "curl -s http://localhost/backend1/" | grep BACKEND1
+
+# Should be able to reach backend2 through the frontend proxy
+lando ssh -s frontend -c "curl -s http://localhost/backend2/" | grep BACKEND2
+
+# Should have LANDO_NGINX_BACKENDS env var set on frontend
+lando ssh -s frontend -c "env" | grep LANDO_NGINX_BACKENDS | grep backend1
+lando ssh -s frontend -c "env" | grep LANDO_NGINX_BACKENDS | grep backend2
+
+# Should serve backend1 directly on its own port
+lando ssh -s backend1 -c "curl -s http://localhost" | grep BACKEND1
+
+# Should serve backend2 directly on its own port
+lando ssh -s backend2 -c "curl -s http://localhost" | grep BACKEND2
+```
+
+## Destroy tests
+
+Run the following commands to trash this app like nothing ever happened.
+
+```bash
+# Should be destroyed with success
+lando destroy -y
+lando poweroff
+```
diff --git a/examples/backends/backend1/index.html b/examples/backends/backend1/index.html
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..e964f4c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/examples/backends/backend1/index.html
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+BACKEND1
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/examples/backends/backend2/index.html b/examples/backends/backend2/index.html
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..d29dcb9
--- /dev/null
+++ b/examples/backends/backend2/index.html
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+BACKEND2
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/examples/backends/config/proxy.conf b/examples/backends/config/proxy.conf
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..239e88f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/examples/backends/config/proxy.conf
@@ -0,0 +1,21 @@
+server {
+    listen 80;
+    server_name localhost;
+
+    location /backend1 {
+        proxy_pass http://backend1:80/;
+        proxy_set_header Host $host;
+        proxy_set_header X-Real-IP $remote_addr;
+    }
+
+    location /backend2 {
+        proxy_pass http://backend2:80/;
+        proxy_set_header Host $host;
+        proxy_set_header X-Real-IP $remote_addr;
+    }
+
+    location / {
+        root "{{LANDO_WEBROOT}}";
+        index index.html;
+    }
+}
diff --git a/examples/backends/index.html b/examples/backends/index.html
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..abeaeff
--- /dev/null
+++ b/examples/backends/index.html
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+FRONTEND
\ No newline at end of file