diff --git a/auth/auth.go b/auth/auth.go
index ccc7fd405b2990b073d626996110e776a6b06d38..3984b08cb0afe686be00ad19a792c162ac97bfed 100644
--- a/auth/auth.go
+++ b/auth/auth.go
@@ -60,8 +60,8 @@ func Init(c *Config) (err error) {
 }
 
 func login(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
-	method := r.URL.Query().Get("method")
-	switch strings.ToLower(method) {
+	backend := r.URL.Query().Get("backend")
+	switch strings.ToLower(backend) {
 	case "oidc":
 		if auth.oidc == nil {
 			sendHTTPResponse(w, http.StatusBadRequest, HTTPResponse{Error: "OIDC authentication is not configured"})
@@ -69,9 +69,9 @@ func login(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
 		}
 		auth.oidc.HandleLogin(w, r)
 	case "":
-		sendHTTPResponse(w, http.StatusNotImplemented, HTTPResponse{Error: "default/fallback authentication method has not been implemented yet"})
+		sendHTTPResponse(w, http.StatusNotImplemented, HTTPResponse{Error: "default/fallback authentication backend has not been implemented yet"})
 	default:
-		sendHTTPResponse(w, http.StatusBadRequest, HTTPResponse{Error: "invalid authentication method: " + method})
+		sendHTTPResponse(w, http.StatusBadRequest, HTTPResponse{Error: "invalid authentication backend: " + backend})
 	}
 }