diff --git a/constance/backends/__init__.py b/constance/backends/__init__.py
index 4aab112..3d5f8b6 100644
--- a/constance/backends/__init__.py
+++ b/constance/backends/__init__.py
@@ -1,39 +1,48 @@
 """Defines the base constance backend."""
 
+from abc import ABC
+from abc import abstractmethod
 
-class Backend:
+
+class Backend(ABC):
+    @abstractmethod
     def get(self, key):
         """
         Get the key from the backend store and return the value.
         Return None if not found.
         """
-        raise NotImplementedError
+        ...
 
+    @abstractmethod
     async def aget(self, key):
         """
         Get the key from the backend store and return the value.
         Return None if not found.
         """
-        raise NotImplementedError
+        ...
 
+    @abstractmethod
     def mget(self, keys):
         """
         Get the keys from the backend store and return a list of the values.
         Return an empty list if not found.
         """
-        raise NotImplementedError
+        ...
 
+    @abstractmethod
     async def amget(self, keys):
         """
         Get the keys from the backend store and return a list of the values.
         Return an empty list if not found.
         """
-        raise NotImplementedError
+        ...
 
+    @abstractmethod
     def set(self, key, value):
         """Add the value to the backend store given the key."""
-        raise NotImplementedError
+        ...
 
+    @abstractmethod
     async def aset(self, key, value):
         """Add the value to the backend store given the key."""
-        raise NotImplementedError
+        ...