diff --git a/netbox/core/api/serializers.py b/netbox/core/api/serializers.py
index 0bdd9e427..0d743d952 100644
--- a/netbox/core/api/serializers.py
+++ b/netbox/core/api/serializers.py
@@ -1,5 +1,3 @@
-from django.core.exceptions import ValidationError
-from django.utils.translation import gettext_lazy as _
 from rest_framework import serializers
 
 from core.choices import *
@@ -41,13 +39,6 @@ class DataSourceSerializer(NetBoxModelSerializer):
             'parameters', 'ignore_rules', 'created', 'last_updated', 'file_count',
         ]
 
-    def clean(self):
-
-        if self.type and self.type not in get_data_backend_choices():
-            raise ValidationError({
-                'type': _("Unknown backend type: {type}".format(type=self.type))
-            })
-
 
 class DataFileSerializer(NetBoxModelSerializer):
     url = serializers.HyperlinkedIdentityField(
diff --git a/netbox/core/models/data.py b/netbox/core/models/data.py
index fd250bce3..fb764134a 100644
--- a/netbox/core/models/data.py
+++ b/netbox/core/models/data.py
@@ -118,6 +118,12 @@ class DataSource(JobsMixin, PrimaryModel):
 
     def clean(self):
 
+        # Validate data backend type
+        if self.type and self.type not in registry['data_backends']:
+            raise ValidationError({
+                'type': _("Unknown backend type: {type}".format(type=self.type))
+            })
+
         # Ensure URL scheme matches selected type
         if self.backend_class.is_local and self.url_scheme not in ('file', ''):
             raise ValidationError({