diff --git a/engine/apps/api/views/user_notification_policy.py b/engine/apps/api/views/user_notification_policy.py
index 03ea04dd..c36f5106 100644
--- a/engine/apps/api/views/user_notification_policy.py
+++ b/engine/apps/api/views/user_notification_policy.py
@@ -176,7 +176,8 @@ class UserNotificationPolicyView(UpdateSerializerMixin, ModelViewSet):
                 continue
 
             # extra backends may be enabled per organization
-            if notification_channel.name not in BUILT_IN_BACKENDS:
+            built_in_backend_names = {b[0] for b in BUILT_IN_BACKENDS}
+            if notification_channel.name not in built_in_backend_names:
                 extra_messaging_backend = get_messaging_backend_from_id(notification_channel.name)
                 if extra_messaging_backend is None:
                     continue
diff --git a/engine/apps/base/messaging.py b/engine/apps/base/messaging.py
index 2e9e1e88..64d9682d 100644
--- a/engine/apps/base/messaging.py
+++ b/engine/apps/base/messaging.py
@@ -9,6 +9,9 @@ class BaseMessagingBackend:
     available_for_use = False
     templater = None
 
+    def __init__(self, *args, **kwargs):
+        self.notification_channel_id = kwargs.get("notification_channel_id")
+
     def get_templater_class(self):
         if self.templater:
             return import_string(self.templater)
@@ -46,16 +49,16 @@ class BaseMessagingBackend:
         raise NotImplementedError("notify_user method missing implementation")
 
 
-def load_backend(path):
-    return import_string(path)()
+def load_backend(path, *args, **kwargs):
+    return import_string(path)(*args, **kwargs)
 
 
 def get_messaging_backends():
     global _messaging_backends
     if _messaging_backends is None:
         _messaging_backends = {}
-        for backend_path in settings.EXTRA_MESSAGING_BACKENDS:
-            backend = load_backend(backend_path)
+        for (backend_path, notification_channel_id) in settings.EXTRA_MESSAGING_BACKENDS:
+            backend = load_backend(backend_path, notification_channel_id=notification_channel_id)
             _messaging_backends[backend.backend_id] = backend
     return _messaging_backends.items()
 
diff --git a/engine/apps/base/models/user_notification_policy.py b/engine/apps/base/models/user_notification_policy.py
index fd2087f6..2e76824a 100644
--- a/engine/apps/base/models/user_notification_policy.py
+++ b/engine/apps/base/models/user_notification_policy.py
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
+from enum import unique
 from typing import Tuple
 
 from django.conf import settings
@@ -30,13 +31,13 @@ def generate_public_primary_key_for_notification_policy():
 
 # base supported notification backends
 BUILT_IN_BACKENDS = (
-    "SLACK",
-    "SMS",
-    "PHONE_CALL",
-    "TELEGRAM",
-    "EMAIL",
-    "MOBILE_PUSH_GENERAL",
-    "MOBILE_PUSH_CRITICAL",
+    ("SLACK", 0),
+    ("SMS", 1),
+    ("PHONE_CALL", 2),
+    ("TELEGRAM", 3),
+    ("EMAIL", 4),
+    ("MOBILE_PUSH_GENERAL", 5),
+    ("MOBILE_PUSH_CRITICAL", 6),
 )
 
 
@@ -49,10 +50,10 @@ def _notification_channel_choices():
     # use NotificationChannelOptions.AVAILABLE_FOR_USE instead.
     supported_backends = list(BUILT_IN_BACKENDS)
 
-    for backend_id, _ in get_messaging_backends():
-        supported_backends.append(backend_id)
+    for backend_id, backend in get_messaging_backends():
+        supported_backends.append((backend_id, backend.notification_channel_id))
 
-    channels_enum = models.IntegerChoices("NotificationChannel", supported_backends, start=0)
+    channels_enum = unique(models.IntegerChoices("NotificationChannel", supported_backends))
     return channels_enum
 
 
diff --git a/engine/settings/ci-test.py b/engine/settings/ci-test.py
index f351d2c5..b3d39d4e 100644
--- a/engine/settings/ci-test.py
+++ b/engine/settings/ci-test.py
@@ -39,4 +39,4 @@ SENDGRID_SECRET_KEY = "dummy_sendgrid_secret_key"
 TWILIO_ACCOUNT_SID = "dummy_twilio_account_sid"
 TWILIO_AUTH_TOKEN = "dummy_twilio_auth_token"
 
-EXTRA_MESSAGING_BACKENDS = ["apps.base.tests.messaging_backend.TestOnlyBackend"]
+EXTRA_MESSAGING_BACKENDS = [("apps.base.tests.messaging_backend.TestOnlyBackend", 42)]
diff --git a/engine/settings/dev.py b/engine/settings/dev.py
index 9dd65948..87a82d27 100644
--- a/engine/settings/dev.py
+++ b/engine/settings/dev.py
@@ -91,6 +91,6 @@ SWAGGER_SETTINGS = {
 }
 
 if TESTING:
-    EXTRA_MESSAGING_BACKENDS = ["apps.base.tests.messaging_backend.TestOnlyBackend"]
+    EXTRA_MESSAGING_BACKENDS = [("apps.base.tests.messaging_backend.TestOnlyBackend", 42)]
     TELEGRAM_TOKEN = "0000000000:XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX-XXXXXX"
     TWILIO_AUTH_TOKEN = "twilio_auth_token"