diff --git a/db.js b/db.js
index df998182..9f5b38b5 100644
--- a/db.js
+++ b/db.js
@@ -3348,7 +3348,7 @@ module.exports.CreateDB = function (parent, func) {
     // Tries configured custom location with fallback to default location
     // Now runs after autobackup config init in meshcentral.js so config options are checked
     obj.checkBackupCapability = function (func) {
-        if ((parent.config.settings.autobackup == null) || (parent.config.settings.autobackup == false)) { return; };
+        if (parent.config.settings.autobackup.backupintervalhours == -1) { return; };
         //block backup until validated. Gets put back if all checks are ok.
         let backupInterval = parent.config.settings.autobackup.backupintervalhours;
         parent.config.settings.autobackup.backupintervalhours = -1;
@@ -3395,7 +3395,7 @@ module.exports.CreateDB = function (parent, func) {
             const child_process = require('child_process');
             child_process.exec(cmd, { cwd: backupPath }, function (error, stdout, stderr) {
                 if ((error != null) && (error != '')) {
-                        func(1, "Mongodump error, backup will not be performed. Command tried: " + cmd + ' --> ERROR: ' + stderr);
+                        func(1, "Mongodump error, backup will not be performed. Check path or use mongodumppath & mongodumpargs");
                         return;
                 } else {parent.config.settings.autobackup.backupintervalhours = backupInterval;}
             });
@@ -3406,7 +3406,7 @@ module.exports.CreateDB = function (parent, func) {
             const child_process = require('child_process');
             child_process.exec(cmd, { cwd: backupPath, timeout: 1000*30 }, function(error, stdout, stdin) {
                 if ((error != null) && (error != '')) {
-                        func(1, "mysqldump error, backup will not be performed. Command tried: " + cmd);
+                        func(1, "mysqldump error, backup will not be performed. Check path or use mysqldumppath");
                         return;
                 } else {parent.config.settings.autobackup.backupintervalhours = backupInterval;}
 
@@ -3421,7 +3421,7 @@ module.exports.CreateDB = function (parent, func) {
             const child_process = require('child_process');
             child_process.exec(cmd, { cwd: backupPath }, function(error, stdout, stdin) {
                 if ((error != null) && (error != '')) {
-                        func(1, "pg_dump error, backup will not be performed. Command tried: " + cmd);
+                        func(1, "pg_dump error, backup will not be performed. Check path or use pgdumppath.");
                         return;
                 } else {parent.config.settings.autobackup.backupintervalhours = backupInterval;}
             });        
diff --git a/meshcentral.js b/meshcentral.js
index baf5612e..5c0bad6b 100644
--- a/meshcentral.js
+++ b/meshcentral.js
@@ -2120,10 +2120,10 @@ function CreateMeshCentralServer(config, args) {
                     if (obj.args.nousers == true) { obj.updateServerState('nousers', '1'); }
                     obj.updateServerState('state', "running");
 
-                    // Setup auto-backup defaults
-                    if (obj.config.settings.autobackup == false || obj.config.settings.autobackup == 'false') { obj.config.settings.autobackup = {backupintervalhours: 0}; } //no schedule, but able to console autobackup
+                    // Setup auto-backup defaults. Unless autobackup is set to false try to make a backup.
+                    if (obj.config.settings.autobackup == false || obj.config.settings.autobackup == 'false') { obj.config.settings.autobackup = {backupintervalhours: -1}; } //block all autobackup functions
                     else {
-                        if (obj.config.settings.autobackup == null || obj.config.settings.autobackup === true) { obj.config.settings.autobackup = {backupintervalhours: 24, keeplastdaysbackup: 10}; };
+                        if (typeof obj.config.settings.autobackup != 'object') { obj.config.settings.autobackup = {}; };
                         if (typeof obj.config.settings.autobackup.backupintervalhours != 'number') { obj.config.settings.autobackup.backupintervalhours = 24; };
                         if (typeof obj.config.settings.autobackup.keeplastdaysbackup != 'number') { obj.config.settings.autobackup.keeplastdaysbackup = 10; };
                         if (obj.config.settings.autobackup.backuphour != null ) { obj.config.settings.autobackup.backupintervalhours = 24; if ((typeof obj.config.settings.autobackup.backuphour != 'number') || (obj.config.settings.autobackup.backuphour > 23 || obj.config.settings.autobackup.backuphour < 0 )) { obj.config.settings.autobackup.backuphour = 0; }}