diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 7e50637..135caa4 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -46,6 +46,9 @@ Minecraftd is also available in the [AUR][aur].
 `connect`
 : Launch interactive minecraft server stdin prompt.
 
+`backup`
+: Create a backup of the server folder
+
 `-H`, `--help`
 : Display help and exit.
 
diff --git a/minecraftd b/minecraftd
index 084d01e..2525b5e 100755
--- a/minecraftd
+++ b/minecraftd
@@ -25,7 +25,8 @@ COMMANDS
 
     connect, con
         Launch interactive minecraft server input prompt.
-
+    bck, backup
+        Create a backup of the server folder.
     -H, --help
         Display help text and exit.
 
@@ -54,6 +55,7 @@ flg_cmd=false
 flg_con=false
 flg_srt=false
 flg_stp=false
+flg_bck=false
 jar='/usr/share/java/minecraft-server.jar'
 mem='2g'
 mem_srt='1g'
@@ -61,6 +63,7 @@ mem_tmp=
 reqs=(java)
 srv='/srv/minecraft'
 
+
 ## functions ::
 error() { msg_error "$@"; exit 5 ;}
 msg() { printf "\e[1;38;5;12m=> \e[0;38;5;15m$1\e[0m\n" "${@:2}" ;}
@@ -103,6 +106,7 @@ case "$1" in
     con|connect) flg_con=true ;;
     srt|start) flg_srt=true ;;
     stp|stop) flg_stp=true ;;
+    bck|backup) flg_backup=true ;;
     -H|--help) print_help; exit 0 ;;
     *) error "unknown option: $1" ;;
 esac
@@ -172,7 +176,24 @@ if [ "$flg_con" = true ]; then
     done
 fi
 
-# TODO: backup command
+#create a backup
+
+if [ "$flg_bck" = true ]; then
+        msg 'Starting backup!'
+        printf 'save-all' >"$fifo"
+        sleep 4
+        printf 'save-off' >"$fifo"
+        sleep 4
+        bck="/backups"
+        if [ ! -d $bck ]; then
+            mkdir $bck
+        fi
+        name="$bck/$(date '+%H_%M_%S_%d_%m_%Y').tar"
+        tar -cvf $name $srv
+        gzip $name
+        printf 'save-on' >"$fifo"
+        msg 'Backup complete!'
+fi
 
 # stop server:
 if [ "$flg_stp" = true ]; then