diff --git a/templates/bin/backup b/templates/bin/backup
index 1c2c6f2..640be57 100755
--- a/templates/bin/backup
+++ b/templates/bin/backup
@@ -9,6 +9,6 @@ DC_DIR=/opt/docker-compose/
 
 cd $DC_DIR
 docker-compose down
-docker-compose run --name borgmatic -T --rm borgmatic  /backup.sh
+docker-compose run --name borgmatic -T --rm borgmatic  /backup.sh run
 docker-compose up -d main-services
-
+docker-compose run --name borgmatic -T --rm borgmatic  /backup.sh check
diff --git a/templates/docker-compose/borgmatic/backup.sh b/templates/docker-compose/borgmatic/backup.sh
index 51b0965..182d608 100755
--- a/templates/docker-compose/borgmatic/backup.sh
+++ b/templates/docker-compose/borgmatic/backup.sh
@@ -1,42 +1,49 @@
 #!/bin/sh
-# Run the backup and mail the logs
-# Set TEST_SMTP=1 to run in SMTP testing mode, which will just send an email
-
+# Run the backup and mail the logs:
+# Depending on parameter 1:
+# - test-smtp: just send a test email to $MAIL_TO
+# - run: create the backup, no checks
+# - check: prune, compact and check the backup
+# Anything else is an error.
+                                                                   
 set -o pipefail
-
+                                                                   
 # Set up environment
-/bin/sh /scripts/msmtprc.sh
+/bin/sh /scripts/msmtprc.sh            
 /bin/sh /scripts/env.sh
-BACKUP_COMMAND="borgmatic --stats -v 2"
+RUN_COMMAND="borgmatic --stats -v 2 create"
+CHECK_COMMAND="borgmatic --stats -v 1 prune compact check"
 LOGFILE="/tmp/backup_run_$(date +%s).log"
 SUCCESS_PREFIX="=?utf-8?Q? =E2=9C=85 SUCCESS?="
 FAILED_PREFIX="=?utf-8?Q? =E2=9D=8C FAILED?="
-
+                                                                   
+PARAM="$1"    
+                                                                   
 # Helper function to prepend a timestamp and the first parameter to every line of STDIN
-_indent() {
+indent() {                            
     while read -rs line; do
-	printf "%s%s\n" "$(date +%s)" "$1" "$line"
-    done
-}
-
+        printf "%s%s%s\n" "$(date -Iminutes)" "${1:- }" "$line"
+    done      
+}         
+                                                                   
 # This function prepends timestamps to stderr and stdout of the
 # command supplied as parameters to this.
-log() {
+log() {   
     # Adapted from https://stackoverflow.com/a/31151808
     {
-	"$@"   2>&1 1>&3 3>&- | _indent " ! "
-    } 3>&1 1>&2 | _indent " | " >>"$LOGFILE"
-}
+        "$@"   2>&1 1>&3 3>&- | indent " ! "
+    } 3>&1 1>&2 | indent " | " | tee -a "$LOGFILE"
+}                            
 
 report() {
-    if [ -n "$SUCCESS" ]; then
-	log echo SUCCESS
+    if [ "$RESULT" = "0" ]; then
+        log echo "SUCCESS"
         PREFIX="$SUCCESS_PREFIX"
     else
-	log echo FAILED
+        log echo "FAILED: $RESULT"
         PREFIX="$FAILED_PREFIX"
     fi
-    printf "Subject: $PREFIX: $MAIL_SUBJECT\n\n$(cat $LOGFILE)\n" |
+    printf "Subject: $PREFIX: '$PARAM'\n\n$(cat $LOGFILE)\n" |
         sendmail -t "$MAIL_TO"
 }
 
@@ -61,16 +68,27 @@ cleanup() {
 trap failed INT QUIT KILL
 trap cleanup EXIT
 
-if [ -n "$TEST_SMTP" ]; then
-    echo "Testing mail to $MAIL_TO"
-    testmail
-    echo "Done."
-    exit
-fi
+case  "$PARAM" in
+    test-smtp)
+        echo "Testing mail to $MAIL_TO"
+        testmail
+        echo "Done."
+        ;;
+    check)
+        log echo STARTED: $CHECK_COMMAND
+        log $CHECK_COMMAND
+        RESULT=$?
+        report
+        ;;
+    run)
+        log echo STARTED: $RUN_COMMAND
+        log $RUN_COMMAND
+        RESULT=$?
+        report
+        ;;
+    *)
+        log echo "UNKNOWN COMMAND: '$PARAM'"
+        report
+        ;;
+esac
 
-
-echo "STARTED" >> "$LOGFILE"
-if log $BACKUP_COMMAND; then
-    SUCCESS=1
-    report
-fi