diff --git a/templates/hedgedoc-retention-cron.cfg.j2 b/templates/hedgedoc-retention-cron.cfg.j2
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000000000000000000000000000000000..e4a584efc57a49aeb47c1130b789cb5172733793
--- /dev/null
+++ b/templates/hedgedoc-retention-cron.cfg.j2
@@ -0,0 +1,6 @@
+RETENTION_DAYS={{ hedgedoc.retention_cron.retention_days }}
+MAIL_ENABLED={{ hedgedoc.retention_cron.mail.enabled|bool|lower }}
+MAIL_TEMPLATE="{{ hedgedoc.retention_cron.mail.template }}"
+BACKUP_ENABLED={{ hedgedoc.retention_cron.backup.enabled|bool|lower }}
+BACKUP_PATH="{{ hedgedoc.retention_cron.backup.path }}"
+BACKUP_KEEP_DAYS={{ hedgedoc.retention_cron.backup.keep_days }}
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/templates/hedgedoc-retention-cron.sh.j2 b/templates/hedgedoc-retention-cron.sh.j2
index 31ee2613333124a83185d9ee401bda358f84d37c..108dab6e26f5ce02f2febcb0932382d9eca9241e 100644
--- a/templates/hedgedoc-retention-cron.sh.j2
+++ b/templates/hedgedoc-retention-cron.sh.j2
@@ -2,12 +2,18 @@
 
 PATH=$PATH:/usr/local/bin:/usr/sbin
 
-RETENTION_DAYS={{ hedgedoc.retention_cron.retention_days }}
-MAIL_ENABLED={{ hedgedoc.retention_cron.mail.enabled|bool|lower }}
-MAIL_TEMPLATE="{{ hedgedoc.retention_cron.mail.template }}"
-BACKUP_ENABLED={{ hedgedoc.retention_cron.backup.enabled|bool|lower }}
-BACKUP_PATH="{{ hedgedoc.retention_cron.backup.path }}"
-BACKUP_KEEP_DAYS={{ hedgedoc.retention_cron.backup.keep_days }}
+# default values
+RETENTION_DAYS=30
+MAIL_ENABLED=false
+MAIL_TEMPLATE=/usr/local/etc/hedgedoc-util/mail.tpl
+BACKUP_ENABLED=true
+BACKUP_PATH=/backup/hedgedoc/
+BACKUP_KEEP_DAYS=60
+
+# override default values if config exists
+if test -f /usr/local/etc/hedgedoc-util/hedgedoc-retention-cron.cfg; then
+  . /usr/local/etc/hedgedoc-util/hedgedoc-retention-cron.cfg
+fi
 
 
 logger -t hedgedoc-util "Running retention cron script"
@@ -21,7 +27,7 @@ while read -r pad owner; do
   logger -t hedgedoc-util "Processing pad $pad"; 
 
   if [ "$BACKUP_ENABLED" = true ]; then
-    hedgedoc-util pad get-content $pad > $BACKUP_PATH/$pad.md && logger -t hedgedoc-util "backup successfull"
+    hedgedoc-util pad get-content $pad > $BACKUP_PATH/$(date +"%Y%m%d")_$pad.md && logger -t hedgedoc-util "backup successfull"
   fi
 
   if [ "$MAIL_ENABLED" = true ]; then