diff --git a/backup-db.sh b/backup-db.sh
new file mode 100755
index 0000000..d6de885
--- /dev/null
+++ b/backup-db.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,22 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env bash
+# Auto-backup for canteen-asset-tracker database
+# Runs before every server start and on a cron schedule
+
+set -euo pipefail
+
+DB_DIR="/home/oplabs/projects/canteen-asset-tracker"
+BACKUP_DIR="/home/oplabs/backups/canteen-db"
+TIMESTAMP=$(date +%Y%m%d-%H%M%S)
+
+mkdir -p "$BACKUP_DIR"
+
+for db in assets.db; do
+    if [ -f "${DB_DIR}/${db}" ]; then
+        cp "${DB_DIR}/${db}" "${BACKUP_DIR}/${db}-${TIMESTAMP}"
+        # Keep only last 30 backups
+        ls -t "${BACKUP_DIR}/${db}-"* 2>/dev/null | tail -n +31 | xargs rm -f 2>/dev/null || true
+        echo "✅ Backed up ${db} -> ${BACKUP_DIR}/${db}-${TIMESTAMP}"
+    else
+        echo "⚠️ ${db} not found, skipping"
+    fi
+done
diff --git a/start.sh b/start.sh
index d0b334c..a402a59 100755
--- a/start.sh
+++ b/start.sh
@@ -36,6 +36,17 @@ if [ "${CANTEEN_WIPE_DB:-}" = "1" ]; then
   rm -f "$DB_PATH" "${DB_PATH}-shm" "${DB_PATH}-wal"
 fi
 
+# ── Back up existing DB before launch ─────────────────────────────────────────
+if [ -f "$DB_PATH" ]; then
+  BACKUP_DIR="/home/oplabs/backups/canteen-db"
+  mkdir -p "$BACKUP_DIR"
+  TIMESTAMP=$(date +%Y%m%d-%H%M%S)
+  cp "$DB_PATH" "${BACKUP_DIR}/assets.db-${TIMESTAMP}"
+  # Keep last 30 backups
+  ls -t "${BACKUP_DIR}/assets.db-"* 2>/dev/null | tail -n +31 | xargs rm -f 2>/dev/null || true
+  echo "   Backup: ${BACKUP_DIR}/assets.db-${TIMESTAMP}"
+fi
+
 # ── Launch ───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
 echo "🚀 Starting Canteen Asset Tracker on https://0.0.0.0:${PORT}"
 echo "   DB:    $DB_PATH"