diff --git a/manifests/config.pp b/manifests/config.pp
index c416e229..8b0813fe 100644
--- a/manifests/config.pp
+++ b/manifests/config.pp
@@ -71,6 +71,7 @@
   $gitlab_workhorse = $::gitlab::gitlab_workhorse
   $user = $::gitlab::user
   $web_server = $::gitlab::web_server
+  $enable_backup_cron = $::gitlab::enable_backup_cron
 
   # replicate $nginx to $mattermost_nginx if $mattermost_nginx_eq_nginx true
   if $mattermost_nginx_eq_nginx {
@@ -170,4 +171,12 @@
       mode    => '0644',
     }
   }
+
+  if $enable_backup_cron {
+    cron {'gitlab backup':
+      command => '/opt/gitlab/bin/gitlab-rake gitlab:backup:create CRON=1',
+      hour    => 2,
+      minute  => 0,
+    }
+  }
 }
diff --git a/manifests/init.pp b/manifests/init.pp
index 65453abf..e8e97d03 100644
--- a/manifests/init.pp
+++ b/manifests/init.pp
@@ -387,6 +387,7 @@
   $gitlab_workhorse = undef,
   $user = undef,
   $web_server = undef,
+  $enable_backup_cron = false,
   $custom_hooks = {},
 ) inherits ::gitlab::params {
 
@@ -451,6 +452,7 @@
   if $web_server { validate_hash($web_server) }
   if $high_availability { validate_hash($high_availability) }
   if $manage_accounts { validate_hash($manage_accounts) }
+  validate_bool($enable_backup_cron)
   validate_hash($custom_hooks)
 
   class { '::gitlab::install': } ->
@@ -460,7 +462,7 @@
   contain gitlab::install
   contain gitlab::config
   contain gitlab::service
-
+ 
   create_resources(gitlab::custom_hook, $custom_hooks)
 
 }