diff --git a/modules/lodgeit/manifests/init.pp b/modules/lodgeit/manifests/init.pp
index 87a1e15b1d..abcd661c6a 100644
--- a/modules/lodgeit/manifests/init.pp
+++ b/modules/lodgeit/manifests/init.pp
@@ -45,6 +45,14 @@ class lodgeit {
     onlyif => "test ! -d /tmp/lodgeit-main"
   }
 
+# create initial git DB backup location
+
+  exec { "create_db_backup":
+    command => "git init /var/backups/lodgeit_db",
+    path => "/bin:/usr/bin",
+    onlyif => "test ! -d /var/backups/lodgeit_db"
+  }
+
   service { 'nginx':
     ensure => running,
     hasrestart => true
diff --git a/modules/lodgeit/manifests/site.pp b/modules/lodgeit/manifests/site.pp
index 7786e85857..144012ccda 100644
--- a/modules/lodgeit/manifests/site.pp
+++ b/modules/lodgeit/manifests/site.pp
@@ -50,6 +50,24 @@ define lodgeit::site($port, $image="") {
     require => Service["drizzle"]
   }
 
+# create a backup .sql file in git
+
+  exec { "create_db_backup_${name}":
+    command => "touch ${name}.sql && git add ${name}.sql && git commit -am \"Initial commit for ${name}\"",
+    cwd => "/var/backups/lodgeit_db/",
+    path => "/bin:/usr/bin",
+    onlyif => "test ! -f /var/backups/lodgeit_db/${name}.sql"
+  }
+
+# cron to take a backup and commit it in git
+
+  cron { "update_backup_${name}":
+    user => root,
+    hour => 6,
+    minute => 23,
+    command => "sleep $((RANDOM%60+60)) && cd /var/backups/lodgeit_db && drizzledump -uroot ${name} > ${name}.sql && git commit -am \"Updating DB backup for ${name}\""
+  }
+
   service { "${name}-paste":
     provider => upstart,
     ensure => running,