diff --git a/backup.py b/backup.py
index 93737763dd2b6d747aad2b442256258a8c3d5223..1bdbeafe47cc713e640a0ccac1383b6937e2d2e2 100755
--- a/backup.py
+++ b/backup.py
@@ -43,14 +43,14 @@ out : str
     A YAML text representation of the backup process.
     """
 
-    command = ["./backup.sh"]
+    command = ["./utils/backup.sh"]
     env = os.environ.copy()
 
     if not directory:
         os.makedirs("/tmp/caosdb/tmpfiles/backup/", exist_ok=True)
         directory = tempfile.mkdtemp(dir="/tmp/caosdb/tmpfiles/backup/",
                                      prefix="backup.")
-    command.append("--backupdir={}".format(directory))
+        env["BACKUPDIR"] = directory
     result = subprocess.run(command, cwd=os.path.dirname(__file__), env=env)