diff --git a/nixos/modules/services/security/vaultwarden/backup.sh b/nixos/modules/services/security/vaultwarden/backup.sh
index 2a3de0ab1dee..7668da5bc88f 100644
--- a/nixos/modules/services/security/vaultwarden/backup.sh
+++ b/nixos/modules/services/security/vaultwarden/backup.sh
@@ -1,8 +1,8 @@
 #!/usr/bin/env bash
 
 # Based on: https://github.com/dani-garcia/vaultwarden/wiki/Backing-up-your-vault
-if ! mkdir -p "$BACKUP_FOLDER"; then
-  echo "Could not create backup folder '$BACKUP_FOLDER'" >&2
+if [ ! -d "$BACKUP_FOLDER" ]; then
+  echo "Backup folder '$BACKUP_FOLDER' does not exist" >&2
   exit 1
 fi
 
diff --git a/nixos/modules/services/security/vaultwarden/default.nix b/nixos/modules/services/security/vaultwarden/default.nix
index 14bbfa95a9ca..638a56f56610 100644
--- a/nixos/modules/services/security/vaultwarden/default.nix
+++ b/nixos/modules/services/security/vaultwarden/default.nix
@@ -230,6 +230,13 @@ in {
       };
       wantedBy = [ "multi-user.target" ];
     };
+
+    systemd.tmpfiles.settings = mkIf (cfg.backupDir != null) {
+      "10-vaultwarden".${cfg.backupDir}.d = {
+        inherit user group;
+        mode = "0770";
+      };
+    };
   };
 
   # uses attributes of the linked package