diff --git a/config/backup/backup.pl b/config/backup/backup.pl
index 0b47af2d6..bed5952de 100644
--- a/config/backup/backup.pl
+++ b/config/backup/backup.pl
@@ -58,20 +58,13 @@ make_backup() {
 	done
 
 	# Backup using global exclude/include definitions
-	tar cvf "${filename}" \
+	tar cvfz "${filename}" \
 		--exclude-from="/var/ipfire/backup/exclude" \
-		$(process_includes "/var/ipfire/backup/include") \
-		"$@"
-
-	# Backup using user exclude/include definitions and append to global backup
-	tar rvf "${filename}" \
 		--exclude-from="/var/ipfire/backup/exclude.user" \
+		$(process_includes "/var/ipfire/backup/include") \
 		$(process_includes "/var/ipfire/backup/include.user") \
 		"$@"
 
-	# gzip the combined global/user backup and use .ipf suffix
-	gzip --suffix .ipf "${filename}"
-
 	return 0
 }
 
@@ -215,7 +208,7 @@ main() {
 			local filename="${1}"
 
 			if [ -z "${filename}" ]; then
-				filename="/var/ipfire/backup/${NOW}"
+				filename="/var/ipfire/backup/${NOW}.ipf"
 			fi
 
 			make_backup "${filename}" $(find_logfiles)
@@ -225,7 +218,7 @@ main() {
 			local filename="${1}"
 
 			if [ -z "${filename}" ]; then
-				filename="/var/ipfire/backup/${NOW}"
+				filename="/var/ipfire/backup/${NOW}.ipf"
 			fi
 
 			make_backup "${filename}"