diff --git a/start_server_managed.sh b/start_server_managed.sh
index 38e126a..e542a15 100644
--- a/start_server_managed.sh
+++ b/start_server_managed.sh
@@ -2,11 +2,41 @@ cat > "${VALHEIMDIR}/start_server_managed.sh" << 'EOF'
 #!/usr/bin/env bash
 set -euo pipefail
 
+# -------------------------
+# BACKUP FUNCTION + LOOP
+# -------------------------
+
+backup_world() {
+  echo "[backup] backing up world directory..."
+  ts=$(date +"%Y-%m-%d_%H-%M-%S")
+
+  world_dir="/root/.config/unity3d/IronGate/Valheim/worlds_local/${WORLD_NAME}"
+
+  if [ -d "${world_dir}" ]; then
+    mkdir -p "/mnt/backups"
+    zip -r "/mnt/backups/${WORLD_NAME}_${ts}.zip" "${world_dir}"
+    echo "[backup] created /mnt/backups/${WORLD_NAME}_${ts}.zip"
+  else
+    echo "[backup] WARNING: world directory not found: ${world_dir}"
+  fi
+}
+
+# Run backups every hour in background
+while true; do
+  sleep 3600
+  backup_world
+done &
+
+# -------------------------
+# START SERVER
+# -------------------------
+
 # Forward environment variables into the BepInEx launcher
 exec ./start_server_bepinex.sh \
   -name "${SERVER_NAME}" \
   -port 2456 \
   -world "${WORLD_NAME}" \
+  -savedir "/root/.config/unity3d/IronGate/Valheim/worlds_local" \
   -password "${SERVER_PASSWORD}" \
   -public "${PUBLIC}"
 EOF