diff --git a/app/build.gradle.kts b/app/build.gradle.kts
index f947bf55d..60a2ae8c0 100644
--- a/app/build.gradle.kts
+++ b/app/build.gradle.kts
@@ -28,7 +28,7 @@ android {
         applicationId = "eu.kanade.tachiyomi.sy"
         minSdk = AndroidConfig.minSdk
         targetSdk = AndroidConfig.targetSdk
-        versionCode = 39
+        versionCode = 40
         versionName = "1.8.5"
 
         buildConfigField("String", "COMMIT_COUNT", "\"${getCommitCount()}\"")
diff --git a/app/src/main/java/eu/kanade/tachiyomi/Migrations.kt b/app/src/main/java/eu/kanade/tachiyomi/Migrations.kt
index 1b284e034..044c08972 100644
--- a/app/src/main/java/eu/kanade/tachiyomi/Migrations.kt
+++ b/app/src/main/java/eu/kanade/tachiyomi/Migrations.kt
@@ -287,6 +287,15 @@ object Migrations {
                     remove("library_sorting_ascending")
                 }
             }
+            if (oldVersion < 84) {
+                if (preferences.numberOfBackups().get() == 1) {
+                    preferences.numberOfBackups().set(2)
+                }
+                if (preferences.backupInterval().get() == 0) {
+                    preferences.backupInterval().set(12)
+                    BackupCreatorJob.setupTask(context)
+                }
+            }
             return true
         }
 
diff --git a/app/src/main/java/eu/kanade/tachiyomi/data/backup/BackupManager.kt b/app/src/main/java/eu/kanade/tachiyomi/data/backup/BackupManager.kt
index c5e83a077..3249f4569 100644
--- a/app/src/main/java/eu/kanade/tachiyomi/data/backup/BackupManager.kt
+++ b/app/src/main/java/eu/kanade/tachiyomi/data/backup/BackupManager.kt
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 package eu.kanade.tachiyomi.data.backup
 
+import android.Manifest
 import android.content.Context
 import android.net.Uri
 import com.hippo.unifile.UniFile
@@ -50,6 +51,7 @@ import eu.kanade.tachiyomi.data.preference.PreferencesHelper
 import eu.kanade.tachiyomi.source.SourceManager
 import eu.kanade.tachiyomi.source.model.copyFrom
 import eu.kanade.tachiyomi.source.online.MetadataSource
+import eu.kanade.tachiyomi.util.system.hasPermission
 import eu.kanade.tachiyomi.util.system.logcat
 import eu.kanade.tachiyomi.util.system.toLong
 import exh.source.MERGED_SOURCE_ID
@@ -94,6 +96,10 @@ class BackupManager(
      */
     @Suppress("BlockingMethodInNonBlockingContext")
     suspend fun createBackup(uri: Uri, flags: Int, isAutoBackup: Boolean): String {
+        if (!context.hasPermission(Manifest.permission.WRITE_EXTERNAL_STORAGE)) {
+            throw IllegalStateException(context.getString(R.string.missing_storage_permission))
+        }
+
         val databaseManga = getFavorites.await() /* SY --> */ + if (flags and BACKUP_READ_MANGA_MASK == BACKUP_READ_MANGA) {
             handler.awaitList { mangasQueries.getReadMangaNotInLibrary(mangaMapper) }
         } else {
diff --git a/app/src/main/java/eu/kanade/tachiyomi/data/preference/PreferencesHelper.kt b/app/src/main/java/eu/kanade/tachiyomi/data/preference/PreferencesHelper.kt
index 67a41bb13..1dc1c8d96 100755
--- a/app/src/main/java/eu/kanade/tachiyomi/data/preference/PreferencesHelper.kt
+++ b/app/src/main/java/eu/kanade/tachiyomi/data/preference/PreferencesHelper.kt
@@ -223,7 +223,7 @@ class PreferencesHelper(val context: Context) {
 
     fun numberOfBackups() = flowPrefs.getInt("backup_slots", 2)
 
-    fun backupInterval() = flowPrefs.getInt("backup_interval", 0)
+    fun backupInterval() = flowPrefs.getInt("backup_interval", 12)
 
     fun removeAfterReadSlots() = prefs.getInt(Keys.removeAfterReadSlots, -1)
 
diff --git a/app/src/main/java/eu/kanade/tachiyomi/ui/setting/SettingsBackupController.kt b/app/src/main/java/eu/kanade/tachiyomi/ui/setting/SettingsBackupController.kt
index 934588649..bd516b20c 100644
--- a/app/src/main/java/eu/kanade/tachiyomi/ui/setting/SettingsBackupController.kt
+++ b/app/src/main/java/eu/kanade/tachiyomi/ui/setting/SettingsBackupController.kt
@@ -108,14 +108,13 @@ class SettingsBackupController : SettingsController() {
                 bindTo(preferences.backupInterval())
                 titleRes = R.string.pref_backup_interval
                 entriesRes = arrayOf(
-                    R.string.update_never,
                     R.string.update_6hour,
                     R.string.update_12hour,
                     R.string.update_24hour,
                     R.string.update_48hour,
                     R.string.update_weekly,
                 )
-                entryValues = arrayOf("0", "6", "12", "24", "48", "168")
+                entryValues = arrayOf("6", "12", "24", "48", "168")
                 summary = "%s"
 
                 onChange { newValue ->
@@ -137,8 +136,6 @@ class SettingsBackupController : SettingsController() {
                     }
                 }
 
-                visibleIf(preferences.backupInterval()) { it > 0 }
-
                 preferences.backupsDirectory().asFlow()
                     .onEach { path ->
                         val dir = UniFile.fromUri(context, path.toUri())
@@ -149,11 +146,9 @@ class SettingsBackupController : SettingsController() {
             intListPreference {
                 bindTo(preferences.numberOfBackups())
                 titleRes = R.string.pref_backup_slots
-                entries = arrayOf("1", "2", "3", "4", "5")
+                entries = arrayOf("2", "3", "4", "5")
                 entryValues = entries
                 summary = "%s"
-
-                visibleIf(preferences.backupInterval()) { it > 0 }
             }
         }
 
diff --git a/app/src/main/java/exh/EXHMigrations.kt b/app/src/main/java/exh/EXHMigrations.kt
index a35a9481d..cb5363f01 100644
--- a/app/src/main/java/exh/EXHMigrations.kt
+++ b/app/src/main/java/exh/EXHMigrations.kt
@@ -448,6 +448,15 @@ object EXHMigrations {
                         remove("library_sorting_ascending")
                     }
                 }
+                if (oldVersion under 40) {
+                    if (preferences.numberOfBackups().get() == 1) {
+                        preferences.numberOfBackups().set(2)
+                    }
+                    if (preferences.backupInterval().get() == 0) {
+                        preferences.backupInterval().set(12)
+                        BackupCreatorJob.setupTask(context)
+                    }
+                }
 
                 // if (oldVersion under 1) { } (1 is current release version)
                 // do stuff here when releasing changed crap
diff --git a/i18n/src/main/res/values/strings.xml b/i18n/src/main/res/values/strings.xml
index a0f0e1c41..09263e7b4 100755
--- a/i18n/src/main/res/values/strings.xml
+++ b/i18n/src/main/res/values/strings.xml
@@ -471,13 +471,14 @@
     <string name="backup_choice">What do you want to backup?</string>
     <string name="creating_backup">Creating backup</string>
     <string name="creating_backup_error">Backup failed</string>
+    <string name="missing_storage_permission">Storage permissions not granted</string>
     <string name="empty_backup_error">No library entries to back up</string>
     <string name="restore_miui_warning">Backup/restore may not function properly if MIUI Optimization is disabled.</string>
     <string name="restore_in_progress">Restore is already in progress</string>
     <string name="restoring_backup">Restoring backup</string>
     <string name="restoring_backup_error">Restoring backup failed</string>
     <string name="restoring_backup_canceled">Canceled restore</string>
-    <string name="backup_info">Automatic backups are highly recommended. You should keep copies in other places as well.</string>
+    <string name="backup_info">You should keep copies of backups in other places as well.</string>
 
       <!-- Advanced section -->
     <string name="label_network">Network</string>