diff --git a/tasks/backup.yml b/tasks/backup.yml
index cb05134..64668dc 100644
--- a/tasks/backup.yml
+++ b/tasks/backup.yml
@@ -1,12 +1,12 @@
 ## The playbook first runs the 'backup.yml' from each role
-- name: create the /backup-dirs file
+- name: create the /backup-dirs file # this also runs on main in case someone doesn't run the backup.yml
   file:
     path: "/backup-dirs"
     state: "touch"
     mode: "0400"
   changed_when: "true" # we always want ti give roles a chance to register dirs
 
-- name: Ensure file contains lines from array
+- name: Ensure file contains lines from array # this also runs on main in case someone doesn't run the backup.yml
   lineinfile:
     path: /backup-dirs
     line: "{{ item }}"
diff --git a/tasks/main.yml b/tasks/main.yml
index 5c86d65..ea7f6a6 100644
--- a/tasks/main.yml
+++ b/tasks/main.yml
@@ -1,5 +1,17 @@
-- debug:
-    var: group_names
+- name: create the /backup-dirs file # this also runs on main in case someone doesn't run the backup.yml
+  file:
+    path: "/backup-dirs"
+    state: "touch"
+    mode: "0400"
+  changed_when: "true" # we always want ti give roles a chance to register dirs
+
+- name: Ensure file contains lines from array # this also runs on main in case someone doesn't run the backup.yml
+  lineinfile:
+    path: /backup-dirs
+    line: "{{ item }}"
+    create: yes
+    state: present
+  loop: "{{ extra_backup_paths }}"
 
 - name: make sure restic is installed
   apt: state=latest pkg=restic