diff --git a/src/freedombone-backup-remote b/src/freedombone-backup-remote
index adc87fcd..5078b982 100755
--- a/src/freedombone-backup-remote
+++ b/src/freedombone-backup-remote
@@ -37,6 +37,7 @@ ENABLE_VERIFICATION="no"
 export TEXTDOMAIN=${PROJECT_NAME}-backup-remote
 export TEXTDOMAINDIR="/usr/share/locale"
 
+# utilities needed for backup commands
 UTILS_FILES=/usr/share/${PROJECT_NAME}/utils/${PROJECT_NAME}-utils-*
 for f in $UTILS_FILES
 do
@@ -102,19 +103,20 @@ function restart_site {
 
 function backup_configuration {
 	echo $"Backing up ${PROJECT_NAME} configuration files"
-	if [ ! -d /root/tempbackupconfig ]; then
-		mkdir -p /root/tempbackupconfig
+	temp_backup_dir=/root/tempbackupconfig
+	if [ ! -d $temp_backup_dir ]; then
+		mkdir -p $temp_backup_dir
 	fi
-	cp -f $CONFIG_FILE /root/tempbackupconfig
-	cp -f $COMPLETION_FILE /root/tempbackupconfig
+	cp -f $CONFIG_FILE $temp_backup_dir
+	cp -f $COMPLETION_FILE $temp_backup_dir
 	if [ -f $BACKUP_EXTRA_DIRECTORIES ]; then
-		cp -f $BACKUP_EXTRA_DIRECTORIES /root/tempbackupconfig
+		cp -f $BACKUP_EXTRA_DIRECTORIES $temp_backup_dir
 	fi
 	# nginx password hashes
 	if [ -f /etc/nginx/.htpasswd ]; then
-		cp -f /etc/nginx/.htpasswd /root/tempbackupconfig/htpasswd
+		cp -f /etc/nginx/.htpasswd $temp_backup_dir/htpasswd
 	fi
-	backup_directory_to_friend /root/tempbackupconfig config
+	backup_directory_to_friend $temp_backup_dir config
 }
 
 function backup_users {
@@ -278,20 +280,21 @@ function backup_admin_readme {
 
 function backup_mariadb {
 	if [ ${#DATABASE_PASSWORD} -gt 1 ]; then
-		if [ ! -d /root/tempmariadb ]; then
-			mkdir /root/tempmariadb
+		temp_backup_dir=/root/tempmariadb
+		if [ ! -d $temp_backup_dir ]; then
+			mkdir $temp_backup_dir
 		fi
-		mysqldump --password=$DATABASE_PASSWORD mysql user > /root/tempmariadb/mysql.sql
-		if [ ! -s /root/tempmariadb/mysql.sql ]; then
+		mysqldump --password=$DATABASE_PASSWORD mysql user > $temp_backup_dir/mysql.sql
+		if [ ! -s $temp_backup_dir/mysql.sql ]; then
 			echo $"Unable to backup MariaDB settings"
-			rm -rf /root/tempmariadb
+			rm -rf $temp_backup_dir
 			# Send a warning email
 			echo $"Unable to export database settings" | mail -s "${PROJECT_NAME} backup to friends" $ADMIN_EMAIL_ADDRESS
 			exit 653
 		fi
-		echo "$DATABASE_PASSWORD" > /root/tempmariadb/db
-		chmod 400 /root/tempmariadb/db
-		backup_directory_to_friend /root/tempmariadb mariadb
+		echo "$DATABASE_PASSWORD" > $temp_backup_dir/db
+		chmod 400 $temp_backup_dir/db
+		backup_directory_to_friend $temp_backup_dir mariadb
 	fi
 }