diff --git a/backup.sh b/backup.sh
index 4e88d56..562d596 100755
--- a/backup.sh
+++ b/backup.sh
@@ -176,6 +176,58 @@ function scriptHelp {
     exit 1
 }
 
+### start and stop seafile services
+function svcSeafile {
+    if [ "$1" = "start" ]; then
+        # start services
+        systemctl start seafile.service
+        statusSeaf=$?
+        systemctl start seahub.service
+        statusShub=$?
+        # check for errors
+        if [ $statusSeaf -eq 0 ] && [ $statusShub -eq 0 ]; then
+            echo -e "${info}[$(stamp)] -- [INFO] Seafile services started" \
+                "successfully --${normal}" >> "$logFile"
+            else
+                exitError+=("[$(stamp)] 100")
+                quit
+        fi
+    elif [ "$1" = "stop" ]; then
+        # stop services
+        systemctl stop seahub.service
+        statusShub=$?
+        systemctl stop seafile.service
+        statusSeaf=$?
+        # check for errors
+        if [ $statusSeaf -eq 0 ] && [ $statusShub -eq 0 ]; then
+            echo -e "${info}[$(stamp)] -- [INFO] Seafile services stopped" \
+                "successfully --${normal}" >> "$logFile"
+            else
+                # verify services are still actually running
+                pidShub=$(pgrep -f "seahub")
+                pidSeaf=$(pgrep -f seafile-controller)
+                # force stop seahub
+                if [ $pidShub ]; then
+                    pkill -f "seahub"
+                    echo -e "${warn}[$(stamp)] -- [WARN] Could NOT stop" \
+                        "Seahub normally (forced stop) --${normal}" \
+                        >> "$logFile"
+                    exitWarn+=("[$(stamp)]_101")
+                fi
+                # force stop seafile
+                if [ $pidSeaf ]; then
+                    pkill -f seafile-controller
+                    echo -e "${warn}[$(stamp)] -- [WARN] Could NOT stop" \
+                        "Seafile normally (forced stop) --${normal}" \
+                        >> "$logFile"
+                    exitWarn+=("[$(stamp)]_101")
+                fi
+                echo -e "${info}[$(stamp)] -- [INFO] Seafile services stopped" \
+                "successfully --${normal}" >> "$logFile"
+        fi
+    fi
+}
+
 ### generate dynamic timestamps
 function stamp {
     (date +%F" "%T)