diff --git a/backup_new.sh b/backup_new.sh
index a21436d..2ca163f 100755
--- a/backup_new.sh
+++ b/backup_new.sh
@@ -401,6 +401,58 @@ printf "${ok}[%s] -- [SUCCESS] SQL databases dumped successfully --${norm}\n" \
     "$(stamp)" >> "$logFile"
 
 
+### pre-backup tasks completed -- move to borg tasks
+printf "${cyan}[%s] -- [INFO] Pre-backup tasks completed --${norm}\n" \
+    "$(stamp)" >> "$logFile"
+
+
+### Run borg variable checks
+printf "${cyan}[%s] -- [INFO] Verifying supplied borg details --${norm}\n" \
+    "$(stamp)" >> "$logFile"
+
+## verify borg base directory
+if [ -z "${borgBaseDir}" ]; then
+    badDetails empty 'borgBaseDir'
+elif [ ! -d "${borgBaseDir}" ]; then
+    badDetails dne 'borgBaseDir'
+fi
+printf "${magenta}details:borgBaseDir ${norm}-- ${ok}[OK]${norm}\n" \
+    >> "$logfile"
+export BORG_BASE_DIR="${borgBaseDir%/}"
+
+## check path to SSH keyfile
+if [ -z "${borgSSHKey}" ]; then
+    badDetails empty 'borgSSHKey'
+elif [ ! -d "${borgSSHKey}" ]; then
+    badDetails dne 'borgSSHKey'
+fi
+printf "${magenta}details:borgSSHKey ${norm}-- ${ok}[OK]${norm}\n" \
+    >> "$logfile"
+export BORG_RSH="ssh -i ${borgSSHKey}"
+
+## check borg repo connect string
+if [ -z "${borgConnectRepo}" ]; then
+    badDetails empty 'borgConnectRepo'
+fi
+printf "${magenta}details:borgConnectRepo ${norm}-- ${ok}[OK]${norm}\n" \
+    >> "$logfile"
+export BORG_REPO="${borgConnectRepo}"
+
+## check borg repo password
+if [ -n "${borgRepoPassphrase}" ]; then
+    printf "${magenta}details:borgRepoPassphrase ${norm}-- ${ok}[OK]${norm}\n" \
+    >> "$logfile"
+    export BORG_PASSPHRASE="${borgRepoPassphrase}"
+else
+    # if passwd is blank intentionally, this is insecure
+    printf "${warn} -- [WARNING] Using a borg repo without a password is an " \
+        >> "$logFile"
+    printf "insecure configuration --${norm}\n" >> "$logFile"
+    # if this was an accident, we need to provide a bogus passwd so borg fails
+    # otherwise it will sit forever just waiting for input
+    export BORG_PASSPHRASE="DummyPasswordSoBorgFails"
+fi
+