diff --git a/backup_new.sh b/backup_new.sh
index 2910853..91e80ef 100755
--- a/backup_new.sh
+++ b/backup_new.sh
@@ -37,7 +37,7 @@ badParam () {
 # cleanup
 cleanup () {
     # cleanup 503 if copied
-    if [ $err503Copied -eq 1 ]; then
+    if [ "$err503Copied" -eq 1 ]; then
         if ! rm -f "$webroot/$err503File" 2>>"$logFile"; then
             printf "${warn}[%s] -- [WARNING] Could not remove 503 error page." \
                 "$(stamp)" >> "$logFile"
@@ -46,7 +46,7 @@ cleanup () {
             printf "removed --${norm}\n" >> "$logFile"
         fi
     fi
-    if [ $sqlCopied -eq 1 ]; then
+    if [ "$sqlCopied" -eq 1 ]; then
         if ! rm -rf "$sqlDumpDir" 2>>"$logFile"; then
             printf "${warn}[%s] -- [WARNING]  Could not remove temporary " \
                 "$(stamp)" >> "$logFile"
@@ -270,7 +270,7 @@ elif [ ! -d "$seafData" ]; then
     badParam dne "(--seafdata default)" "$seafData"
 fi
 # offline backup
-if [ $offlineBackup -eq 1 ]; then
+if [ "$offlineBackup" -eq 1 ]; then
     if ! systemctl list-unit-files | \
         grep -Eq "^$seafService |^$seafService.service"
         then
@@ -282,7 +282,7 @@ if [ $offlineBackup -eq 1 ]; then
     fi
 fi
 # if 503 functionality is enabled, do 503 related files exist?
-if [ $use503 -eq 1 ]; then
+if [ "$use503" -eq 1 ]; then
     if [ ! -f "$err503Path" ]; then
         badParam dne "(--503-path default)" "$err503Path"
     elif [ ! -d "$webroot" ]; then
@@ -299,7 +299,7 @@ printf "${cyan}[%s] -- [INFO] Log located at ${yellow}%s${cyan} --${norm}\n" \
 
 
 ### 503 functionality
-if [ $use503 -eq 1 ]; then
+if [ "$use503" -eq 1 ]; then
     printf "${cyan}[%s] -- [INFO] Copying 503 error page to " \
         "$(stamp)" >> "$logFile"
     printf "webroot -- ${norm}\n" >> "$logFile"