diff --git a/backup-config/backup-config-lib.pl b/backup-config/backup-config-lib.pl
index 04ff4b37d..5ef8deb0b 100755
--- a/backup-config/backup-config-lib.pl
+++ b/backup-config/backup-config-lib.pl
@@ -18,9 +18,9 @@ our (%text, $module_config_directory, %config);
 &init_config();
 &foreign_require("cron", "cron-lib.pl");
 
-my $cron_cmd = "$module_config_directory/backup.pl";
-my $backups_dir = "$module_config_directory/backups";
-my $manifests_dir = "/tmp/backup-config-manifests";
+our $cron_cmd = "$module_config_directory/backup.pl";
+our $backups_dir = "$module_config_directory/backups";
+our $manifests_dir = "/tmp/backup-config-manifests";
 
 =head2 list_backup_modules
 
@@ -331,9 +331,11 @@ if ($_[4]) {
 
 # Add other files
 foreach my $f (@{$_[6]}) {
+	next if (!$f);
 	if (-d $f) {
 		# A directory .. recursively expand
 		foreach my $sf (&expand_directory($f)) {
+			next if (!$sf);
 			push(@files, $sf);
 			push(@{$manifestfiles{"other"}}, $sf);
 			}
@@ -360,7 +362,7 @@ foreach $m (@mods, "_others") {
 	}
 
 # Make sure we have something to do
-@files = grep { -e $_ } @files;
+@files = grep { $_ && -e $_ } @files;
 @files || (return $text{'backup_enone'});
 
 if (!$_[5]) {
@@ -669,11 +671,13 @@ if ($mode == 0) {
 	}
 elsif ($mode == 1) {
 	return &text($port ? 'nice_ftpp' : 'nice_ftp',
-		     "<tt>$server</tt>", "<tt>$path</tt>", "<tt>$port</tt>");
+		     "<tt>$server</tt>", "<tt>$path</tt>",
+		     $port ? "<tt>$port</tt>" : "");
 	}
 elsif ($mode == 2) {
 	return &text($port ? 'nice_sshp' : 'nice_ssh',
-		     "<tt>$server</tt>", "<tt>$path</tt>", "<tt>$port</tt>");
+		     "<tt>$server</tt>", "<tt>$path</tt>",
+		     $port ? "<tt>$port</tt>" : "");
 	}
 elsif ($mode == 3) {
 	return $text{'nice_upload'};
diff --git a/backup-config/backup.pl b/backup-config/backup.pl
index d9739d2fe..a0358d4a9 100755
--- a/backup-config/backup.pl
+++ b/backup-config/backup.pl
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@ $backup || die "Failed to find backup $ARGV[0]";
 
 # Run the pre-backup command, if any
 my $err;
-my $premsg;
+my $premsg = "";
 if ($backup->{'pre'} =~ /\S/) {
 	my $preout = &backquote_command("($backup->{'pre'}) 2>&1 </dev/null");
 	$premsg = &text('email_pre', $backup->{'pre'})."\n".
@@ -34,7 +34,7 @@ if (!$err) {
 	}
 
 # Run the post-backup command, if any
-my $postmsg;
+my $postmsg = "";
 if (!$err && $backup->{'post'} =~ /\S/) {
 	my $postout = &backquote_command("($backup->{'post'}) 2>&1 </dev/null");
 	$postmsg = "\n".
@@ -52,10 +52,10 @@ if (($err || $backup->{'emode'} == 0) && $backup->{'email'}) {
 	my $host = &get_system_hostname();
 	my $nice = &nice_dest($backup->{'dest'}, 1);
 	$nice =~ s/<[^>]+>//g;
-	$err =~ s/<[^>]+>//g;
 	my $msg;
 	my $subject;
 	if ($err) {
+		$err =~ s/<[^>]+>//g;
 		$msg = $premsg.
 		       $text{'email_mods'}."\n".
 		       $mlist.