diff --git a/rattail_fabric2/deploy/backup/backup-everything.mako b/rattail_fabric2/deploy/backup/backup-everything.mako
index cd30941..63d600a 100755
--- a/rattail_fabric2/deploy/backup/backup-everything.mako
+++ b/rattail_fabric2/deploy/backup/backup-everything.mako
@@ -14,19 +14,28 @@ fi
 
 
 RATTAIL="/srv/envs/${envname}/bin/rattail --config=$CONFIG $PROGRESS $VERBOSE"
-PIP="sudo -u ${user} PIP_CONFIG_FILE=/srv/envs/${envname}/pip.conf /srv/envs/${envname}/bin/pip"
+PIP="sudo -H -u ${user} PIP_CONFIG_FILE=/srv/envs/${envname}/pip.conf /srv/envs/${envname}/bin/pip"
+
+# sanity check
+if [ "$HOME" != '/root' ]; then
+    echo ''
+    echo '$HOME is not /root - please run this as e.g.:'
+    echo ''
+    echo '   sudo -H backup-everything [--verbose]'
+    exit 1
+fi
 
 # upgrade pip
 $PIP install $QUIET --upgrade pip
 
 # upgrade rattail
 cd /srv/envs/${envname}/src/rattail
-if [ "$(sudo -u ${user} git status --porcelain)" != '' ]; then
-   sudo -u ${user} git status
+if [ "$(sudo -H -u ${user} git status --porcelain)" != '' ]; then
+   sudo -H -u ${user} git status
    exit 1
 fi
-sudo -u ${user} git pull $QUIET
-sudo find . -name '*.pyc' -delete
+sudo -H -u ${user} git pull $QUIET
+find . -name '*.pyc' -delete
 $PIP install $QUIET --upgrade --upgrade-strategy eager --editable .
 
 # run backup
diff --git a/rattail_fabric2/deploy/backup/rattail-backup.mako b/rattail_fabric2/deploy/backup/rattail-backup.mako
index f88b6f0..097ad46 100755
--- a/rattail_fabric2/deploy/backup/rattail-backup.mako
+++ b/rattail_fabric2/deploy/backup/rattail-backup.mako
@@ -8,6 +8,15 @@ else
     CONFIG='/srv/envs/${envname}/app/silent.conf'
 fi
 
+# sanity check
+if [ "$HOME" != '/root' ]; then
+    echo ''
+    echo '$HOME is not /root - please run this as e.g.:'
+    echo ''
+    echo '   sudo -H rattail-backup [--verbose]'
+    exit 1
+fi
+
 cd /srv/envs/${envname}
 
 bin/rattail -c $CONFIG $VERBOSE backup $*