diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index de4b932..f3c2393 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -6,3 +6,8 @@ Local includes and excludes in `/etc/backup/local.config` or `/etc/backup/local.
 * `backup $REPO local` for local backup to repo configured by 
 * `backup $REPO monitor $HOST $WARN_HOURS $CRIT_HOURS` for Nagios/Icinga checks of backups
 * `backup $REPO $ARGUMENTS` for invoking restic with $ARGUMENTS for the repository
+
+In `local.config`:
+* `BACKUP_HOSTNAME` is the name your host will show up as in restic
+* `BACKUP_DIR` is the root of the directory you want to back up
+* `HEALTHCHECK_URL` is an optional URL to [healthchecks.io](https://healthchecks.io/checks/) (comment out if you don't need it)
diff --git a/bin/backup b/bin/backup
index 28d9614..2c5c62d 100755
--- a/bin/backup
+++ b/bin/backup
@@ -59,6 +59,10 @@ do_local_backup () {
 
 	. /etc/backup/local.config
 	$RESTIC --exclude-file /etc/backup/local.exclude backup --hostname $BACKUP_HOSTNAME $BACKUP_DIR 
+
+	if [ -n "$HEALTHCHECK_URL" ]; then
+		curl -fsS --retry 4 "$HEALTHCHECK_URL"  > /dev/null
+	fi
 }
 
 do_monitor () {
diff --git a/etc/backup/local.config b/etc/backup/local.config
index a1b2f0c..6f37118 100644
--- a/etc/backup/local.config
+++ b/etc/backup/local.config
@@ -1,2 +1,3 @@
 BACKUP_HOSTNAME="backuphost.example.org"
 BACKUP_DIR="/"
+# HEALTHCHECK_URL="<URL from https://healthchecks.io/checks/ to notify>"