diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index c2a6cc8..dfdce34 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -12,7 +12,9 @@
 
 ## Longer summary
 
-This container is still a work in progress and backups are not currently cron jobbed (a backup is only taken on re/start). Reading and using the ``docker-compose\docker-compose.yml`` and example ``.env.example`` file should be illustrative on how to use this container. See also: [Using-the-DockerHub-provided-image](#Using-the-DockerHub-provided-image)
+This container is still a work in progress but the main feature (cronjob'd backups) now works. 
+
+Reading and using the ``docker-compose\docker-compose.yml`` and example ``.env.example`` file should be illustrative on how to use this container. See also: [Using-the-DockerHub-provided-image](#Using-the-DockerHub-provided-image)
 
 ## Table of Contents
 
diff --git a/docker-compose/.env.example b/docker-compose/.env.example
index f2ea68a..4449fe0 100644
--- a/docker-compose/.env.example
+++ b/docker-compose/.env.example
@@ -1,7 +1,8 @@
-# The 3 variables below are required.
+# The 4 variables below are required.
 PBS_ENCRYPTION_PASSWORD="123456789abcdefghijklmn"
 PBS_ENDPOINT="pbs.mydomain.com"
 PBS_DATASTORE="test-datastore"
+CRON_SCHEDULE="0 */4 * * *"
 
 # Use of the PBS_API_KEY_NAME and PBS_API_KEY_SECRET is recommended!
 # If unset, ensure PBS_USER and PBS_PASSWORD are set.
diff --git a/docker-compose/docker-compose.yml b/docker-compose/docker-compose.yml
index 2a55f14..38f98d9 100644
--- a/docker-compose/docker-compose.yml
+++ b/docker-compose/docker-compose.yml
@@ -13,4 +13,4 @@ services:
       - ./pbsconfig/:/root/.config/proxmox-backup/
       - ./backups/test1:/backups/test1:ro
       - ./backups/test2:/backups/test2:ro
-      - ./backups/test3:/backups/test3:ro
+      - ./backups/test3:/backups/test3:ro
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/docker/Dockerfile b/docker/Dockerfile
index bf5f8b4..65d6cb2 100644
--- a/docker/Dockerfile
+++ b/docker/Dockerfile
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@ FROM ghcr.io/linuxserver/baseimage-debian:bookworm
 LABEL maintainer="Aterfax"
 
 # Get initial required packages
-RUN apt-get update && apt-get install -y wget nano procps less expect
+RUN apt-get update && apt-get install -y wget cron expect
 
 # Get the Proxmox signing keys and add to trust store
 RUN curl -o /etc/apt/trusted.gpg.d/proxmox-release-bookworm.gpg https://enterprise.proxmox.com/debian/proxmox-release-bookworm.gpg && \
@@ -38,3 +38,6 @@ RUN touch etc/s6-overlay/s6-rc.d/user/contents.d/setup_check
 
 COPY ./src/s6-services/backup /etc/s6-overlay/s6-rc.d/backup
 RUN touch etc/s6-overlay/s6-rc.d/user/contents.d/backup
+
+COPY ./src/s6-services/cron-backup /etc/s6-overlay/s6-rc.d/cron-backup
+RUN touch etc/s6-overlay/s6-rc.d/user/contents.d/cron-backup
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/docker/src/s6-services/backup/run b/docker/src/s6-services/backup/run
index 5e39c6d..5904e94 100644
--- a/docker/src/s6-services/backup/run
+++ b/docker/src/s6-services/backup/run
@@ -1,9 +1,12 @@
 #!/usr/bin/with-contenv bash
 # shellcheck shell=bash
+# This script runs once as the container starts to get an immediate backup.
 
 # Define a logging function to prefix output to the docker logs.
 output_to_log() {
-    sed  's/^/[backup] /'
+    while IFS= read -r line; do
+        echo "[backup] $(date +"%Y-%m-%d %H:%M:%S") $line"
+    done
 }
 # Redirect all subsequent command outputs to output_to_log
 exec > >(output_to_log)
@@ -16,63 +19,4 @@ handle_error() {
 }
 trap handle_error ERR
 
-path_to_filename() {
-    local path="$1"
-    local path_no_trailing_slash="${path%/}"  # Remove the trailing slash, if any
-    local path_no_first_slash="${path_no_trailing_slash#\/}"  # Remove the first slash
-    local filename="${path_no_first_slash//\//-}"  # Replace slashes with dashes
-    echo "${filename}"
-}
-
-BACKUP_DIRECTORIES=()
-# Iterate over each subdirectory under /backup and add its full path to the array
-for dir in /backups/*; do
-    if [[ -d "$dir" ]]; then
-        BACKUP_DIRECTORIES+=("$dir/")
-    fi
-done
-
-# Print the contents of the array
-echo "## Detected backup directories:"
-echo -e "#"
-if [ ${#BACKUP_DIRECTORIES[@]} -eq 0 ]; then
-    echo "# Nothing to backup."
-else
-    for path in "${BACKUP_DIRECTORIES[@]}"; do
-        echo -e "# $path"
-    done
-    echo -e "#\n"
-fi
-
-# Construct the directory target list with the proxmox-backup-client syntax.
-# This makes 1 .pxar file per path.
-TARGETS=""
-for dir in "${BACKUP_DIRECTORIES[@]}"; do
-    TARGET=$(path_to_filename "$dir").pxar:$dir
-    TARGETS="${TARGETS} ${TARGET}"
-done
-
-# Build the backup command we want to execute. 
-BACKUPCMD="proxmox-backup-client backup ${TARGETS}"
-
-if [ -n "$PBS_DATASTORE_NS" ]; then
-    BACKUPCMD+=" --ns ${PBS_DATASTORE_NS}"
-fi
-
-
-# Source the variables from the setup_check scripting include file.
-source /etc/s6-overlay/s6-rc.d/setup_check/run_include
-
-echo -e "## Backing up to repository: \n# ${PBS_REPOSITORY}\n"
-echo -e "## Executing backup command: \n# ${BACKUPCMD}\n"
-
-if [ -n "$HEALTHCHECKSURL" ]; then
-    curl -fsS -m 10 --retry 5 $HEALTHCHECKSURL/start
-fi
-
-${BACKUPCMD} 2>&1
-BACKUP_EXIT_CODE=$?
-
-if [ -n "$HEALTHCHECKSURL" ]; then
-    curl -fsS -m 10 --retry 5 ${HEALTHCHECKSURL}/${BACKUP_EXIT_CODE}
-fi
\ No newline at end of file
+/etc/s6-overlay/s6-rc.d/backup/run_include
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/docker/src/s6-services/backup/run_include b/docker/src/s6-services/backup/run_include
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..28f8af9
--- /dev/null
+++ b/docker/src/s6-services/backup/run_include
@@ -0,0 +1,62 @@
+#!/usr/bin/with-contenv bash
+# shellcheck shell=bash
+path_to_filename() {
+    local path="$1"
+    local path_no_trailing_slash="${path%/}"  # Remove the trailing slash, if any
+    local path_no_first_slash="${path_no_trailing_slash#\/}"  # Remove the first slash
+    local filename="${path_no_first_slash//\//-}"  # Replace slashes with dashes
+    echo "${filename}"
+}
+
+BACKUP_DIRECTORIES=()
+# Iterate over each subdirectory under /backup and add its full path to the array
+for dir in /backups/*; do
+    if [[ -d "$dir" ]]; then
+        BACKUP_DIRECTORIES+=("$dir/")
+    fi
+done
+
+# Print the contents of the array
+echo "## Detected backup directories:"
+echo -e "#"
+if [ ${#BACKUP_DIRECTORIES[@]} -eq 0 ]; then
+    echo "# Nothing to backup."
+else
+    for path in "${BACKUP_DIRECTORIES[@]}"; do
+        echo -e "# $path"
+    done
+    echo -e "#\n"
+fi
+
+# Construct the directory target list with the proxmox-backup-client syntax.
+# This makes 1 .pxar file per path.
+TARGETS=""
+for dir in "${BACKUP_DIRECTORIES[@]}"; do
+    TARGET=$(path_to_filename "$dir").pxar:$dir
+    TARGETS="${TARGETS} ${TARGET}"
+done
+
+# Build the backup command we want to execute. 
+BACKUPCMD="proxmox-backup-client backup ${TARGETS}"
+
+if [ -n "$PBS_DATASTORE_NS" ]; then
+    BACKUPCMD+=" --ns ${PBS_DATASTORE_NS}"
+fi
+
+
+# Source the variables from the setup_check scripting include file.
+source /etc/s6-overlay/s6-rc.d/setup_check/run_include
+
+echo -e "## Backing up to repository: \n# ${PBS_REPOSITORY}\n"
+echo -e "## Executing backup command: \n# ${BACKUPCMD}\n"
+
+if [ -n "$HEALTHCHECKSURL" ]; then
+    curl -fsS -m 10 --retry 5 $HEALTHCHECKSURL/start
+fi
+
+${BACKUPCMD} 2>&1
+BACKUP_EXIT_CODE=$?
+
+if [ -n "$HEALTHCHECKSURL" ]; then
+    curl -fsS -m 10 --retry 5 ${HEALTHCHECKSURL}/${BACKUP_EXIT_CODE}
+fi
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/docker/src/s6-services/cron-backup/dependencies.d/backup b/docker/src/s6-services/cron-backup/dependencies.d/backup
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..e69de29
diff --git a/docker/src/s6-services/cron-backup/dependencies.d/init-os-end b/docker/src/s6-services/cron-backup/dependencies.d/init-os-end
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..e69de29
diff --git a/docker/src/s6-services/cron-backup/dependencies.d/key_setup b/docker/src/s6-services/cron-backup/dependencies.d/key_setup
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..e69de29
diff --git a/docker/src/s6-services/cron-backup/dependencies.d/setup_check b/docker/src/s6-services/cron-backup/dependencies.d/setup_check
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..e69de29
diff --git a/docker/src/s6-services/cron-backup/run b/docker/src/s6-services/cron-backup/run
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..c0b2a49
--- /dev/null
+++ b/docker/src/s6-services/cron-backup/run
@@ -0,0 +1,64 @@
+#!/usr/bin/with-contenv bash
+# shellcheck shell=bash
+# This script instates the cron job to take regular backups.
+
+
+# Define a logging function to prefix output to the docker logs.
+output_to_log() {
+    while IFS= read -r line; do
+        echo "[cron-backup] $(date +"%Y-%m-%d %H:%M:%S") $line"
+    done
+}
+# Redirect all subsequent command outputs to output_to_log
+exec > >(output_to_log)
+
+# Set up error handling
+handle_error() {
+    local exit_code="$?"
+    echo -e "Error occurred (Exit code: $exit_code)"
+    exit "$exit_code"
+}
+trap handle_error ERR
+
+validate_cron_expression() {
+    local cron_expression="$1"
+    # https://stackoverflow.com/a/57639657
+    local regex='(@(annually|yearly|monthly|weekly|daily|hourly|reboot))|(@every (\d+(ns|us|µs|ms|s|m|h))+)|((((\d+,)*\d+|(\d+(/|-)\d+)|\d+|\*) ?){5,7})'
+
+    if echo "$cron_expression" | grep -Pq "$regex"; then
+        return 0  # Valid cron expression
+    else
+        return 1  # Invalid cron expression
+    fi
+}
+
+if ! validate_cron_expression "$CRON_SCHEDULE"; then
+    echo -e "Invalid cron expression: $CRON_SCHEDULE \n"
+    echo "Please define a valid cron time expression for CRON_SCHEDULE, e.g. \"*/5 * * * *\" "
+    sleep 60
+    exit 1
+fi
+
+CRONLOG_FILE="/root/.config/proxmox-backup/cron.log"
+CRON_FILE="/etc/cron.d/cron-backup"
+CRON_LINE="${CRON_SCHEDULE} root bash -c '/etc/s6-overlay/s6-rc.d/backup/run_include'  >> $CRONLOG_FILE 2>&1 "
+TIMEOUT=60
+
+touch "${CRONLOG_FILE}"
+echo "${CRON_LINE}" > "${CRON_FILE}"
+chmod +x "${CRON_FILE}"
+
+service cron start
+echo "Cron service is now running with: \"${CRON_LINE}\" "
+
+# We only want new lines added, not existing log content on startup.
+tail -n 0 -f "${CRONLOG_FILE}" &
+
+# Check if cron service is running
+while :; do
+    if ! service cron status > /dev/null; then
+        echo "Error: Cron service is not running. Restarting cron."
+        exit 1
+    fi
+    sleep ${TIMEOUT}
+done
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/docker/src/s6-services/cron-backup/type b/docker/src/s6-services/cron-backup/type
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..1780f9f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/docker/src/s6-services/cron-backup/type
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+longrun
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/docker/src/s6-services/cron-backup/up b/docker/src/s6-services/cron-backup/up
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..6237008
--- /dev/null
+++ b/docker/src/s6-services/cron-backup/up
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+/etc/s6-overlay/s6-rc.d/cron-backup/run
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/docker/src/s6-services/env-test/run b/docker/src/s6-services/env-test/run
index f8a49bc..9588055 100644
--- a/docker/src/s6-services/env-test/run
+++ b/docker/src/s6-services/env-test/run
@@ -1,9 +1,12 @@
 #!/usr/bin/with-contenv bash
 # shellcheck shell=bash
+# This script runs once as the container starts to get a snapshot of the environment variables.
 
 # Define a logging function to prefix output to the docker logs.
 output_to_log() {
-    sed  's/^/[env-test] /'
+    while IFS= read -r line; do
+        echo "[env-test] $(date +"%Y-%m-%d %H:%M:%S") $line"
+    done
 }
 # Redirect all subsequent command outputs to output_to_log
 exec > >(output_to_log)
diff --git a/docker/src/s6-services/key_setup/run b/docker/src/s6-services/key_setup/run
index 3c7038f..13e6c76 100644
--- a/docker/src/s6-services/key_setup/run
+++ b/docker/src/s6-services/key_setup/run
@@ -1,9 +1,13 @@
 #!/usr/bin/with-contenv bash
 # shellcheck shell=bash
+# This script runs once as the container starts to ensure key setup is functional
+# for backups. (Either checking keys or generating new ones).
 
 # Define a logging function to prefix output to the docker logs.
 output_to_log() {
-    sed  's/^/[key_setup] /'
+    while IFS= read -r line; do
+        echo "[key_setup] $(date +"%Y-%m-%d %H:%M:%S") $line"
+    done
 }
 # Redirect all subsequent command outputs to output_to_log
 exec > >(output_to_log)
diff --git a/docker/src/s6-services/setup_check/run b/docker/src/s6-services/setup_check/run
index daad4c5..712f6f3 100644
--- a/docker/src/s6-services/setup_check/run
+++ b/docker/src/s6-services/setup_check/run
@@ -1,9 +1,13 @@
 #!/usr/bin/with-contenv bash
 # shellcheck shell=bash
+# This script runs once as the container starts to ensure variables are set
+# correctly and any dependent variables also get set.
 
 # Define a logging function to prefix output to the docker logs.
 output_to_log() {
-    sed  's/^/[setup_check] /'
+    while IFS= read -r line; do
+        echo "[setup_check] $(date +"%Y-%m-%d %H:%M:%S") $line"
+    done
 }
 # Redirect all subsequent command outputs to output_to_log
 exec > >(output_to_log)