diff --git a/advlabdb/actions.py b/advlabdb/actions.py
index 4ea7c1a..65cb593 100644
--- a/advlabdb/actions.py
+++ b/advlabdb/actions.py
@@ -1,7 +1,10 @@
+from datetime import datetime
 from flask import flash
 from flask_login import current_user
 from sqlalchemy import select
+import subprocess
 
+from . import data_dir
 from .models import Assistant, Semester, User, db
 
 
@@ -11,6 +14,23 @@ def update_final_experiment_and_part_marks():
 
     flash("Manually updated all final experiment and part marks.", "success")
 
+def backup(backup_prefix):
+    db_path = data_dir / "db/advlabdb.sqlite"
+
+    db_bk_dir = db_path.parent / "backups"
+    db_bk_dir.mkdir(exist_ok=True)
+
+    now = datetime.now().strftime("%d_%m_%Y_%H_%M_%S")
+    dest = db_bk_dir / f"{backup_prefix}_{now}.sqlite"
+
+    status = subprocess.run(["sqlite3", db_path, f".backup {dest}"]).returncode
+    if status == 0:
+        flash(f"Created a database backup at the path {dest}", "success")
+    else:
+        flash("Failed to create a database backup! Make sure that `sqlite3` is installed on your system!", "danger")
+
+def manual_backup():
+    backup("manual")
 
 def deactivate_assistants():
     user_ids_to_deactivate = db.session.scalars(
diff --git a/advlabdb/adminModelViews.py b/advlabdb/adminModelViews.py
index e61d018..4dfc9a4 100644
--- a/advlabdb/adminModelViews.py
+++ b/advlabdb/adminModelViews.py
@@ -28,7 +28,7 @@ from wtforms.validators import URL, DataRequired, Email, NumberRange, Optional
 from wtforms.widgets import NumberInput
 
 from . import data_dir, user_datastore
-from .actions import deactivate_assistants, update_final_experiment_and_part_marks
+from .actions import deactivate_assistants, update_final_experiment_and_part_marks, manual_backup
 from .admin_link_formatters import (
     admin_formatter,
     appointment_date_formatter,
@@ -1341,6 +1341,9 @@ class ImportView(SecureAdminBaseView):
 
 class ActionsView(SecureAdminBaseView):
     class ActionsForm(FlaskForm):
+        manual_backup = BooleanField(
+            label="Create a manual database backup",
+        )
         update_final_experiment_and_part_marks = BooleanField(
             label="Manually update all final experiment and part marks in the active semester",
         )
@@ -1357,6 +1360,8 @@ class ActionsView(SecureAdminBaseView):
         form = ActionsView.ActionsForm()
 
         if form.validate_on_submit():
+            if form.manual_backup.data:
+                manual_backup()
             if form.update_final_experiment_and_part_marks.data:
                 update_final_experiment_and_part_marks()
             if form.deactivate_assistants.data:
diff --git a/advlabdb/database_import.py b/advlabdb/database_import.py
index fe3649c..17f336a 100644
--- a/advlabdb/database_import.py
+++ b/advlabdb/database_import.py
@@ -1,12 +1,12 @@
 from datetime import datetime
 from pathlib import Path
-from shutil import copy2
 
 from flask import flash
 from sqlalchemy import select
 
 from . import data_dir
 from .exceptions import DatabaseImportException
+from .actions import backup
 from .models import (
     Appointment,
     Assistant,
@@ -25,10 +25,6 @@ from .models import (
 )
 
 
-def now():
-    return datetime.now().strftime("%d_%m_%Y_%H_%M_%S")
-
-
 def is_null(entry):
     return entry == "NULL" or entry == ""
 
@@ -48,11 +44,6 @@ def not_nullable(entry):
 
 
 def importFromFile(filePath: Path):
-    db_path = data_dir / "db/advlabdb.sqlite"
-
-    db_bk_dir = db_path.parent / "backups"
-    db_bk_dir.mkdir(exist_ok=True)
-
     if filePath.name[-4:] != ".txt":
         raise DatabaseImportException(
             "The import file has to be a text file with txt extension (.txt at the end of the filename)!"
@@ -330,11 +321,7 @@ def importFromFile(filePath: Path):
             )
             db.session.add(dbAppointment)
 
-        # Backup
-        dest = db_bk_dir / f"before_{dbSemester}_import_{now()}.sqlite"
-        copy2(db_path, dest)
-
-        flash(f"Made a backup of the database before committing the import at {dest}")
+        backup(f"before_{dbSemester}_import")
 
         db.session.commit()
     except Exception as ex:
@@ -342,10 +329,7 @@ def importFromFile(filePath: Path):
 
         raise ex
 
-    dest = db_bk_dir / f"after_{dbSemester}_import_{now()}.sqlite"
-    copy2(db_path, dest)
-
-    flash(f"Made a backup of the database after the import at {dest}")
+    backup(f"after_{dbSemester}_import")
 
     flash("\nImport done!", "success")
     flash("Please check that everything worked as expected. Restore the database backup otherwise!", "warning")