diff --git a/site-cookbooks/backup/recipes/default.rb b/site-cookbooks/backup/recipes/default.rb
index fa51649..8d34348 100644
--- a/site-cookbooks/backup/recipes/default.rb
+++ b/site-cookbooks/backup/recipes/default.rb
@@ -45,30 +45,40 @@ template "#{backup_dir}/config.rb" do
             mail_from: "backups@kosmos.org"
 end
 
-if node["backup"]["default_model"]
-  template "#{backup_dir}/models/default.rb" do
-    source    "backup.rb.erb"
-    mode      0640
-  end
-
-  cron "default backup model" do
-    hour node['backup']['cron']['hour']
-    minute node['backup']['cron']['minute']
-    command "/usr/bin/env HOME=/home/user PATH=/usr/local/bin:/usr/local/ruby/bin:/usr/bin:/bin:$PATH /bin/sh -l -c 'backup perform -t default --root-path #{backup_dir} >> /var/log/backup.log 2>&1'"
-  end
-
-  include_recipe 'logrotate'
-  unless node["backup"]["mysql"]["databases"].empty?
-    # Install MySQL client (includes mysqldump)
-    mysql_client 'default' do
-      action :create
-    end
-  end
-
-  logrotate_app 'backup' do
-    path '/var/log/backup.log'
-    frequency 'daily'
-    rotate 10
-    create '640 root root'
-  end
+template "#{backup_dir}/models/default.rb" do
+  source    "backup.rb.erb"
+  mode      0640
+end
+
+cron "default backup model" do
+  hour node['backup']['cron']['hour']
+  minute node['backup']['cron']['minute']
+  command "/usr/bin/env HOME=/root /bin/sh -l -c '/usr/local/bin/backup perform -t default --root-path #{backup_dir} >> /var/log/backup.log 2>&1'"
+end
+
+include_recipe 'logrotate'
+# Install MySQL client (includes mysqldump)
+mysql_client 'default' do
+  action :create
+  not_if { node["backup"]["mysql"]["databases"].empty? }
+end
+
+# Write the credentials file to allow dumps without password for the root
+# user (https://dev.mysql.com/doc/refman/5.7/en/option-files.html)
+file "/root/.my.cnf" do
+  mode "600"
+  content lazy { <<-EOF
+[client]
+user=#{node["backup"]["mysql"]["username"]}
+password=#{node["backup"]["mysql"]["password"]}
+  EOF
+  }
+  not_if { node["backup"]["mysql"]["password"].nil? }
+end
+
+logrotate_app 'backup' do
+  path '/var/log/backup.log'
+  frequency 'daily'
+  rotate 10
+  create '640 root root'
 end
diff --git a/site-cookbooks/backup/templates/default/config.rb.erb b/site-cookbooks/backup/templates/default/config.rb.erb
index 2e10774..dec61a8 100644
--- a/site-cookbooks/backup/templates/default/config.rb.erb
+++ b/site-cookbooks/backup/templates/default/config.rb.erb
@@ -40,7 +40,6 @@ end
 Database::MySQL.defaults do |db|
   db.host               = "<%= node["backup"]["mysql"]["host"] %>"
   db.username           = "<%= node["backup"]["mysql"]["username"] %>"
-  db.password           = "<%= node["backup"]["mysql"]["password"] %>"
   db.additional_options = ['--quick', '--single-transaction']
 end
 <%- end -%>