diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 0784fe9..db09a52 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -124,6 +124,7 @@ defaults:
 
 env_files:
   - path: .env
+    backup: true             # write .env.bak before patching (optional, default false)
     vars:
       - name: DB_NAME
         strategy: template   # renders to e.g. myapp_feat-login
@@ -184,6 +185,22 @@ Output with `sensitive: true`:
 bight: .env → JWT_SECRET=***
 ```
 
+### Backup files (`backup`)
+
+Set `backup: true` on an env file entry to write a copy of the file to `{path}.bak` before each patch is applied. Useful for inspecting what changed or recovering a previous value.
+
+```yaml
+env_files:
+  - path: .env
+    backup: true
+    vars:
+      - name: DB_NAME
+        strategy: template
+        on: checkout
+```
+
+The backup is a verbatim copy of the file as it was immediately before patching. It is overwritten on each checkout — only the most recent pre-patch state is kept.
+
 ### Preserving comments (`collect-comments`)
 
 Full comment preservation is not supported, as the package we use, `godotenv`, strips comments on rewrite. As a partial workaround, `defaults.collect-comments` re-appends comments collected before the patch was applied:
diff --git a/cmd/patch.go b/cmd/patch.go
index 13e93f2..2b4f2e2 100644
--- a/cmd/patch.go
+++ b/cmd/patch.go
@@ -60,6 +60,12 @@ func patchEnvFiles(cfg *config.Config, branch string) error {
 			sensitiveVars[v.Name] = v.Sensitive
 		}
 
+		if ef.Backup {
+			if err := env.BackupFile(ef.Path); err != nil {
+				return fmt.Errorf("backup %s: %w", ef.Path, err)
+			}
+		}
+
 		comments, err := env.ScanComments(ef.Path, cfg.Defaults.CollectComments)
 		if err != nil {
 			return fmt.Errorf("scanning %s: %w", ef.Path, err)
diff --git a/cmd/patch_test.go b/cmd/patch_test.go
index 562a684..4afff89 100644
--- a/cmd/patch_test.go
+++ b/cmd/patch_test.go
@@ -1,6 +1,8 @@
 package cmd
 
 import (
+	"os"
+	"path/filepath"
 	"testing"
 
 	"github.com/AndrewADev/bight/internal/config"
@@ -148,3 +150,67 @@ func TestDryRunEnvFiles_MultipleFilesAndVars(t *testing.T) {
 		t.Errorf("result[1]: got %q/%q", results[1].path, results[1].varName)
 	}
 }
+
+func TestPatchEnvFiles_BackupCreated(t *testing.T) {
+	dir := t.TempDir()
+	envPath := filepath.Join(dir, ".env")
+	if err := os.WriteFile(envPath, []byte("DB_NAME=old\n"), 0600); err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+
+	cfg := &config.Config{
+		Project: "myapp",
+		Defaults: config.Defaults{
+			BranchTemplate: "{{.Project}}_{{.Branch}}",
+		},
+		EnvFiles: []config.EnvFile{
+			{
+				Path:   envPath,
+				Backup: true,
+				Vars:   []config.Var{{Name: "DB_NAME", Strategy: "template", On: "checkout"}},
+			},
+		},
+	}
+
+	if err := patchEnvFiles(cfg, "feature-x"); err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("patchEnvFiles: %v", err)
+	}
+
+	data, err := os.ReadFile(envPath + ".bak")
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("reading backup: %v", err)
+	}
+	if string(data) != "DB_NAME=old\n" {
+		t.Errorf("backup content = %q, want %q", string(data), "DB_NAME=old\n")
+	}
+}
+
+func TestPatchEnvFiles_NoBackupByDefault(t *testing.T) {
+	dir := t.TempDir()
+	envPath := filepath.Join(dir, ".env")
+	if err := os.WriteFile(envPath, []byte("DB_NAME=old\n"), 0600); err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+
+	cfg := &config.Config{
+		Project: "myapp",
+		Defaults: config.Defaults{
+			BranchTemplate: "{{.Project}}_{{.Branch}}",
+		},
+		EnvFiles: []config.EnvFile{
+			{
+				Path:   envPath,
+				Backup: false,
+				Vars:   []config.Var{{Name: "DB_NAME", Strategy: "template", On: "checkout"}},
+			},
+		},
+	}
+
+	if err := patchEnvFiles(cfg, "feature-x"); err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("patchEnvFiles: %v", err)
+	}
+
+	if _, err := os.Stat(envPath + ".bak"); !os.IsNotExist(err) {
+		t.Errorf("expected no backup file, but it exists")
+	}
+}
diff --git a/internal/config/config.go b/internal/config/config.go
index 0817fc7..539c246 100644
--- a/internal/config/config.go
+++ b/internal/config/config.go
@@ -23,8 +23,9 @@ type Defaults struct {
 }
 
 type EnvFile struct {
-	Path string `yaml:"path"`
-	Vars []Var  `yaml:"vars"`
+	Path   string `yaml:"path"`
+	Backup bool   `yaml:"backup"`
+	Vars   []Var  `yaml:"vars"`
 }
 
 type Var struct {
diff --git a/internal/config/generate.go b/internal/config/generate.go
index 7d361fb..f92cf16 100644
--- a/internal/config/generate.go
+++ b/internal/config/generate.go
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@ import (
 
 func Generate(project, envFilePath string, vars []Var) string {
 	var sb strings.Builder
-	fmt.Fprintf(&sb, "project: %s\nenv_files:\n  - path: %s\n    vars:\n", project, envFilePath)
+	fmt.Fprintf(&sb, "project: %s\nenv_files:\n  - path: %s\n    # backup: true\n    vars:\n", project, envFilePath)
 	for _, v := range vars {
 		fmt.Fprintf(&sb, "      - name: %s\n        strategy: %s\n        on: checkout\n        # sensitive: true\n", v.Name, v.Strategy)
 	}
diff --git a/internal/config/generate_test.go b/internal/config/generate_test.go
index 15c0d27..43850d3 100644
--- a/internal/config/generate_test.go
+++ b/internal/config/generate_test.go
@@ -14,6 +14,7 @@ func TestGenerate(t *testing.T) {
 	checks := []string{
 		"project: myapp",
 		"path: .env.local",
+		"# backup: true",
 		"name: DB_NAME",
 		"strategy: template",
 		"on: checkout",
diff --git a/internal/env/patch.go b/internal/env/patch.go
index cb986ff..fbd6a67 100644
--- a/internal/env/patch.go
+++ b/internal/env/patch.go
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@ package env
 import (
 	"bufio"
 	"fmt"
+	"io"
 	"os"
 	"path/filepath"
 	"strings"
@@ -10,6 +11,27 @@ import (
 	"github.com/joho/godotenv"
 )
 
+func BackupFile(path string) error {
+	f, err := os.Open(path)
+	if os.IsNotExist(err) {
+		return nil
+	}
+	if err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+	defer f.Close()
+
+	fi, err := f.Stat()
+	if err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+	data, err := io.ReadAll(f)
+	if err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+	return os.WriteFile(path+".bak", data, fi.Mode().Perm())
+}
+
 func Patch(path, key, value string) error {
 	return PatchAll(path, map[string]string{key: value}, nil)
 }
diff --git a/internal/env/patch_test.go b/internal/env/patch_test.go
index df9eafe..b9959e7 100644
--- a/internal/env/patch_test.go
+++ b/internal/env/patch_test.go
@@ -264,6 +264,46 @@ func TestPatchAll_TempFileRemovedOnError(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 }
 
+func TestBackupFile_CreatesBackup(t *testing.T) {
+	path := writeTempEnv(t, "KEY=original\n")
+	if err := os.Chmod(path, 0640); err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+
+	if err := BackupFile(path); err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("BackupFile: %v", err)
+	}
+
+	data, err := os.ReadFile(path + ".bak")
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("reading backup: %v", err)
+	}
+	t.Cleanup(func() { os.Remove(path + ".bak") })
+
+	if string(data) != "KEY=original\n" {
+		t.Errorf("backup content = %q, want %q", string(data), "KEY=original\n")
+	}
+
+	fi, err := os.Stat(path + ".bak")
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+	if fi.Mode().Perm() != 0640 {
+		t.Errorf("backup mode = %04o, want 0640", fi.Mode().Perm())
+	}
+}
+
+func TestBackupFile_NonExistentFile(t *testing.T) {
+	path := filepath.Join(t.TempDir(), "does-not-exist.env")
+
+	if err := BackupFile(path); err != nil {
+		t.Errorf("BackupFile on missing file: %v, want nil", err)
+	}
+	if _, err := os.Stat(path + ".bak"); !os.IsNotExist(err) {
+		t.Errorf("expected no backup file, but it exists")
+	}
+}
+
 func TestPatch_IsTransactional(t *testing.T) {
 	path := writeTempEnv(t, "A=1\nB=2\n")