diff --git a/server/.gitignore b/server/.gitignore
index cc909312..aab79938 100644
--- a/server/.gitignore
+++ b/server/.gitignore
@@ -1,9 +1,8 @@
 public/
 static/
+conf/
 digiscript.sqlite
 digiscript.json
-conf/digiscript.sqlite
-conf/digiscript.json
 
 # Byte-compiled / optimized / DLL files
 __pycache__/
diff --git a/server/alembic_config/versions/d4f66f58158b_initial_alembic_revision.py b/server/alembic_config/versions/d4f66f58158b_initial_alembic_revision.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..19ed2c28
--- /dev/null
+++ b/server/alembic_config/versions/d4f66f58158b_initial_alembic_revision.py
@@ -0,0 +1,26 @@
+"""Initial Alembic Revision
+
+Revision ID: d4f66f58158b
+Revises: 
+Create Date: 2024-06-02 15:50:23.550851
+
+"""
+from typing import Sequence, Union
+
+from alembic import op
+import sqlalchemy as sa
+
+
+# revision identifiers, used by Alembic.
+revision: str = 'd4f66f58158b'
+down_revision: Union[str, None] = None
+branch_labels: Union[str, Sequence[str], None] = None
+depends_on: Union[str, Sequence[str], None] = None
+
+
+def upgrade() -> None:
+    pass
+
+
+def downgrade() -> None:
+    pass
diff --git a/server/digi_server/app_server.py b/server/digi_server/app_server.py
index fdeb8931..2fb699bb 100644
--- a/server/digi_server/app_server.py
+++ b/server/digi_server/app_server.py
@@ -1,8 +1,12 @@
 import os
+import shutil
+import time
 from typing import List, Optional
 
-from alembic import command
+import sqlalchemy
+from alembic import command, script
 from alembic.config import Config
+from alembic.runtime import migration
 from tornado.ioloop import IOLoop
 from tornado.web import Application, StaticFileHandler
 from tornado_prometheus import PrometheusMixIn
@@ -20,6 +24,7 @@
 from rbac.rbac import RBACController
 from utils.database import DigiSQLAlchemy
 from utils.env_parser import EnvParser
+from utils.exceptions import DatabaseUpgradeRequired
 from utils.web.route import Route
 
 
@@ -45,11 +50,11 @@ def __init__(self, debug=False, settings_path=None, skip_migrations=False, skip_
             self._run_migrations()
         else:
             get_logger().warning('Skipping performing database migrations')
-        # And then check the database is up-to-date
-        if not skip_migrations_check:
-            self._check_migrations()
-        else:
-            get_logger().warning('Skipping database migrations check')
+            # And then check the database is up-to-date
+            if not skip_migrations_check:
+                self._check_migrations()
+            else:
+                get_logger().warning('Skipping database migrations check')
         # Finally, configure the database
         db_path = self.digi_settings.settings.get('db_path').get_value()
         get_logger().info(f'Using {db_path} as DB path')
@@ -132,14 +137,34 @@ def _alembic_config(self):
         return alembic_cfg
 
     def _run_migrations(self):
-        get_logger().info('Running database migrations via Alembic')
-        # Run the upgrade on the database
-        command.upgrade(self._alembic_config, 'head')
+        try:
+            self._check_migrations()
+        except DatabaseUpgradeRequired:
+            get_logger().info('Running database migrations via Alembic')
+            # Create a copy of the database file as a backup before performing migrations
+            db_path: str = self.digi_settings.settings.get('db_path').get_value()
+            if db_path.startswith('sqlite:///'):
+                db_path = db_path.replace('sqlite:///', '')
+            if os.path.exists(db_path) and os.path.isfile(db_path):
+                get_logger().info('Creating copy of database file as backup')
+                new_file_name = f'{db_path}.{int(time.time())}'
+                shutil.copyfile(db_path, new_file_name)
+                get_logger().info(f'Created copy of database file as backup, saved to {new_file_name}')
+            else:gi
+                get_logger().warning('Database connection does not appear to be a file, cannot create backup!')
+            # Run the upgrade on the database
+            command.upgrade(self._alembic_config, 'head')
+        else:
+            get_logger().info('No database migrations to perform')
 
     def _check_migrations(self):
         get_logger().info('Checking database migrations via Alembic')
-        # Run the upgrade on the database
-        command.check(self._alembic_config)
+        engine = sqlalchemy.create_engine(self.digi_settings.settings.get('db_path').get_value())
+        script_ = script.ScriptDirectory.from_config(self._alembic_config)
+        with engine.begin() as conn:
+            context = migration.MigrationContext.configure(conn)
+            if context.get_current_revision() != script_.get_current_head():
+                raise DatabaseUpgradeRequired('Migrations required on the database')
 
     async def configure(self):
         await self._configure_logging()
diff --git a/server/utils/exceptions.py b/server/utils/exceptions.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..3c8af989
--- /dev/null
+++ b/server/utils/exceptions.py
@@ -0,0 +1,2 @@
+class DatabaseUpgradeRequired(Exception):
+    pass