diff --git a/src/backup-wrapper.sh b/src/backup-wrapper.sh
index a423edb..f4bc61b 100755
--- a/src/backup-wrapper.sh
+++ b/src/backup-wrapper.sh
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 #!/bin/bash
 
-echo "Starting backup wrapper script at `date`"
+echo "Starting backup wrapper script at $(date)"
 
 execute_script() {
     echo "Executing script with:"
@@ -28,18 +28,13 @@ configure_environment() {
     done
 
     # optional variables
-    for var in BORG_REMOTE_PATH; do
-        local indexed_var_name="${var}_${index}"
-        export $var="${!indexed_var_name}"
-    done
+    local indexed_var_name="BORG_REMOTE_PATH_${index}"
+    export BORG_REMOTE_PATH="${!indexed_var_name}"
 
     [[ $all_vars_set == true ]]
 }
 
 main() {
-    # Clear health log at start - only a fully successful run should be marked healthy
-    rm -f /health/backup_completion_time.log
-
     if [ -n "$BORG_REPO" ]; then
         # fallback case if multi-target backup isn't needed
         if execute_script; then
@@ -74,4 +69,4 @@ main() {
 
 main
 
-echo "Finished backup wrapper script at `date`"
+echo "Finished backup wrapper script at $(date)"
diff --git a/src/backup.sh b/src/backup.sh
index 07fea08..f2b053b 100755
--- a/src/backup.sh
+++ b/src/backup.sh
@@ -5,15 +5,14 @@ KEEP_WEEKLY=${KEEP_WEEKLY:-3}
 KEEP_MONTHLY=${KEEP_MONTHLY:-48}
 KEEP_YEARLY=${KEEP_YEARLY:-10}
 
-echo "Starting backup script at `date`"
+echo "Starting backup script at $(date)"
 
 export BORG_RSH='ssh -oBatchMode=yes' # https://borgbackup.readthedocs.io/en/stable/usage/notes.html#ssh-batch-mode
 
 # break any stale locks in case the script was interrupted
 borg break-lock
 
-borg info # test whether we have a valid repository
-if [ $? -ne 0 ]; then
+if ! borg info; then
     echo "Borg info returned a non-zero status. Initializing Borg..."
     borg init --encryption=repokey
 fi
@@ -32,18 +31,18 @@ btrfs subvolume snapshot /btrfs-root /snapshot
 cd "/snapshot/btrfs-root$BACKUP_RELATIVE_PATH"
 
 # Generate exclusions for git-untracked files if enabled
-EXCLUDE_ARGS="--exclude-from /exclude.conf"
+EXCLUDE_ARGS=(--exclude-from /exclude.conf)
 if [ "${IGNORE_GIT_UNTRACKED:-false}" = "true" ]; then
     echo "Generating exclusions for git-untracked files..."
     GIT_EXCLUDE_FILE=$(mktemp)
 
     # Find all git repositories and list their untracked files
-    find . -name .git -type d 2>/dev/null | while read gitdir; do
+    find . -name .git -type d 2>/dev/null | while read -r gitdir; do
         repo_dir=$(dirname "$gitdir")
         (
             cd "$repo_dir"
             # Get untracked files (respecting .gitignore)
-            git ls-files --others --exclude-standard 2>/dev/null | while read file; do
+            git ls-files --others --exclude-standard 2>/dev/null | while read -r file; do
                 # Output path relative to backup root
                 echo "${repo_dir#./}/$file"
             done
@@ -53,7 +52,7 @@ if [ "${IGNORE_GIT_UNTRACKED:-false}" = "true" ]; then
     excluded_count=$(wc -l < "$GIT_EXCLUDE_FILE")
     echo "Found $excluded_count git-untracked files to exclude"
 
-    EXCLUDE_ARGS="$EXCLUDE_ARGS --exclude-from $GIT_EXCLUDE_FILE"
+    EXCLUDE_ARGS+=(--exclude-from "$GIT_EXCLUDE_FILE")
 fi
 
 borg create --stats \
@@ -61,7 +60,7 @@ borg create --stats \
     --filter=AMCE \
     --files-cache=ctime,size,inode \
     --compression=zstd,12 \
-    $EXCLUDE_ARGS ::"{hostname}-{now:%Y-%m-%dT%H:%M:%S}" .
+    "${EXCLUDE_ARGS[@]}" ::"{hostname}-{now:%Y-%m-%dT%H:%M:%S}" .
 
 # Clean up temporary exclude file
 if [ -n "$GIT_EXCLUDE_FILE" ] && [ -f "$GIT_EXCLUDE_FILE" ]; then
@@ -71,10 +70,10 @@ fi
 cd -
 
 borg prune --list --stats \
-    --keep-daily=$KEEP_DAILY \
-    --keep-weekly=$KEEP_WEEKLY \
-    --keep-monthly=$KEEP_MONTHLY \
-    --keep-yearly=$KEEP_YEARLY
+    --keep-daily="$KEEP_DAILY" \
+    --keep-weekly="$KEEP_WEEKLY" \
+    --keep-monthly="$KEEP_MONTHLY" \
+    --keep-yearly="$KEEP_YEARLY"
 
 borg compact --threshold=5 --cleanup-commits --verbose --progress
 
diff --git a/src/healthcheck.sh b/src/healthcheck.sh
index ba73b99..255ba29 100755
--- a/src/healthcheck.sh
+++ b/src/healthcheck.sh
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@ if [ -f /health/backup_completion_time.log ]; then
     backup_time=$(date --file /health/backup_completion_time.log +%s)
     age_in_seconds=$((current_time - backup_time))
     
-    if [ ${age_in_seconds} -lt ${MAX_BACKUP_AGE_SECONDS} ]; then
+    if [ ${age_in_seconds} -lt "${MAX_BACKUP_AGE_SECONDS}" ]; then
         echo "Backup completed within the last ${MAX_BACKUP_AGE_SECONDS} seconds. Healthcheck passed."
         exit 0
     fi