diff --git a/src/backups.js b/src/backups.js
index 4bb0b0d90..b78154e50 100644
--- a/src/backups.js
+++ b/src/backups.js
@@ -27,6 +27,7 @@ var addons = require('./addons.js'),
     config = require('./config.js'),
     DatabaseError = require('./databaseerror.js'),
     debug = require('debug')('box:backups'),
+    eventlog = require('./eventlog.js'),
     locker = require('./locker.js'),
     path = require('path'),
     paths = require('./paths.js'),
@@ -408,19 +409,22 @@ function backupBoxAndApps(callback) {
     });
 }
 
-function backup(callback) {
+function backup(eventSource, callback) {
+    assert.strictEqual(typeof eventSource, 'object');
     assert.strictEqual(typeof callback, 'function');
 
     var error = locker.lock(locker.OP_FULL_BACKUP);
     if (error) return callback(new BackupsError(BackupsError.BAD_STATE, error.message));
 
-    // ensure tools can 'wait' on progress
-    progress.set(progress.BACKUP, 0, 'Starting');
+    eventlog.add(eventlog.ACTION_BACKUP_START, eventSource, { });
 
-    // start the backup operation in the background
-    backupBoxAndApps(function (error) {
+    progress.set(progress.BACKUP, 0, 'Starting'); // ensure tools can 'wait' on progress
+
+    backupBoxAndApps(function (error, filename) { // start the backup operation in the background
         if (error) console.error('backup failed.', error);
 
+        eventlog.add(eventlog.ACTION_BACKUP_FINISH, eventSource, { errorMessage: error ? error.message : null, filename: filename });
+
         locker.unlock(locker.OP_FULL_BACKUP);
     });
 
diff --git a/src/eventlog.js b/src/eventlog.js
index 8292310b5..a933267f3 100644
--- a/src/eventlog.js
+++ b/src/eventlog.js
@@ -14,7 +14,8 @@ exports = module.exports = {
     ACTION_APP_RESTORE: 'app.restore',
     ACTION_APP_UNINSTALL: 'app.uninstall',
     ACTION_APP_UPDATE: 'app.update',
-    ACTION_BACKUP: 'cloudron.backup',
+    ACTION_BACKUP_FINISH: 'backup.finish',
+    ACTION_BACKUP_START: 'backup.start',
     ACTION_CERTIFICATE_RENEWAL: 'certificate.renew',
     ACTION_CLI_MODE: 'settings.climode',
     ACTION_PROFILE: 'user.profile',
diff --git a/src/routes/backups.js b/src/routes/backups.js
index a7164973f..eda7ae288 100644
--- a/src/routes/backups.js
+++ b/src/routes/backups.js
@@ -9,10 +9,14 @@ exports = module.exports = {
 var assert = require('assert'),
     backups = require('../backups.js'),
     BackupsError = require('../backups.js').BackupsError,
-    eventlog = require('../eventlog.js'),
     HttpError = require('connect-lastmile').HttpError,
     HttpSuccess = require('connect-lastmile').HttpSuccess;
 
+function auditSource(req) {
+    var ip = req.headers['x-forwarded-for'] || req.ip || null;
+    return { ip: ip, username: req.user ? req.user.username : null, userId: req.user ? req.user.id : null };
+}
+
 function get(req, res, next) {
     var page = typeof req.query.page !== 'undefined' ? parseInt(req.query.page) : 1;
     if (!page || page < 0) return next(new HttpError(400, 'page query param has to be a postive number'));
@@ -31,12 +35,10 @@ function get(req, res, next) {
 function create(req, res, next) {
     // note that cloudron.backup only waits for backup initiation and not for backup to complete
     // backup progress can be checked up ny polling the progress api call
-    backups.backup(function (error) {
+    backups.backup(auditSource(req), function (error) {
         if (error && error.reason === BackupsError.BAD_STATE) return next(new HttpError(409, error.message));
         if (error) return next(new HttpError(500, error));
 
-        eventlog.add(eventlog.ACTION_BACKUP, req, { });
-
         next(new HttpSuccess(202, {}));
     });
 }
diff --git a/src/routes/sysadmin.js b/src/routes/sysadmin.js
index 074b205d2..946e49305 100644
--- a/src/routes/sysadmin.js
+++ b/src/routes/sysadmin.js
@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@ function backup(req, res, next) {
 
     // note that cloudron.backup only waits for backup initiation and not for backup to complete
     // backup progress can be checked up ny polling the progress api call
-    backups.backup(function (error) {
+    backups.backup({ userId: null, username: 'sysadmin' }, function (error) {
         if (error && error.reason === BackupsError.BAD_STATE) return next(new HttpError(409, error.message));
         if (error) return next(new HttpError(500, error));
 
diff --git a/webadmin/src/js/index.js b/webadmin/src/js/index.js
index 9b26a3eab..e7fcbaddb 100644
--- a/webadmin/src/js/index.js
+++ b/webadmin/src/js/index.js
@@ -217,7 +217,9 @@ var ACTION_APP_INSTALL = 'app.install';
 var ACTION_APP_RESTORE = 'app.restore';
 var ACTION_APP_UNINSTALL = 'app.uninstall';
 var ACTION_APP_UPDATE = 'app.update';
-var ACTION_BACKUP = 'cloudron.backup';
+var ACTION_APP_UPDATE = 'app.update';
+var ACTION_BACKUP_FINISH = 'backup.finish';
+var ACTION_BACKUP_START = 'backup.start';
 var ACTION_CERTIFICATE_RENEWAL = 'certificate.renew';
 var ACTION_CLI_MODE = 'settings.climode';
 var ACTION_PROFILE = 'user.profile';
@@ -230,6 +232,7 @@ var ACTION_USER_UPDATE = 'user.update';
 
 app.filter('eventLogDetails', function() {
     return function(eventLog) {
+        var source = eventLog.source;
         var data = eventLog.data;
 
         switch (eventLog.action) {
@@ -239,7 +242,8 @@ app.filter('eventLogDetails', function() {
         case ACTION_APP_RESTORE: return 'App ' + data.id + ' restored';
         case ACTION_APP_UNINSTALL: return 'App ' + data.id + ' uninstalled';
         case ACTION_APP_UPDATE: return 'App ' + data.id + ' updated to version ' + data.appStoreId + '@' + data.toVersion;
-        case ACTION_BACKUP: return 'Backup';
+        case ACTION_BACKUP_START: return 'Backup started by ' + source.username;
+        case ACTION_BACKUP_FINISH: return 'Backup finished. ' + (('error:' + data.errorMessage) || ('id:' + data.filename));
         case ACTION_CERTIFICATE_RENEWAL: return 'Certificate renewal for ' + data.domain + (data.error ? 'succeeded' : 'failed');
         case ACTION_CLI_MODE: return 'CLI mode was ' + (data.enabled ? 'enabled' : 'disabled');
         case ACTION_PROFILE: return 'User profile change';