diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
index 886f433..fac379c 100644
--- a/.gitignore
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -18,3 +18,4 @@ url/
 elpaca/
 tree-sitter/
 .mc-lists.el
+backups/
diff --git a/unravel-emacs.org b/unravel-emacs.org
index c8acc61..637835b 100644
--- a/unravel-emacs.org
+++ b/unravel-emacs.org
@@ -1360,7 +1360,9 @@ with ~savehist-mode~ ([[#h:25765797-27a5-431e-8aa4-cc890a6a913a][The =unravel-co
     :ensure nil
     :config
     (setq confirm-kill-emacs #'y-or-n-p)
-    (setq require-final-newline t))
+    (setq require-final-newline t)
+    (setq backup-directory-alist ;; Put the ~ files in tmp
+          `(("." . ,(locate-user-emacs-file "temp-files/backups")))))
 #+end_src
 
 ** The =unravel-essentials.el= section for ~delete-selection-mode~
diff --git a/unravel-modules/unravel-essentials.el b/unravel-modules/unravel-essentials.el
index 67ee0bd..8c2b493 100644
--- a/unravel-modules/unravel-essentials.el
+++ b/unravel-modules/unravel-essentials.el
@@ -68,7 +68,9 @@
   :ensure nil
   :config
   (setq confirm-kill-emacs #'y-or-n-p)
-  (setq require-final-newline t))
+  (setq require-final-newline t)
+  (setq backup-directory-alist ;; Put the ~ files in tmp
+        `(("." . ,(locate-user-emacs-file "temp-files/backups")))))
 
 ;;;; Delete selection
 (use-package delsel