diff --git a/setup.sh b/setup.sh
index 381fccf..00a819c 100755
--- a/setup.sh
+++ b/setup.sh
@@ -4,26 +4,29 @@
 # setup folder pointers and target files
 
 dir=~/linux_user_setup
-olddir=~/linux_user_setup_restore
+backup=~/linux_user_setup_restore
 files=".bashrc .vimrc .tmux.conf .psqlrc"
 
 # create the resore directory if it doesn't already exist
 
-if [ ! -d $olddir ]
+if [ ! -d $backup ]
 then
-    mkdir $olddir
+    mkdir $backup
 fi
 
 # loop through each target file, move it and create a symlink to the replacements
 
 for file in $files 
 do
-    #if the file is already a symlink then do nothing
-    if [ ! -L "$file"]
+    #if the file is not a symlink the just _move_ it, otherwise _copy_ the linked file
+    if [ ! -L $file ];
     then
-        echo "moving $file to $olddir"
-        mv ~/$file $olddir
+        echo "moving $file to $backup"
+        mv ~/$file $backup
         echo "snapping $file to be a new symlink to version controlled file in $dir"
         ln -s $dir/$file ~/$file
+    else
+        # if the target file is a symlink, copy the linked file
+        cp $(readlink -f $file) $backup
     fi
 done