diff --git a/netclient/config/config.go b/netclient/config/config.go
index 5120d6d3..d7d39d2f 100644
--- a/netclient/config/config.go
+++ b/netclient/config/config.go
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@ import (
 	"encoding/json"
 	"errors"
 	"fmt"
+	"io/ioutil"
 	"log"
 	"os"
 
@@ -208,6 +209,44 @@ func ModConfig(node *models.Node) error {
 	return err
 }
 
+// ModConfig - overwrites the node inside client config on disk
+func SaveBackup(network string) error {
+
+	var configPath = ncutils.GetNetclientPathSpecific() + "netconfig-" + network
+	var backupPath = ncutils.GetNetclientPathSpecific() + "backup.netconfig-" + network
+	if FileExists(configPath) {
+		input, err := ioutil.ReadFile(configPath)
+		if err != nil {
+			ncutils.Log("failed to read " + configPath + " to make a backup")
+			return err
+		}
+		if err = ioutil.WriteFile(backupPath, input, 0644); err != nil {
+			ncutils.Log("failed to copy backup to " + backupPath)
+			return err
+		}
+	}
+	return nil
+}
+
+// ReplaceWithBackup - replaces netconfig file with backup
+func ReplaceWithBackup(network string) error {
+	var backupPath = ncutils.GetNetclientPathSpecific() + "backup.netconfig-" + network
+	var configPath = ncutils.GetNetclientPathSpecific() + "netconfig-" + network
+	if FileExists(backupPath) {
+		input, err := ioutil.ReadFile(backupPath)
+		if err != nil {
+			ncutils.Log("failed to read file " + backupPath + " to backup network: " + network)
+			return err
+		}
+		if err = ioutil.WriteFile(configPath, input, 0644); err != nil {
+			ncutils.Log("failed backup " + backupPath + " to " + configPath)
+			return err
+		}
+	}
+	ncutils.Log("used backup file for network: " + network)
+	return nil
+}
+
 // GetCLIConfig - gets the cli flags as a config
 func GetCLIConfig(c *cli.Context) (ClientConfig, string, error) {
 	var cfg ClientConfig
@@ -332,7 +371,13 @@ func ReadConfig(network string) (*ClientConfig, error) {
 	f, err := os.Open(file)
 
 	if err != nil {
-		nofile = true
+		if err = ReplaceWithBackup(network); err != nil {
+			nofile = true
+		}
+		f, err = os.Open(file)
+		if err != nil {
+			nofile = true
+		}
 	}
 	defer f.Close()
 
diff --git a/netclient/functions/checkin.go b/netclient/functions/checkin.go
index e56788af..bcc720ac 100644
--- a/netclient/functions/checkin.go
+++ b/netclient/functions/checkin.go
@@ -151,10 +151,11 @@ func CheckConfig(cliconf config.ClientConfig) error {
 // Pull - pulls the latest config from the server, if manual it will overwrite
 func Pull(network string, manual bool) (*models.Node, error) {
 	cfg, err := config.ReadConfig(network)
-	node := cfg.Node
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, err
 	}
+
+	node := cfg.Node
 	servercfg := cfg.Server
 
 	if cfg.Node.IPForwarding == "yes" && !ncutils.IsWindows() {
@@ -243,6 +244,10 @@ func Pull(network string, manual bool) (*models.Node, error) {
 	if ncutils.IsLinux() {
 		setDNS(&resNode, servercfg, &cfg.Node)
 	}
+	var bkupErr = config.SaveBackup(network)
+	if bkupErr != nil {
+		ncutils.Log("unable to update backup file")
+	}
 
 	return &resNode, err
 }
diff --git a/netclient/functions/join.go b/netclient/functions/join.go
index fe12433c..f475d75e 100644
--- a/netclient/functions/join.go
+++ b/netclient/functions/join.go
@@ -5,6 +5,9 @@ import (
 	"encoding/json"
 	"errors"
 	"fmt"
+	"log"
+	"os/exec"
+
 	nodepb "github.com/gravitl/netmaker/grpc"
 	"github.com/gravitl/netmaker/models"
 	"github.com/gravitl/netmaker/netclient/auth"
@@ -16,8 +19,6 @@ import (
 	"github.com/gravitl/netmaker/netclient/wireguard"
 	"golang.zx2c4.com/wireguard/wgctrl/wgtypes"
 	"google.golang.org/grpc"
-	"log"
-	"os/exec"
 )
 
 // JoinNetwork - helps a client join a network
@@ -185,6 +186,10 @@ func JoinNetwork(cfg config.ClientConfig, privateKey string) error {
 		if err != nil {
 			return err
 		}
+		// attempt to make backup
+		if err = config.SaveBackup(node.Network); err != nil {
+			ncutils.Log("failed to make backup, node will not auto restore if config is corrupted")
+		}
 	}
 
 	ncutils.Log("retrieving peers")
diff --git a/netclient/netclient.syso b/netclient/windowsdata/netclient.syso
similarity index 100%
rename from netclient/netclient.syso
rename to netclient/windowsdata/netclient.syso