diff --git a/roles/mysql/tasks/main.yml b/roles/mysql/tasks/main.yml
index 541d690cc..bacad5b05 100644
--- a/roles/mysql/tasks/main.yml
+++ b/roles/mysql/tasks/main.yml
@@ -72,6 +72,7 @@
 - name: Copy pkg's /lib/systemd/system/mariadb.service to /etc/systemd/system/ to be customized
   copy:
     force: yes
+    backup: yes
     src: /lib/systemd/system/mariadb.service
     dest: /etc/systemd/system/
   when: mariadb_unit_file.stat.exists
@@ -94,7 +95,6 @@
 
 - name: Set systemd boot timeout to 180 seconds for slow machines, in /etc/systemd/system/mariadb.service
   lineinfile:
-    backup: yes
     path: /etc/systemd/system/mariadb.service
     insertafter: '^\[Service\]$'
     regexp: '^TimeoutStartSec='