diff --git a/backup_dc_from_db_cli/cli.py b/backup_dc_from_db_cli/cli.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..ae28316
--- /dev/null
+++ b/backup_dc_from_db_cli/cli.py
@@ -0,0 +1,63 @@
+import argparse
+import os
+import logging
+import datetime
+import sys
+
+from deltachat_rpc_client import DeltaChat, Rpc
+
+def main():
+    parser = argparse.ArgumentParser()
+    parser.add_argument(
+        "--db_path", type=str, default=os.getenv("HOME", ".") + "/.config/DeltaChat/accounts",
+        help="Path to DeltaChat directory",
+    )
+    parser.add_argument("--account", type=str, help="email address of the account to backup")
+    parser.add_argument("--output", type=str, help="output file name")
+    parser.add_argument(
+        "--passphrase", type=str, default=os.environ.get("DC_BACKUP_PASSPHRASE", ""),
+        help="passphrase to encrypt the backup file. environment variable: DC_BACKUP_PASSPHRASE"
+    )
+    parser.add_argument("-v", "--verbose", action="store_true", help="print logs")
+    args = parser.parse_args()
+
+    if args.verbose:
+        logging.basicConfig(level=logging.INFO)
+
+    path = os.environ.get("PATH")
+    venv_path = sys.argv[0].strip("backup-dc-from-db-cli")
+    os.environ["PATH"] = path + ":" + venv_path
+
+    with Rpc(accounts_dir=args.db_path) as rpc:
+        deltachat = DeltaChat(rpc)
+        system_info = deltachat.get_system_info()
+        logging.info("Running deltachat core %s", system_info.deltachat_core_version)
+
+        if not args.account:
+            print("Select an account:\n") 
+        accounts = deltachat.get_all_accounts()
+        i = 0
+        for ac in accounts:
+            addr = ac.get_config('addr')
+            if addr == args.account:
+                account = ac
+                break
+            else:
+                print(f"{i}: {addr}")
+        else:
+            try:
+                account = accounts[int(input("\nWhich account do you want to backup?"))]
+            except:
+                import pdb; pdb.set_trace()
+
+        if args.output:
+            output_filename = args.output
+        else:
+            timestamp = datetime.datetime.today().isoformat()[:10]
+            i = 0
+            output_filename = f"delta-chat-backup-{timestamp}-{i}-{account.get_config('addr')}.tar"
+        account.export_backup(output_filename, passphrase=args.passphrase)
+
+
+if __name__ == "__main__":
+    main()