diff --git a/nixos/modules/services/backup/borgbackup.nix b/nixos/modules/services/backup/borgbackup.nix
index 6804055a2940..2c307a701f3e 100644
--- a/nixos/modules/services/backup/borgbackup.nix
+++ b/nixos/modules/services/backup/borgbackup.nix
@@ -99,7 +99,18 @@ let
         BORG_REPO = cfg.repo;
         inherit (cfg) extraArgs extraInitArgs extraCreateArgs extraPruneArgs;
       } // (mkPassEnv cfg) // cfg.environment;
-      inherit (cfg) startAt;
+    };
+
+  mkBackupTimers = name: cfg:
+    nameValuePair "borgbackup-job-${name}" {
+      description = "BorgBackup job ${name} timer";
+      wantedBy = [ "timers.target" ];
+      timerConfig = {
+        Persistent = cfg.persistentTimer;
+        OnCalendar = cfg.startAt;
+      };
+      # if remote-backup wait for network
+      after = optional (cfg.persistentTimer && !isLocalPath cfg.repo) "network-online.target";
     };
 
   # utility function around makeWrapper
@@ -321,6 +332,19 @@ in {
             '';
           };
 
+          persistentTimer = mkOption {
+            default = false;
+            type = types.bool;
+            example = true;
+            description = literalDocBook ''
+              Set the <literal>persistentTimer</literal> option for the
+              <citerefentry><refentrytitle>systemd.timer</refentrytitle>
+              <manvolnum>5</manvolnum></citerefentry>
+              which triggers the backup immediately if the last trigger
+              was missed (e.g. if the system was powered down).
+            '';
+          };
+
           user = mkOption {
             type = types.str;
             description = ''
@@ -695,6 +719,10 @@ in {
         # A repo named "foo" is mapped to systemd.services.borgbackup-repo-foo
         // mapAttrs' mkRepoService repos;
 
+      # A job named "foo" is mapped to systemd.timers.borgbackup-job-foo
+      # only generate the timer if interval (startAt) is set
+      systemd.timers = mapAttrs' mkBackupTimers (filterAttrs (_: cfg: cfg.startAt != []) jobs);
+
       users = mkMerge (mapAttrsToList mkUsersConfig repos);
 
       environment.systemPackages = with pkgs; [ borgbackup ] ++ (mapAttrsToList mkBorgWrapper jobs);