diff --git a/cmd/backup/run_script.go b/cmd/backup/run_script.go
index 020cb2f1..51c6a04e 100644
--- a/cmd/backup/run_script.go
+++ b/cmd/backup/run_script.go
@@ -32,6 +32,10 @@ func runScript(c *Config) (err error) {
 
 	unlock, lockErr := s.lock("/var/lock/dockervolumebackup.lock")
 	if lockErr != nil {
+		if initErr := s.initNotificationsOnly(); initErr != nil {
+			err = errwrap.Wrap(initErr, "error initializing notifications")
+			return
+		}
 		err = errwrap.Wrap(lockErr, "error acquiring file lock")
 		return
 	}
diff --git a/cmd/backup/script.go b/cmd/backup/script.go
index e1f29da9..a7ffc0f9 100644
--- a/cmd/backup/script.go
+++ b/cmd/backup/script.go
@@ -219,6 +219,17 @@ func (s *script) init() error {
 		s.storages = append(s.storages, dropboxBackend)
 	}
 
+	if err := s.initNotificationsOnly(); err != nil {
+		return errwrap.Wrap(err, "error initializing configuration setup")
+	}
+
+	return nil
+}
+
+// initNotificationsOnly lives outside of the main init routine so that script
+// runs that fail early can try to send notifications without having to
+// invoke a full initialization
+func (s *script) initNotificationsOnly() error {
 	if s.c.EmailNotificationRecipient != "" {
 		emailURL := fmt.Sprintf(
 			"smtp://%s:%s@%s:%d/?from=%s&to=%s",
@@ -253,6 +264,7 @@ func (s *script) init() error {
 
 		tmpl := template.New("")
 		tmpl.Funcs(templateHelpers)
+		var err error
 		tmpl, err = tmpl.Parse(defaultNotifications)
 		if err != nil {
 			return errwrap.Wrap(err, "unable to parse default notifications templates")
@@ -281,6 +293,5 @@ func (s *script) init() error {
 			return s.notifySuccess()
 		})
 	}
-
 	return nil
 }