diff --git a/CHANGELOG b/CHANGELOG
index f321c9c32a1..417bd3c2b4d 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG
+++ b/CHANGELOG
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 v 7.6.0
   - Fork repository to groups
   - New rugged version
-  -
+  - Add CRON=1 backup setting for quiet backups
   -
   -
   -
diff --git a/doc/raketasks/backup_restore.md b/doc/raketasks/backup_restore.md
index d2f0d6e7bc1..68e8a14f52f 100644
--- a/doc/raketasks/backup_restore.md
+++ b/doc/raketasks/backup_restore.md
@@ -203,5 +203,8 @@ Add the following lines at the bottom:
 
 ```
 # Create a full backup of the GitLab repositories and SQL database every day at 4am
-0 4 * * * cd /home/git/gitlab && PATH=/usr/local/bin:/usr/bin:/bin bundle exec rake gitlab:backup:create RAILS_ENV=production
+0 4 * * * cd /home/git/gitlab && PATH=/usr/local/bin:/usr/bin:/bin bundle exec rake gitlab:backup:create RAILS_ENV=production CRON=1
 ```
+
+The `CRON=1` environment setting tells the backup script to suppress all progress output if there are no errors.
+This is recommended to reduce cron spam.
diff --git a/lib/backup/database.rb b/lib/backup/database.rb
index ea659e3b605..9ab6aca276d 100644
--- a/lib/backup/database.rb
+++ b/lib/backup/database.rb
@@ -13,10 +13,10 @@ module Backup
     def dump
       success = case config["adapter"]
       when /^mysql/ then
-        print "Dumping MySQL database #{config['database']} ... "
+        $progress.print "Dumping MySQL database #{config['database']} ... "
         system('mysqldump', *mysql_args, config['database'], out: db_file_name)
       when "postgresql" then
-        print "Dumping PostgreSQL database #{config['database']} ... "
+        $progress.print "Dumping PostgreSQL database #{config['database']} ... "
         pg_env
         system('pg_dump', config['database'], out: db_file_name)
       end
@@ -27,10 +27,10 @@ module Backup
     def restore
       success = case config["adapter"]
       when /^mysql/ then
-        print "Restoring MySQL database #{config['database']} ... "
+        $progress.print "Restoring MySQL database #{config['database']} ... "
         system('mysql', *mysql_args, config['database'], in: db_file_name)
       when "postgresql" then
-        print "Restoring PostgreSQL database #{config['database']} ... "
+        $progress.print "Restoring PostgreSQL database #{config['database']} ... "
         # Drop all tables because PostgreSQL DB dumps do not contain DROP TABLE
         # statements like MySQL.
         Rake::Task["gitlab:db:drop_all_tables"].invoke
@@ -69,9 +69,9 @@ module Backup
 
     def report_success(success)
       if success
-        puts '[DONE]'.green
+        $progress.puts '[DONE]'.green
       else
-        puts '[FAILED]'.red
+        $progress.puts '[FAILED]'.red
       end
     end
   end
diff --git a/lib/backup/manager.rb b/lib/backup/manager.rb
index 03fe0f0b02f..ab8db4e9837 100644
--- a/lib/backup/manager.rb
+++ b/lib/backup/manager.rb
@@ -18,11 +18,11 @@ module Backup
       end
 
       # create archive
-      print "Creating backup archive: #{tar_file} ... "
+      $progress.print "Creating backup archive: #{tar_file} ... "
       if Kernel.system('tar', '-cf', tar_file, *BACKUP_CONTENTS)
-        puts "done".green
+        $progress.puts "done".green
       else
-        puts "failed".red
+        puts "creating archive #{tar_file} failed".red
         abort 'Backup failed'
       end
 
@@ -31,37 +31,37 @@ module Backup
 
     def upload(tar_file)
       remote_directory = Gitlab.config.backup.upload.remote_directory
-      print "Uploading backup archive to remote storage #{remote_directory} ... "
+      $progress.print "Uploading backup archive to remote storage #{remote_directory} ... "
 
       connection_settings = Gitlab.config.backup.upload.connection
       if connection_settings.blank?
-        puts "skipped".yellow
+        $progress.puts "skipped".yellow
         return
       end
 
       connection = ::Fog::Storage.new(connection_settings)
       directory = connection.directories.get(remote_directory)
       if directory.files.create(key: tar_file, body: File.open(tar_file), public: false)
-        puts "done".green
+        $progress.puts "done".green
       else
-        puts "failed".red
+        puts "uploading backup to #{remote_directory} failed".red
         abort 'Backup failed'
       end
     end
 
     def cleanup
-      print "Deleting tmp directories ... "
+      $progress.print "Deleting tmp directories ... "
       if Kernel.system('rm', '-rf', *BACKUP_CONTENTS)
-        puts "done".green
+        $progress.puts "done".green
       else
-        puts "failed".red
+        puts "deleting tmp directory failed".red
         abort 'Backup failed'
       end
     end
 
     def remove_old
       # delete backups
-      print "Deleting old backups ... "
+      $progress.print "Deleting old backups ... "
       keep_time = Gitlab.config.backup.keep_time.to_i
       path = Gitlab.config.backup.path
 
@@ -76,9 +76,9 @@ module Backup
             end
           end
         end
-        puts "done. (#{removed} removed)".green
+        $progress.puts "done. (#{removed} removed)".green
       else
-        puts "skipping".yellow
+        $progress.puts "skipping".yellow
       end
     end
 
@@ -101,12 +101,12 @@ module Backup
         exit 1
       end
 
-      print "Unpacking backup ... "
+      $progress.print "Unpacking backup ... "
       unless Kernel.system(*%W(tar -xf #{tar_file}))
-        puts "failed".red
+        puts "unpacking backup failed".red
         exit 1
       else
-        puts "done".green
+        $progress.puts "done".green
       end
 
       settings = YAML.load_file("backup_information.yml")
diff --git a/lib/backup/repository.rb b/lib/backup/repository.rb
index faa1b3b4099..f39fba23cf5 100644
--- a/lib/backup/repository.rb
+++ b/lib/backup/repository.rb
@@ -8,19 +8,21 @@ module Backup
       prepare
 
       Project.find_each(batch_size: 1000) do |project|
-        print " * #{project.path_with_namespace} ... "
+        $progress.print " * #{project.path_with_namespace} ... "
 
         # Create namespace dir if missing
         FileUtils.mkdir_p(File.join(backup_repos_path, project.namespace.path)) if project.namespace
 
         if project.empty_repo?
-          puts "[SKIPPED]".cyan
+          $progress.puts "[SKIPPED]".cyan
         else
-          output, status = Gitlab::Popen.popen(%W(git --git-dir=#{path_to_repo(project)} bundle create #{path_to_bundle(project)} --all))
+          cmd = %W(git --git-dir=#{path_to_repo(project)} bundle create #{path_to_bundle(project)} --all)
+          output, status = Gitlab::Popen.popen(cmd)
           if status.zero?
-            puts "[DONE]".green
+            $progress.puts "[DONE]".green
           else
             puts "[FAILED]".red
+            puts "failed: #{cmd.join(' ')}"
             puts output
             abort 'Backup failed'
           end
@@ -29,15 +31,17 @@ module Backup
         wiki = ProjectWiki.new(project)
 
         if File.exists?(path_to_repo(wiki))
-          print " * #{wiki.path_with_namespace} ... "
+          $progress.print " * #{wiki.path_with_namespace} ... "
           if wiki.repository.empty?
-            puts " [SKIPPED]".cyan
+            $progress.puts " [SKIPPED]".cyan
           else
-            output, status = Gitlab::Popen.popen(%W(git --git-dir=#{path_to_repo(wiki)} bundle create #{path_to_bundle(wiki)} --all))
+            cmd = %W(git --git-dir=#{path_to_repo(wiki)} bundle create #{path_to_bundle(wiki)} --all)
+            output, status = Gitlab::Popen.popen(cmd)
             if status.zero?
-              puts " [DONE]".green
+              $progress.puts " [DONE]".green
             else
               puts " [FAILED]".red
+              puts "failed: #{cmd.join(' ')}"
               abort 'Backup failed'
             end
           end
@@ -55,7 +59,7 @@ module Backup
       FileUtils.mkdir_p(repos_path)
 
       Project.find_each(batch_size: 1000) do |project|
-        print "#{project.path_with_namespace} ... "
+        $progress.print "#{project.path_with_namespace} ... "
 
         project.namespace.ensure_dir_exist if project.namespace
 
@@ -66,30 +70,35 @@ module Backup
         end
 
         if system(*cmd, silent)
-          puts "[DONE]".green
+          $progress.puts "[DONE]".green
         else
           puts "[FAILED]".red
+          puts "failed: #{cmd.join(' ')}"
           abort 'Restore failed'
         end
 
         wiki = ProjectWiki.new(project)
 
         if File.exists?(path_to_bundle(wiki))
-          print " * #{wiki.path_with_namespace} ... "
-          if system(*%W(git clone --bare #{path_to_bundle(wiki)} #{path_to_repo(wiki)}), silent)
-            puts " [DONE]".green
+          $progress.print " * #{wiki.path_with_namespace} ... "
+          cmd = %W(git clone --bare #{path_to_bundle(wiki)} #{path_to_repo(wiki)})
+          if system(*cmd, silent)
+            $progress.puts " [DONE]".green
           else
             puts " [FAILED]".red
+            puts "failed: #{cmd.join(' ')}"
             abort 'Restore failed'
           end
         end
       end
 
-      print 'Put GitLab hooks in repositories dirs'.yellow
-      if system("#{Gitlab.config.gitlab_shell.path}/bin/create-hooks")
-        puts " [DONE]".green
+      $progress.print 'Put GitLab hooks in repositories dirs'.yellow
+      cmd = "#{Gitlab.config.gitlab_shell.path}/bin/create-hooks"
+      if system(cmd)
+        $progress.puts " [DONE]".green
       else
         puts " [FAILED]".red
+        puts "failed: #{cmd}"
       end
 
     end
diff --git a/lib/tasks/gitlab/backup.rake b/lib/tasks/gitlab/backup.rake
index 2eff1260b61..0230fbb010b 100644
--- a/lib/tasks/gitlab/backup.rake
+++ b/lib/tasks/gitlab/backup.rake
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@ namespace :gitlab do
     desc "GITLAB | Create a backup of the GitLab system"
     task create: :environment do
       warn_user_is_not_gitlab
+      configure_cron_mode
 
       Rake::Task["gitlab:backup:db:create"].invoke
       Rake::Task["gitlab:backup:repo:create"].invoke
@@ -21,6 +22,7 @@ namespace :gitlab do
     desc "GITLAB | Restore a previously created backup"
     task restore: :environment do
       warn_user_is_not_gitlab
+      configure_cron_mode
 
       backup = Backup::Manager.new
       backup.unpack
@@ -35,43 +37,54 @@ namespace :gitlab do
 
     namespace :repo do
       task create: :environment do
-        puts "Dumping repositories ...".blue
+        $progress.puts "Dumping repositories ...".blue
         Backup::Repository.new.dump
-        puts "done".green
+        $progress.puts "done".green
       end
 
       task restore: :environment do
-        puts "Restoring repositories ...".blue
+        $progress.puts "Restoring repositories ...".blue
         Backup::Repository.new.restore
-        puts "done".green
+        $progress.puts "done".green
       end
     end
 
     namespace :db do
       task create: :environment do
-        puts "Dumping database ... ".blue
+        $progress.puts "Dumping database ... ".blue
         Backup::Database.new.dump
-        puts "done".green
+        $progress.puts "done".green
       end
 
       task restore: :environment do
-        puts "Restoring database ... ".blue
+        $progress.puts "Restoring database ... ".blue
         Backup::Database.new.restore
-        puts "done".green
+        $progress.puts "done".green
       end
     end
 
     namespace :uploads do
       task create: :environment do
-        puts "Dumping uploads ... ".blue
+        $progress.puts "Dumping uploads ... ".blue
         Backup::Uploads.new.dump
-        puts "done".green
+        $progress.puts "done".green
       end
 
       task restore: :environment do
-        puts "Restoring uploads ... ".blue
+        $progress.puts "Restoring uploads ... ".blue
         Backup::Uploads.new.restore
-        puts "done".green
+        $progress.puts "done".green
+      end
+    end
+
+    def configure_cron_mode
+      if ENV['CRON']
+        # We need an object we can say 'puts' and 'print' to; let's use a
+        # StringIO.
+        require 'stringio'
+        $progress = StringIO.new
+      else
+        $progress = $stdout
       end
     end
   end # namespace end: backup