diff --git a/go/cmd/dolt/commands/backup.go b/go/cmd/dolt/commands/backup.go
index 7a9e25f0a8..71735eff95 100644
--- a/go/cmd/dolt/commands/backup.go
+++ b/go/cmd/dolt/commands/backup.go
@@ -112,6 +112,13 @@ func (cmd BackupCmd) Exec(ctx context.Context, commandStr string, args []string,
 
 	var verr errhand.VerboseError
 
+	// All the sub commands except `restore` require a valid environment
+	if apr.NArg() == 0 || apr.Arg(0) != cli.RestoreBackupId {
+		if !cli.CheckEnvIsValid(dEnv) {
+			return 2
+		}
+	}
+
 	switch {
 	case apr.NArg() == 0:
 		verr = printBackups(dEnv, apr)
diff --git a/integration-tests/bats/backup.bats b/integration-tests/bats/backup.bats
index d8624904ad..bcf8bdc05f 100644
--- a/integration-tests/bats/backup.bats
+++ b/integration-tests/bats/backup.bats
@@ -32,6 +32,10 @@ teardown() {
     [ "$status" -eq 0 ]
     [ "${#lines[@]}" -eq 1 ]
     [[ "$output" =~ "bac1" ]] || false
+
+    mkdir newdir && cd newdir
+    run dolt backup add bac1 file://../bac1
+    [ "$status" -ne 0 ]
 }
 
 @test "backup: remove named backup" {
@@ -48,6 +52,10 @@ teardown() {
     [ "$status" -eq 0 ]
     [ "${#lines[@]}" -eq 0 ]
     [[ ! "$output" =~ "bac1" ]] || false
+
+    mkdir newdir && cd newdir
+    run dolt backup remove bac1
+    [ "$status" -ne 0 ]
 }
 
 @test "backup: rm named backup" {
@@ -64,6 +72,10 @@ teardown() {
     [ "$status" -eq 0 ]
     [ "${#lines[@]}" -eq 0 ]
     [[ ! "$output" =~ "bac1" ]] || false
+
+    mkdir newdir && cd newdir
+    run dolt backup rm bac1
+    [ "$status" -ne 0 ]
 }
 
 @test "backup: removing a backup with the same name as a remote does not impact remote tracking refs" {
@@ -84,7 +96,7 @@ teardown() {
     dolt backup sync bac1
 
     cd ..
-    run dolt backup restore file://./bac1 repo2
+    dolt backup restore file://./bac1 repo2
     cd repo2
     run dolt ls
     [ "$status" -eq 0 ]
@@ -92,6 +104,12 @@ teardown() {
     [[ "$output" =~ "t1" ]] || false
 }
 
+@test "backup: sync in a non-dolt directory" {
+    mkdir newdir && cd newdir
+    run dolt backup sync bac1
+    [ "$status" -ne 0 ]
+}
+
 @test "backup: sync feature to backup" {
     cd repo1
     dolt backup add bac1 file://../bac1
@@ -251,3 +269,10 @@ teardown() {
     [ "${#lines[@]}" -eq 2 ]
     [[ "$output" =~ "t1" ]] || false
 }
+
+@test "backup: sync-url in a non-dolt directory" {
+    mkdir newdir && cd newdir
+    run dolt backup sync-url file://../bac1
+    [ "$status" -ne 0 ]
+}
+