diff --git a/aleksis/core/tasks.py b/aleksis/core/tasks.py
index f391fe05bd6dfd82eaf3e84ddb222bf322881b5f..863bf7e42839a7b79e674f7175b242228256d2d3 100644
--- a/aleksis/core/tasks.py
+++ b/aleksis/core/tasks.py
@@ -19,11 +19,13 @@ def send_notification(notification: int, resend: bool = False) -> None:
 def backup_data() -> None:
     """Backup database and media using django-dbbackup."""
     # Assemble command-line options for dbbackup management command
-    db_options = "-z " * settings.DBBACKUP_COMPRESS_DB + "-e" * settings.DBBACKUP_ENCRYPT_DB
-    media_options = (
-        "-z " * settings.DBBACKUP_COMPRESS_MEDIA + "-e" * settings.DBBACKUP_ENCRYPT_MEDIA
+    db_options = (["-z"] if settings.DBBACKUP_COMPRESS_DB else []) + (
+        ["-e"] if settings.DBBACKUP_ENCRYPT_DB else []
+    )
+    media_options = (["-z"] if settings.DBBACKUP_COMPRESS_MEDIA else []) + (
+        ["-e"] if settings.DBBACKUP_ENCRYPT_MEDIA else []
     )
 
     # Hand off to dbbackup's management commands
-    management.call_command("dbbackup", db_options)
-    management.call_command("mediabackup", media_options)
+    management.call_command("dbbackup", *db_options)
+    management.call_command("mediabackup", *media_options)