diff --git a/roles/backup_client/defaults/main.yml b/roles/backup_client/defaults/main.yml
index d790dd4bacfb107dd7132eac6a14ad38e13affed..43aa702b633c4f8848c1997800cecf2fb311d71f 100644
--- a/roles/backup_client/defaults/main.yml
+++ b/roles/backup_client/defaults/main.yml
@@ -2,5 +2,6 @@
 
 backup_additional_encryption_keys: []
 backup_client_username: "bak-{{ ansible_fqdn | replace('.', '_') }}"
+backup_patterns: []
 backup_server_destination: //duplicity
 backup_server_port: 2222