diff --git a/update_gerrit_users.py b/update_gerrit_users.py
index 11b1054..0414230 100755
--- a/update_gerrit_users.py
+++ b/update_gerrit_users.py
@@ -83,7 +83,7 @@
 
 db_backup_file = "%s.%s.sql" % (DB_DB, datetime.isoformat(datetime.now()))
 db_backup_path = os.path.join(GERRIT_BACKUP_PATH, db_backup_file)
-retval = os.system("mysqldump --opt -u%s -p%s %s > %s" %
+retval = os.system("mysqldump --opt -u%s -p%s %s | gzip -9 > %s.gz" %
                      (DB_USER, DB_PASS, DB_DB, db_backup_path))
 if retval != 0:
   print "Problem taking a db dump, aborting db update"
diff --git a/update_users.py b/update_users.py
index 6ebf7b1..5ff654b 100644
--- a/update_users.py
+++ b/update_users.py
@@ -79,7 +79,7 @@
 def make_db_backup():
   db_backup_file = "%s.%s.sql" % (DB_DB, datetime.isoformat(datetime.now()))
   db_backup_path = os.path.join(GERRIT_BACKUP_PATH, db_backup_file)
-  retval = os.system("mysqldump --opt -u%s -p%s %s > %s" %
+  retval = os.system("mysqldump --opt -u%s -p%s %s | gzip -9 > %s.gz" %
                        (DB_USER, DB_PASS, DB_DB, db_backup_path))
   if retval != 0:
     logger.error("Problem taking a db dump, aborting db update")