diff --git a/backupninja-backup-pipeline.groovy b/backupninja-backup-pipeline.groovy
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..80467d4
--- /dev/null
+++ b/backupninja-backup-pipeline.groovy
@@ -0,0 +1,62 @@
+def common = new com.mirantis.mk.Common()
+def salt = new com.mirantis.mk.Salt()
+def python = new com.mirantis.mk.Python()
+def pepperEnv = "pepperEnv"
+
+timeout(time: 12, unit: 'HOURS') {
+    node() {
+        stage('Setup virtualenv for Pepper') {
+            python.setupPepperVirtualenv(pepperEnv, SALT_MASTER_URL, SALT_MASTER_CREDENTIALS)
+        }
+        stage('Check backup location') {
+            try{
+              backupNode = salt.getMinions(pepperEnv, "I@backupninja:client")[0]
+              salt.minionsReachable(pepperEnv, "I@salt:master", backupNode)
+            }
+            catch (Exception e) {
+                common.errorMsg(e.getMessage())
+                common.errorMsg("Pipeline wasn't able to detect backupninja:client pillar or the minion is not reachable")
+                currentBuild.result = "FAILURE"
+                return
+            }
+            try{
+              backupServer = salt.getMinions(pepperEnv, "I@backupninja:server")[0]
+              salt.minionsReachable(pepperEnv, "I@salt:master", backupServer)
+            }
+            catch (Exception e) {
+                common.errorMsg(e.getMessage())
+                common.errorMsg("Pipeline wasn't able to detect backupninja:server pillar or the minion is not reachable")
+                currentBuild.result = "FAILURE"
+                return
+            }
+        }
+        stage ('Prepare for backup') {
+                salt.enforceState(['saltId': pepperEnv, 'target': 'I@backupninja:server', 'state': 'backupninja'])
+                salt.enforceState(['saltId': pepperEnv, 'target': 'I@backupninja:client', 'state': 'backupninja'])
+        }
+        stage('Backup') {
+            def output = salt.getReturnValues(salt.cmdRun(pepperEnv, backupNode, "su root -c 'backupninja --now -d'")).readLines()[-2]
+            def outputPattern = java.util.regex.Pattern.compile("\\d+")
+            def outputMatcher = outputPattern.matcher(output)
+              if (outputMatcher.find()) {
+                  try{
+                  result = outputMatcher.getAt([0,1,2,3])
+                  }
+                  catch (Exception e){
+                    common.errorMsg(e.getMessage())
+                    common.errorMsg("Parsing failed.")
+                    currentBuild.result = "FAILURE"
+                    return
+                  }
+            }
+            if (result[1] != null && result[1] instanceof String && result[1].isInteger() && (result[1].toInteger() < 1)){
+              common.successMsg("Backup successfully finished " + result[1] + " fatals, " + result[2] + " errors " + result[3] +" warnings.")
+            }
+            else {
+                common.errorMsg("Backup failed. Found " + result[1] + " fatals, " + result[2] + " errors " + result[3] +" warnings.")
+                currentBuild.result = "FAILURE"
+                return
+            }
+        }
+    }
+}
diff --git a/upgrade-mcp-release.groovy b/upgrade-mcp-release.groovy
index b42ec7e..9baaa31 100644
--- a/upgrade-mcp-release.groovy
+++ b/upgrade-mcp-release.groovy
@@ -307,6 +307,10 @@
             }
             python.setupPepperVirtualenv(venvPepper, saltMastURL, saltMastCreds)
             def minions = salt.getMinions(venvPepper, '*')
+            def cluster_name = salt.getPillar(venvPepper, 'I@salt:master', "_param:cluster_name").get("return")[0].values()[0]
+            if (cluster_name == '' || cluster_name == 'null' || cluster_name == null) {
+                error('Pillar data is broken for Salt master node! Please check it manually and re-run pipeline.')
+            }
 
             stage('Update Reclass and Salt-Formulas') {
                 common.infoMsg('Perform: Full salt sync')
@@ -317,7 +321,6 @@
                 common.infoMsg('Perform: archiveReclassInventory before upgrade')
                 archiveReclassInventory(inventoryBeforeFilename)
 
-                def cluster_name = salt.getPillar(venvPepper, 'I@salt:master', '_param:cluster_name').get('return')[0].values()[0]
                 try {
                     salt.cmdRun(venvPepper, 'I@salt:master', 'cd /srv/salt/reclass/ && git status && git diff-index --quiet HEAD --')
                 }