diff --git a/cmd/micro/micro.go b/cmd/micro/micro.go
index 70b940bf..775301ee 100644
--- a/cmd/micro/micro.go
+++ b/cmd/micro/micro.go
@@ -489,8 +489,6 @@ func DoEvent() {
 		}
 	case f := <-timerChan:
 		f()
-	case b := <-buffer.BackupCompleteChan:
-		b.RequestedBackup = false
 	case <-sighup:
 		exit(0)
 	case <-util.Sigterm:
diff --git a/internal/buffer/backup.go b/internal/buffer/backup.go
index 941ac04f..8b728ec6 100644
--- a/internal/buffer/backup.go
+++ b/internal/buffer/backup.go
@@ -34,20 +34,49 @@ Options: [r]ecover, [i]gnore, [a]bort: `
 
 const backupSeconds = 8
 
-var BackupCompleteChan chan *SharedBuffer
+type backupRequestType int
+
+const (
+	backupCreate = iota
+	backupRemove
+)
+
+type backupRequest struct {
+	buf     *SharedBuffer
+	reqType backupRequestType
+}
+
+var requestedBackups map[*SharedBuffer]bool
 
 func init() {
-	BackupCompleteChan = make(chan *SharedBuffer, 10)
+	requestedBackups = make(map[*SharedBuffer]bool)
 }
 
 func (b *SharedBuffer) RequestBackup() {
-	if !b.RequestedBackup {
-		select {
-		case backupRequestChan <- b:
-		default:
-			// channel is full
+	backupRequestChan <- backupRequest{buf: b, reqType: backupCreate}
+}
+
+func (b *SharedBuffer) CancelBackup() {
+	backupRequestChan <- backupRequest{buf: b, reqType: backupRemove}
+}
+
+func handleBackupRequest(br backupRequest) {
+	switch br.reqType {
+	case backupCreate:
+		// schedule periodic backup
+		requestedBackups[br.buf] = true
+	case backupRemove:
+		br.buf.RemoveBackup()
+		delete(requestedBackups, br.buf)
+	}
+}
+
+func periodicBackup() {
+	for buf := range requestedBackups {
+		err := buf.Backup()
+		if err == nil {
+			delete(requestedBackups, buf)
 		}
-		b.RequestedBackup = true
 	}
 }
 
@@ -77,9 +106,6 @@ func (b *SharedBuffer) Backup() error {
 	name := util.DetermineEscapePath(backupdir, b.AbsPath)
 	if _, err := os.Stat(name); errors.Is(err, fs.ErrNotExist) {
 		_, err = b.overwriteFile(name)
-		if err == nil {
-			BackupCompleteChan <- b
-		}
 		return err
 	}
 
@@ -95,8 +121,6 @@ func (b *SharedBuffer) Backup() error {
 		return err
 	}
 
-	BackupCompleteChan <- b
-
 	return err
 }
 
diff --git a/internal/buffer/buffer.go b/internal/buffer/buffer.go
index 9bd7ecfa..bc33abfd 100644
--- a/internal/buffer/buffer.go
+++ b/internal/buffer/buffer.go
@@ -13,7 +13,6 @@ import (
 	"strconv"
 	"strings"
 	"sync"
-	"sync/atomic"
 	"time"
 
 	luar "layeh.com/gopher-luar"
@@ -101,7 +100,6 @@ type SharedBuffer struct {
 	diffLock          sync.RWMutex
 	diff              map[int]DiffStatus
 
-	RequestedBackup bool
 	forceKeepBackup bool
 
 	// ReloadDisabled allows the user to disable reloads if they
@@ -123,8 +121,6 @@ type SharedBuffer struct {
 
 	// Hash of the original buffer -- empty if fastdirty is on
 	origHash [md5.Size]byte
-
-	fini int32
 }
 
 func (b *SharedBuffer) insert(pos Loc, value []byte) {
@@ -495,13 +491,11 @@ func (b *Buffer) Fini() {
 	if !b.Modified() {
 		b.Serialize()
 	}
-	b.RemoveBackup()
+	b.CancelBackup()
 
 	if b.Type == BTStdout {
 		fmt.Fprint(util.Stdout, string(b.Bytes()))
 	}
-
-	atomic.StoreInt32(&(b.fini), int32(1))
 }
 
 // GetName returns the name that should be displayed in the statusline
diff --git a/internal/buffer/save.go b/internal/buffer/save.go
index aaab39ba..d2cd3533 100644
--- a/internal/buffer/save.go
+++ b/internal/buffer/save.go
@@ -11,7 +11,6 @@ import (
 	"os/signal"
 	"path/filepath"
 	"runtime"
-	"sync/atomic"
 	"time"
 	"unicode"
 
@@ -47,11 +46,14 @@ type saveRequest struct {
 }
 
 var saveRequestChan chan saveRequest
-var backupRequestChan chan *SharedBuffer
+var backupRequestChan chan backupRequest
 
 func init() {
-	saveRequestChan = make(chan saveRequest, 10)
-	backupRequestChan = make(chan *SharedBuffer, 10)
+	// Both saveRequestChan and backupRequestChan need to be non-buffered
+	// so the save/backup goroutine receives both save and backup requests
+	// in the same order the main goroutine sends them.
+	saveRequestChan = make(chan saveRequest)
+	backupRequestChan = make(chan backupRequest)
 
 	go func() {
 		duration := backupSeconds * float64(time.Second)
@@ -62,14 +64,10 @@ func init() {
 			case sr := <-saveRequestChan:
 				size, err := sr.buf.safeWrite(sr.path, sr.withSudo, sr.newFile)
 				sr.saveResponseChan <- saveResponse{size, err}
+			case br := <-backupRequestChan:
+				handleBackupRequest(br)
 			case <-backupTicker.C:
-				for len(backupRequestChan) > 0 {
-					b := <-backupRequestChan
-					bfini := atomic.LoadInt32(&(b.fini)) != 0
-					if !bfini {
-						b.Backup()
-					}
-				}
+				periodicBackup()
 			}
 		}
 	}()
@@ -380,6 +378,9 @@ func (b *SharedBuffer) safeWrite(path string, withSudo bool, newFile bool) (int,
 		return 0, err
 	}
 
+	// Backup saved, so cancel pending periodic backup, if any
+	delete(requestedBackups, b)
+
 	b.forceKeepBackup = true
 	size := 0
 	{