diff --git a/cmd/micro/micro.go b/cmd/micro/micro.go
index 6d0cb1e6..c1ceb796 100644
--- a/cmd/micro/micro.go
+++ b/cmd/micro/micro.go
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@ import (
 	"log"
 	"os"
 	"os/signal"
+	"path/filepath"
 	"regexp"
 	"runtime"
 	"runtime/pprof"
@@ -222,6 +223,35 @@ func LoadInput(args []string) []*buffer.Buffer {
 	return buffers
 }
 
+func checkBackup(name string) error {
+	target := filepath.Join(config.ConfigDir, name)
+	backup := util.AppendBackupSuffix(target)
+	if info, err := os.Stat(backup); err == nil {
+		input, err := os.ReadFile(backup)
+		if err == nil {
+			t := info.ModTime()
+			msg := fmt.Sprintf(buffer.BackupMsg, t.Format("Mon Jan _2 at 15:04, 2006"), backup)
+			choice := screen.TermPrompt(msg, []string{"r", "i", "a", "recover", "ignore", "abort"}, true)
+
+			if choice%3 == 0 {
+				// recover
+				err := os.WriteFile(target, input, util.FileMode)
+				if err != nil {
+					return err
+				}
+				return os.Remove(backup)
+			} else if choice%3 == 1 {
+				// delete
+				return os.Remove(backup)
+			} else if choice%3 == 2 {
+				// abort
+				return errors.New("Aborted")
+			}
+		}
+	}
+	return nil
+}
+
 func exit(rc int) {
 	for _, b := range buffer.OpenBuffers {
 		if !b.Modified() {
@@ -269,6 +299,12 @@ func main() {
 	config.InitRuntimeFiles(true)
 	config.InitPlugins()
 
+	err = checkBackup("settings.json")
+	if err != nil {
+		screen.TermMessage(err)
+		exit(1)
+	}
+
 	err = config.ReadSettings()
 	if err != nil {
 		screen.TermMessage(err)
@@ -329,6 +365,12 @@ func main() {
 		screen.TermMessage(err)
 	}
 
+	err = checkBackup("bindings.json")
+	if err != nil {
+		screen.TermMessage(err)
+		exit(1)
+	}
+
 	action.InitBindings()
 	action.InitCommands()
 
diff --git a/internal/buffer/backup.go b/internal/buffer/backup.go
index 1e0d9518..2a05c38c 100644
--- a/internal/buffer/backup.go
+++ b/internal/buffer/backup.go
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@ import (
 	"github.com/zyedidia/micro/v2/internal/util"
 )
 
-const backupMsg = `A backup was detected for this file. This likely means that micro
+const BackupMsg = `A backup was detected for this file. This likely means that micro
 crashed while editing this file, or another instance of micro is currently
 editing this file.
 
@@ -131,7 +131,7 @@ func (b *Buffer) ApplyBackup(fsize int64) (bool, bool) {
 			if err == nil {
 				defer backup.Close()
 				t := info.ModTime()
-				msg := fmt.Sprintf(backupMsg, t.Format("Mon Jan _2 at 15:04, 2006"), backupfile)
+				msg := fmt.Sprintf(BackupMsg, t.Format("Mon Jan _2 at 15:04, 2006"), backupfile)
 				choice := screen.TermPrompt(msg, []string{"r", "i", "a", "recover", "ignore", "abort"}, true)
 
 				if choice%3 == 0 {