diff --git a/VPS/restic-backup.sh b/VPS/restic-backup.sh
index dfeb0ac..b92cbe2 100755
--- a/VPS/restic-backup.sh
+++ b/VPS/restic-backup.sh
@@ -70,26 +70,28 @@ fi
 # Sleep to allow time for propagation
 sleep 60
 
+# Remove old and stale data
 if [ -z "$error_message" ]; then
-	restic check --verbose > check_output.log 2>&1
+        restic forget --verbose --prune --group-by tag --tag "$1" --keep-last "$backup_count" > forget_output.log 2>&1
 fi
 if [ $? -ne 0 ]; then
-	error_message="Restic check failed ! See log below.\n"
-	error_message="$error_message""Backup purge will not be run.\n\n"
-	error_message="$error_message""$(cat check_output.log)"
+        error_message="Restic forget failed ! See log bellow.\n\n"
+        error_message="$error_message""$(cat forget_output.log)"
+fi
+
+# Check repository status
+if [ -z "$error_message" ]; then
+        restic check --verbose > check_output.log 2>&1
+fi
+if [ $? -ne 0 ]; then
+        error_message="Restic check failed ! See log below.\n"
+        error_message="$error_message""Backup purge will not be run.\n\n"
+        error_message="$error_message""$(cat check_output.log)"
 fi
 
 # Clean up and remove old backups
 rm -rf temp/*
 
-if [ -z "$error_message" ]; then
-	restic forget --verbose --prune --group-by tag --tag "$1" --keep-last "$backup_count" > forget_output.log 2>&1
-fi
-if [ $? -ne 0 ]; then
-	error_message="Restic forget failed ! See log bellow.\n\n"
-	error_message="$error_message""$(cat forget_output.log)"
-fi
-
 
 if [ -n "$error_message" ]; then
 	echo -e "$error_message" | mail -aFrom:"$mail_sender" -s "[$(uname -n)] ⚠️ Backup error $(date +%D-%Hh%M)" "$mail_recipients"