diff --git a/roles/independent_backup-to-usb/files/backup-to-usb.python b/roles/independent_backup-to-usb/files/backup-to-usb.python
index 0ace95ba..41a341d8 100644
--- a/roles/independent_backup-to-usb/files/backup-to-usb.python
+++ b/roles/independent_backup-to-usb/files/backup-to-usb.python
@@ -40,10 +40,11 @@ def main():
     print("Starting synchronization...")
     try:
         rsync_command = [
-            "rsync", "-abP", "--delete", "--delete-excluded",
-            "--link-dest=" + previous_version_path,
-            source_path, current_version_path
+            "rsync", "-abP", "--delete", "--delete-excluded"
         ]
+        if previous_version_path is not None:
+            rsync_command.append("--link-dest=" + previous_version_path)
+        rsync_command.extend([source_path, current_version_path])
         rsync_output = subprocess.check_output(rsync_command, stderr=subprocess.STDOUT, text=True)
         
         print(rsync_output)