diff --git a/tailscale.sh b/tailscale.sh
index 79847a7..28d640a 100644
--- a/tailscale.sh
+++ b/tailscale.sh
@@ -82,12 +82,20 @@ fi
 popd > /dev/null
 rm -rf "${dir}"
 
-# copy in our overrides file if it doesn't already exist
-if ! test -f /etc/systemd/system/tailscaled.service.d/override.conf; then
-  mkdir -p /etc/systemd/system/tailscaled.service.d
-  cp -rf override.conf /etc/systemd/system/tailscaled.service.d/override.conf
+# if an override file already exists, back up and remove
+if test -f /etc/systemd/system/tailscaled.service.d/override.conf; then
+  echo
+  echo "Warning: An existing Tailscaled systemd override file was detected. It must be replaced."
+  echo "A backup of the existing file is being placed at /etc/systemd/system/tailscaled.service.d/override.conf.bak"
+  echo
+  cp -rf /etc/systemd/system/tailscaled.service.d/override.conf /etc/systemd/system/tailscaled.service.d/override.conf.bak
+  rm /etc/systemd/system/tailscaled.service.d/override.conf
 fi
 
+# copy our override file in
+mkdir -p /etc/systemd/system/tailscaled.service.d
+cp -rf override.conf /etc/systemd/system/tailscaled.service.d/override.conf
+
 echo "done."
 
 echo -n "Starting required services..."