diff --git a/src/cmds/restic/global.go b/src/cmds/restic/global.go
index ae3b59ecb..a41194a1c 100644
--- a/src/cmds/restic/global.go
+++ b/src/cmds/restic/global.go
@@ -322,7 +322,7 @@ func open(s string) (restic.Backend, error) {
 	switch loc.Scheme {
 	case "local":
 		debug.Log("opening local repository at %#v", loc.Config)
-		be, err = local.Open(loc.Config.(string))
+		be, err = local.Open(loc.Config.(local.Config))
 	case "sftp":
 		debug.Log("opening sftp repository at %#v", loc.Config)
 		be, err = sftp.OpenWithConfig(loc.Config.(sftp.Config))
@@ -362,7 +362,7 @@ func create(s string) (restic.Backend, error) {
 	switch loc.Scheme {
 	case "local":
 		debug.Log("create local repository at %#v", loc.Config)
-		return local.Create(loc.Config.(string))
+		return local.Create(loc.Config.(local.Config))
 	case "sftp":
 		debug.Log("create sftp repository at %#v", loc.Config)
 		return sftp.CreateWithConfig(loc.Config.(sftp.Config))
diff --git a/src/restic/backend/local/config.go b/src/restic/backend/local/config.go
index 8a5c67a2c..746accd27 100644
--- a/src/restic/backend/local/config.go
+++ b/src/restic/backend/local/config.go
@@ -6,11 +6,16 @@ import (
 	"restic/errors"
 )
 
+// Config holds all information needed to open a local repository.
+type Config struct {
+	Path string
+}
+
 // ParseConfig parses a local backend config.
 func ParseConfig(cfg string) (interface{}, error) {
 	if !strings.HasPrefix(cfg, "local:") {
 		return nil, errors.New(`invalid format, prefix "local" not found`)
 	}
 
-	return cfg[6:], nil
+	return Config{Path: cfg[6:]}, nil
 }
diff --git a/src/restic/backend/local/local.go b/src/restic/backend/local/local.go
index 03d812d99..510569654 100644
--- a/src/restic/backend/local/local.go
+++ b/src/restic/backend/local/local.go
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@ import (
 
 // Local is a backend in a local directory.
 type Local struct {
-	p string
+	Config
 }
 
 var _ restic.Backend = &Local{}
@@ -34,28 +34,28 @@ func paths(dir string) []string {
 }
 
 // Open opens the local backend as specified by config.
-func Open(dir string) (*Local, error) {
+func Open(cfg Config) (*Local, error) {
 	// test if all necessary dirs are there
-	for _, d := range paths(dir) {
+	for _, d := range paths(cfg.Path) {
 		if _, err := fs.Stat(d); err != nil {
 			return nil, errors.Wrap(err, "Open")
 		}
 	}
 
-	return &Local{p: dir}, nil
+	return &Local{Config: cfg}, nil
 }
 
 // Create creates all the necessary files and directories for a new local
 // backend at dir. Afterwards a new config blob should be created.
-func Create(dir string) (*Local, error) {
+func Create(cfg Config) (*Local, error) {
 	// test if config file already exists
-	_, err := fs.Lstat(filepath.Join(dir, backend.Paths.Config))
+	_, err := fs.Lstat(filepath.Join(cfg.Path, backend.Paths.Config))
 	if err == nil {
 		return nil, errors.New("config file already exists")
 	}
 
 	// create paths for data, refs and temp
-	for _, d := range paths(dir) {
+	for _, d := range paths(cfg.Path) {
 		err := fs.MkdirAll(d, backend.Modes.Dir)
 		if err != nil {
 			return nil, errors.Wrap(err, "MkdirAll")
@@ -63,12 +63,12 @@ func Create(dir string) (*Local, error) {
 	}
 
 	// open backend
-	return Open(dir)
+	return Open(cfg)
 }
 
 // Location returns this backend's location (the directory name).
 func (b *Local) Location() string {
-	return b.p
+	return b.Path
 }
 
 // Construct path for given Type and name.
@@ -132,13 +132,13 @@ func (b *Local) Save(h restic.Handle, rd io.Reader) (err error) {
 		return err
 	}
 
-	tmpfile, err := copyToTempfile(filepath.Join(b.p, backend.Paths.Temp), rd)
+	tmpfile, err := copyToTempfile(filepath.Join(b.Path, backend.Paths.Temp), rd)
 	debug.Log("saved %v to %v", h, tmpfile)
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
 
-	filename := filename(b.p, h.Type, h.Name)
+	filename := filename(b.Path, h.Type, h.Name)
 
 	// test if new path already exists
 	if _, err := fs.Stat(filename); err == nil {
@@ -183,7 +183,7 @@ func (b *Local) Load(h restic.Handle, length int, offset int64) (io.ReadCloser,
 		return nil, errors.New("offset is negative")
 	}
 
-	f, err := os.Open(filename(b.p, h.Type, h.Name))
+	f, err := os.Open(filename(b.Path, h.Type, h.Name))
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, err
 	}
@@ -210,7 +210,7 @@ func (b *Local) Stat(h restic.Handle) (restic.FileInfo, error) {
 		return restic.FileInfo{}, err
 	}
 
-	fi, err := fs.Stat(filename(b.p, h.Type, h.Name))
+	fi, err := fs.Stat(filename(b.Path, h.Type, h.Name))
 	if err != nil {
 		return restic.FileInfo{}, errors.Wrap(err, "Stat")
 	}
@@ -221,7 +221,7 @@ func (b *Local) Stat(h restic.Handle) (restic.FileInfo, error) {
 // Test returns true if a blob of the given type and name exists in the backend.
 func (b *Local) Test(h restic.Handle) (bool, error) {
 	debug.Log("Test %v", h)
-	_, err := fs.Stat(filename(b.p, h.Type, h.Name))
+	_, err := fs.Stat(filename(b.Path, h.Type, h.Name))
 	if err != nil {
 		if os.IsNotExist(errors.Cause(err)) {
 			return false, nil
@@ -235,7 +235,7 @@ func (b *Local) Test(h restic.Handle) (bool, error) {
 // Remove removes the blob with the given name and type.
 func (b *Local) Remove(h restic.Handle) error {
 	debug.Log("Remove %v", h)
-	fn := filename(b.p, h.Type, h.Name)
+	fn := filename(b.Path, h.Type, h.Name)
 
 	// reset read-only flag
 	err := fs.Chmod(fn, 0666)
@@ -316,7 +316,7 @@ func (b *Local) List(t restic.FileType, done <-chan struct{}) <-chan string {
 	}
 
 	ch := make(chan string)
-	items, err := lister(filepath.Join(dirname(b.p, t, "")))
+	items, err := lister(filepath.Join(dirname(b.Path, t, "")))
 	if err != nil {
 		close(ch)
 		return ch
@@ -343,7 +343,7 @@ func (b *Local) List(t restic.FileType, done <-chan struct{}) <-chan string {
 // Delete removes the repository and all files.
 func (b *Local) Delete() error {
 	debug.Log("Delete()")
-	return fs.RemoveAll(b.p)
+	return fs.RemoveAll(b.Path)
 }
 
 // Close closes all open files.
diff --git a/src/restic/backend/local/local_test.go b/src/restic/backend/local/local_test.go
index 3bae88753..7e7440561 100644
--- a/src/restic/backend/local/local_test.go
+++ b/src/restic/backend/local/local_test.go
@@ -35,7 +35,7 @@ func init() {
 		if err != nil {
 			return nil, err
 		}
-		return local.Create(tempBackendDir)
+		return local.Create(local.Config{Path: tempBackendDir})
 	}
 
 	test.OpenFn = func() (restic.Backend, error) {
@@ -43,7 +43,7 @@ func init() {
 		if err != nil {
 			return nil, err
 		}
-		return local.Open(tempBackendDir)
+		return local.Open(local.Config{Path: tempBackendDir})
 	}
 
 	test.CleanupFn = func() error {
diff --git a/src/restic/location/location_test.go b/src/restic/location/location_test.go
index bb4ac64c9..2961ecd54 100644
--- a/src/restic/location/location_test.go
+++ b/src/restic/location/location_test.go
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@ import (
 	"reflect"
 	"testing"
 
+	"restic/backend/local"
 	"restic/backend/rest"
 	"restic/backend/s3"
 	"restic/backend/sftp"
@@ -23,12 +24,30 @@ var parseTests = []struct {
 	s string
 	u Location
 }{
-	{"local:/srv/repo", Location{Scheme: "local", Config: "/srv/repo"}},
-	{"local:dir1/dir2", Location{Scheme: "local", Config: "dir1/dir2"}},
-	{"local:dir1/dir2", Location{Scheme: "local", Config: "dir1/dir2"}},
-	{"dir1/dir2", Location{Scheme: "local", Config: "dir1/dir2"}},
-	{"local:../dir1/dir2", Location{Scheme: "local", Config: "../dir1/dir2"}},
-	{"/dir1/dir2", Location{Scheme: "local", Config: "/dir1/dir2"}},
+	{"local:/srv/repo", Location{Scheme: "local",
+		Config: local.Config{
+			Path: "/srv/repo",
+		}}},
+	{"local:dir1/dir2", Location{Scheme: "local",
+		Config: local.Config{
+			Path: "dir1/dir2",
+		}}},
+	{"local:dir1/dir2", Location{Scheme: "local",
+		Config: local.Config{
+			Path: "dir1/dir2",
+		}}},
+	{"dir1/dir2", Location{Scheme: "local",
+		Config: local.Config{
+			Path: "dir1/dir2",
+		}}},
+	{"local:../dir1/dir2", Location{Scheme: "local",
+		Config: local.Config{
+			Path: "../dir1/dir2",
+		}}},
+	{"/dir1/dir2", Location{Scheme: "local",
+		Config: local.Config{
+			Path: "/dir1/dir2",
+		}}},
 
 	{"sftp:user@host:/srv/repo", Location{Scheme: "sftp",
 		Config: sftp.Config{
diff --git a/src/restic/repository/testing.go b/src/restic/repository/testing.go
index 7650ad8b9..6f590e13a 100644
--- a/src/restic/repository/testing.go
+++ b/src/restic/repository/testing.go
@@ -67,7 +67,7 @@ func TestRepository(t testing.TB) (r restic.Repository, cleanup func()) {
 	if dir != "" {
 		_, err := os.Stat(dir)
 		if err != nil {
-			be, err := local.Create(dir)
+			be, err := local.Create(local.Config{Path: dir})
 			if err != nil {
 				t.Fatalf("error creating local backend at %v: %v", dir, err)
 			}
@@ -84,7 +84,7 @@ func TestRepository(t testing.TB) (r restic.Repository, cleanup func()) {
 
 // TestOpenLocal opens a local repository.
 func TestOpenLocal(t testing.TB, dir string) (r restic.Repository) {
-	be, err := local.Open(dir)
+	be, err := local.Open(local.Config{Path: dir})
 	if err != nil {
 		t.Fatal(err)
 	}