diff --git a/NEWS b/NEWS
index 298aa2ca..12afca76 100644
--- a/NEWS
+++ b/NEWS
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-2020.05.23 - GNU nano 4.9.3 "Almendras"
+s2020.05.23 - GNU nano 4.9.3 "Almendras"
 • One more bug introduced in version 4.9 is fixed: a crash when
   the terminal screen is resized while at a lock-file prompt.
 
diff --git a/src/files.c b/src/files.c
index 0fe94d73..41ee6570 100644
--- a/src/files.c
+++ b/src/files.c
@@ -1797,7 +1797,7 @@ bool write_file(const char *name, FILE *thefile, bool tmp,
 	/* When the user requested a backup, we do this only if the file exists and
 	 * isn't temporary AND the file has not been modified by someone else since
 	 * we opened it (or we are appending/prepending or writing a selection). */
-	if (is_existing_file && openfile->statinfo &&
+	if (is_existing_file && !ISSET(RESTRICTED) && openfile->statinfo &&
 						(openfile->statinfo->st_mtime == st.st_mtime ||
 						method != OVERWRITE || openfile->mark)) {
 		if (!backup_file(realname, &backupname))