diff --git a/Dockerfile b/Dockerfile
index 5fa9ff7..bba7df5 100644
--- a/Dockerfile
+++ b/Dockerfile
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@ FROM alpine:3.23
 
 WORKDIR /root
 
-RUN apk add --no-cache ca-certificates && \
+RUN apk add --no-cache ca-certificates tzdata && \
   chmod a+rw /var/lock
 
 COPY --from=builder /app/cmd/backup/backup /usr/bin/backup
diff --git a/cmd/backup/command.go b/cmd/backup/command.go
index 10fa0e1..ee6ed59 100644
--- a/cmd/backup/command.go
+++ b/cmd/backup/command.go
@@ -36,6 +36,13 @@ func (c *command) runAsCommand() error {
 	}
 
 	for _, config := range configurations {
+		warnings, warnErr := config.timezoneDeprecationWarnings()
+		if warnErr != nil {
+			return errwrap.Wrap(warnErr, "error collecting startup warnings")
+		}
+		for _, w := range warnings {
+			c.logger.Warn(w)
+		}
 		if err := runScript(config); err != nil {
 			return errwrap.Wrap(err, "error running script")
 		}
@@ -102,6 +109,14 @@ func (c *command) schedule(strategy configStrategy) error {
 
 	for _, cfg := range configurations {
 		config := cfg
+		warnings, warnErr := config.timezoneDeprecationWarnings()
+		if warnErr != nil {
+			return errwrap.Wrap(warnErr, "error collecting startup warnings")
+		}
+		for _, w := range warnings {
+			c.logger.Warn(w)
+		}
+
 		id, err := c.cr.AddFunc(config.BackupCronExpression, func() {
 			c.logger.Info(
 				fmt.Sprintf(
diff --git a/cmd/backup/config.go b/cmd/backup/config.go
index 850909c..766848b 100644
--- a/cmd/backup/config.go
+++ b/cmd/backup/config.go
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@
 package main
 
 import (
+	"bufio"
 	"bytes"
 	"crypto/x509"
 	"encoding/pem"
@@ -97,6 +98,7 @@ type Config struct {
 	GoogleDriveImpersonateSubject        string          `split_words:"true"`
 	GoogleDriveEndpoint                  string          `split_words:"true"`
 	GoogleDriveTokenURL                  string          `split_words:"true"`
+	Timezone                             string          `envconfig:"TZ"`
 	source                               string
 	additionalEnvVars                    map[string]string
 }
@@ -322,3 +324,81 @@ func (c *Config) resolve() (reset func() error, warnings []string, err error) {
 	}
 	return
 }
+
+func mountedPaths(path string) (map[string]struct{}, error) {
+	file, err := os.Open(path)
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, err
+	}
+	defer func() { _ = file.Close() }()
+
+	mounts := make(map[string]struct{})
+	scanner := bufio.NewScanner(file)
+
+	for scanner.Scan() {
+		line := scanner.Text()
+		parts := strings.SplitN(line, " - ", 2)
+		fields := strings.Fields(parts[0])
+		if len(fields) < 5 {
+			continue
+		}
+		mounts[fields[4]] = struct{}{}
+	}
+
+	if err := scanner.Err(); err != nil {
+		return nil, err
+	}
+
+	return mounts, nil
+}
+
+func (c *Config) timezoneDeprecationWarnings() ([]string, error) {
+	mounts, err := mountedPaths("/proc/self/mountinfo")
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, errwrap.Wrap(err, "error reading mount info")
+	}
+
+	deprecatedMounts := []string{
+		"/etc/timezone",
+		"/etc/localtime",
+		"/usr/share/zoneinfo",
+	}
+
+	var found []string
+	for _, mnt := range deprecatedMounts {
+		if _, ok := mounts[mnt]; ok {
+			found = append(found, mnt)
+		}
+	}
+
+	if len(found) == 0 {
+		return nil, nil
+	}
+
+	var warnings []string
+
+	// Primary deprecation message (compressed)
+	warnings = append(warnings,
+		fmt.Sprintf(
+			"Deprecated timezone bind mounts detected: %s. Support for these will be removed in a future version.",
+			strings.Join(found, ", "),
+		),
+	)
+
+	// Guidance based on TZ usage
+	if c.Timezone == "" {
+		warnings = append(warnings,
+			"Set the container timezone using the `TZ` environment variable instead.",
+			"Refer to the documentation for migration details.",
+		)
+	} else {
+		warnings = append(warnings,
+			fmt.Sprintf(
+				"`TZ=%s` is set, but deprecated timezone bind mounts are still present. Remove the bind mounts after confirming timezone handling works as expected.",
+				c.Timezone,
+			),
+		)
+	}
+
+	return warnings, nil
+}
diff --git a/cmd/backup/print_config.go b/cmd/backup/print_config.go
index 69ca31d..10e36b0 100644
--- a/cmd/backup/print_config.go
+++ b/cmd/backup/print_config.go
@@ -34,6 +34,13 @@ func runPrintConfig() error {
 			for _, warning := range warnings {
 				fmt.Printf("warning:%s\n", warning)
 			}
+			timezoneWarnings, warnErr := config.timezoneDeprecationWarnings()
+			if warnErr != nil {
+				return errwrap.Wrap(warnErr, "error collecting timezone deprecation warnings")
+			}
+			for _, warning := range timezoneWarnings {
+				fmt.Printf("warning:%s\n", warning)
+			}
 			// insert line breaks before each field name, assuming field names start with uppercase letters
 			formatted := formatter.ReplaceAllString(fmt.Sprintf("%+v", *config), "\n$1")
 			fmt.Printf("%s\n", formatted)
diff --git a/docs/how-tos/set-container-timezone.md b/docs/how-tos/set-container-timezone.md
index 21b6983..b9bbfe7 100644
--- a/docs/how-tos/set-container-timezone.md
+++ b/docs/how-tos/set-container-timezone.md
@@ -1,26 +1,55 @@
 ---
-title: Set the timezone the container runs in
+title: Setting the Time Zone
 layout: default
 parent: How Tos
 nav_order: 8
 ---
 
-# Set the timezone the container runs in
+# Setting the Time Zone
 
-By default a container based on this image will run in the UTC timezone.
-As the image is designed to be as small as possible, additional timezone data is not included.
-In case you want to run your cron rules in your local timezone (respecting DST and similar), you can mount your Docker host's `/etc/timezone`, `/etc/localtime`, and `/usr/share/zoneinfo` in read-only mode:
+## Use Environment Variable `TZ`
+
+A container started using this image will default to UTC. To modify the time zone, set the `TZ` environment variable to a valid [tz database time zone](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_tz_database_time_zones):
 
 ```yml
 services:
   backup:
-    image: offen/docker-volume-backup:v2
+    image: offen/docker-volume-backup:latest
+    environment:
+      - TZ=Europe/Berlin
     volumes:
       - data:/backup/my-app-backup:ro
-      - /etc/timezone:/etc/timezone:ro
-      - /etc/localtime:/etc/localtime:ro
-      - /usr/share/zoneinfo:/usr/share/zoneinfo:ro
 
 volumes:
   data:
 ```
+
+## Notes
+
+This approach is preferred because it:
+
+- avoids dependency on host configuration  
+- works consistently across environments  
+
+### Compatibility
+
+- Bind-mounting timezone files will continue to work if `TZ` is not set.
+- If `TZ` is set, it takes precedence over any bind-mounted timezone configuration.
+- An invalid `TZ` value will cause the container to default to UTC.
+
+:warning: **Deprecation Warning**  
+The method described below (bind-mounting files from the host) is **deprecated**. Please use the new method described above (`TZ`)
+
+> ```yml
+> services:
+>   backup:
+>     image: offen/docker-volume-backup:latest
+>     volumes:
+>       - data:/backup/my-app-backup:ro
+>       - /etc/timezone:/etc/timezone:ro
+>       - /etc/localtime:/etc/localtime:ro
+>       - /usr/share/zoneinfo:/usr/share/zoneinfo:ro
+>
+> volumes:
+>   data:
+> ```
\ No newline at end of file