diff --git a/restic_compose_backup/alerts/__init__.py b/restic_compose_backup/alerts/__init__.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..5c0453a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/restic_compose_backup/alerts/__init__.py
@@ -0,0 +1,8 @@
+ALERT_INFO = 'INFO',
+ALERT_ERROR = 'ERROR'
+ALERT_TYPES = [ALERT_INFO, ALERT_ERROR]
+
+
+def send(subject: str = None, attachment: str = None, alert_type: str = ALERT_ERROR):
+    """Send an alert"""
+    pass
diff --git a/restic_compose_backup/alerts/base.py b/restic_compose_backup/alerts/base.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..4df5ad2
--- /dev/null
+++ b/restic_compose_backup/alerts/base.py
@@ -0,0 +1,14 @@
+from restic_compose_backup.alerts import ALERT_INFO, ALERT_ERROR, ALERT_TYPES
+
+
+class BaseAlert:
+    name = None
+
+    def __init__(self):
+        pass
+
+    def create_from_config(self, config):
+        pass
+
+    def send(self, self, subject=None, attachment=None, alert_type=ALERT_ERROR):
+        pass
diff --git a/restic_compose_backup/alerts/config.py b/restic_compose_backup/alerts/config.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..2333c2a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/restic_compose_backup/alerts/config.py
@@ -0,0 +1,20 @@
+"""Check config and expose properly configured alert backends"""
+from restic_compose_backup.alerts.smtp import SMTPAlert
+from restic_compose_backup.alerts.discord import DiscordWebhookAlert
+from restic_compose_backup.config import Config
+
+
+BACKENDS = [SMTPAlert, DiscordWebhookAlert]
+
+
+def configured_alert_classes():
+    """Returns a list of configured alert class instances"""
+    config = Config()
+    entires = []
+
+    for cls in BACKENDS:
+        instance = cls.create_from_config(config)
+        if instance:
+            entires.append(instance)
+
+    return entires
diff --git a/restic_compose_backup/alerts/discord.py b/restic_compose_backup/alerts/discord.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..98c3a54
--- /dev/null
+++ b/restic_compose_backup/alerts/discord.py
@@ -0,0 +1,14 @@
+from restic_compose_backup.alerts.base import BaseAlert
+
+
+class DiscordWebhookAlert(BaseAlert):
+    name = 'discord_webhook'
+
+    def __init__(self):
+        pass
+
+    def create_from_config(self, config):
+        pass
+
+    def send(self, self, subject=None, attachment=None, alert_type=ALERT_ERROR):
+        pass
diff --git a/restic_compose_backup/alerts/smtp.py b/restic_compose_backup/alerts/smtp.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..91b721e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/restic_compose_backup/alerts/smtp.py
@@ -0,0 +1,14 @@
+from restic_compose_backup.alerts.base import BaseAlert
+
+
+class SMTPAlert(BaseAlert):
+    name = 'smtp'
+
+    def __init__(self):
+        pass
+
+    def create_from_config(self, config):
+        pass
+
+    def send(self, self, subject=None, attachment=None, alert_type=ALERT_ERROR):
+        pass