}
 fatal_and_exit() {
   echo -e 2>&1 "$1"
+  # Destroy the backup markers on the local filesystem if they exist
+  if [[ -n "$current_backup_marker" ]]; then
+    zfs list -t snapshot ${local_pool}/${current_backup_marker} > /dev/null 2>&1
+    if [ $? == 0 ]; then
+      $zfs destroy ${local_pool}/${current_backup_marker}
+    fi
+  fi
+  if [[ -n "$previous_backup_marker" ]]; then
+    zfs list -t snapshot ${local_pool}/${previous_backup_marker} > /dev/null 2>&1 
+    if [ $? == 0 ]; then
+      $zfs destroy ${local_pool}/${previous_backup_marker}
+    fi
+  fi
+  # send email notification
   if [[ -n "$2" ]]; then
     echo -e "$1" | $mailx -s "zfs replicate on $hostname failed" "$2"
   fi
+  # exit
   exit 1
 }
 trap fatal_and_exit INT