diff --git a/runs/backup.sh b/runs/backup.sh
index bb1d9e9d02..48a685a33f 100755
--- a/runs/backup.sh
+++ b/runs/backup.sh
@@ -5,20 +5,39 @@ OPENWBDIRNAME=${OPENWBDIRNAME:-/}
 TARBASEDIR=$(cd "$(dirname "${BASH_SOURCE[0]}")/../.." && pwd)
 BACKUPDIR="$OPENWBBASEDIR/data/backup"
 RAMDISKDIR="$OPENWBBASEDIR/ramdisk"
-TEMPDIR="$RAMDISKDIR/temp"
+TEMPDIR=$(mktemp -d --tmpdir openwb_backup_XXXXXX)
 LOGDIR="$OPENWBBASEDIR/data/log"
 LOGFILE="$LOGDIR/backup.log"
+HOMEDIR="/home/openwb"
+VAR_LIB="/var/lib"
+
+# Mosquitto DB files to monitor
+DB_FILES=(
+	"mosquitto/mosquitto.db"
+	"mosquitto_local/mosquitto.db"
+)
+
+# Timeout for mosquitto DB flush
+DB_TIMEOUT=5
 
 useExtendedFilename=$1
-if ((useExtendedFilename == 1)); then
-	# only use characters supported in most OS!
-	# for Win see https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/rest/api/storageservices/naming-and-referencing-shares--directories--files--and-metadata
-	FILENAME="openWB_backup_$(date +"%Y-%m-%d_%H-%M-%S").tar"
-else
-	FILENAME="backup.tar"
-fi
+FILENAMESUFFIX=".tar.gz"
 
-{
+generate_filename() {
+	# generate filename
+	# if useExtendedFilename is 1, use date and version info
+	# else just use "backup"
+	if ((useExtendedFilename == 1)); then
+		# only use characters supported in most OS!
+		# for Win see https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/rest/api/storageservices/naming-and-referencing-shares--directories--files--and-metadata
+		FILENAME="openWB_backup_$(date +"%Y-%m-%d_%H-%M-%S")"
+	else
+		FILENAME="backup"
+	fi
+	BACKUPFILE="$BACKUPDIR/$FILENAME"
+}
+
+log_environment() {
 	echo "starting backup script"
 	echo "environment:"
 	echo "  OPENWBBASEDIR: $OPENWBBASEDIR"
@@ -30,95 +49,223 @@ fi
 	echo "  LOGDIR: $LOGDIR"
 	echo "  LOGFILE: $LOGFILE"
 	echo "  FILENAME: $FILENAME"
+}
 
-	echo "deleting old backup files if present in '$BACKUPDIR'"
-	# remove old backup files
-	rm -v "$BACKUPDIR/"*
-	BACKUPFILE="$BACKUPDIR/$FILENAME"
+remove_old_backups() {
+	echo "removing old files in '$BACKUPDIR' if present"
+	# Delete old backups (robust, no glob issues)
+	find "$BACKUPDIR" -mindepth 1 -maxdepth 1 -not -name '.donotdelete' -exec rm -vrf {} +
+}
+
+force_mosquitto_write() {
+	collect_baseline() {
+		echo "collecting Baseline-mtime before SIGUSR1:"
+		# Baseline mtimes to avoid race condition (captured before SIGUSR1)
+		declare -Ag BASELINE_DB_MTIME=()
+
+		for f in "${DB_FILES[@]}"; do
+			if [ -e "$VAR_LIB/$f" ]; then
+				BASELINE_DB_MTIME["$f"]=$(stat -c %Y "$VAR_LIB/$f")
+				echo "  $f -> ${BASELINE_DB_MTIME["$f"]}"
+			else
+				BASELINE_DB_MTIME["$f"]=0
+				echo "  $f -> (does not yet exist, setting to 0)"
+			fi
+		done
+	}
+
+	flush_mosquitto() {
+		# inform mosquitto to flush data to disk
+		echo "sending 'SIGUSR1' to mosquitto processes to flush data to disk"
+		sudo pkill -e -SIGUSR1 mosquitto || echo "WARNING: no processes found?"
+	}
+
+	wait_for_mosquitto_flush() {
+		# wait for mosquitto to flush db files to disk
+		# uses inotifywait if available, else falls back to polling
+		# requires inotify-tools package for inotifywait
+		local start_ts
+		start_ts=$(date +%s)
+		declare -A initial_mtime
+
+		# Use previously captured baseline (recorded before signal)
+		if ((${#BASELINE_DB_MTIME[@]})); then
+			for f in "${DB_FILES[@]}"; do
+				initial_mtime["$VAR_LIB/$f"]=${BASELINE_DB_MTIME["$f"]:-0}
+			done
+		else
+			# Fallback (should not occur)
+			for f in "${DB_FILES[@]}"; do
+				[ -e "$VAR_LIB/$f" ] && initial_mtime["$VAR_LIB/$f"]=$(stat -c %Y "$VAR_LIB/$f") || initial_mtime["$VAR_LIB/$f"]=0
+			done
+		fi
 
-	# tell mosquitto to store all retained topics in db now
-	echo "sending 'SIGUSR1' to mosquitto processes"
-	sudo pkill -e -SIGUSR1 mosquitto
-	# give mosquitto some time to finish
-	sleep 1
-
-	# create backup file
-	echo "creating new backup file: $BACKUPFILE"
-	echo "adding openWB files"
-	tar --verbose --create \
-		--file="$BACKUPFILE" \
-		--directory="$TARBASEDIR/" \
-		"$OPENWBDIRNAME/data/charge_log" \
-		"$OPENWBDIRNAME/data/daily_log" \
-		"$OPENWBDIRNAME/data/monthly_log" \
-		"$OPENWBDIRNAME/data/log/uuid"
-	echo "adding configuration file"
-	sudo tar --verbose --append \
-		--file="$BACKUPFILE" \
-		--directory="/home/openwb/" \
-		"configuration.json"
-	echo "adding mosquitto files"
-	sudo tar --verbose --append \
-		--file="$BACKUPFILE" \
-		--directory="/var/lib/" \
-		"mosquitto/" "mosquitto_local/"
-	echo "adding mosquitto configuration"
-	sudo tar --verbose --append \
-		--file="$BACKUPFILE" \
-		--directory="/etc/mosquitto/" \
-		"conf_local.d/"
-	echo "adding boot file"
-	sudo tar --verbose --append \
-		--file="$BACKUPFILE" \
-		"/boot/config.txt"
-	echo "adding git information"
-	git branch --no-color --show-current >"$RAMDISKDIR/GIT_BRANCH"
-	git log --pretty='format:%H' -n1 >"$RAMDISKDIR/GIT_HASH"
-	echo "branch: $(<"$RAMDISKDIR/GIT_BRANCH") commit-hash: $(<"$RAMDISKDIR/GIT_HASH")"
-	tar --verbose --append \
-		--file="$BACKUPFILE" \
-		--directory="$RAMDISKDIR/" \
-		"GIT_BRANCH" "GIT_HASH"
-
-	echo "calculating checksums"
-	IFS=$'\n'
-	mapfile -t file_list < <(tar -tf "$BACKUPFILE")
-	mkdir -p "$TEMPDIR"
-	# process each file
-	for file in "${file_list[@]}"; do
-		# skip directories
-		if [[ $file =~ /$ ]]; then
-			echo "skipping directory $file"
-			continue
+		echo "waiting for mosquitto to flush db files (timeout ${DB_TIMEOUT}s)..."
+
+		if command -v inotifywait >/dev/null 2>&1; then
+			echo "using 'inotifywait'"
+			local pending=()
+			for f in "${DB_FILES[@]}"; do
+				pending+=("$VAR_LIB/$f")
+			done
+			while ((${#pending[@]})); do
+				local elapsed=$(( $(date +%s) - start_ts ))
+				local remain=$(( DB_TIMEOUT - elapsed ))
+				(( remain <= 0 )) && echo "timeout reached (inotify), continuing." && break
+				inotifywait -q -t "$remain" -e modify -e close_write -e attrib -e move -e create "${pending[@]}" 2>/dev/null || true
+				local new_pending=()
+				for f in "${pending[@]}"; do
+					if [ -e "$f" ]; then
+						local mt
+						mt=$(stat -c %Y "$f")
+						if (( mt != initial_mtime["$f"] )); then
+							echo "modified: $f (old: ${initial_mtime["$f"]} -> new: $mt)"
+						else
+							new_pending+=("$f")
+						fi
+					else
+						new_pending+=("$f")
+					fi
+				done
+				pending=("${new_pending[@]}")
+			done
+		else
+			echo "'inotifywait' not found, falling back to polling"
+			while true; do
+				local all_ok=1
+				for f in "${DB_FILES[@]}"; do
+					if [ -e "$VAR_LIB/$f" ]; then
+						local mt
+						mt=$(stat -c %Y "$VAR_LIB/$f")
+						if (( mt != initial_mtime["$VAR_LIB/$f"] )); then
+							echo "modified (polling): $f (old: ${initial_mtime["$VAR_LIB/$f"]} -> new: $mt)"
+							initial_mtime["$VAR_LIB/$f"]=$mt
+						else
+							all_ok=0
+						fi
+					else
+						all_ok=0
+					fi
+				done
+				local elapsed=$(( $(date +%s) - start_ts ))
+				(( all_ok == 1 )) && echo "all relevant files are modified after ${elapsed}s" && break
+				(( elapsed >= DB_TIMEOUT )) && echo "timeout reached (polling), continuing." && break
+				sleep 0.1
+			done
 		fi
-		# extract the file
-		tar -xf "$BACKUPFILE" -C "$TEMPDIR" "$file"
-		# calculate the checksum
-		sha256sum "$TEMPDIR/$file" | sed -n "s|$TEMPDIR/||p" >> "$RAMDISKDIR/SHA256SUM"
-		# remove the file
-		rm -f "$TEMPDIR/$file"
-	done
-	tar --verbose --append \
-		--file="$BACKUPFILE" \
-		--directory="$RAMDISKDIR/" \
-		"SHA256SUM"
-
-	# cleanup
-	echo "removing temporary files"
-	rm -v "$RAMDISKDIR/GIT_BRANCH" "$RAMDISKDIR/GIT_HASH" "$RAMDISKDIR/SHA256SUM"
-	rm -rf "${TEMPDIR:?}/"
-	tar --append \
-		--file="$BACKUPFILE" \
-		--directory="$LOGDIR/" \
-		"backup.log"
-	echo "zipping archive"
-	gzip --verbose "$BACKUPFILE"
-	echo "setting permissions of new backup file"
-	sudo chown openwb:www-data "$BACKUPFILE.gz"
-	sudo chmod 664 "$BACKUPFILE.gz"
+	}
+
+	copy_db_to_temp() {
+		echo "copying mosquitto db files to temporary location"
+		for f in "${DB_FILES[@]}"; do
+			if [ -e "$VAR_LIB/$f" ]; then
+				local dest_dir
+				dest_dir="$TEMPDIR/$(dirname "$f")"
+				mkdir -p "$dest_dir"
+				sudo cp -v "$VAR_LIB/$f" "$dest_dir/"
+			else
+				echo "skipping $f (does not exist)"
+			fi
+		done
+	}
+
+	collect_baseline
+	flush_mosquitto
+	wait_for_mosquitto_flush
+	copy_db_to_temp
+}
+
+collect_git_info() {
+	echo "collecting git information"
+	git branch --no-color --show-current >"$TEMPDIR/GIT_BRANCH"
+	git log --pretty='format:%H' -n1 >"$TEMPDIR/GIT_HASH"
+	echo "branch: $(<"$TEMPDIR/GIT_BRANCH") commit-hash: $(<"$TEMPDIR/GIT_HASH")"
+}
+
+create_archive() {
+	create_backup() {
+		echo "creating new backup file: $BACKUPFILE"
+		echo "adding files"
+
+		sudo tar --verbose --create \
+			--file="$BACKUPFILE" \
+			--exclude=".gitignore" \
+			--directory="$TEMPDIR/" \
+				"${DB_FILES[@]}" \
+				"GIT_BRANCH" \
+				"GIT_HASH" \
+			--directory="/etc/mosquitto/" \
+				"conf_local.d/" \
+			--directory="$TARBASEDIR/" \
+				"$OPENWBDIRNAME/data/charge_log" \
+				"$OPENWBDIRNAME/data/daily_log" \
+				"$OPENWBDIRNAME/data/monthly_log" \
+				"$OPENWBDIRNAME/data/log/uuid" \
+			--directory="$HOMEDIR/" \
+				"configuration.json" \
+			--directory="/" \
+				"boot/config.txt"
+	}
 
+	calculate_checksums() {
+		echo "calculating checksums"
+		IFS=$'\n'
+		mapfile -t file_list < <(tar -tf "$BACKUPFILE")
+		# process each file
+		for file in "${file_list[@]}"; do
+			# skip directories
+			if [[ $file =~ /$ ]]; then
+				echo "skipping directory $file"
+				continue
+			fi
+			# extract the file
+			tar -xf "$BACKUPFILE" -C "$TEMPDIR" "$file"
+			# calculate the checksum
+			sha256sum "$TEMPDIR/$file" | sed -n "s|$TEMPDIR/||p" >> "$TEMPDIR/SHA256SUM"
+			# remove the file
+			rm -f "$TEMPDIR/$file"
+		done
+
+		echo "adding checksum file to archive"
+		sudo tar --verbose --append \
+			--file="$BACKUPFILE" \
+			--directory="$TEMPDIR/" \
+				"SHA256SUM"
+	}
+
+	cleanup_and_compress() {
+		echo "removing temporary files"
+		rm -rf "${TEMPDIR:?}/"
+		echo "adding log file to archive"
+		sudo tar --append \
+			--file="$BACKUPFILE" \
+			--directory="$LOGDIR/" \
+				"backup.log"
+		echo "zipping archive"
+		gzip --verbose --suffix "$FILENAMESUFFIX" "$BACKUPFILE"
+	}
+
+	fix_permissions() {
+		echo "setting permissions of new backup file"
+		sudo chown openwb:www-data "$BACKUPFILE$FILENAMESUFFIX"
+		sudo chmod 664 "$BACKUPFILE$FILENAMESUFFIX"
+	}
+
+	create_backup
+	calculate_checksums
+	cleanup_and_compress
+	fix_permissions
+}
+
+{
+	generate_filename
+	log_environment
+	remove_old_backups
+	collect_git_info
+	force_mosquitto_write
+	create_archive
 	echo "backup finished"
 } >"$LOGFILE" 2>&1
 
 # return our filename for further processing
-echo "$FILENAME.gz"
+echo "$FILENAME$FILENAMESUFFIX"
diff --git a/runs/install_packages.sh b/runs/install_packages.sh
index e796359251..913569bc50 100755
--- a/runs/install_packages.sh
+++ b/runs/install_packages.sh
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
 echo "install required packages with 'apt-get'..."
 sudo apt-get -q update
 sudo apt-get -q -y install \
-	vim bc jq socat sshpass sudo ssl-cert mmc-utils \
+	vim bc jq socat sshpass sudo ssl-cert mmc-utils inotify-tools \
 	apache2 libapache2-mod-php \
 	php php-gd php-curl php-xml php-json \
 	git \
diff --git a/web/settings/uploadFile.php b/web/settings/uploadFile.php
index fd038b80d5..9f6fa46d9e 100644
--- a/web/settings/uploadFile.php
+++ b/web/settings/uploadFile.php
@@ -21,11 +21,11 @@ function check_gzip() {
 // quick check for file contents
 function check_restore_file_contents() {
 	$output = null;
-	$result = exec("tar --list --file=\"" . $_FILES["file"]["tmp_name"] . "\" | grep -c \"^\(mosquitto/\|mosquitto_local/\|GIT_HASH\|GIT_BRANCH\|SHA256SUM\|backup.log\)$\"", $output);
+	$result = exec("tar --list --file=\"" . $_FILES["file"]["tmp_name"] . "\" | egrep -c \"^(mosquitto/.+|mosquitto_local/.+|GIT_HASH|GIT_BRANCH|SHA256SUM|backup.log)$\"", $output);
 	if ($result === false || $result != "6") {
 		exit_with_error("Prüfung des Archivinhalts fehlgeschlagen! Das Archiv ist unvollständig.");
 	}
-	$result = exec("tar --list --file=\"" . $_FILES["file"]["tmp_name"] . "\" | grep -c \"^openWB/.*\"", $output);
+	$result = exec("tar --list --file=\"" . $_FILES["file"]["tmp_name"] . "\" | grep -c \"^openWB/\"", $output);
 	if ($result === false || $result <= 4) {
 		exit_with_error("Prüfung des Archivinhalts fehlgeschlagen! Das Archiv ist unvollständig.");
 	}