diff --git a/app/backup b/app/backup
index 7f9e767..f432bb1 100755
--- a/app/backup
+++ b/app/backup
@@ -2,12 +2,11 @@
 set -euo pipefail
 
 REPO="/backup/borgrepo"
+MOUNT_BASE="/tmp/borg-sshfs"
 
 export BORG_PASSPHRASE
 BORG_PASSPHRASE="$(cat /app/host_vars/repokey)"
 
-export BORG_RSH="ssh -o BatchMode=yes"
-
 HOSTS_FILE="$(dirname "$0")/host_vars/hosts"
 TIMESTAMP="$(date +%Y-%m-%dT%H%M%S)"
 
@@ -24,20 +23,42 @@ FAILED_HOSTS=()
 
 for HOST in "${HOSTS[@]}"; do
     ARCHIVE="${HOST}-backup-${TIMESTAMP}"
+    MOUNT_DIR="${MOUNT_BASE}/${HOST}"
     echo "--- Backing up $HOST ---"
 
-    # IMPORTANT: repo is LOCAL, source is REMOTE via SSH
+    mkdir -p "$MOUNT_DIR"
+
+    # Pull mode: mount client's /BACKUP locally via SSHFS
+    if ! sshfs "${HOST}:/BACKUP" "$MOUNT_DIR" \
+        -o BatchMode=yes,reconnect,ServerAliveInterval=15,ServerAliveCountMax=3; then
+        echo "WARNING: Failed to mount $HOST:/BACKUP via SSHFS"
+        FAILED_HOSTS+=("$HOST")
+        rmdir "$MOUNT_DIR"
+        continue
+    fi
+
+    # SSHFS (FUSE/SFTP) does not guarantee stable inode numbers,
+    # so instruct borg to use ctime+size for file change detection instead.
     if ! borg create \
         "$REPO::$ARCHIVE" \
-        "$HOST:/BACKUP" \
+        "$MOUNT_DIR" \
+        --pattern "+ sh:*/current*" \
+        --pattern "- *" \
+        --files-cache ctime,size \
         --stats \
         --compression lz4; then
 
         echo "WARNING: Failed to back up $HOST"
         FAILED_HOSTS+=("$HOST")
     fi
+
+    # Unmount and clean up regardless of borg exit status
+    umount "$MOUNT_DIR"
+    rmdir "$MOUNT_DIR"
 done
 
+rmdir "$MOUNT_BASE" 2>/dev/null || true
+
 echo "Applying retention policy..."
 
 for HOST in "${HOSTS[@]}"; do