diff --git a/scripts/backup-appfactory.sh b/scripts/backup-appfactory.sh
index 258159d..12d7947 100755
--- a/scripts/backup-appfactory.sh
+++ b/scripts/backup-appfactory.sh
@@ -2,26 +2,58 @@
 set -euo pipefail
 
 CONFIG_FILE="/opt/appfactory/config/appfactory.env"
-source "$CONFIG_FILE"
+
+if [ -f "$CONFIG_FILE" ]; then
+  set -a
+  # shellcheck disable=SC1090
+  source "$CONFIG_FILE"
+  set +a
+fi
+
+APPFACTORY_DIR="${APPFACTORY_DIR:-/opt/appfactory}"
+WORKSPACE_DIR="${WORKSPACE_DIR:-$APPFACTORY_DIR/workspace}"
+BACKUP_DIR="${BACKUP_DIR:-$APPFACTORY_DIR/backups}"
 
 TIMESTAMP="$(date +%Y%m%d-%H%M%S)"
 BACKUP_FILE="$BACKUP_DIR/appfactory-backup-$TIMESTAMP.tar.gz"
+MANIFEST_FILE="$(mktemp)"
 
 mkdir -p "$BACKUP_DIR"
 
+add_path() {
+  local path="$1"
+
+  if [ -e "$path" ]; then
+    echo "$path" >> "$MANIFEST_FILE"
+  else
+    echo "WARN: missing path skipped: $path" >&2
+  fi
+}
+
+add_path "$APPFACTORY_DIR/apps"
+add_path "$APPFACTORY_DIR/config"
+
+# AppFactory portal/platform DB and internal data.
+add_path "$APPFACTORY_DIR/data/appfactory"
+
+# Core service persistent data.
+add_path "$APPFACTORY_DIR/data/gitea"
+add_path "$APPFACTORY_DIR/data/registry"
+add_path "$APPFACTORY_DIR/data/caddy"
+add_path "$APPFACTORY_DIR/data/caddy-config"
+
+add_path "$APPFACTORY_DIR/deploy"
+add_path "$APPFACTORY_DIR/gateway"
+add_path "$APPFACTORY_DIR/templates"
+add_path "$APPFACTORY_DIR/services"
+add_path "$WORKSPACE_DIR"
+
 echo "Creating backup:"
 echo "$BACKUP_FILE"
 
-tar -czf "$BACKUP_FILE" \
-  "$APPFACTORY_DIR/apps" \
-  "$APPFACTORY_DIR/config" \
-  "$APPFACTORY_DIR/data/gitea" \
-  "$APPFACTORY_DIR/data/registry" \
-  "$APPFACTORY_DIR/deploy" \
-  "$APPFACTORY_DIR/gateway" \
-  "$APPFACTORY_DIR/templates" \
-  "$APPFACTORY_DIR/services" \
-  "$WORKSPACE_DIR"
+tar -czf "$BACKUP_FILE" --files-from "$MANIFEST_FILE"
+
+rm -f "$MANIFEST_FILE"
 
 echo ""
 echo "DONE"