From 4f98c40b1579937a8c7d1328daf1ba44b4cc35e1 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: Andras Schmelczer <andras@schmelczer.dev>
Date: Sun, 27 Sep 2026 20:57:02 +0100
Subject: [PATCH] Fix remote repo init

---
 README.md          | 2 +-
 src/borg-common.sh | 7 +++++--
 2 files changed, 6 insertions(+), 3 deletions(-)

diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index cd139ee..bd86b4d 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -29,7 +29,7 @@ To adhere to the [3-2-1 backup rule](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Backup) witho
 
 The [`docker-compose.yml`](docker-compose.yml) file demonstrates how to set up multiple backup targets using environment variables such as `BORG_REPO_0`, `BORG_REPO_1`, `BORG_PASSPHRASE_0`, `BORG_PASSPHRASE_1`, and so forth. The backup script sequentially handles each repository defined by the environment variables, ensuring your source volume is backed up across all specified targets.
 
-Missing repositories are initialized automatically. An existing local directory, including the `/local-backup` bind mount, is initialized only after confirming that it is empty (including hidden files). Invalid or inaccessible repositories are rejected.
+Missing repositories are initialized automatically. Existing directories, both local (including the `/local-backup` bind mount) and over SSH, are initialized only after Borg confirms that they are empty (including hidden files). Invalid or inaccessible repositories are rejected.
 
 The backup script first takes `BORG_REPO_0` and the corresponding env vars and sets up the [`BORG_REPO`](https://borgbackup.readthedocs.io/en/stable/usage/general.html#repository-urls), `BORG_REMOTE_PATH`, and `BORG_PASSPHRASE` environment variables for `borg`. Once the backup finished (successfully or otherwise), the script checks whether `BORG_REPO_1` exists, if so, it sets `BORG_REPO` and the other env vars to their expected values and backs up again. The script keeps going to `BORG_REPO_2`, `BORG_REPO_3` and so on as long as these are set. It then checks each repository with the corresponding environment before starting the next backup cycle.
 
diff --git a/src/borg-common.sh b/src/borg-common.sh
index f8b6fd6..a148674 100644
--- a/src/borg-common.sh
+++ b/src/borg-common.sh
@@ -6,8 +6,11 @@ borg_ensure_repository() {
     local status=0
     borg_wait info || status=$?
     (( status != 0 )) || return 0
-    if (( status == 13 )) || (( status == 15 )); then
-        echo 'Repository is missing or confirmed empty. Initializing Borg...'
+    # Borg 1.4 reports InvalidRepository over SSH as generic RPC exit code 2,
+    # even with modern exit codes enabled. Let init validate the destination:
+    # it accepts missing/empty directories and refuses existing data.
+    if (( status == 2 || status == 13 || status == 15 )); then
+        echo 'Repository could not be opened. Attempting Borg initialization...'
         status=0
         borg_wait init --encryption=repokey || status=$?
         # Another client may have initialized it after the initial check.