diff --git a/failover/sync-sd-backup.sh b/failover/sync-sd-backup.sh
index f72a70e..dd2b7a7 100755
--- a/failover/sync-sd-backup.sh
+++ b/failover/sync-sd-backup.sh
@@ -19,9 +19,14 @@
 # The bootloader in the SD's first sectors (idbloader/u-boot) is not touched.
 set -euo pipefail
 
+# Backup settings come from the host config (see hosts/vanlink.conf.example).
+# shellcheck disable=SC1090
+. "${VANLINK_CONF:-/etc/vanlink.conf}"
+: "${SD_BACKUP_UUID:?set SD_BACKUP_UUID in /etc/vanlink.conf}"
+
 [ "$(id -u)" -eq 0 ] || { echo "Run as root (sudo)." >&2; exit 1; }
 
-SD_UUID=39118305-4927-47a4-acc7-ba022f37af22
+SD_UUID=$SD_BACKUP_UUID
 SD_ROOT_PART=/dev/disk/by-uuid/$SD_UUID
 MOUNT_POINT=/mnt/sd-backup-root
 FAILSAFE='boot-failesafe-rename-to:boot.scr'
diff --git a/failover/sync-usb-backup.sh b/failover/sync-usb-backup.sh
index 64396ca..4e4e090 100755
--- a/failover/sync-usb-backup.sh
+++ b/failover/sync-usb-backup.sh
@@ -11,15 +11,19 @@
 # memory "sd-fallback-fstab-clobber" for what breaks if those leak across.
 set -euo pipefail
 
+# Backup settings come from the host config (see hosts/vanlink.conf.example).
+# shellcheck disable=SC1090
+. "${VANLINK_CONF:-/etc/vanlink.conf}"
+: "${USB_BACKUP_ROOT_PART:?set USB_BACKUP_ROOT_PART in /etc/vanlink.conf}"
+: "${USB_BACKUP_MOUNT:?set USB_BACKUP_MOUNT in /etc/vanlink.conf}"
+
 [ "$(id -u)" -eq 0 ] || { echo "Run as root (sudo)." >&2; exit 1; }
 
-USB_ROOT_PART=/dev/sda2
-MOUNT_POINT=/mnt/usb-backup-root
-MOUNT_POINT=10.42.1.44:/media/andreas/writable-nvme
+USB_ROOT_PART=$USB_BACKUP_ROOT_PART
+MOUNT_POINT=$USB_BACKUP_MOUNT
 
-
-[[ "$MOUNT_POINT" == *":"* ]]
-LOCAL_MOUNT=$?
+# host:/path means an already-exported NFS target: nothing to mount locally.
+if [[ "$MOUNT_POINT" == *":"* ]]; then LOCAL_MOUNT=0; else LOCAL_MOUNT=1; fi
 
 root_src=$(findmnt -no SOURCE /)
 if [ "$root_src" = "$USB_ROOT_PART" ]; then
diff --git a/tests/check-templates.sh b/tests/check-templates.sh
index f1a62fa..412db45 100755
--- a/tests/check-templates.sh
+++ b/tests/check-templates.sh
@@ -90,6 +90,24 @@ if awk '
     END { exit bad }
 ' deploy.sh; then ok "flagged units are only touched inside their ENABLE_* guard"; else bad "flag gating"; fi
 
+# 7. backup scripts take their settings from the host config and say what is missing
+empty=$(mktemp); trap 'rm -f "$empty"' EXIT
+for pair in "failover/sync-usb-backup.sh:USB_BACKUP_ROOT_PART" "failover/sync-sd-backup.sh:SD_BACKUP_UUID"; do
+    s=${pair%%:*}; v=${pair##*:}
+    if out=$(VANLINK_CONF="$empty" "./$s" 2>&1); then
+        bad "$s should fail when $v is not set"
+    elif echo "$out" | grep -q "$v"; then
+        ok "$s names missing $v"
+    else
+        bad "$s failed but did not mention $v"; echo "$out" | sed 's/^/       /'
+    fi
+done
+if grep -nE '/dev/sda2|10\.42\.[01]\.44|39118305-4927' failover/sync-*-backup.sh; then
+    bad "hardcoded host values remain in the backup scripts"
+else
+    ok "no hardcoded devices/UUIDs/addresses in the backup scripts"
+fi
+
 # 8. ./deploy.sh --diff runs (no root) and lists rendered files
 if out=$(./deploy.sh --diff hosts/van.conf 2>&1) && echo "$out" | grep -qE '^(NEW|CHANGED) '; then
     ok "deploy.sh --diff hosts/van.conf"