diff --git a/.env.example b/.env.example
index 1cd4702..a1745e3 100644
--- a/.env.example
+++ b/.env.example
@@ -2,7 +2,6 @@ WEBHOOK_SECRET=CHANGE_ME_match_forgejo_webhook_secret
 CENTRAL_AUTH_SECRET=CHANGE_ME_same_as_auth_service
 AUTH_URL=http://10.10.10.101:3001
 PG_SUPERPASS=CHANGE_ME_postgres_superuser_password
-BACKUP_DATABASES=auth_db noticeboard_db cashup_db hk_planner_db twin_optimiser_db room_planner_db maintenance_db forecasting_db rates_db settings_db
 SETTINGS_URL=http://10.10.10.116:3080
 SETTINGS_SECRET=CHANGE_ME_same_as_settings_service
 KUMA_PUSH_URL=http://localhost:3001/api/push/KUMA_TOKEN
diff --git a/backup/backup.sh b/backup/backup.sh
index 096fe5a..32e0c0d 100644
--- a/backup/backup.sh
+++ b/backup/backup.sh
@@ -92,6 +92,14 @@ done
 
 # ── PostgreSQL dumps ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
 log "PostgreSQL backups..."
+BACKUP_DATABASES=$(PGPASSWORD="$PG_SUPERPASS" psql -h "$PG_HOST" -U postgres -t -A -c \
+  "SELECT datname FROM pg_database WHERE datistemplate = false AND datname != 'postgres' ORDER BY datname" \
+  2>/dev/null) || true
+if [ -z "$BACKUP_DATABASES" ]; then
+  err "Could not list databases from postgres"
+  finish "error" "Could not connect to postgres to list databases"
+  exit 1
+fi
 for DB in $BACKUP_DATABASES; do
   log "  ${DB}..."
   TARGET="${NC_DAV}/postgres/daily/${DB}_${TIMESTAMP}.sql.gz"
diff --git a/docker-compose.yml b/docker-compose.yml
index f2c0e6f..90bdbff 100644
--- a/docker-compose.yml
+++ b/docker-compose.yml
@@ -36,7 +36,6 @@ services:
       - apparmor=unconfined
     entrypoint: ["/bin/sh", "-c", "crond -f -l 8"]
     environment:
-      - BACKUP_DATABASES=${BACKUP_DATABASES}
       - PG_SUPERPASS=${PG_SUPERPASS}
       - KUMA_PUSH_URL=${KUMA_PUSH_URL}
       - SETTINGS_URL=${SETTINGS_URL:-http://10.10.10.116:3080}