diff --git a/internal/k8s/job_helpers_test.go b/internal/k8s/job_helpers_test.go
index 20eafb3..b0fe509 100644
--- a/internal/k8s/job_helpers_test.go
+++ b/internal/k8s/job_helpers_test.go
@@ -82,7 +82,7 @@ func TestJobNameBackupCommandAndResticEnvCoverRemainingBranches(t *testing.T) {
 		Dedupe:   &dedupe,
 		KeepLast: &keepLast,
 	})
-	if !strings.Contains(cmd, "restic unlock") || !strings.Contains(cmd, "restic init") || !strings.Contains(cmd, "--tag dedupe=off") || !strings.Contains(cmd, "--keep-last 3") {
+	if !strings.Contains(cmd, "restic unlock") || !strings.Contains(cmd, "restic cat config") || !strings.Contains(cmd, "restic rebuild-index") || !strings.Contains(cmd, "restic init") || !strings.Contains(cmd, "--tag dedupe=off") || !strings.Contains(cmd, "--keep-last 3") {
 		t.Fatalf("expected backup command to include bootstrap/dedupe/keep-last logic, got %q", cmd)
 	}
 	if !strings.Contains(cmd, "--exclude *.tmp") || !strings.Contains(cmd, "--tag nightly") || !strings.Contains(cmd, "--tag prod") {
diff --git a/internal/k8s/job_manifests.go b/internal/k8s/job_manifests.go
index 5a3019c..1f01868 100644
--- a/internal/k8s/job_manifests.go
+++ b/internal/k8s/job_manifests.go
@@ -230,7 +230,7 @@ func backupCommand(cfg *config.Config, req api.BackupRequest) string {
 		cmd = fmt.Sprintf("%s && %s", cmd, forget)
 	}
 
-	bootstrap := "restic unlock >/dev/null 2>&1 || true; restic snapshots >/dev/null 2>&1 || restic init"
+	bootstrap := "restic unlock >/dev/null 2>&1 || true; restic cat config >/dev/null 2>&1 || restic init; restic snapshots >/dev/null 2>&1 || restic rebuild-index"
 	return "set -euo pipefail; " + bootstrap + "; " + cmd
 }