src/pobsync_backend/forms.py

@@ -274,6 +274,36 @@ class RetentionApplyForm(forms.Form):
         return value
 
 
+class IncompleteCleanupForm(forms.Form):
+    max_delete = forms.IntegerField(min_value=0, initial=0)
+    confirm_delete_count = forms.IntegerField(min_value=0)
+    confirm_host = forms.CharField()
+
+    def __init__(self, *args, host_name: str, expected_delete_count: int, **kwargs) -> None:
+        self.host_name = host_name
+        self.expected_delete_count = expected_delete_count
+        super().__init__(*args, **kwargs)
+        self.fields["confirm_host"].help_text = f"Type {host_name} to confirm incomplete snapshot cleanup."
+        self.fields["confirm_delete_count"].help_text = (
+            f"Type {expected_delete_count} to confirm the current number of incomplete snapshots."
+        )
+        self.fields["max_delete"].help_text = (
+            f"Must be at least {expected_delete_count} for the incomplete snapshots shown here."
+        )
+
+    def clean_confirm_host(self) -> str:
+        value = self.cleaned_data["confirm_host"].strip()
+        if value != self.host_name:
+            raise forms.ValidationError(f"Type {self.host_name} to confirm.")
+        return value
+
+    def clean_confirm_delete_count(self) -> int:
+        value = self.cleaned_data["confirm_delete_count"]
+        if value != self.expected_delete_count:
+            raise forms.ValidationError(f"Type {self.expected_delete_count} to confirm the incomplete count.")
+        return value
+
+
 class ScheduleConfigForm(forms.ModelForm):
     cron_expr = forms.CharField(
         label="Schedule expression",

src/pobsync_backend/retention.py

@@ -131,6 +131,76 @@ def run_sql_retention_apply(
     return _do_apply()
 
 
+def run_incomplete_cleanup(
+    *,
+    prefix: Path,
+    host: str,
+    yes: bool,
+    max_delete: int,
+    acquire_lock: bool = True,
+) -> dict[str, Any]:
+    host = sanitize_host(host)
+    if not yes:
+        raise ConfigError("Refusing to delete incomplete snapshots without --yes")
+    if max_delete < 0:
+        raise ConfigError("--max-delete must be >= 0")
+
+    paths = PobsyncPaths(home=prefix)
+
+    def _do_cleanup() -> dict[str, Any]:
+        host_config = _enabled_host_config(host)
+        incomplete_list = [
+            _snapshot_to_item(snapshot, reasons=["manual incomplete cleanup"])
+            for snapshot in _incomplete_snapshots_for_host(host_config)
+        ]
+        if max_delete == 0 and len(incomplete_list) > 0:
+            raise ConfigError("Incomplete cleanup blocked by --max-delete=0")
+        if len(incomplete_list) > max_delete:
+            raise ConfigError(
+                f"Refusing to delete {len(incomplete_list)} incomplete snapshots (exceeds --max-delete={max_delete})"
+            )
+
+        actions: list[str] = []
+        deleted: list[dict[str, Any]] = []
+
+        for item in incomplete_list:
+            dirname = item["dirname"]
+            snap_path = Path(item["path"])
+            path = _snapshot_delete_path(path=snap_path, dirname=dirname)
+            _validate_incomplete_delete_path(host=host, path=path, dirname=dirname)
+
+            if not path.exists():
+                actions.append(f"skip missing incomplete/{dirname}")
+            elif not path.is_dir():
+                raise ConfigError(f"Refusing to delete non-directory path: {path}")
+            else:
+                _remove_snapshot_tree(path)
+                actions.append(f"deleted incomplete {dirname}")
+
+            SnapshotRecord.objects.filter(
+                host__host=host,
+                kind=SnapshotRecord.Kind.INCOMPLETE,
+                dirname=dirname,
+            ).delete()
+            deleted.append({"dirname": dirname, "kind": SnapshotRecord.Kind.INCOMPLETE, "path": str(path)})
+
+        return {
+            "ok": True,
+            "host": host,
+            "kind": SnapshotRecord.Kind.INCOMPLETE,
+            "max_delete": max_delete,
+            "source": "sql",
+            "planned_delete_count": len(incomplete_list),
+            "deleted": deleted,
+            "actions": actions,
+        }
+
+    if acquire_lock:
+        with acquire_host_lock(paths.locks_dir, host, command="incomplete-cleanup"):
+            return _do_cleanup()
+    return _do_cleanup()
+
+
 def _enabled_host_config(host: str) -> HostConfig:
     try:
         return HostConfig.objects.get(host=host, enabled=True)
@@ -212,6 +282,15 @@ def _snapshot_delete_path(*, path: Path, dirname: str) -> Path:
     return path
 
 
+def _validate_incomplete_delete_path(*, host: str, path: Path, dirname: str) -> None:
+    path_parts = path.parts
+    if path.name != dirname or ".incomplete" not in path_parts or host not in path_parts:
+        raise ConfigError(f"Refusing to delete unexpected incomplete snapshot path: {path}")
+    incomplete_index = path_parts.index(".incomplete")
+    if incomplete_index == 0 or path_parts[incomplete_index - 1] != host:
+        raise ConfigError(f"Refusing to delete incomplete snapshot outside host backup root: {path}")
+
+
 def _remove_snapshot_tree(path: Path) -> None:
     _make_directories_user_writable(path)
     shutil.rmtree(path)

src/pobsync_backend/templates/pobsync_backend/retention_plan.html

@@ -40,6 +40,10 @@
         {{ plan.incomplete|length }} incomplete snapshot(s) exist for this host. Retention does not delete incomplete
         snapshots automatically because they can indicate an interrupted backup that should be inspected first.
       </p>
+      <p>
+        After inspection, use the dedicated cleanup form below to delete only incomplete snapshot directories and their
+        SQL records. Successful scheduled and manual snapshots are not touched by this cleanup.
+      </p>
     </section>
   {% endif %}
 
@@ -190,6 +194,37 @@
           {% endfor %}
         </tbody>
       </table>
+
+      <h3>Cleanup Incomplete Snapshots</h3>
+      <form method="post" action="{% url 'cleanup_host_incomplete_snapshots' host.host %}" class="form-grid">
+        {% csrf_token %}
+        {{ incomplete_cleanup_form.non_field_errors }}
+
+        <div class="field">
+          {{ incomplete_cleanup_form.max_delete.errors }}
+          <label for="{{ incomplete_cleanup_form.max_delete.id_for_label }}">Max delete</label>
+          {{ incomplete_cleanup_form.max_delete }}
+          <div class="helptext">{{ incomplete_cleanup_form.max_delete.help_text }}</div>
+        </div>
+
+        <div class="field">
+          {{ incomplete_cleanup_form.confirm_host.errors }}
+          <label for="{{ incomplete_cleanup_form.confirm_host.id_for_label }}">Confirm host</label>
+          {{ incomplete_cleanup_form.confirm_host }}
+          <div class="helptext">{{ incomplete_cleanup_form.confirm_host.help_text }}</div>
+        </div>
+
+        <div class="field">
+          {{ incomplete_cleanup_form.confirm_delete_count.errors }}
+          <label for="{{ incomplete_cleanup_form.confirm_delete_count.id_for_label }}">Confirm incomplete count</label>
+          {{ incomplete_cleanup_form.confirm_delete_count }}
+          <div class="helptext">{{ incomplete_cleanup_form.confirm_delete_count.help_text }}</div>
+        </div>
+
+        <div class="actions">
+          <button type="submit">Delete incomplete snapshots</button>
+        </div>
+      </form>
     </section>
   {% endif %}
 {% endblock %}

src/pobsync_backend/tests/test_sql_retention.py

@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@ from django.test import TestCase
 
 from pobsync.errors import ConfigError
 from pobsync_backend.models import HostConfig, SnapshotRecord
-from pobsync_backend.retention import run_sql_retention_apply, run_sql_retention_plan
+from pobsync_backend.retention import run_incomplete_cleanup, run_sql_retention_apply, run_sql_retention_plan
 
 
 class SqlRetentionTests(TestCase):
@@ -152,6 +152,78 @@ class SqlRetentionTests(TestCase):
                 acquire_lock=False,
             )
 
+    def test_incomplete_cleanup_deletes_directory_and_record(self) -> None:
+        with TemporaryDirectory() as tmp:
+            prefix = Path(tmp) / "home"
+            host = HostConfig.objects.create(host="web-01", address="web-01.example.test")
+            incomplete_dir = Path(tmp) / "backups" / host.host / ".incomplete" / "20260519-031500Z__BROKEN01"
+            incomplete_dir.mkdir(parents=True)
+            incomplete_dir.joinpath("partial-file").write_text("interrupted\n")
+            record = SnapshotRecord.objects.create(
+                host=host,
+                kind=SnapshotRecord.Kind.INCOMPLETE,
+                dirname=incomplete_dir.name,
+                path=str(incomplete_dir),
+                status="failed",
+                started_at=datetime(2026, 5, 19, 3, 15, tzinfo=timezone.utc),
+            )
+
+            result = run_incomplete_cleanup(
+                prefix=prefix,
+                host=host.host,
+                yes=True,
+                max_delete=1,
+                acquire_lock=False,
+            )
+
+            self.assertFalse(incomplete_dir.exists())
+            self.assertFalse(SnapshotRecord.objects.filter(pk=record.pk).exists())
+            self.assertEqual(
+                result["deleted"],
+                [{"dirname": incomplete_dir.name, "kind": SnapshotRecord.Kind.INCOMPLETE, "path": str(incomplete_dir)}],
+            )
+            self.assertEqual(result["planned_delete_count"], 1)
+
+    def test_incomplete_cleanup_respects_max_delete(self) -> None:
+        host = HostConfig.objects.create(host="web-01", address="web-01.example.test")
+        SnapshotRecord.objects.create(
+            host=host,
+            kind=SnapshotRecord.Kind.INCOMPLETE,
+            dirname="20260519-031500Z__BROKEN01",
+            path=f"/backups/{host.host}/.incomplete/20260519-031500Z__BROKEN01",
+            status="failed",
+            started_at=datetime(2026, 5, 19, 3, 15, tzinfo=timezone.utc),
+        )
+
+        with self.assertRaisesRegex(ConfigError, "blocked by --max-delete=0"):
+            run_incomplete_cleanup(
+                prefix=Path("/tmp/pobsync-test"),
+                host=host.host,
+                yes=True,
+                max_delete=0,
+                acquire_lock=False,
+            )
+
+    def test_incomplete_cleanup_rejects_unexpected_path(self) -> None:
+        host = HostConfig.objects.create(host="web-01", address="web-01.example.test")
+        SnapshotRecord.objects.create(
+            host=host,
+            kind=SnapshotRecord.Kind.INCOMPLETE,
+            dirname="20260519-031500Z__BROKEN01",
+            path=f"/backups/{host.host}/scheduled/20260519-031500Z__BROKEN01",
+            status="failed",
+            started_at=datetime(2026, 5, 19, 3, 15, tzinfo=timezone.utc),
+        )
+
+        with self.assertRaisesRegex(ConfigError, "unexpected incomplete snapshot path"):
+            run_incomplete_cleanup(
+                prefix=Path("/tmp/pobsync-test"),
+                host=host.host,
+                yes=True,
+                max_delete=1,
+                acquire_lock=False,
+            )
+
     def test_management_command_plans_from_sql(self) -> None:
         host = HostConfig.objects.create(
             host="web-01",

src/pobsync_backend/tests/test_views.py

@@ -1620,6 +1620,68 @@ class ViewTests(TestCase):
         self.assertContains(response, "Incomplete Snapshots")
         self.assertContains(response, "20260519-031500Z__BROKEN01")
         self.assertContains(response, "excluded from retention cleanup")
+        self.assertContains(response, "Delete incomplete snapshots")
+        self.assertContains(response, "Type 1 to confirm the current number of incomplete snapshots.")
+
+    def test_incomplete_cleanup_deletes_incomplete_snapshot_after_confirmation(self) -> None:
+        self.client.force_login(self.staff_user)
+        with TemporaryDirectory() as tmp:
+            home = Path(tmp) / "home"
+            host = HostConfig.objects.create(host="web-01", address="web-01.example.test")
+            incomplete_dir = Path(tmp) / "backups" / host.host / ".incomplete" / "20260519-031500Z__BROKEN01"
+            incomplete_dir.mkdir(parents=True)
+            incomplete_dir.joinpath("partial-file").write_text("interrupted\n")
+            record = SnapshotRecord.objects.create(
+                host=host,
+                kind=SnapshotRecord.Kind.INCOMPLETE,
+                dirname=incomplete_dir.name,
+                path=str(incomplete_dir),
+                status="failed",
+                started_at=datetime(2026, 5, 19, 3, 15, tzinfo=timezone.utc),
+            )
+
+            with override_settings(POBSYNC_HOME=str(home)):
+                response = self.client.post(
+                    reverse("cleanup_host_incomplete_snapshots", args=[host.host]),
+                    {
+                        "max_delete": "1",
+                        "confirm_host": host.host,
+                        "confirm_delete_count": "1",
+                    },
+                    follow=True,
+                )
+
+            self.assertFalse(incomplete_dir.exists())
+
+        self.assertRedirects(response, reverse("host_retention_plan", args=[host.host]))
+        self.assertContains(response, "Deleted 1 incomplete snapshot(s) for web-01.")
+        self.assertFalse(SnapshotRecord.objects.filter(pk=record.pk).exists())
+
+    def test_incomplete_cleanup_rejects_bad_confirmation(self) -> None:
+        self.client.force_login(self.staff_user)
+        host = HostConfig.objects.create(host="web-01", address="web-01.example.test")
+        SnapshotRecord.objects.create(
+            host=host,
+            kind=SnapshotRecord.Kind.INCOMPLETE,
+            dirname="20260519-031500Z__BROKEN01",
+            path=f"/backups/{host.host}/.incomplete/20260519-031500Z__BROKEN01",
+            status="failed",
+            started_at=datetime(2026, 5, 19, 3, 15, tzinfo=timezone.utc),
+        )
+
+        response = self.client.post(
+            reverse("cleanup_host_incomplete_snapshots", args=[host.host]),
+            {
+                "max_delete": "1",
+                "confirm_host": "wrong",
+                "confirm_delete_count": "1",
+            },
+            follow=True,
+        )
+
+        self.assertRedirects(response, reverse("host_retention_plan", args=[host.host]))
+        self.assertContains(response, "Incomplete cleanup confirmation is invalid.")
+        self.assertEqual(SnapshotRecord.objects.filter(kind=SnapshotRecord.Kind.INCOMPLETE).count(), 1)
 
     def test_host_detail_surfaces_retention_warnings(self) -> None:
         self.client.force_login(self.staff_user)

src/pobsync_backend/views.py

@@ -25,6 +25,7 @@ from .forms import (
     CreateHostConfigForm,
     GlobalConfigForm,
     HostConfigForm,
+    IncompleteCleanupForm,
     ManualBackupForm,
     RetentionApplyForm,
     SshCredentialGenerateForm,
@@ -34,7 +35,7 @@ from .forms import (
 from .host_ops import ensure_host_directories
 from .models import BackupRun, GlobalConfig, HostConfig, ScheduleConfig, SnapshotRecord, SshCredential
 from .preflight import collect_backup_gate, effective_host_config_preview, run_remote_preflight
-from .retention import run_sql_retention_apply, run_sql_retention_plan
+from .retention import run_incomplete_cleanup, run_sql_retention_apply, run_sql_retention_plan
 from .self_check import collect_self_checks, summarize_self_checks
 from .scheduler import next_due_after
 from .snapshot_discovery import discover_snapshots, inspect_snapshot_discovery
@@ -569,6 +570,7 @@ def host_retention_plan(request, host: str):
     schedule = _schedule_for_host(host_config)
     scheduled_prune_limit = schedule.prune_max_delete if schedule and schedule.prune else None
     delete_count = len(plan["delete"])
+    incomplete_count = len(plan["incomplete"])
     context = {
         "host": host_config,
         "kind": kind,
@@ -587,6 +589,14 @@ def host_retention_plan(request, host: str):
                 "confirm_delete_count": delete_count,
             },
         ),
+        "incomplete_cleanup_form": IncompleteCleanupForm(
+            host_name=host_config.host,
+            expected_delete_count=incomplete_count,
+            initial={
+                "max_delete": incomplete_count,
+                "confirm_delete_count": incomplete_count,
+            },
+        ),
     }
     return render(request, "pobsync_backend/retention_plan.html", context)
 
@@ -643,6 +653,40 @@ def apply_host_retention(request, host: str):
     return target
 
 
+@staff_member_required
+@require_POST
+def cleanup_host_incomplete_snapshots(request, host: str):
+    host_config = get_object_or_404(HostConfig, host=host)
+    try:
+        plan = run_sql_retention_plan(host=host_config.host, kind="all", protect_bases=True)
+    except PobsyncError as exc:
+        messages.error(request, str(exc))
+        return redirect("host_retention_plan", host=host_config.host)
+
+    incomplete_count = len(plan.get("incomplete") or [])
+    form = IncompleteCleanupForm(
+        request.POST,
+        host_name=host_config.host,
+        expected_delete_count=incomplete_count,
+    )
+    if not form.is_valid():
+        messages.error(request, "Incomplete cleanup confirmation is invalid.")
+        return redirect("host_retention_plan", host=host_config.host)
+
+    try:
+        result = run_incomplete_cleanup(
+            prefix=Path(settings.POBSYNC_HOME),
+            host=host_config.host,
+            yes=True,
+            max_delete=form.cleaned_data["max_delete"],
+        )
+    except PobsyncError as exc:
+        messages.error(request, str(exc))
+    else:
+        messages.success(request, f"Deleted {len(result['deleted'])} incomplete snapshot(s) for {host_config.host}.")
+    return redirect("host_retention_plan", host=host_config.host)
+
+
 @staff_member_required
 def edit_host_config(request, host: str):
     host_config = get_object_or_404(HostConfig, host=host)

src/pobsync_server/urls.py

@@ -27,6 +27,11 @@ urlpatterns = [
     path("hosts/<str:host>/discover-snapshots/", views.discover_host_snapshots, name="discover_host_snapshots"),
     path("hosts/<str:host>/retention-apply/", views.apply_host_retention, name="apply_host_retention"),
     path("hosts/<str:host>/retention-plan/", views.host_retention_plan, name="host_retention_plan"),
+    path(
+        "hosts/<str:host>/incomplete-cleanup/",
+        views.cleanup_host_incomplete_snapshots,
+        name="cleanup_host_incomplete_snapshots",
+    ),
     path("hosts/<str:host>/schedule/", views.edit_host_schedule, name="edit_host_schedule"),
     path("runs/<int:run_id>/", views.run_detail, name="run_detail"),
     path("runs/<int:run_id>/rsync-log/", views.run_rsync_log, name="run_rsync_log"),