diff --git a/src/backupsites.js b/src/backupsites.js
index a651e8110..4f6336c05 100644
--- a/src/backupsites.js
+++ b/src/backupsites.js
@@ -35,6 +35,8 @@ exports = module.exports = {
     storageApi,
 
     createPseudo,
+
+    reinitAll
 };
 
 const assert = require('node:assert'),
@@ -600,3 +602,10 @@ async function createPseudo(data) {
     const sanitizedConfig = await storageApi({ provider }).verifyConfig({id, provider, config });
     return { id, format, provider, config: sanitizedConfig, encryption };
 }
+
+// after a restore, this recreates the working directories of the sites
+async function reinitAll() {
+    for (const site of await list()) {
+        if (!safe.fs.mkdirSync(`${paths.BACKUP_INFO_DIR}/${site.id}`, { recursive: true })) throw new BoxError(BoxError.FS_ERROR, `Failed to create info dir: ${safe.error.message}`);
+    }
+}
diff --git a/src/provision.js b/src/provision.js
index b3d5b5823..be7cba96d 100644
--- a/src/provision.js
+++ b/src/provision.js
@@ -197,6 +197,8 @@ async function restoreTask(backupSite, remotePath, ipv4Config, ipv6Config, optio
         await network.setIPv6Config(ipv6Config);
         await reverseProxy.restoreFallbackCertificates();
 
+        await backupSites.reinitAll();
+
         const location = await dashboard.getLocation(); // load this fresh from after the backup.restore
         if (!options.skipDnsSetup) {
             await dns.registerLocations([location], { overwriteDns: true }, (progress) => setProgress('restore', progress.message));