diff --git a/dashboard/src/views/BackupSitesView.vue b/dashboard/src/views/BackupSitesView.vue
index ff5771acf..b94638359 100644
--- a/dashboard/src/views/BackupSitesView.vue
+++ b/dashboard/src/views/BackupSitesView.vue
@@ -100,7 +100,10 @@ async function onRemoveSite(site) {
   if (!yes) return;
 
   const [error] = await backupSitesModels.del(site.id);
-  if (error) console.error(error);
+  if (error) {
+    window.pankow.notify({ text: error.body?.message || 'Failed to delete backup site', type: 'danger' });
+    return console.error(error);
+  }
 
   await refresh();
 
diff --git a/src/backupsites.js b/src/backupsites.js
index 87e7d73a8..8e6fd899f 100644
--- a/src/backupsites.js
+++ b/src/backupsites.js
@@ -306,6 +306,8 @@ async function del(backupSite, auditSource) {
     assert.strictEqual(typeof backupSite, 'object');
     assert.strictEqual(typeof auditSource, 'object');
 
+    if (constants.DEMO) throw new BoxError(BoxError.BAD_STATE, 'Not allowed in demo mode');
+
     await safe(storageApi(backupSite).teardown(backupSite.config), { debug: log }); // ignore error
 
     const queries = [