diff --git a/apps/client-standalone/src/lightweight/backup_provider.ts b/apps/client-standalone/src/lightweight/backup_provider.ts
index d25b03c729..7677e88325 100644
--- a/apps/client-standalone/src/lightweight/backup_provider.ts
+++ b/apps/client-standalone/src/lightweight/backup_provider.ts
@@ -127,35 +127,30 @@ export default class StandaloneBackupService extends BackupService {
         }
     }
 
-    /**
-     * Download a backup to the user's device.
-     */
-    async downloadBackup(fileName: string): Promise<void> {
+    override async getBackupContent(filePath: string): Promise<Uint8Array | null> {
         if (!this.isOpfsAvailable()) {
-            throw new Error("OPFS not available - cannot download backup");
+            return null;
         }
 
         try {
             const dir = await this.ensureBackupDirectory();
             if (!dir) {
-                throw new Error("Backup directory not available");
+                return null;
+            }
+
+            // Extract fileName from filePath (e.g., "/backups/backup-now.db" -> "backup-now.db")
+            const fileName = filePath.split("/").pop();
+            if (!fileName || !BACKUP_FILE_PATTERN.test(fileName)) {
+                return null;
             }
 
             const fileHandle = await dir.getFileHandle(fileName);
             const file = await fileHandle.getFile();
             const data = await file.arrayBuffer();
-
-            // Create download link
-            const blob = new Blob([data], { type: "application/x-sqlite3" });
-            const url = URL.createObjectURL(blob);
-            const a = document.createElement("a");
-            a.href = url;
-            a.download = fileName;
-            a.click();
-            URL.revokeObjectURL(url);
+            return new Uint8Array(data);
         } catch (error) {
-            console.error(`[Backup] Failed to download backup ${fileName}:`, error);
-            throw error;
+            console.error(`[Backup] Failed to get backup content ${filePath}:`, error);
+            return null;
         }
     }
 }
diff --git a/apps/server/src/backup_provider.ts b/apps/server/src/backup_provider.ts
index cedf7e4c09..71f9221f6c 100644
--- a/apps/server/src/backup_provider.ts
+++ b/apps/server/src/backup_provider.ts
@@ -46,4 +46,20 @@ export default class ServerBackupService extends BackupService {
             return backupFile;
         });
     }
+
+    override async getBackupContent(filePath: string): Promise<Uint8Array | null> {
+        const resolvedPath = path.resolve(filePath);
+        const backupDir = path.resolve(dataDir.BACKUP_DIR);
+
+        // Security check: ensure the path is within the backup directory
+        if (!resolvedPath.startsWith(backupDir + path.sep)) {
+            return null;
+        }
+
+        if (!fs.existsSync(resolvedPath)) {
+            return null;
+        }
+
+        return fs.readFileSync(resolvedPath);
+    }
 }
diff --git a/apps/server/src/routes/routes.ts b/apps/server/src/routes/routes.ts
index de2247677d..24716b1098 100644
--- a/apps/server/src/routes/routes.ts
+++ b/apps/server/src/routes/routes.ts
@@ -167,8 +167,7 @@ function register(app: express.Application) {
         asyncRoute(PST, "/api/database/rebuild/", [auth.checkApiAuthOrElectron], databaseRoute.rebuildIntegrationTestDatabase, apiResultHandler);
     }
 
-    // backup/download is server-specific (uses Express res.download), backup-database and backups are in core
-    route(GET, "/api/database/backup/download", [auth.checkApiAuthOrElectron], databaseRoute.downloadBackup);
+    // backup routes (backups, backup-database, backup/download) are in core
     // VACUUM requires execution outside of transaction
     asyncRoute(PST, "/api/database/vacuum-database", [auth.checkApiAuthOrElectron, csrfMiddleware], databaseRoute.vacuumDatabase, apiResultHandler);
 
diff --git a/packages/trilium-core/src/routes/api/backup.ts b/packages/trilium-core/src/routes/api/backup.ts
index 68b3c7f7ec..21a5b37738 100644
--- a/packages/trilium-core/src/routes/api/backup.ts
+++ b/packages/trilium-core/src/routes/api/backup.ts
@@ -11,7 +11,37 @@ async function backupDatabase(): Promise<BackupDatabaseNowResponse> {
     };
 }
 
+interface DownloadRequest {
+    query: { filePath?: string };
+}
+
+interface DownloadResponse {
+    status(code: number): DownloadResponse;
+    send(body: string): void;
+    set(name: string, value: string): DownloadResponse;
+}
+
+async function downloadBackup(req: DownloadRequest, res: DownloadResponse): Promise<void> {
+    const filePath = req.query.filePath;
+    if (!filePath) {
+        res.status(400).send("Missing filePath");
+        return;
+    }
+
+    const content = await getBackup().getBackupContent(filePath);
+    if (!content) {
+        res.status(404).send("Backup not found");
+        return;
+    }
+
+    const fileName = filePath.split("/").pop() || "backup.db";
+    res.set("Content-Type", "application/x-sqlite3");
+    res.set("Content-Disposition", `attachment; filename="${fileName}"`);
+    res.send(content as unknown as string);
+}
+
 export default {
     getExistingBackups,
-    backupDatabase
+    backupDatabase,
+    downloadBackup
 };
diff --git a/packages/trilium-core/src/routes/index.ts b/packages/trilium-core/src/routes/index.ts
index cd6286de44..f3da081822 100644
--- a/packages/trilium-core/src/routes/index.ts
+++ b/packages/trilium-core/src/routes/index.ts
@@ -207,6 +207,7 @@ export function buildSharedApiRoutes({ route, asyncRoute, apiRoute, asyncApiRout
     // Backup routes
     asyncApiRoute(GET, "/api/database/backups", backupRoute.getExistingBackups);
     asyncApiRoute(PST, "/api/database/backup-database", backupRoute.backupDatabase);
+    asyncRoute(GET, "/api/database/backup/download", [checkApiAuthOrElectron], backupRoute.downloadBackup);
 
     apiRoute(GET, "/api/other/icon-usage", otherRoute.getIconUsage);
     apiRoute(PST, "/api/other/render-markdown", otherRoute.renderMarkdown);
diff --git a/packages/trilium-core/src/services/backup.ts b/packages/trilium-core/src/services/backup.ts
index 5432aac0bd..d1f8dea223 100644
--- a/packages/trilium-core/src/services/backup.ts
+++ b/packages/trilium-core/src/services/backup.ts
@@ -41,6 +41,12 @@ export default abstract class BackupService {
      */
     abstract getExistingBackups(): Promise<DatabaseBackup[]>;
 
+    /**
+     * Get the content of a backup file.
+     * Returns null if the backup doesn't exist or access is denied.
+     */
+    abstract getBackupContent(filePath: string): Promise<Uint8Array | null>;
+
     /**
      * Run the scheduled backup checks for daily, weekly, and monthly backups.
      */