diff --git a/src/main/java/com/machiav3lli/backup/dbs/entity/Backup.kt b/src/main/java/com/machiav3lli/backup/dbs/entity/Backup.kt
index 4140c26ffd..cbbfa58036 100644
--- a/src/main/java/com/machiav3lli/backup/dbs/entity/Backup.kt
+++ b/src/main/java/com/machiav3lli/backup/dbs/entity/Backup.kt
@@ -27,6 +27,7 @@ import com.machiav3lli.backup.PROP_NAME
 import com.machiav3lli.backup.entity.StorageFile
 import com.machiav3lli.backup.handler.LogsHandler.Companion.logException
 import com.machiav3lli.backup.handler.regexPackageFolder
+import com.machiav3lli.backup.preferences.pref_createInvalidBackups
 import com.machiav3lli.backup.utils.LocalDateTimeSerializer
 import com.machiav3lli.backup.utils.SystemUtils
 import com.machiav3lli.backup.utils.getBackupRoot
@@ -272,16 +273,22 @@ data class Backup @OptIn(kotlinx.serialization.ExperimentalSerializationApi::cla
 
                 serialized = propertiesFile.readText()
 
-                if (serialized.isEmpty())
-                    return createInvalidFrom(propertiesFile, why = "empty-props")
-
-                val backup = fromSerialized(serialized)
+                val backup = if (serialized.isEmpty()) {
+                    if (pref_createInvalidBackups.value)
+                        createInvalidFrom(propertiesFile, why = "empty-props")
+                    else
+                        null
+                } else {
+                    fromSerialized(serialized)
+                }
 
-                //TODO bug: list serialization (jsonPretty, yaml) adds a space in front of each value
-                // found older multiline json and yaml without the bug, so it was introduced lately (by lib versions)
-                backup.permissions = backup.permissions.map { it.trim() } //TODO workaround
+                backup?.run {
+                    backup.file = propertiesFile
 
-                backup.file = propertiesFile
+                    //TODO bug: list serialization (jsonPretty, yaml) adds a space in front of each value
+                    // found older multiline json and yaml without the bug, so it was introduced lately (by lib versions)
+                    backup.permissions = backup.permissions.map { it.trim() } //TODO workaround
+                }
 
                 return backup
 
diff --git a/src/main/java/com/machiav3lli/backup/handler/BackendController.kt b/src/main/java/com/machiav3lli/backup/handler/BackendController.kt
index b19071e604..7491ea261b 100644
--- a/src/main/java/com/machiav3lli/backup/handler/BackendController.kt
+++ b/src/main/java/com/machiav3lli/backup/handler/BackendController.kt
@@ -51,6 +51,7 @@ import com.machiav3lli.backup.handler.LogsHandler.Companion.logException
 import com.machiav3lli.backup.handler.ShellCommands.Companion.currentProfile
 import com.machiav3lli.backup.handler.ShellHandler.Companion.runAsRoot
 import com.machiav3lli.backup.preferences.pref_backupSuspendApps
+import com.machiav3lli.backup.preferences.pref_createInvalidBackups
 import com.machiav3lli.backup.preferences.pref_earlyEmptyBackups
 import com.machiav3lli.backup.preferences.pref_lookForEmptyBackups
 import com.machiav3lli.backup.preferences.traceBackupsScan
@@ -233,7 +234,7 @@ suspend fun scanBackups(
         if (damagedOp != null)
             renameDamagedToERROR(dir, "empty-backup")
         else
-            onInvalidBackup(dir, file, null, "empty")
+            onInvalidBackup(dir, file, null, "empty-backup")
     }
 
     suspend fun handleProps(
@@ -582,7 +583,7 @@ fun Context.findBackups(
 
         val backupRoot = getBackupRoot()
 
-        val count = AtomicInteger(0)
+        //val count = AtomicInteger(0)
 
         when (1) {
             1 -> {
@@ -595,7 +596,7 @@ fun Context.findBackups(
                         damagedOp = damagedOp,
                         forceTrace = forceTrace,
                         onValidBackup = { props ->
-                            count.getAndIncrement()
+                            //count.getAndIncrement()
                             Backup.createFrom(props)
                                 ?.let { backup ->
                                     //traceDebug { "put ${backup.packageName}/${backup.backupDate}" }
@@ -606,15 +607,17 @@ fun Context.findBackups(
                                 }
                         },
                         onInvalidBackup = { dir: StorageFile, props: StorageFile?, packageName: String?, why: String? ->
-                            count.getAndIncrement()
-                            Backup.createInvalidFrom(dir, props, packageName, why)
-                                ?.let { backup ->
-                                    //traceDebug { "put ${backup.packageName}/${backup.backupDate}" }
-                                    synchronized(backupsMap) {
-                                        backupsMap.getOrPut(backup.packageName) { mutableListOf() }
-                                            .add(backup)
+                            //count.getAndIncrement()
+                            if (pref_createInvalidBackups.value) {
+                                Backup.createInvalidFrom(dir, props, packageName, why)
+                                    ?.let { backup ->
+                                        //traceDebug { "put ${backup.packageName}/${backup.backupDate}" }
+                                        synchronized(backupsMap) {
+                                            backupsMap.getOrPut(backup.packageName) { mutableListOf() }
+                                                .add(backup)
+                                        }
                                     }
-                                }
+                            }
                         }
                     )
                 }
diff --git a/src/main/java/com/machiav3lli/backup/preferences/AdvancedPreferences.kt b/src/main/java/com/machiav3lli/backup/preferences/AdvancedPreferences.kt
index 2fdcf770aa..a989cd7ef2 100644
--- a/src/main/java/com/machiav3lli/backup/preferences/AdvancedPreferences.kt
+++ b/src/main/java/com/machiav3lli/backup/preferences/AdvancedPreferences.kt
@@ -484,6 +484,12 @@ val pref_busyHitTime = IntPref(
     defaultValue = 2000
 )
 
+val pref_createInvalidBackups = BooleanPref(
+    key = "dev-alt.createInvalidBackups",
+    summary = "create dummy 'INVALID' backups when detecting errors (for now, do not try to delete them!!!)",
+    defaultValue = false
+)
+
 val pref_lookForEmptyBackups = BooleanPref(
     key = "dev-alt.lookForEmptyBackups",
     summary = "scan for empty backups (slower refresh, especially remote)",