diff --git a/development/download-backups.sh b/development/download-backups.sh
index 364fdc10..8c72b1a6 100644
--- a/development/download-backups.sh
+++ b/development/download-backups.sh
@@ -8,8 +8,35 @@ if [ -z "$1" ]; then
 fi
 
 SITE_NAME="$1"
+SERVER="root@188.245.211.114"
+LIVE_PATH="/var/lib/docker/volumes/frappe-deployment_sites/_data/${SITE_NAME}/private/backups/"
+ARCHIVED_PATH="/home/frappe/frappe-bench/archived/sites/${SITE_NAME}/private/backups"
 
 # Load environment variables from .env file
 source .env
 
-sshpass -p "$HETZNER_SSH_PASSWORD" scp -r root@188.245.211.114:/var/lib/docker/volumes/frappe-deployment_sites/_data/${SITE_NAME}/private/backups/ ./development
+# Check if live site exists
+echo "Checking if site ${SITE_NAME} is live..."
+if sshpass -p "$HETZNER_SSH_PASSWORD" ssh "$SERVER" "[ -d '$LIVE_PATH' ]"; then
+    echo "Site is live. Downloading from live location..."
+    sshpass -p "$HETZNER_SSH_PASSWORD" scp -r "${SERVER}:${LIVE_PATH}" ./development
+    echo "Download complete."
+else
+    echo "Site is not live. Checking archived location..."
+
+    # Check if archived site exists and download using docker cp
+    if sshpass -p "$HETZNER_SSH_PASSWORD" ssh "$SERVER" "docker exec frappe-deployment-backend-1 test -d '${ARCHIVED_PATH}'"; then
+        echo "Site is archived. Downloading from archived location..."
+
+        # Copy from container to host temp location, then scp to local
+        TEMP_DIR="/tmp/backup_${SITE_NAME}"
+        sshpass -p "$HETZNER_SSH_PASSWORD" ssh "$SERVER" "rm -rf ${TEMP_DIR} && docker cp frappe-deployment-backend-1:${ARCHIVED_PATH} ${TEMP_DIR}"
+        sshpass -p "$HETZNER_SSH_PASSWORD" scp -r "${SERVER}:${TEMP_DIR}" ./development/backups
+        sshpass -p "$HETZNER_SSH_PASSWORD" ssh "$SERVER" "rm -rf ${TEMP_DIR}"
+
+        echo "Download complete."
+    else
+        echo "Error: Site ${SITE_NAME} not found in live or archived locations."
+        exit 1
+    fi
+fi