diff --git a/deltachat-ffi/src/lib.rs b/deltachat-ffi/src/lib.rs
index 3658eea17..4a04380e0 100644
--- a/deltachat-ffi/src/lib.rs
+++ b/deltachat-ffi/src/lib.rs
@@ -4176,7 +4176,7 @@ pub unsafe extern "C" fn dc_backup_provider_qr_svg(
     let ctx = &*context;
     let provider = &*provider;
     block_on(async move {
-        generate_backup_qr(ctx, provider.qr())
+        generate_backup_qr(ctx, &provider.qr())
             .await
             .unwrap_or_default()
             .strdup()
diff --git a/deltachat-jsonrpc/src/api/mod.rs b/deltachat-jsonrpc/src/api/mod.rs
index 9df681cb3..a2a1aaf2e 100644
--- a/deltachat-jsonrpc/src/api/mod.rs
+++ b/deltachat-jsonrpc/src/api/mod.rs
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 use std::collections::BTreeMap;
+use std::path::Path;
 use std::sync::Arc;
 use std::{collections::HashMap, str::FromStr};
 
@@ -22,7 +23,7 @@ use deltachat::{
     },
     provider::get_provider_info,
     qr,
-    qr_code_generator::get_securejoin_qr_svg,
+    qr_code_generator::{generate_backup_qr, get_securejoin_qr_svg},
     reaction::send_reaction,
     securejoin,
     stock_str::StockMessage,
@@ -1336,6 +1337,40 @@ impl CommandApi {
         .await
     }
 
+    /// Starts to provide the backup for remote devices to retrieve.
+    ///
+    /// Can be cancelled by stopping the ongoing process.  Success or failure can be tracked
+    /// via the `ImexProgress` event which should either reach `1000` for success or `0` for
+    /// failure.
+    ///
+    /// This **stops IO**.  After completion `start_io` must be called to restart IO.
+    ///
+    /// Returns the QR code as a rendered SVG image.
+    async fn provide_backup(&self, account_id: u32, path: String) -> Result<String> {
+        let ctx = self.get_context(account_id).await?;
+        ctx.stop_io().await;
+        let provider = imex::BackupProvider::prepare(&ctx, Path::new(&path)).await?;
+        let qr = provider.qr();
+        let svg = match generate_backup_qr(&ctx, &qr).await {
+            Ok(svg) => svg,
+            Err(err) => {
+                ctx.stop_ongoing().await;
+                return Err(err);
+            }
+        };
+        Ok(svg)
+    }
+
+    /// Gets a backup from a remote provider.
+    ///
+    /// Can be cancelled by stopping the ongoing process.
+    async fn get_backup(&self, account_id: u32, qr_text: String) -> Result<()> {
+        let ctx = self.get_context(account_id).await?;
+        let qr = qr::check_qr(&ctx, &qr_text).await?;
+        imex::get_backup(&ctx, qr).await?;
+        Ok(())
+    }
+
     // ---------------------------------------------
     //                connectivity
     // ---------------------------------------------
diff --git a/deltachat-jsonrpc/src/api/types/qr.rs b/deltachat-jsonrpc/src/api/types/qr.rs
index 143792477..607b495ec 100644
--- a/deltachat-jsonrpc/src/api/types/qr.rs
+++ b/deltachat-jsonrpc/src/api/types/qr.rs
@@ -33,7 +33,7 @@ pub enum QrObject {
         domain: String,
     },
     Backup {
-        ticket: Vec<u8>,
+        ticket: String,
     },
     WebrtcInstance {
         domain: String,
@@ -130,7 +130,7 @@ impl From<Qr> for QrObject {
             Qr::FprWithoutAddr { fingerprint } => QrObject::FprWithoutAddr { fingerprint },
             Qr::Account { domain } => QrObject::Account { domain },
             Qr::Backup { ticket } => QrObject::Backup {
-                ticket: ticket.to_bytes(),
+                ticket: ticket.to_string(),
             },
             Qr::WebrtcInstance {
                 domain,
diff --git a/deltachat-repl/src/cmdline.rs b/deltachat-repl/src/cmdline.rs
index d94c04a47..42c7b0595 100644
--- a/deltachat-repl/src/cmdline.rs
+++ b/deltachat-repl/src/cmdline.rs
@@ -493,7 +493,7 @@ pub async fn cmdline(context: Context, line: &str, chat_id: &mut ChatId) -> Resu
             let dir = tdir.path();
             let provider = BackupProvider::prepare(&context, dir).await?;
             let qr = provider.qr();
-            let rendered = deltachat::qr_code_generator::generate_backup_qr(&context, qr).await?;
+            let rendered = deltachat::qr_code_generator::generate_backup_qr(&context, &qr).await?;
             let file = dir.join("qr.svg");
             tokio::fs::write(&file, rendered).await?;
             println!("The QR code is at: {}", file.display());
diff --git a/src/qr_code_generator.rs b/src/qr_code_generator.rs
index c6f384cf5..cb1cc4ce5 100644
--- a/src/qr_code_generator.rs
+++ b/src/qr_code_generator.rs
@@ -56,7 +56,7 @@ async fn generate_verification_qr(context: &Context) -> Result<String> {
     )
 }
 
-pub async fn generate_backup_qr(context: &Context, qr: Qr) -> Result<String> {
+pub async fn generate_backup_qr(context: &Context, qr: &Qr) -> Result<String> {
     let Qr::Backup { ticket } = qr else {
         bail!("QR code not a backup");
     };
@@ -325,7 +325,7 @@ mod tests {
         let qr = provider.qr();
 
         println!("{}", format_backup(&qr).unwrap());
-        let rendered = generate_backup_qr(&ctx, qr).await.unwrap();
+        let rendered = generate_backup_qr(&ctx, &qr).await.unwrap();
         tokio::fs::write(dir.join("qr.svg"), &rendered)
             .await
             .unwrap();