Stop a cancelled backup at once under --skip-errors (closes #286)

After Ctrl-C or SIGTERM, phase 2 of a --skip-errors backup treated the
cancellation error from each remaining file like an unreadable file: it
opened the file, printed an error line, counted it as failed and moved
on to the next. The processing loop now checks for cancellation before
each file, and an error from a file once the run is cancelled stops the
run instead of being skipped. The loop check is what stops a run
cancelled while an empty file is open, since an empty file has no
chunks and nothing reads the context while it is backed up.

The --skip-errors test helper now takes the scan's context.

Model: opus-5-5

TODO.md

@@ -22,12 +22,38 @@ the tag exists and is exercised; what is left is merging `next` to
 
 # Completed Steps
 
+- 2026-10-08: Made a backup cancelled under `--skip-errors` stop at once
+  ([issue #286](https://git.eeqj.de/sneak/vaultik/issues/286)). After
+  Ctrl-C or SIGTERM, phase 2 treated the cancellation error from each
+  remaining file like an unreadable file: it opened the file, printed an
+  error line for it, counted it as failed and went on to the next one.
+  The run now stops at the first file after the cancellation, and no
+  file is counted as failed because of it.
+
 - 2026-10-08: Made `remote nuke` delete the `.partial` files that
   uploads cut off part-way leave on the destination store
-  ([issue #281](https://git.eeqj.de/sneak/vaultik/issues/281)). Every
+  ([issue #281](https://git.eeqj.de/sneak/vaultik/issues/281)). The
-  listing skips such a file, so the command left it in place and still
+  file and rclone listings skip such a file, so the command left it in
-  reported the store empty. It now removes them under `metadata/` and
+  place and still reported the store empty. It now removes them under
-  `blobs/` as its last step.
+  `metadata/` and `blobs/` as its last step.
+
+- 2026-10-08: Made a local index error while recording a directory or
+  symlink stop a backup under `--skip-errors`
+  ([issue #284](https://git.eeqj.de/sneak/vaultik/issues/284)). Phase 2
+  only records such an entry in the local index, since it has no data
+  to open or read, but an error doing so was skipped like an unreadable
+  file. The snapshot then completed without the entry, and a restore
+  did not recreate it. The error now stops the backup, as it does
+  without the flag.
+
+- 2026-10-08: Counted a file that a backup could not store as failed
+  ([issue #280](https://git.eeqj.de/sneak/vaultik/issues/280)). A file
+  that phase 1 counted and phase 2 could not open, because it was
+  unreadable under `--skip-errors` or removed in between, was reported
+  in the summary as unchanged with its bytes as backed up, and the
+  `snapshots` row's `file_count` and `total_size` included it. The
+  summary now counts it as failed, and its data total and the row leave
+  it out.
 
 - 2026-10-08: Made `remote info` report a snapshot's blob count and
   blob size as unknown when its manifest cannot be read

internal/snapshot/scanner.go

@@ -133,10 +133,13 @@ type ScannerConfig struct {
 
 // ScanResult contains the results of a scan operation. Files and bytes
 // are counted per file: BytesScanned is the size of the new and changed
-// files, BytesSkipped that of the unchanged ones.
+// files, BytesSkipped that of the unchanged ones. FilesFailed counts the
+// new and changed files that phase 2 could not store; FilesScanned
+// includes them and BytesScanned does not.
 type ScanResult struct {
 	FilesScanned   int
 	FilesSkipped   int
+	FilesFailed    int
 	FilesDeleted   int
 	BytesScanned   int64
 	BytesSkipped   int64
@@ -1309,6 +1312,13 @@ func (s *Scanner) processPhase(
 
 	// Process each file
 	for _, fileToProcess := range filesToProcess {
+		// Check context cancellation
+		select {
+		case <-ctx.Done():
+			return ctx.Err()
+		default:
+		}
+
 		// Update progress
 		if s.progress != nil {
 			s.progress.GetStats().CurrentFile.Store(fileToProcess.Path)
@@ -1345,13 +1355,32 @@ func (s *Scanner) processPhase(
 	return s.finalizeProcessPhase(ctx, result)
 }
 
-// processFileWithErrorHandling wraps processFileStreaming with error recovery for
+// processFileWithErrorHandling records a directory or symlink, or wraps
-// deleted files and skip-errors mode. Returns (skipped, error).
+// processFileStreaming for a regular file with error recovery for deleted
+// files and skip-errors mode. Returns (skipped, error).
 func (s *Scanner) processFileWithErrorHandling(
 	ctx context.Context, fileToProcess *FileToProcess, result *ScanResult,
 ) (bool, error) {
+	// A directory or symlink has no data to open or read; it is only
+	// recorded in the local index. An error recording it stops the run
+	// even under --skip-errors, or the snapshot would complete without it.
+	mode := os.FileMode(fileToProcess.File.Mode)
+	if mode&os.ModeSymlink != 0 || mode.IsDir() {
+		err := s.recordNonRegularFile(ctx, fileToProcess)
+		if err != nil {
+			return false, fmt.Errorf("processing file %s: %w", fileToProcess.Path, err)
+		}
+
+		return false, nil
+	}
+
 	err := s.processFileStreaming(ctx, fileToProcess, result)
 	if err != nil {
+		// A cancelled run stops here even under --skip-errors, rather than
+		// counting this file as failed and going on to the next one.
+		if ctx.Err() != nil {
+			return false, fmt.Errorf("processing file %s: %w", fileToProcess.Path, err)
+		}
 		// A packer/database/encryption/upload failure means the chunk's data
 		// may not have been stored. Skipping the file would let the snapshot
 		// record a file whose chunk is in no blob and cannot be restored, so
@@ -1365,7 +1394,7 @@ func (s *Scanner) processFileWithErrorHandling(
 			log.Warn("File was deleted during backup, skipping",
 				"path", fileToProcess.Path)
 
-			result.FilesSkipped++
+			countFailedFile(fileToProcess, result)
 
 			return true, nil
 		}
@@ -1376,7 +1405,7 @@ func (s *Scanner) processFileWithErrorHandling(
 			s.ui.Errorf("Failed to process %s: %v. Skipping (--skip-errors).",
 				s.ui.Path(fileToProcess.Path), err)
 
-			result.FilesSkipped++
+			countFailedFile(fileToProcess, result)
 
 			return true, nil
 		}
@@ -1387,6 +1416,13 @@ func (s *Scanner) processFileWithErrorHandling(
 	return false, nil
 }
 
+// countFailedFile counts a file that phase 2 could not store as failed
+// and takes its size back out of BytesScanned, where phase 1 put it.
+func countFailedFile(fileToProcess *FileToProcess, result *ScanResult) {
+	result.FilesFailed++
+	result.BytesScanned -= fileToProcess.FileInfo.Size()
+}
+
 // printProcessingProgress prints a periodic progress line during the process phase,
 // showing files processed, bytes transferred, throughput, and ETA
 func (s *Scanner) printProcessingProgress(
@@ -1755,16 +1791,11 @@ func (e *packerError) Error() string { return e.err.Error() }
 
 func (e *packerError) Unwrap() error { return e.err }
 
-// processFileStreaming processes a file by streaming chunks directly to the packer
+// processFileStreaming processes a regular file by streaming chunks directly
+// to the packer
 func (s *Scanner) processFileStreaming(
 	ctx context.Context, fileToProcess *FileToProcess, result *ScanResult,
 ) error {
-	// Symlinks and directories have no data to chunk — just record them in the DB.
-	mode := os.FileMode(fileToProcess.File.Mode)
-	if mode&os.ModeSymlink != 0 || mode.IsDir() {
-		return s.recordNonRegularFile(ctx, fileToProcess)
-	}
-
 	file, err := s.fs.Open(fileToProcess.Path)
 	if err != nil {
 		return fmt.Errorf("opening file: %w", wrapPermissionError(fileToProcess.Path, err))

internal/snapshot/skip_errors_test.go

@@ -82,6 +82,32 @@ func (f *readFailFs) Open(name string) (afero.File, error) {
 	return file, nil
 }
 
+// cancelOnOpenFs cancels the run when the scanner opens the target file to
+// back it up, as Ctrl-C partway through processing would, and records each
+// file opened after that.
+type cancelOnOpenFs struct {
+	afero.Fs
+
+	target            string
+	cancel            context.CancelFunc
+	cancelled         bool
+	openedAfterCancel []string
+}
+
+//nolint:ireturn // afero.Fs.Open is defined to return the interface.
+func (f *cancelOnOpenFs) Open(name string) (afero.File, error) {
+	if f.cancelled {
+		f.openedAfterCancel = append(f.openedAfterCancel, name)
+	}
+
+	if name == f.target {
+		f.cancel()
+		f.cancelled = true
+	}
+
+	return f.Fs.Open(name)
+}
+
 // linkRemovedAfterLstatFs is the real filesystem, except that the symlink at
 // target is removed right after the walk lstats it, as happens when a link is
 // deleted during a backup. The scanner's readlink of it then fails.
@@ -128,15 +154,16 @@ func writeSkipErrorTestFile(t *testing.T, fs afero.Fs, path, content string) {
 	}
 }
 
-// runSkipErrorScan scans source on fs with the given skip-errors setting,
+// runSkipErrorScan scans source on fs under ctx with the given skip-errors
-// printing user-facing messages to uiw (nil discards them), and returns the
+// setting, printing user-facing messages to uiw (nil discards them), and
-// repositories (for inspection) and the scan error.
+// returns the repositories (for inspection) and the scan error.
 func runSkipErrorScan(
-	t *testing.T, fs afero.Fs, source string, skipErrors bool, uiw *ui.Writer,
+	ctx context.Context, t *testing.T, fs afero.Fs, source string,
+	skipErrors bool, uiw *ui.Writer,
 ) (*database.Repositories, error) {
 	t.Helper()
 
-	db, err := database.NewTestDB()
+	db, err := database.New(ctx, ":memory:")
 	if err != nil {
 		t.Fatalf("create test db: %v", err)
 	}
@@ -161,7 +188,6 @@ func runSkipErrorScan(
 		SkipErrors:       skipErrors,
 	})
 
-	ctx := context.Background()
 	snapshotID := "test-snapshot-skip-errors"
 	createTestSnapshotRecord(ctx, t, repos, snapshotID)
 
@@ -185,7 +211,7 @@ func TestScannerPackingFailureAbortsUnderSkipErrors(t *testing.T) {
 	writeSkipErrorTestFile(t, fs, "/source/file1.txt", "first file content")
 	writeSkipErrorTestFile(t, fs, "/source/file2.txt", "second file content")
 
-	repos, err := runSkipErrorScan(t, fs, "/source", true, nil)
+	repos, err := runSkipErrorScan(context.Background(), t, fs, "/source", true, nil)
 	if err == nil {
 		t.Fatal("expected scan to abort on the packer error, got nil")
 	}
@@ -212,7 +238,7 @@ func TestScannerReadErrorAbortsWithoutSkipErrors(t *testing.T) {
 	fs := &readFailFs{Fs: afero.NewMemMapFs(), target: target}
 	writeSkipErrorTestFile(t, fs, target, "content that cannot be read")
 
-	_, err := runSkipErrorScan(t, fs, "/source", false, nil)
+	_, err := runSkipErrorScan(context.Background(), t, fs, "/source", false, nil)
 	if err == nil {
 		t.Fatal("expected scan to fail on the read error, got nil")
 	}
@@ -228,7 +254,7 @@ func TestScannerReadErrorSkippedWithSkipErrors(t *testing.T) {
 	fs := &readFailFs{Fs: afero.NewMemMapFs(), target: target}
 	writeSkipErrorTestFile(t, fs, target, "content that cannot be read")
 
-	repos, err := runSkipErrorScan(t, fs, "/source", true, nil)
+	repos, err := runSkipErrorScan(context.Background(), t, fs, "/source", true, nil)
 	if err != nil {
 		t.Fatalf("expected scan to complete with --skip-errors, got %v", err)
 	}
@@ -267,7 +293,7 @@ func TestScannerUnreadableSymlinkAbortsWithoutSkipErrors(t *testing.T) {
 	sourceDir, linkPath := writeSymlinkSource(t)
 	fs := &linkRemovedAfterLstatFs{t: t, target: linkPath}
 
-	_, err := runSkipErrorScan(t, fs, sourceDir, false, nil)
+	_, err := runSkipErrorScan(context.Background(), t, fs, sourceDir, false, nil)
 	if !errors.Is(err, os.ErrNotExist) {
 		t.Fatalf("expected scan to fail on the removed symlink, got %v", err)
 	}
@@ -283,7 +309,7 @@ func TestScannerUnreadableSymlinkSkippedWithSkipErrors(t *testing.T) {
 	fs := &linkRemovedAfterLstatFs{t: t, target: linkPath}
 	uiw := ui.NewWithColor(io.Discard, false)
 
-	repos, err := runSkipErrorScan(t, fs, sourceDir, true, uiw)
+	repos, err := runSkipErrorScan(context.Background(), t, fs, sourceDir, true, uiw)
 	if err != nil {
 		t.Fatalf("expected scan to complete with --skip-errors, got %v", err)
 	}
@@ -302,3 +328,56 @@ func TestScannerUnreadableSymlinkSkippedWithSkipErrors(t *testing.T) {
 		t.Fatalf("expected %s not to be recorded", linkPath)
 	}
 }
+
+// TestScannerCancelStopsSkipErrorsRun checks that a --skip-errors backup
+// cancelled partway through processing returns the cancellation error,
+// opens no further file, and reports no file as failed.
+func TestScannerCancelStopsSkipErrorsRun(t *testing.T) {
+	t.Parallel()
+
+	tests := []struct {
+		name          string
+		targetContent string
+	}{
+		// The cancellation lands while the target is being read.
+		{name: "while reading a file", targetContent: "first file content"},
+		// An empty target has no chunks, so the cancellation goes unnoticed
+		// until the run moves on to the next file.
+		{name: "between files", targetContent: ""},
+	}
+
+	for _, tt := range tests {
+		t.Run(tt.name, func(t *testing.T) {
+			t.Parallel()
+
+			const target = "/source/a.txt"
+
+			ctx, cancel := context.WithCancel(context.Background())
+			defer cancel()
+
+			fs := &cancelOnOpenFs{
+				Fs: afero.NewMemMapFs(), target: target, cancel: cancel,
+			}
+			writeSkipErrorTestFile(t, fs, target, tt.targetContent)
+			writeSkipErrorTestFile(t, fs, "/source/b.txt", "second file content")
+			writeSkipErrorTestFile(t, fs, "/source/c.txt", "third file content")
+
+			uiw := ui.NewWithColor(io.Discard, false)
+
+			_, err := runSkipErrorScan(ctx, t, fs, "/source", true, uiw)
+			if !errors.Is(err, context.Canceled) {
+				t.Fatalf("expected the cancellation error, got %v", err)
+			}
+
+			if len(fs.openedAfterCancel) != 0 {
+				t.Fatalf("expected no file opened after the cancellation, got %v",
+					fs.openedAfterCancel)
+			}
+
+			if uiw.ErrorCount() != 0 {
+				t.Fatalf("expected no file reported as failed, got %d error lines",
+					uiw.ErrorCount())
+			}
+		})
+	}
+}

internal/snapshot/snapshot.go

@@ -892,7 +892,7 @@ func (sm *SnapshotManager) getFileSize(path string) int64 {
 // BackupStats contains statistics from a backup operation
 type BackupStats struct {
 	FilesScanned  int
-	TotalSize     int64 // Total size of all files examined
+	TotalSize     int64 // Total size of the files in the snapshot
 	ChunksCreated int
 	BlobsCreated  int
 	BytesUploaded int64

internal/storage/file.go

@@ -272,7 +272,7 @@ func (f *FileStorer) DeletePartialUploads(ctx context.Context, prefix string) er
 		return f.fs.Remove(path)
 	})
 	if err != nil {
-		return fmt.Errorf("deleting partial uploads: %w", err)
+		return fmt.Errorf("walking directory: %w", err)
 	}
 
 	return nil

internal/storage/storer.go

@@ -73,7 +73,8 @@ type Storer interface {
 
 	// DeletePartialUploads removes every object under prefix that an
 	// upload cut off part-way left under a temporary name ending in
-	// `.partial`. List and ListStream never return such an object.
+	// `.partial`. The file and rclone backends' List and ListStream skip
+	// such an object.
 	DeletePartialUploads(ctx context.Context, prefix string) error
 
 	// Info returns human-readable storage location information.

internal/vaultik/nuke_remote_test.go

@@ -10,30 +10,44 @@ import (
 	"github.com/stretchr/testify/assert"
 	"github.com/stretchr/testify/require"
 	"sneak.berlin/go/vaultik/internal/log"
+	"sneak.berlin/go/vaultik/internal/snapshot"
 )
 
 // TestNukeRemoteLeavesNoFiles checks that remote nuke leaves no file
-// under a file:// destination, including the `.partial` file an upload
+// under a file:// destination, including the `.partial` files uploads
-// killed part-way leaves next to where its blob would have been.
+// killed part-way leave next to a snapshot's metadata and next to where a
+// blob would have been.
 func TestNukeRemoteLeavesNoFiles(t *testing.T) {
 	log.Initialize(log.Config{})
 	t.Parallel()
 
 	ctx := context.Background()
 	storeDir := filepath.Join(t.TempDir(), "store")
-	v, _, _ := backUpToFileDestination(ctx, t, storeDir)
+	v, repos, _ := backUpToFileDestination(ctx, t, storeDir)
 
+	snapshots, err := repos.Snapshots.ListRecent(ctx, listRecentTestLimit)
+	require.NoError(t, err)
+	require.Len(t, snapshots, 1)
+
+	snapshotKey := snapshot.RemoteSnapshotKey(snapshots[0].ID.String())
 	hash := testBlobHashA
-	leftover := filepath.Join(storeDir, "blobs", hash[:2], hash[2:4],
+	leftovers := []string{
-		hash+"-123456.partial")
+		filepath.Join(storeDir, "metadata", snapshotKey,
-	require.NoError(t, os.MkdirAll(filepath.Dir(leftover), 0o750))
+			"db.zst.age-123456.partial"),
-	require.NoError(t, os.WriteFile(leftover, []byte("half a blob"), 0o600))
+		filepath.Join(storeDir, "blobs", hash[:2], hash[2:4],
+			hash+"-123456.partial"),
+	}
+
+	for _, leftover := range leftovers {
+		require.NoError(t, os.MkdirAll(filepath.Dir(leftover), 0o750))
+		require.NoError(t, os.WriteFile(leftover, []byte("half an upload"), 0o600))
+	}
 
 	require.NoError(t, v.NukeRemote(true))
 
 	var files []string
 
-	err := filepath.WalkDir(storeDir,
+	err = filepath.WalkDir(storeDir,
 		func(path string, entry fs.DirEntry, err error) error {
 			if err != nil {
 				return err

internal/vaultik/prune.go

@@ -49,8 +49,8 @@ func (v *Vaultik) NukeRemote(force bool) error {
 		return fmt.Errorf("pruning blobs: %w", err)
 	}
 
-	// Listings skip `.partial` objects, so the two steps above never
+	// The file and rclone listings skip `.partial` objects, so the two
-	// delete them.
+	// steps above never delete them.
 	for _, prefix := range []string{"metadata/", "blobs/"} {
 		err = v.Storage.DeletePartialUploads(v.ctx, prefix)
 		if err != nil {

internal/vaultik/snapshot.go

@@ -185,6 +185,7 @@ type snapshotStats struct {
 	totalBlobs         int
 	totalBytesSkipped  int64
 	totalFilesSkipped  int
+	totalFilesFailed   int
 	totalFilesDeleted  int
 	totalBytesDeleted  int64
 	totalBytesUploaded int64
@@ -315,6 +316,7 @@ func (v *Vaultik) scanAllDirectories(
 		stats.totalChunks += result.ChunksCreated
 		stats.totalBlobs += result.BlobsCreated
 		stats.totalFilesSkipped += result.FilesSkipped
+		stats.totalFilesFailed += result.FilesFailed
 		stats.totalBytesSkipped += result.BytesSkipped
 		stats.totalFilesDeleted += result.FilesDeleted
 		stats.totalBytesDeleted += result.BytesDeleted
@@ -326,6 +328,7 @@ func (v *Vaultik) scanAllDirectories(
 			"path", dir,
 			"files", result.FilesScanned,
 			"files_skipped", result.FilesSkipped,
+			"files_failed", result.FilesFailed,
 			"bytes", result.BytesScanned,
 			"bytes_skipped", result.BytesSkipped,
 			"chunks", result.ChunksCreated,
@@ -359,9 +362,11 @@ func (v *Vaultik) finalizeSnapshotMetadata(
 		return fmt.Errorf("getting snapshot blob sizes: %w", err)
 	}
 
+	// file_count and total_size leave out the files that could not be
+	// stored; stats.totalBytes already does.
 	extStats := snapshot.ExtendedBackupStats{
 		BackupStats: snapshot.BackupStats{
-			FilesScanned:  stats.totalFiles,
+			FilesScanned:  stats.totalFiles - stats.totalFilesFailed,
 			TotalSize:     stats.totalBytes + stats.totalBytesSkipped,
 			ChunksCreated: stats.totalChunks,
 			BlobsCreated:  stats.totalBlobs,
@@ -409,7 +414,8 @@ func (v *Vaultik) printSnapshotSummary(
 	snapshotID string, startTime time.Time, stats *snapshotStats,
 ) {
 	snapshotDuration := time.Since(startTime)
-	totalFilesChanged := stats.totalFiles - stats.totalFilesSkipped
+	totalFilesChanged := stats.totalFiles - stats.totalFilesSkipped -
+		stats.totalFilesFailed
 	totalBytesAll := stats.totalBytes + stats.totalBytesSkipped
 
 	var compressionRatio float64
@@ -426,6 +432,10 @@ func (v *Vaultik) printSnapshotSummary(
 		v.UI.Count(stats.totalFiles),
 		v.UI.Count(totalFilesChanged),
 		v.UI.Count(stats.totalFilesSkipped))
+	if stats.totalFilesFailed > 0 {
+		filesMsg += fmt.Sprintf(", %s failed", v.UI.Count(stats.totalFilesFailed))
+	}
+
 	if stats.totalFilesDeleted > 0 {
 		filesMsg += fmt.Sprintf(", %s deleted", v.UI.Count(stats.totalFilesDeleted))
 	}

internal/vaultik/snapshot_failed_file_test.go

@@ -0,0 +1,123 @@
+package vaultik_test
+
+import (
+	"bytes"
+	"context"
+	"fmt"
+	"os"
+	"path/filepath"
+	"testing"
+
+	"github.com/spf13/afero"
+	"github.com/stretchr/testify/assert"
+	"github.com/stretchr/testify/require"
+	"sneak.berlin/go/vaultik/internal/config"
+	"sneak.berlin/go/vaultik/internal/database"
+	"sneak.berlin/go/vaultik/internal/log"
+	"sneak.berlin/go/vaultik/internal/storage"
+	"sneak.berlin/go/vaultik/internal/ui"
+	"sneak.berlin/go/vaultik/internal/vaultik"
+)
+
+// openFailFs is the real filesystem, except that opening path fails
+// with err. Phase 1 of a backup only lstats a file, so it still counts
+// path; phase 2 is the first to open it.
+type openFailFs struct {
+	afero.OsFs
+
+	path string
+	err  error
+}
+
+//nolint:ireturn // afero.Fs.Open is defined to return the interface.
+func (f *openFailFs) Open(name string) (afero.File, error) {
+	if name == f.path {
+		return nil, &os.PathError{Op: "open", Path: name, Err: f.err}
+	}
+
+	return f.OsFs.Open(name)
+}
+
+// A file that phase 2 cannot open is reported as failed, not as
+// unchanged, and neither the summary's data total nor the snapshots row
+// counts it. See https://git.eeqj.de/sneak/vaultik/issues/280.
+func TestSnapshotSummaryCountsFileNotStoredAsFailed(t *testing.T) {
+	log.Initialize(log.Config{})
+	t.Parallel()
+
+	tests := []struct {
+		name       string
+		openErr    error
+		skipErrors bool
+	}{
+		// What a normal user gets opening a file with mode 000.
+		{name: "unopenable under skip-errors",
+			openErr: os.ErrPermission, skipErrors: true},
+		// What opening a file removed after phase 1 gives.
+		{name: "removed between the phases",
+			openErr: os.ErrNotExist, skipErrors: false},
+	}
+
+	for _, tt := range tests {
+		t.Run(tt.name, func(t *testing.T) {
+			t.Parallel()
+
+			ctx := context.Background()
+
+			// The scan walks the source path with symlinks resolved, so
+			// failedPath must be spelled the same way to match.
+			tempDir, err := filepath.EvalSymlinks(t.TempDir())
+			require.NoError(t, err)
+
+			srcDir := filepath.Join(tempDir, "src")
+			failedPath := filepath.Join(srcDir, "failed.txt")
+			storedContent := []byte("this file is backed up")
+			storedSize := int64(len(storedContent))
+
+			fs := &openFailFs{path: failedPath, err: tt.openErr}
+			require.NoError(t, fs.MkdirAll(srcDir, 0o755))
+			require.NoError(t, afero.WriteFile(fs,
+				filepath.Join(srcDir, "stored.txt"), storedContent, 0o644))
+			require.NoError(t, afero.WriteFile(fs,
+				failedPath, []byte("this file cannot be opened"), 0o644))
+
+			cfg := faultTestConfig()
+			cfg.IndexPath = filepath.Join(tempDir, "index.sqlite")
+			cfg.Snapshots = map[string]config.SnapshotConfig{
+				"src": {Paths: []string{srcDir}},
+			}
+
+			store, err := storage.NewFileStorer(filepath.Join(tempDir, "remote"))
+			require.NoError(t, err)
+
+			db, err := database.New(ctx, cfg.IndexPath)
+			require.NoError(t, err)
+			t.Cleanup(func() { _ = db.Close() })
+
+			repos := database.NewRepositories(db)
+			out := &bytes.Buffer{}
+			v := newBackupVaultik(ctx, cfg, store, repos, db, fs)
+			v.UI = ui.NewWithColor(out, false)
+
+			require.NoError(t, v.CreateSnapshot(&vaultik.SnapshotCreateOptions{
+				SkipErrors: tt.skipErrors,
+				Snapshots:  []string{"src"},
+			}))
+
+			summary := out.String()
+			assert.Contains(t, summary,
+				"Files: 2 examined, 1 backed up, 0 unchanged, 1 failed.")
+			assert.Contains(t, summary,
+				fmt.Sprintf("Data: %s total (%s backed up).",
+					v.UI.Size(storedSize), v.UI.Size(storedSize)))
+
+			snap, err := repos.Snapshots.GetByID(ctx,
+				localSnapshotID(ctx, t, repos, "src"))
+			require.NoError(t, err)
+			require.NotNil(t, snap)
+
+			assert.Equal(t, int64(1), snap.FileCount)
+			assert.Equal(t, storedSize, snap.TotalSize)
+		})
+	}
+}

internal/vaultik/snapshot_skip_errors_test.go

@@ -0,0 +1,75 @@
+package vaultik_test
+
+import (
+	"context"
+	"fmt"
+	"path/filepath"
+	"testing"
+
+	"github.com/spf13/afero"
+	"github.com/stretchr/testify/assert"
+	"github.com/stretchr/testify/require"
+	"sneak.berlin/go/vaultik/internal/config"
+	"sneak.berlin/go/vaultik/internal/database"
+	"sneak.berlin/go/vaultik/internal/log"
+	"sneak.berlin/go/vaultik/internal/storage"
+	"sneak.berlin/go/vaultik/internal/vaultik"
+)
+
+// --skip-errors skips only a file that cannot be opened or read. A local
+// index error while a directory is recorded stops the backup, and the
+// snapshot is not recorded as complete. See
+// https://git.eeqj.de/sneak/vaultik/issues/284.
+func TestSkipErrorsBackupStopsOnIndexErrorRecordingDirectory(t *testing.T) {
+	log.Initialize(log.Config{})
+	t.Parallel()
+
+	ctx := context.Background()
+
+	// The scan walks the source path with symlinks resolved, so dirPath
+	// must be spelled the same way to match the row the scan inserts.
+	tempDir, err := filepath.EvalSymlinks(t.TempDir())
+	require.NoError(t, err)
+
+	srcDir := filepath.Join(tempDir, "src")
+	dirPath := filepath.Join(srcDir, "dir")
+
+	fs := afero.NewOsFs()
+	require.NoError(t, fs.MkdirAll(dirPath, 0o755))
+	require.NoError(t, afero.WriteFile(fs,
+		filepath.Join(dirPath, "file.txt"), []byte("file content"), 0o644))
+
+	cfg := faultTestConfig()
+	cfg.IndexPath = filepath.Join(tempDir, "index.sqlite")
+	cfg.Snapshots = map[string]config.SnapshotConfig{
+		"tree": {Paths: []string{srcDir}},
+	}
+
+	store, err := storage.NewFileStorer(filepath.Join(tempDir, "remote"))
+	require.NoError(t, err)
+
+	db, err := database.New(ctx, cfg.IndexPath)
+	require.NoError(t, err)
+	t.Cleanup(func() { _ = db.Close() })
+
+	// The local index refuses the directory's files row.
+	_, err = db.Conn().ExecContext(ctx, fmt.Sprintf(`
+		CREATE TRIGGER refuse_directory BEFORE INSERT ON files
+		WHEN NEW.path = '%s'
+		BEGIN SELECT RAISE(ABORT, 'simulated index error'); END`, dirPath))
+	require.NoError(t, err)
+
+	repos := database.NewRepositories(db)
+	v := newBackupVaultik(ctx, cfg, store, repos, db, fs)
+
+	err = v.CreateSnapshot(&vaultik.SnapshotCreateOptions{
+		SkipErrors: true,
+		Snapshots:  []string{"tree"},
+	})
+	require.ErrorContains(t, err, "simulated index error")
+
+	snapshots, err := repos.Snapshots.ListRecent(ctx, listRecentTestLimit)
+	require.NoError(t, err)
+	require.Len(t, snapshots, 1)
+	assert.Nil(t, snapshots[0].CompletedAt)
+}