diff --git a/apps/dokploy/__test__/backups/swarm-backup-executor.test.ts b/apps/dokploy/__test__/backups/swarm-backup-executor.test.ts
index c3edd7de0..2cca3dc4b 100644
--- a/apps/dokploy/__test__/backups/swarm-backup-executor.test.ts
+++ b/apps/dokploy/__test__/backups/swarm-backup-executor.test.ts
@@ -985,6 +985,7 @@ describe("executeBackup", () => {
 					Version: { Index: 2 },
 				},
 			])
+			.mockResolvedValueOnce([])
 			.mockResolvedValueOnce([runningDatabaseTask])
 			.mockResolvedValueOnce([
 				{
@@ -1038,6 +1039,37 @@ describe("executeBackup", () => {
 		).toBe(true);
 	});
 
+	it("fails a rejected worker immediately when the database has not moved", async () => {
+		const { docker, secretRemove, serviceRemove } = createDockerMock();
+		docker.listTasks.mockReset();
+		docker.listTasks
+			.mockResolvedValueOnce([runningDatabaseTask])
+			.mockResolvedValueOnce([
+				{
+					ID: "worker-task",
+					Status: { State: "rejected", Err: "image pull failed" },
+					Version: { Index: 2 },
+				},
+			])
+			.mockResolvedValueOnce([runningDatabaseTask]);
+		mocks.getRemoteDocker.mockResolvedValue(docker);
+
+		await expect(executeBackup(input())).rejects.toThrow(
+			"Backup worker task rejected: image pull failed",
+		);
+
+		expect(docker.createService).toHaveBeenCalledOnce();
+		expect(docker.listTasks).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(3);
+		expect(serviceRemove).toHaveBeenCalledOnce();
+		expect(secretRemove).toHaveBeenCalledOnce();
+		expect(mocks.sleep).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+		expect(
+			mocks.execAsync.mock.calls.some(([command]) =>
+				command.includes("retrying on its new node"),
+			),
+		).toBe(false);
+	});
+
 	it("stops after one relocation retry and cleans both attempts", async () => {
 		const { docker, secretRemove, serviceRemove } = createDockerMock();
 		const relocationFailure = {
diff --git a/packages/server/src/utils/backups/executor.ts b/packages/server/src/utils/backups/executor.ts
index 5b19f0e21..4aaa4bcc5 100644
--- a/packages/server/src/utils/backups/executor.ts
+++ b/packages/server/src/utils/backups/executor.ts
@@ -18,6 +18,7 @@ import {
 	getBackupTargetServiceName,
 	getBackupWorkerServiceSpec,
 	ReplacementServiceTaskNotFoundError,
+	RunningServiceTaskNotFoundError,
 	waitForBackupWorkerTask,
 	waitForReplacementServiceTask,
 } from "./worker";
@@ -317,12 +318,34 @@ const runBackupOnWorker = async (
 			}
 
 			if (isPreStartError) {
+				let currentDatabaseTask: Awaited<
+					ReturnType<typeof findRunningServiceTask>
+				> | null = null;
 				try {
-					databaseTask = await waitForReplacementServiceTask(
+					currentDatabaseTask = await findRunningServiceTask(
 						docker,
 						serviceTarget,
-						databaseTask.containerId,
 					);
+				} catch (discoveryError) {
+					if (!(discoveryError instanceof RunningServiceTaskNotFoundError)) {
+						throw discoveryError;
+					}
+				}
+
+				// A rejected helper is not evidence of relocation by itself. Fail fast
+				// when the database is still on the node selected for this attempt.
+				if (currentDatabaseTask?.containerId === databaseTask.containerId) {
+					throw error;
+				}
+
+				try {
+					databaseTask =
+						currentDatabaseTask ??
+						(await waitForReplacementServiceTask(
+							docker,
+							serviceTarget,
+							databaseTask.containerId,
+						));
 				} catch (replacementError) {
 					if (replacementError instanceof ReplacementServiceTaskNotFoundError) {
 						throw error;