diff --git a/patch/apply.sh b/patch/apply.sh
index 8240c19..9fd9fa8 100755
--- a/patch/apply.sh
+++ b/patch/apply.sh
@@ -85,17 +85,24 @@ if [ -z "$SITE_PKG" ]; then
     echo "  Run: $PYTHON -c \"import site; print(site.getsitepackages())\""
 else
     # Back up any pre-existing sitecustomize.py that isn't ours.
+    _can_install=true
     if [ -f "$SITE_PKG/sitecustomize.py" ] && \
        ! grep -q "truecloud-patch" "$SITE_PKG/sitecustomize.py" 2>/dev/null; then
-        cp "$SITE_PKG/sitecustomize.py" \
-           "$SITE_PKG/sitecustomize.py.pre-truecloud-patch"
-        echo "OK: Backed up existing sitecustomize.py"
+        if cp "$SITE_PKG/sitecustomize.py" \
+              "$SITE_PKG/sitecustomize.py.pre-truecloud-patch"; then
+            echo "OK: Backed up existing sitecustomize.py"
+        else
+            echo "WARNING: Could not back up existing sitecustomize.py; skipping install to avoid data loss."
+            _can_install=false
+        fi
     fi
 
-    if cp "$PATCH_DIR/sitecustomize.py" "$SITE_PKG/sitecustomize.py" 2>/dev/null; then
-        echo "OK: Installed sitecustomize.py → $SITE_PKG/sitecustomize.py"
-    else
-        echo "WARNING: Failed to write $SITE_PKG/sitecustomize.py (permission error?)"
+    if $_can_install; then
+        if cp "$PATCH_DIR/sitecustomize.py" "$SITE_PKG/sitecustomize.py" 2>/dev/null; then
+            echo "OK: Installed sitecustomize.py → $SITE_PKG/sitecustomize.py"
+        else
+            echo "WARNING: Failed to write $SITE_PKG/sitecustomize.py (permission error?)"
+        fi
     fi
 fi
 
diff --git a/patch/create_task.py b/patch/create_task.py
index 8869199..cd3dfcd 100755
--- a/patch/create_task.py
+++ b/patch/create_task.py
@@ -179,7 +179,10 @@ def cmd_create(client, args):
     }
 
     result = client("POST", "/cloud_backup", body)
-    print(f"Created task id={result['id']}  name={result['description']!r}")
+    try:
+        print(f"Created task id={result['id']}  name={result['description']!r}")
+    except (KeyError, TypeError):
+        print(f"Task created but response schema was unexpected: {result}")
 
 
 # ── CLI ───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
diff --git a/uninstall.sh b/uninstall.sh
index c7103b0..41ac44d 100755
--- a/uninstall.sh
+++ b/uninstall.sh
@@ -104,9 +104,12 @@ echo "Restoring UI bundle backup ..."
 RESTORED=0
 while IFS= read -r backup; do
     original="${backup%.pre-truecloud-patch}"
-    mv "$backup" "$original"
-    echo "  Restored: $original"
-    RESTORED=1
+    if mv "$backup" "$original"; then
+        echo "  Restored: $original"
+        RESTORED=1
+    else
+        echo "  WARNING: Could not restore $original — backup left at $backup"
+    fi
 # Keep these paths in sync with WEBUI_CANDIDATES in patch/patch_ui.py
 done < <(find /usr/share/truenas /usr/share/truenas-ui /var/www/truenas \
               -name "*.js.pre-truecloud-patch" 2>/dev/null)