diff --git a/home.admin/_bootstrap.sh b/home.admin/_bootstrap.sh
index 0f63b4798..349dd24d5 100755
--- a/home.admin/_bootstrap.sh
+++ b/home.admin/_bootstrap.sh
@@ -265,12 +265,12 @@ fi
 # if backup is available on HDD/SSD
 ################################
 
-if [ -d "/var/cache/raspiblitz/hdd-inspect/ssh" ]; then
+if [ -d "/var/cache/raspiblitz/hdd-inspect/sshd" ]; then
   # INIT OLD SSH HOST KEYS on Update/Recovery to prevent "Unknown Host" on ssh client
   echo "SSH SERVER CERTS RESTORE activating old SSH host keys" >> $logFile
   /home/admin/config.scripts/blitz.ssh.sh restore /var/cache/raspiblitz/hdd-inspect >> $logFile
 else
-  echo "No SSH SERVER CERTS RESTORE because no /var/cache/raspiblitz/hdd-inspect/ssh" >> $logFile
+  echo "No SSH SERVER CERTS RESTORE because no /var/cache/raspiblitz/hdd-inspect" >> $logFile
 fi
 
 ################################
diff --git a/home.admin/config.scripts/blitz.datadrive.sh b/home.admin/config.scripts/blitz.datadrive.sh
index 53934f1d4..cbf08ac5b 100755
--- a/home.admin/config.scripts/blitz.datadrive.sh
+++ b/home.admin/config.scripts/blitz.datadrive.sh
@@ -239,9 +239,21 @@ if [ "$1" = "status" ]; then
             # make copy of WIFI config to RAMDISK (if available)
             cp /mnt/hdd${subVolumeDir}/app-data/wpa_supplicant.conf /var/cache/raspiblitz/hdd-inspect/wpa_supplicant.conf 2>/dev/null
 
-            # make copy of SSH keys to RAMDISK (if available)
-            cp -r /mnt/hdd${subVolumeDir}/ssh /var/cache/raspiblitz/hdd-inspect/ssh 2>/dev/null
+            # Convert old ssh backup data structure (if needed)
+            if [ -d "/mnt/hdd/ssh" ]; then
+                # make a complete backup of directory
+                cp -a /mnt/hdd/ssh /mnt/hdd/app-storage/ssh-old-bakup
+                # delete old false sub directory (if exists)
+                rm -r /mnt/hdd/ssh/ssh 2>/dev/null
+                # move ssh root keys into new directory (if exists)
+                mv /mnt/hdd/ssh/root_backup /mnt/hdd/app-data/ssh-root 2>/dev/null
+                # move sshd keys into new directory
+                mv /mnt/hdd/ssh /mnt/hdd/app-data/sshd
+            fi
 
+            # make copy of SSH keys to RAMDISK (if available)
+            cp -r /mnt/hdd${subVolumeDir}/app-data/sshd /var/cache/raspiblitz/hdd-inspect/sshd 2>/dev/null
+            cp -r /mnt/hdd${subVolumeDir}/app-data/ssh-root /var/cache/raspiblitz/hdd-inspect/ssh-root 2>/dev/null
           fi
         
           # comment this line out if case to study the contect of the data section
diff --git a/home.admin/config.scripts/blitz.ssh.sh b/home.admin/config.scripts/blitz.ssh.sh
index 29b629270..f6de97da0 100755
--- a/home.admin/config.scripts/blitz.ssh.sh
+++ b/home.admin/config.scripts/blitz.ssh.sh
@@ -12,8 +12,6 @@ if [ $# -eq 0 ] || [ "$1" = "-h" ] || [ "$1" = "--help" ] || [ "$1" = "-help" ];
   exit 1
 fi
 
-DEFAULTBACKUPBASEDIR="/mnt/hdd" # compiles to /mnt/hdd/ssh
-
 # check if started with sudo
 if [ "$EUID" -ne 0 ]; then 
   echo "error='missing sudo'"
@@ -24,7 +22,7 @@ fi
 # RENEW
 ###################
 if [ "$1" = "renew" ]; then
-  echo "# *** blitz.ssh.sh renew"
+  echo "# *** $0 $1"
   sudo systemctl stop sshd
   sudo rm /etc/ssh/ssh_host_*
   sudo ssh-keygen -A
@@ -37,7 +35,7 @@ fi
 # CLEAR
 ###################
 if [ "$1" = "clear" ]; then
-  echo "# *** blitz.ssh.sh clear"
+  echo "# *** $0 $1"
   sudo rm /etc/ssh/ssh_host_*
   echo "# OK: SSHD keyfiles & possible backups deleted"
   exit 0
@@ -47,7 +45,7 @@ fi
 # SESSIONS
 ###################
 if [ "$1" = "sessions" ]; then
-  echo "# *** blitz.ssh.sh sessions"
+  echo "# *** $0 $1"
   sessionsCount=$(ss | grep -c ":ssh")
   echo "ssh_session_count=${sessionsCount}"
   exit 0
@@ -57,7 +55,7 @@ fi
 # CHECK & REPAIR
 ###################
 if [ "$1" = "checkrepair" ]; then
-  echo "# *** blitz.ssh.sh checkrepair"
+  echo "# *** $0 $1"
   
   # check if sshd host keys are missing / need generation
   countKeyFiles=$(ls -la /etc/ssh/ssh_host_* 2>/dev/null | grep -c "/etc/ssh/ssh_host")
@@ -100,22 +98,26 @@ if [ "$1" = "checkrepair" ]; then
   exit 0
 fi
 
+DEFAULT_BASEDIR="/mnt/hdd/app-data"
+
 ###################
 # BACKUP
 ###################
 if [ "$1" = "backup" ]; then
-  echo "# *** blitz.ssh.sh backup"
-    echo "# backup dir: ${DEFAULTBACKUPBASEDIR}/ssh"
+    echo "# *** $0 $1"
+    echo "# backup dir: ${DEFAULT_BASEDIR}"
 
     # backup sshd host keys
-    sudo rm -r $DEFAULTBACKUPBASEDIR/ssh 2>/dev/null # delete backups if exist
-    sudo cp -r /etc/ssh $DEFAULTBACKUPBASEDIR/ssh 2>/dev/null # copy to backups if exist
+    mkdir -p $DEFAULT_BASEDIR/sshd
+    sudo rm -rf $DEFAULT_BASEDIR/sshd/*
+    sudo cp -a /etc/ssh $DEFAULT_BASEDIR/sshd
 
     # backup root use ssh keys
-    sudo rm -r $DEFAULTBACKUPBASEDIR/ssh/root_backup 2>/dev/null
-    sudo cp -r /root/.ssh $DEFAULTBACKUPBASEDIR/ssh/root_backup 2>/dev/null
+    mkdir -p $DEFAULT_BASEDIR/ssh-root
+    sudo rm -rf $DEFAULT_BASEDIR/ssh-root/*
+    sudo cp -a /root/.ssh $DEFAULT_BASEDIR/ssh-root
 
-    if [ -d "${DEFAULTBACKUPBASEDIR}/ssh" ]; then
+    if [ -d "${DEFAULT_BASEDIR}/sshd" ] && [ -d "${DEFAULT_BASEDIR}/ssh-root" ]; then
       echo "# OK - ssh keys backup done"
     else
       echo "error='ssh keys backup failed - backup location may not exist'"
@@ -127,33 +129,40 @@ fi
 # RESTORE
 ###################
 if [ "$1" = "restore" ]; then
-  echo "# *** blitz.ssh.sh restore"
-
-    # second parameter (optional)
-    ALTBACKUPBASEDIR=$2
-    if [ "${ALTBACKUPBASEDIR}" != "" ]; then
-      DEFAULTBACKUPBASEDIR="${ALTBACKUPBASEDIR}"
+    echo "# *** $0 $1"
+    ALT_BASEDIR=$2
+    if [ "${ALT_BASEDIR}" != "" ]; then
+       DEFAULT_BASEDIR="${ALT_BASEDIR}"
     fi
 
-    echo "# backup dir: ${DEFAULTBACKUPBASEDIR}/ssh"
-    if [ -d "${DEFAULTBACKUPBASEDIR}/ssh" ]; then
+    echo "# backup dir: ${DEFAULT_BASEDIR}"
+    if [ -d "${DEFAULT_BASEDIR}/sshd" ]; then
 
       # restore sshd host keys
-      sudo rm -r /etc/ssh/*
-      sudo cp -r $DEFAULTBACKUPBASEDIR/ssh/* /etc/ssh/
+      sudo rm -rf /etc/ssh/*
+      sudo cp -a $DEFAULT_BASEDIR/sshd/* /etc/ssh/
       sudo chown -R root:root /etc/ssh
       sudo dpkg-reconfigure openssh-server
       sudo systemctl restart sshd
-
-      # restore root use keys
-      sudo rm -r /root/.ssh 2>/dev/null
-      sudo cp -r $DEFAULTBACKUPBASEDIR/ssh/root_backup /root/.ssh 2>/dev/null
-      sudo chown -R root:root /root/.ssh 2>/dev/null
-
-      echo "# OK - ssh keys restore done"
+      echo "# OK - sshd keys restore done"
     else
-      echo "error='ssh keys backup not found'"
+      echo "error='sshd keys backup not found'"
+      exit 1
     fi
+
+    if [ -d "${DEFAULT_BASEDIR}/ssh-root" ]; then
+
+      # restore root use keys (directory may not exist)
+      sudo rm -rf /root/.ssh
+      sudo mkdir /root/.ssh
+      sudo cp -a $DEFAULT_BASEDIR/ssh-root/* /root/.ssh
+      sudo chown -R root:root /root/.ssh
+
+      echo "# OK - ssh-root keys restore done"
+    else
+      echo "# INFO - ssh-root keys backup not available"
+    fi
+    
   exit 0
 fi