diff --git a/config/ssr.conf.example b/config/ssr.conf.example
index 9d7cdaa..59249bb 100644
--- a/config/ssr.conf.example
+++ b/config/ssr.conf.example
@@ -20,6 +20,12 @@ SSR_MACKUP_SUBDIR=Mackup
 # ~/.mackup/ssr-custom.cfg before each backup.  Set to "false" to opt out.
 SSR_MACKUP_AUTODISCOVER=true
 
+# Subdirs (relative to $HOME) to delete before each mackup backup attempt.
+# Handles transient dirs with dangling symlinks or sockets (debug sessions,
+# log dirs) that shutil.copytree cannot copy.
+# Built-in defaults: .claude/debug .cursor/logs .vscode/logs .npm/_logs
+# SSR_MACKUP_PRECLEAN_PATHS=".my-app/tmp .other-app/run"
+
 # Extra paths (relative to $HOME) to always include, space-separated.
 # Example: ".easymcp .my-tool .config/my-cli"
 # SSR_MACKUP_EXTRA_PATHS=""
diff --git a/lib/mackup.sh b/lib/mackup.sh
index 5a28ce9..01584c7 100644
--- a/lib/mackup.sh
+++ b/lib/mackup.sh
@@ -262,28 +262,48 @@ ssr::mackup::backup() {
     fi
     [[ -n "$mackup_root" ]] && ssr::mackup::_materialize_icloud "$mackup_root"
 
-    # Pre-backup cleanup: remove file types that shutil.copy cannot handle.
-    #
-    # 1. Unix socket files (-type s) — runtime artefacts, recreated on app start.
-    #    Cause: shutil.Error [Errno 102] Operation not supported on socket
-    local socket_count
-    socket_count="$(find "$HOME" -type s 2>/dev/null | wc -l | tr -d ' ')"
-    if [[ "$socket_count" -gt 0 ]]; then
-        ssr::log "Removing $socket_count Unix socket file(s) before mackup backup (runtime artefacts)"
-        find "$HOME" -type s -delete 2>/dev/null || true
-    fi
+    # ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
+    # Pre-backup cleanup — remove artefacts that shutil.copytree cannot handle.
+    # Run this immediately before each mackup attempt so that apps (e.g. Claude
+    # Code) that recreate debug symlinks very quickly don't sneak back in.
+    # ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
+    _ssr_mackup_preclean() {
+        # Known transient subdirectories that apps recreate constantly.
+        # These contain debug logs / sockets, never real config.
+        # Extend via SSR_MACKUP_PRECLEAN_PATHS (space-separated $HOME-relative).
+        local -a transient_dirs=(
+            .claude/debug           # Claude Code debug session links
+            .cursor/logs            # Cursor IDE logs
+            .vscode/logs            # VS Code logs
+            .vscode-insiders/logs
+            .npm/_logs              # npm debug logs
+        )
+        local extra dir
+        for extra in ${SSR_MACKUP_PRECLEAN_PATHS:-}; do
+            transient_dirs+=("$extra")
+        done
+        for dir in "${transient_dirs[@]}"; do
+            [[ -e "$HOME/$dir" ]] && rm -rf "$HOME/$dir" 2>/dev/null || true
+        done
 
-    # 2. Dangling symlinks (-type l ! -e) — point to a non-existent target.
-    #    Cause: shutil.Error [Errno 2] No such file or directory: '<target>'
-    local dangling_count
-    dangling_count="$(find "$HOME" -type l ! -e 2>/dev/null | wc -l | tr -d ' ')"
-    if [[ "$dangling_count" -gt 0 ]]; then
-        ssr::log "Removing $dangling_count dangling symlink(s) before mackup backup"
-        find "$HOME" -type l ! -e -delete 2>/dev/null || true
-    fi
+        # 1. Unix socket files (-type s) — [Errno 102] Operation not supported.
+        local n; n="$(find "$HOME" -type s 2>/dev/null | wc -l | tr -d ' ')"
+        if [[ "$n" -gt 0 ]]; then
+            ssr::log "  pre-clean: removing $n socket file(s)"
+            find "$HOME" -type s -delete 2>/dev/null || true
+        fi
+
+        # 2. Dangling symlinks (-type l ! -e) — [Errno 2] No such file.
+        n="$(find "$HOME" -type l ! -e 2>/dev/null | wc -l | tr -d ' ')"
+        if [[ "$n" -gt 0 ]]; then
+            ssr::log "  pre-clean: removing $n dangling symlink(s)"
+            find "$HOME" -type l ! -e -delete 2>/dev/null || true
+        fi
+    }
 
     local attempt rc=0
     for attempt in 1 2 3; do
+        _ssr_mackup_preclean      # clean immediately before each attempt
         if mackup -f backup; then
             return 0
         fi