diff --git a/environments/production.json b/environments/production.json
index 538483e..c904a81 100644
--- a/environments/production.json
+++ b/environments/production.json
@@ -34,6 +34,15 @@
         }
       }
     },
+    "kosmos_kvm": {
+      "backup": {
+        "nodes_excluded": [
+          "garage-2", "garage-3", "garage-4",
+          "postgres-5",
+          "rsk-mainnet-2", "rsk-testnet-3"
+        ]
+      }
+    },
     "kosmos-mastodon": {
       "domain": "kosmos.social",
       "s3_endpoint": "http://localhost:3900",
diff --git a/nodes/draco.kosmos.org.json b/nodes/draco.kosmos.org.json
index a98bf05..0a933ae 100644
--- a/nodes/draco.kosmos.org.json
+++ b/nodes/draco.kosmos.org.json
@@ -83,10 +83,9 @@
     }
   },
   "run_list": [
-    "recipe[kosmos-base]",
+    "role[base]",
+    "role[kvm_host]",
     "recipe[kosmos_encfs]",
-    "recipe[kosmos_kvm::host]",
-    "recipe[kosmos_kvm::backup]",
     "recipe[kosmos-ejabberd::firewall]",
     "recipe[kosmos-ipfs::firewall_swarm]",
     "recipe[kosmos-bitcoin::firewall]",
@@ -94,4 +93,4 @@
     "role[openresty_proxy]",
     "recipe[sockethub::firewall]"
   ]
-}
\ No newline at end of file
+}
diff --git a/nodes/fornax.kosmos.org.json b/nodes/fornax.kosmos.org.json
index d8d9133..f648554 100644
--- a/nodes/fornax.kosmos.org.json
+++ b/nodes/fornax.kosmos.org.json
@@ -99,10 +99,9 @@
     }
   },
   "run_list": [
-    "recipe[kosmos-base]",
-    "recipe[kosmos_kvm::host]",
-    "recipe[kosmos_kvm::backup]",
+    "role[base]",
+    "role[kvm_host]",
     "role[nginx_proxy]",
     "role[zerotier_controller]"
   ]
-}
\ No newline at end of file
+}
diff --git a/roles/kvm_host.rb b/roles/kvm_host.rb
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..227607b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/roles/kvm_host.rb
@@ -0,0 +1,6 @@
+name "kvm_host"
+
+run_list %w(
+  kosmos_kvm::host
+  kosmos_kvm::backup
+)
diff --git a/site-cookbooks/kosmos_kvm/attributes/default.rb b/site-cookbooks/kosmos_kvm/attributes/default.rb
index 102a336..08bc201 100644
--- a/site-cookbooks/kosmos_kvm/attributes/default.rb
+++ b/site-cookbooks/kosmos_kvm/attributes/default.rb
@@ -8,3 +8,5 @@ node.default["kosmos_kvm"]["host"]["qemu_base_image"] = {
 
 # A systemd.timer OnCalendar config value
 node.default["kosmos_kvm"]["backup"]["schedule"] = "daily"
+# Node/VM names excluded from backups
+node.default["kosmos_kvm"]["backup"]["nodes_excluded"] = []
diff --git a/site-cookbooks/kosmos_kvm/recipes/backup.rb b/site-cookbooks/kosmos_kvm/recipes/backup.rb
index d3bc822..e2da98a 100644
--- a/site-cookbooks/kosmos_kvm/recipes/backup.rb
+++ b/site-cookbooks/kosmos_kvm/recipes/backup.rb
@@ -54,6 +54,8 @@ end
 vm_domains = search(:node, "role:kvm_guest").map{|n| n["hostname"] } \
              & `virsh list --name`.strip.chomp.split("\n")
 
+vm_domains.reject! { |d| node["kosmos_kvm"]["backup"]["nodes_excluded"].include?(d) }
+
 template "/root/backups/backup_all_vms.sh" do
   source "backup_all_vms.sh.erb"
   mode '0750'