diff --git a/admin/settings/top.php b/admin/settings/top.php
index f2a8520b58b85..4651338ad44af 100644
--- a/admin/settings/top.php
+++ b/admin/settings/top.php
@@ -42,7 +42,12 @@
         if ($reportname[1] == '[') {
             $reportname = get_string($plugin, 'admin');
         }
-        $ADMIN->add('reports', new admin_externalpage('report'.$plugin, $reportname, "$CFG->wwwroot/$CFG->admin/report/$plugin/index.php",'moodle/site:viewreports'));
+        // ugly hack for special access control in reports
+        switch($plugin) {
+            case 'backups': $cap = 'moodle/site:backup'; break;
+            default: $cap = 'moodle/site:viewreports';
+        }
+        $ADMIN->add('reports', new admin_externalpage('report'.$plugin, $reportname, "$CFG->wwwroot/$CFG->admin/report/$plugin/index.php",$cap));
     }
 }