diff --git a/go.mod b/go.mod
index 9b2450d8f..aa3fcc31a 100644
--- a/go.mod
+++ b/go.mod
@@ -54,6 +54,7 @@ require (
 	github.com/pressly/goose/v3 v3.20.0
 	github.com/prometheus/client_golang v1.19.0
 	github.com/rs/zerolog v1.31.0
+	github.com/schollz/sqlite3dump v1.3.1
 	github.com/spf13/pflag v1.0.5
 	github.com/spf13/viper v1.18.2
 	github.com/syndtr/goleveldb v1.0.1-0.20220614013038-64ee5596c38a
diff --git a/go.sum b/go.sum
index 1e20c5cc5..9b26395ec 100644
--- a/go.sum
+++ b/go.sum
@@ -970,6 +970,7 @@ github.com/mattn/go-runewidth v0.0.9/go.mod h1:H031xJmbD/WCDINGzjvQ9THkh0rPKHF+m
 github.com/mattn/go-runewidth v0.0.14 h1:+xnbZSEeDbOIg5/mE6JF0w6n9duR1l3/WmbinWVwUuU=
 github.com/mattn/go-runewidth v0.0.14/go.mod h1:Jdepj2loyihRzMpdS35Xk/zdY8IAYHsh153qUoGf23w=
 github.com/mattn/go-sqlite3 v1.11.0/go.mod h1:FPy6KqzDD04eiIsT53CuJW3U88zkxoIYsOqkbpncsNc=
+github.com/mattn/go-sqlite3 v1.14.7/go.mod h1:NyWgC/yNuGj7Q9rpYnZvas74GogHl5/Z4A/KQRfk6bU=
 github.com/mattn/go-sqlite3 v1.14.22 h1:2gZY6PC6kBnID23Tichd1K+Z0oS6nE/XwU+Vz/5o4kU=
 github.com/mattn/go-sqlite3 v1.14.22/go.mod h1:Uh1q+B4BYcTPb+yiD3kU8Ct7aC0hY9fxUwlHK0RXw+Y=
 github.com/mattn/go-tty v0.0.0-20180907095812-13ff1204f104/go.mod h1:XPvLUNfbS4fJH25nqRHfWLMa1ONC8Amw+mIA639KxkE=
@@ -1326,6 +1327,8 @@ github.com/samber/lo v1.39.0/go.mod h1:+m/ZKRl6ClXCE2Lgf3MsQlWfh4bn1bz6CXEOxnEXn
 github.com/samuel/go-zookeeper v0.0.0-20190923202752-2cc03de413da/go.mod h1:gi+0XIa01GRL2eRQVjQkKGqKF3SF9vZR/HnPullcV2E=
 github.com/sasha-s/go-deadlock v0.3.1 h1:sqv7fDNShgjcaxkO0JNcOAlr8B9+cV5Ey/OB71efZx0=
 github.com/sasha-s/go-deadlock v0.3.1/go.mod h1:F73l+cr82YSh10GxyRI6qZiCgK64VaZjwesgfQ1/iLM=
+github.com/schollz/sqlite3dump v1.3.1 h1:QXizJ7XEJ7hggjqjZ3YRtF3+javm8zKtzNByYtEkPRA=
+github.com/schollz/sqlite3dump v1.3.1/go.mod h1:mzSTjZpJH4zAb1FN3iNlhWPbbdyeBpOaTW0hukyMHyI=
 github.com/sclevine/agouti v3.0.0+incompatible/go.mod h1:b4WX9W9L1sfQKXeJf1mUTLZKJ48R1S7H23Ji7oFO5Bw=
 github.com/sean-/seed v0.0.0-20170313163322-e2103e2c3529/go.mod h1:DxrIzT+xaE7yg65j358z/aeFdxmN0P9QXhEzd20vsDc=
 github.com/segmentio/kafka-go v0.1.0/go.mod h1:X6itGqS9L4jDletMsxZ7Dz+JFWxM6JHfPOCvTvk+EJo=
diff --git a/service/indexer.go b/service/indexer.go
index 5ce214e71..e647ca481 100644
--- a/service/indexer.go
+++ b/service/indexer.go
@@ -1,12 +1,7 @@
 package service
 
 import (
-	"context"
-	"fmt"
-	"io"
-	"os"
 	"path/filepath"
-	"time"
 
 	"go.vocdoni.io/dvote/log"
 	"go.vocdoni.io/dvote/snapshot"
@@ -29,43 +24,8 @@ func (vs *VocdoniService) VochainIndexer() error {
 	// launch the indexer after sync routine (executed when the blockchain is ready)
 	go vs.Indexer.AfterSyncBootstrap(false)
 
-	snapshot.SetFnImportIndexer(func(r io.Reader) error {
-		log.Debugf("restoring indexer backup")
-
-		file, err := os.CreateTemp("", "indexer.sqlite3")
-		if err != nil {
-			return fmt.Errorf("creating tmpfile: %w", err)
-		}
-		defer func() {
-			if err := file.Close(); err != nil {
-				log.Warnw("error closing tmpfile", "path", file.Name(), "err", err)
-			}
-			if err := os.Remove(file.Name()); err != nil {
-				log.Warnw("error removing tmpfile", "path", file.Name(), "err", err)
-			}
-		}()
-
-		if _, err := io.Copy(file, r); err != nil {
-			return fmt.Errorf("writing tmpfile: %w", err)
-		}
-
-		return vs.Indexer.RestoreBackup(file.Name())
-	})
-
-	snapshot.SetFnExportIndexer(func(w io.Writer) error {
-		log.Debugf("saving indexer backup")
-
-		ctx, cancel := context.WithTimeout(context.Background(), time.Minute)
-		defer cancel()
-		data, err := vs.Indexer.ExportBackupAsBytes(ctx)
-		if err != nil {
-			return fmt.Errorf("creating indexer backup: %w", err)
-		}
-		if _, err := w.Write(data); err != nil {
-			return fmt.Errorf("writing data: %w", err)
-		}
-		return nil
-	})
+	snapshot.SetFnImportIndexer(vs.Indexer.ImportBackup)
+	snapshot.SetFnExportIndexer(vs.Indexer.ExportBackup)
 
 	if vs.Config.Indexer.ArchiveURL != "" && vs.Config.Indexer.ArchiveURL != "none" {
 		log.Infow("starting archive retrieval", "path", vs.Config.Indexer.ArchiveURL)
diff --git a/vochain/indexer/indexer.go b/vochain/indexer/indexer.go
index 562609cec..95f987aef 100644
--- a/vochain/indexer/indexer.go
+++ b/vochain/indexer/indexer.go
@@ -1,6 +1,9 @@
 package indexer
 
 import (
+	"bufio"
+	"bytes"
+	"compress/gzip"
 	"context"
 	"database/sql"
 	"embed"
@@ -30,6 +33,7 @@ import (
 	"github.com/pressly/goose/v3"
 	"golang.org/x/exp/maps"
 
+	"github.com/schollz/sqlite3dump"
 	// modernc is a pure-Go version, but its errors have less useful info.
 	// We use mattn while developing and testing, and we can swap them later.
 	// _ "modernc.org/sqlite"
@@ -233,7 +237,8 @@ func (idx *Indexer) Close() error {
 	return nil
 }
 
-// BackupPath restores the database from a backup created via SaveBackup.
+// RestoreBackup restores the indexer by copying the file (raw binary format)
+// from the passed path.
 // Note that this must be called with ExpectBackupRestore set to true,
 // and before any indexing or queries happen.
 func (idx *Indexer) RestoreBackup(path string) error {
@@ -249,37 +254,112 @@ func (idx *Indexer) RestoreBackup(path string) error {
 	return nil
 }
 
-// SaveBackup backs up the database to a file on disk.
+// ImportBackup restores the database from a backup created via ExportBackup.
+// Note that this must be called with ExpectBackupRestore set to true,
+// and before any indexing or queries happen.
+func (idx *Indexer) ImportBackup(r io.Reader) error {
+	if idx.readWriteDB != nil {
+		panic("Indexer.RestoreBackup called after the database was initialized")
+	}
+	log.Debugf("restoring indexer backup")
+	gzipReader, err := gzip.NewReader(r)
+	if err != nil {
+		return fmt.Errorf("could not create gzip reader: %w", err)
+	}
+	defer gzipReader.Close()
+	if err := restoreDBFromSQLDump(idx.dbPath, gzipReader); err != nil {
+		return fmt.Errorf("could not restore indexer backup: %w", err)
+	}
+	if err := idx.startDB(); err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+	return nil
+}
+
+func restoreDBFromSQLDump(dbPath string, r io.Reader) error {
+	db, err := sql.Open("sqlite3", fmt.Sprintf("file:%s?mode=rwc&_journal_mode=wal&_txlock=immediate&_synchronous=normal&_foreign_keys=true", dbPath))
+	if err != nil {
+		return fmt.Errorf("could not open indexer db: %w", err)
+	}
+	defer db.Close()
+
+	scanner := bufio.NewScanner(r)
+	var statement strings.Builder
+	for scanner.Scan() {
+		line := scanner.Text()
+		statement.WriteString(line)
+		statement.WriteString("\n")
+
+		if strings.HasSuffix(line, ";") {
+			_, err := db.Exec(statement.String())
+			if err != nil {
+				return fmt.Errorf("failed to execute statement: %s (error: %w)", statement.String(), err)
+			}
+			statement.Reset()
+		}
+	}
+
+	if err := scanner.Err(); err != nil {
+		return fmt.Errorf("error during restore: %w", err)
+	}
+
+	return nil
+}
+
+// ExportBackup backs up the database to a file on disk.
 // Note that writes to the database may be blocked until the backup finishes,
 // and an error may occur if a file at path already exists.
 //
 // For sqlite, this is done via "VACUUM INTO", so the resulting file is also a database.
-func (idx *Indexer) SaveBackup(ctx context.Context, path string) error {
-	_, err := idx.readOnlyDB.ExecContext(ctx, `VACUUM INTO ?`, path)
-	return err
+func (idx *Indexer) ExportBackup(w io.Writer) error {
+	log.Debugf("exporting indexer backup")
+	ctx, cancel := context.WithTimeout(context.Background(), time.Minute)
+	defer cancel()
+
+	tmpDB, err := os.CreateTemp("", "indexer*.sqlite3")
+	if err != nil {
+		return fmt.Errorf("could not create tmpdb file: %w", err)
+	}
+	defer func() {
+		if err := os.Remove(tmpDB.Name()); err != nil {
+			log.Warnw("error removing tmpdb file", "path", tmpDB.Name(), "err", err)
+		}
+	}()
+
+	if _, err := idx.readOnlyDB.ExecContext(ctx, `VACUUM INTO ?`, tmpDB.Name()); err != nil {
+		return fmt.Errorf("could not vacuum into tmpdb: %w", err)
+	}
+
+	db, err := sql.Open("sqlite3", tmpDB.Name())
+	if err != nil {
+		return fmt.Errorf("could not open tmpDB: %w", err)
+	}
+	defer db.Close()
+
+	// first drop stats table
+	if _, err := db.ExecContext(ctx, `DROP TABLE IF EXISTS sqlite_stat1;`); err != nil {
+		return fmt.Errorf("could not drop table sqlite_stat1: %w", err)
+	}
+
+	// make goose_db_version table deterministic
+	if _, err := db.ExecContext(ctx, `UPDATE goose_db_version SET tstamp = '1970-01-01 00:00:00';`); err != nil {
+		return fmt.Errorf("could not update goose_db_version: %w", err)
+	}
+
+	gzw := gzip.NewWriter(w)
+	defer gzw.Close()
+	return sqlite3dump.DumpDB(db, gzw)
 }
 
 // ExportBackupAsBytes backs up the database, and returns the contents as []byte.
 //
 // Note that writes to the database may be blocked until the backup finishes.
-//
-// For sqlite, this is done via "VACUUM INTO", so the resulting file is also a database.
 func (idx *Indexer) ExportBackupAsBytes(ctx context.Context) ([]byte, error) {
-	tmpDir, err := os.MkdirTemp("", "indexer")
-	if err != nil {
-		return nil, fmt.Errorf("error creating tmpDir: %w", err)
-
-	}
-	tmpFilePath := filepath.Join(tmpDir, "indexer.sqlite3")
-	if err := idx.SaveBackup(ctx, tmpFilePath); err != nil {
+	var buf bytes.Buffer
+	if err := idx.ExportBackup(&buf); err != nil {
 		return nil, fmt.Errorf("error saving indexer backup: %w", err)
 	}
-	defer func() {
-		if err := os.Remove(tmpFilePath); err != nil {
-			log.Warnw("error removing indexer backup file", "path", tmpFilePath, "err", err)
-		}
-	}()
-	return os.ReadFile(tmpFilePath)
+	return buf.Bytes(), nil
 }
 
 // blockTxQueries assumes that lockPool is locked.
diff --git a/vochain/indexer/indexer_test.go b/vochain/indexer/indexer_test.go
index 901769c0e..3e2e939ee 100644
--- a/vochain/indexer/indexer_test.go
+++ b/vochain/indexer/indexer_test.go
@@ -2,13 +2,11 @@ package indexer
 
 import (
 	"bytes"
-	"context"
 	"encoding/hex"
 	"fmt"
 	"io"
 	stdlog "log"
 	"math/big"
-	"path/filepath"
 	"testing"
 
 	qt "github.com/frankban/quicktest"
@@ -88,8 +86,8 @@ func TestBackup(t *testing.T) {
 	wantTotalVotes(10)
 
 	// Back up the database.
-	backupPath := filepath.Join(t.TempDir(), "backup")
-	err = idx.SaveBackup(context.TODO(), backupPath)
+	var bkp bytes.Buffer
+	err = idx.ExportBackup(&bkp)
 	qt.Assert(t, err, qt.IsNil)
 
 	// Add another 5 votes which aren't in the backup.
@@ -110,7 +108,7 @@ func TestBackup(t *testing.T) {
 	idx.Close()
 	idx, err = New(app, Options{DataDir: t.TempDir(), ExpectBackupRestore: true})
 	qt.Assert(t, err, qt.IsNil)
-	err = idx.RestoreBackup(backupPath)
+	err = idx.ImportBackup(&bkp)
 	qt.Assert(t, err, qt.IsNil)
 	wantTotalVotes(10)