diff --git a/services/node-agent/src/node_agent.py b/services/node-agent/src/node_agent.py
index 3ed2d59..5ea48cf 100644
--- a/services/node-agent/src/node_agent.py
+++ b/services/node-agent/src/node_agent.py
@@ -555,6 +555,17 @@ class NodeAgent:
             # VPS so this workaround isn't needed (see docs/backlog.md,
             # "Tech-debt: globalny porządek uid/gid/uprawnień").
             "--omit-dir-times",
+            # --no-perms/--no-owner/--no-group: same root cause as --omit-dir-times above.
+            # After omitting dir times, rsync next tried chmod on the same aerbot-owned
+            # dir and got EPERM ("failed to set permissions", exit 23) — then would try
+            # chown/chgrp for the same reason. -a implies -pgo; we drop all three for the
+            # destination dir. File CONTENT still transfers correctly (that is all the
+            # observer needs); only attribute-setting on the remote dir is skipped.
+            # TODO tech-debt: fix ownership of /opt/homelab/events/<node> on VPS so none
+            # of these workarounds are needed (see docs/backlog.md, uid/gid section).
+            "--no-perms",
+            "--no-owner",
+            "--no-group",
             # -F /dev/null: skip ~/.ssh/config entirely.  The .ssh dir is
             # mounted from the host oskar user into the container which runs
             # as root; OpenSSH rejects config files owned by a different UID.