there a way that --itemize is implicitely activated e.g. with using another parameter? Is it possible that "SSH -i key" could also be scanned by rsync and interpreted as --itemize? Can it be switched off again with --no-i? That didn't seem to have an effect. I used these params in a script with rsync 3.0.3pre1 on a NAS. MYRSYNC_ARGS="-rptgo --stats --modify-window=1 --timeout=1800 --log-file=/tmp/rsbackup.log --rsync-path="/path/to/rsync" --timeout=3600" SSH="ssh -l user -ax -i /path/to/key -o ClearAllForwardings=yes -o StrictHostKeyChecking=no" rsync $MYRSYNC_ARGS -l --delete -e "$SSH" --no-i $SOURCE/mod $DEST:$SOURCE/mod & And that still results in: 2011/01/17 20:00:08 [3918] .d..t...... server/Directory/ 2011/01/17 20:00:13 [3918] <f..t...... server/Directory/File etc Thanks for any help. rsync works as expected, it just blows up the logfile which makes it harder to see errors. The SSH part also works or we shouldn't get a connection to the other server. bye Fabi