diff --git a/cmd/restic/cleanup.go b/cmd/restic/cleanup.go
index 12dbdc142..09559595b 100644
--- a/cmd/restic/cleanup.go
+++ b/cmd/restic/cleanup.go
@@ -12,17 +12,27 @@ import (
 
 var cleanupHandlers struct {
 	sync.Mutex
-	list []func() error
-	done bool
+	list     []func() error
+	done     bool
+	sigintCh chan os.Signal
 }
 
 var stderr = os.Stderr
 
 func init() {
-	c := make(chan os.Signal)
-	signal.Notify(c, syscall.SIGINT)
+	cleanupHandlers.sigintCh = make(chan os.Signal)
+	go CleanupHandler(cleanupHandlers.sigintCh)
+	InstallSignalHandler()
+}
 
-	go CleanupHandler(c)
+// InstallSignalHandler listens for SIGINT and triggers the cleanup handlers.
+func InstallSignalHandler() {
+	signal.Notify(cleanupHandlers.sigintCh, syscall.SIGINT)
+}
+
+// SuspendSignalHandler removes the signal handler for SIGINT.
+func SuspendSignalHandler() {
+	signal.Reset(syscall.SIGINT)
 }
 
 // AddCleanupHandler adds the function f to the list of cleanup handlers so
diff --git a/cmd/restic/global.go b/cmd/restic/global.go
index ccfe1b9c0..3b9f2853a 100644
--- a/cmd/restic/global.go
+++ b/cmd/restic/global.go
@@ -470,7 +470,7 @@ func open(s string, opts options.Options) (restic.Backend, error) {
 	case "local":
 		be, err = local.Open(cfg.(local.Config))
 	case "sftp":
-		be, err = sftp.Open(cfg.(sftp.Config))
+		be, err = sftp.Open(cfg.(sftp.Config), SuspendSignalHandler, InstallSignalHandler)
 	case "s3":
 		be, err = s3.Open(cfg.(s3.Config))
 	case "gs":
@@ -522,7 +522,7 @@ func create(s string, opts options.Options) (restic.Backend, error) {
 	case "local":
 		return local.Create(cfg.(local.Config))
 	case "sftp":
-		return sftp.Create(cfg.(sftp.Config))
+		return sftp.Create(cfg.(sftp.Config), SuspendSignalHandler, InstallSignalHandler)
 	case "s3":
 		return s3.Create(cfg.(s3.Config))
 	case "gs":
diff --git a/internal/backend/sftp/layout_test.go b/internal/backend/sftp/layout_test.go
index 1aa4da5b9..9a5878e0d 100644
--- a/internal/backend/sftp/layout_test.go
+++ b/internal/backend/sftp/layout_test.go
@@ -46,7 +46,7 @@ func TestLayout(t *testing.T) {
 				Command: fmt.Sprintf("%q -e", sftpServer),
 				Path:    repo,
 				Layout:  test.layout,
-			})
+			}, nil, nil)
 			if err != nil {
 				t.Fatal(err)
 			}
diff --git a/internal/backend/sftp/sftp.go b/internal/backend/sftp/sftp.go
index 0014f7549..27ecabd81 100644
--- a/internal/backend/sftp/sftp.go
+++ b/internal/backend/sftp/sftp.go
@@ -36,7 +36,7 @@ var _ restic.Backend = &SFTP{}
 
 const defaultLayout = "default"
 
-func startClient(program string, args ...string) (*SFTP, error) {
+func startClient(preExec, postExec func(), program string, args ...string) (*SFTP, error) {
 	debug.Log("start client %v %v", program, args)
 	// Connect to a remote host and request the sftp subsystem via the 'ssh'
 	// command.  This assumes that passwordless login is correctly configured.
@@ -55,9 +55,6 @@ func startClient(program string, args ...string) (*SFTP, error) {
 		}
 	}()
 
-	// ignore signals sent to the parent (e.g. SIGINT)
-	cmd.SysProcAttr = ignoreSigIntProcAttr()
-
 	// get stdin and stdout
 	wr, err := cmd.StdinPipe()
 	if err != nil {
@@ -68,11 +65,19 @@ func startClient(program string, args ...string) (*SFTP, error) {
 		return nil, errors.Wrap(err, "cmd.StdoutPipe")
 	}
 
+	if preExec != nil {
+		preExec()
+	}
+
 	// start the process
 	if err := cmd.Start(); err != nil {
 		return nil, errors.Wrap(err, "cmd.Start")
 	}
 
+	if postExec != nil {
+		postExec()
+	}
+
 	// wait in a different goroutine
 	ch := make(chan error, 1)
 	go func() {
@@ -104,8 +109,9 @@ func (r *SFTP) clientError() error {
 }
 
 // Open opens an sftp backend as described by the config by running
-// "ssh" with the appropriate arguments (or cfg.Command, if set).
-func Open(cfg Config) (*SFTP, error) {
+// "ssh" with the appropriate arguments (or cfg.Command, if set). The function
+// preExec is run just before, postExec just after starting a program.
+func Open(cfg Config, preExec, postExec func()) (*SFTP, error) {
 	debug.Log("open backend with config %#v", cfg)
 
 	cmd, args, err := buildSSHCommand(cfg)
@@ -113,7 +119,7 @@ func Open(cfg Config) (*SFTP, error) {
 		return nil, err
 	}
 
-	sftp, err := startClient(cmd, args...)
+	sftp, err := startClient(preExec, postExec, cmd, args...)
 	if err != nil {
 		debug.Log("unable to start program: %v", err)
 		return nil, err
@@ -225,15 +231,16 @@ func buildSSHCommand(cfg Config) (cmd string, args []string, err error) {
 	return cmd, args, nil
 }
 
-// Create creates an sftp backend as described by the config by running
-// "ssh" with the appropriate arguments (or cfg.Command, if set).
-func Create(cfg Config) (*SFTP, error) {
+// Create creates an sftp backend as described by the config by running "ssh"
+// with the appropriate arguments (or cfg.Command, if set). The function
+// preExec is run just before, postExec just after starting a program.
+func Create(cfg Config, preExec, postExec func()) (*SFTP, error) {
 	cmd, args, err := buildSSHCommand(cfg)
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, err
 	}
 
-	sftp, err := startClient(cmd, args...)
+	sftp, err := startClient(preExec, postExec, cmd, args...)
 	if err != nil {
 		debug.Log("unable to start program: %v", err)
 		return nil, err
@@ -261,7 +268,7 @@ func Create(cfg Config) (*SFTP, error) {
 	}
 
 	// open backend
-	return Open(cfg)
+	return Open(cfg, preExec, postExec)
 }
 
 // Location returns this backend's location (the directory name).
diff --git a/internal/backend/sftp/sftp_test.go b/internal/backend/sftp/sftp_test.go
index 8449c6daa..56d9f9172 100644
--- a/internal/backend/sftp/sftp_test.go
+++ b/internal/backend/sftp/sftp_test.go
@@ -51,13 +51,13 @@ func newTestSuite(t testing.TB) *test.Suite {
 		// CreateFn is a function that creates a temporary repository for the tests.
 		Create: func(config interface{}) (restic.Backend, error) {
 			cfg := config.(sftp.Config)
-			return sftp.Create(cfg)
+			return sftp.Create(cfg, nil, nil)
 		},
 
 		// OpenFn is a function that opens a previously created temporary repository.
 		Open: func(config interface{}) (restic.Backend, error) {
 			cfg := config.(sftp.Config)
-			return sftp.Open(cfg)
+			return sftp.Open(cfg, nil, nil)
 		},
 
 		// CleanupFn removes data created during the tests.
diff --git a/internal/backend/sftp/sftp_unix.go b/internal/backend/sftp/sftp_unix.go
deleted file mode 100644
index f924f0d05..000000000
--- a/internal/backend/sftp/sftp_unix.go
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,13 +0,0 @@
-// +build !windows
-
-package sftp
-
-import (
-	"syscall"
-)
-
-// ignoreSigIntProcAttr returns a syscall.SysProcAttr that
-// disables SIGINT on parent.
-func ignoreSigIntProcAttr() *syscall.SysProcAttr {
-	return &syscall.SysProcAttr{Setsid: true}
-}
diff --git a/internal/backend/sftp/sftp_windows.go b/internal/backend/sftp/sftp_windows.go
deleted file mode 100644
index 62f748c6d..000000000
--- a/internal/backend/sftp/sftp_windows.go
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,11 +0,0 @@
-package sftp
-
-import (
-	"syscall"
-)
-
-// ignoreSigIntProcAttr returns a default syscall.SysProcAttr
-// on Windows.
-func ignoreSigIntProcAttr() *syscall.SysProcAttr {
-	return &syscall.SysProcAttr{}
-}