diff --git a/docs/SCRIPTS.md b/docs/SCRIPTS.md
index 1291281..62eaf12 100644
--- a/docs/SCRIPTS.md
+++ b/docs/SCRIPTS.md
@@ -207,6 +207,14 @@ Automated post-deployment tasks including module configuration, service verifica
 3. Database connectivity testing
 4. Initial realm configuration
 
+#### `scripts/bash/manual-backup.sh` - On-Demand Backup Helper
+Runs the `ac-backup` container's dump logic immediately and stores results under `/backups/<label>_<timestamp>`.
+
+```bash
+./scripts/bash/manual-backup.sh                     # Manual backup with default label
+./scripts/bash/manual-backup.sh --label hotfix      # Custom label for the backup directory
+```
+
 ### Advanced Deployment Tools
 
 #### `scripts/bash/migrate-stack.sh` - Remote Deployment Migration
diff --git a/scripts/bash/manual-backup.sh b/scripts/bash/manual-backup.sh
new file mode 100755
index 0000000..3590fab
--- /dev/null
+++ b/scripts/bash/manual-backup.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,92 @@
+#!/bin/bash
+# Trigger an on-demand database backup via the ac-backup container.
+
+set -euo pipefail
+
+SCRIPT_DIR="$(cd "$(dirname "${BASH_SOURCE[0]}")" && pwd)"
+PROJECT_ROOT="$(cd "$SCRIPT_DIR/../.." && pwd)"
+ENV_FILE="$PROJECT_ROOT/.env"
+
+usage(){
+  cat <<'USAGE'
+Usage: ./scripts/bash/manual-backup.sh [options]
+
+Options:
+  --label NAME        Prefix for the backup directory (default: manual)
+  --container NAME    Override backup container name (default: CONTAINER_BACKUP from .env)
+  -h, --help          Show this help and exit
+USAGE
+}
+
+read_env(){
+  local key="$1" default="$2" value=""
+  if [[ -f "$ENV_FILE" ]]; then
+    value="$(grep -E "^${key}=" "$ENV_FILE" | tail -n1 | cut -d'=' -f2- | tr -d $'\r')"
+  fi
+  [[ -n "$value" ]] || value="$default"
+  echo "$value"
+}
+
+LABEL="manual"
+CONTAINER_BACKUP="$(read_env CONTAINER_BACKUP "ac-backup")"
+
+while [[ $# -gt 0 ]]; do
+  case "$1" in
+    --label) LABEL="$2"; shift 2;;
+    --container) CONTAINER_BACKUP="$2"; shift 2;;
+    -h|--help) usage; exit 0;;
+    *) echo "Unknown option: $1" >&2; usage; exit 1;;
+  esac
+done
+
+if ! docker ps --format '{{.Names}}' | grep -qx "$CONTAINER_BACKUP"; then
+  echo "❌ Backup container '$CONTAINER_BACKUP' is not running. Start it with 'docker compose up -d ac-backup'." >&2
+  exit 1
+fi
+
+TIMESTAMP="$(date +%Y%m%d_%H%M%S)"
+TARGET_DIR="/backups/${LABEL}_${TIMESTAMP}"
+
+# shellcheck disable=SC2016
+docker exec -i \
+  -e LABEL="$LABEL" \
+  -e TIMESTAMP="$TIMESTAMP" \
+  -e TARGET_DIR="$TARGET_DIR" \
+  "$CONTAINER_BACKUP" bash <<'SCRIPT'
+set -euo pipefail
+LABEL="${LABEL}"
+TIMESTAMP="${TIMESTAMP}"
+TARGET_DIR="${TARGET_DIR}"
+
+mkdir -p "${TARGET_DIR}"
+export MYSQL_PWD="${MYSQL_PASSWORD}"
+
+dbs=("${DB_AUTH_NAME}" "${DB_WORLD_NAME}" "${DB_CHARACTERS_NAME}")
+if mysql -h"${MYSQL_HOST}" -P"${MYSQL_PORT}" -u"${MYSQL_USER}" -e "USE ${DB_PLAYERBOTS_NAME:-acore_playerbots};" >/dev/null 2>&1; then
+  dbs+=("${DB_PLAYERBOTS_NAME:-acore_playerbots}")
+fi
+
+for db in "${dbs[@]}"; do
+  echo "[manual] Backing up ${db} -> ${TARGET_DIR}/${db}.sql.gz"
+  mysqldump -h"${MYSQL_HOST}" -P"${MYSQL_PORT}" -u"${MYSQL_USER}" \
+    --single-transaction --routines --triggers --events \
+    --hex-blob --quick --lock-tables=false --add-drop-database \
+    --databases "${db}" | gzip -c > "${TARGET_DIR}/${db}.sql.gz"
+  echo "[manual] ✅ ${db}"
+done
+
+size="$(du -sh "${TARGET_DIR}" | cut -f1)"
+cat > "${TARGET_DIR}/manifest.json" <<EOF
+{
+  "timestamp": "${TIMESTAMP}",
+  "label": "${LABEL}",
+  "databases": [$(printf '"%s",' "${dbs[@]}" | sed 's/,$//')],
+  "backup_size": "${size}",
+  "mode": "manual"
+}
+EOF
+
+chown -R ${CONTAINER_USER:-1000:1000} "${TARGET_DIR}" 2>/dev/null || true
+chmod -R 750 "${TARGET_DIR}" 2>/dev/null || true
+echo "[manual] Backup complete: ${TARGET_DIR} (size ${size})"
+SCRIPT