diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 6387185..88e195f 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -56,6 +56,8 @@ Run a test with one archive first:
 curl.exe -X POST -H "X-Service-Token: change-me" "http://localhost:8088/sync/backfill?max_archives=1"
 ```
 
+When `SYNC_SUCCESS_ONLY=true`, `max_archives` counts import attempts. Archives that are still `printing` or already failed are skipped and do not consume the limit.
+
 Run full backfill for successful Bambuddy archives:
 
 ```powershell
diff --git a/src/bambuddy_inventree_sync/sync.py b/src/bambuddy_inventree_sync/sync.py
index 06f6309..fdf293d 100644
--- a/src/bambuddy_inventree_sync/sync.py
+++ b/src/bambuddy_inventree_sync/sync.py
@@ -70,8 +70,7 @@ class ArchiveSyncService:
 
     async def backfill(self, *, status: str | None = None, max_archives: int | None = None) -> dict[str, int]:
         status_filter = status
-        if status_filter is None and self.settings.sync_success_only:
-            status_filter = "success"
+        target_status = status.lower() if status else None
 
         counts = {"seen": 0, "synced": 0, "already_synced": 0, "skipped": 0, "failed": 0}
         offset = 0
@@ -83,7 +82,10 @@ class ArchiveSyncService:
                 break
 
             for archive in archives:
-                if max_archives is not None and counts["seen"] >= max_archives:
+                if target_status and (archive.status or "").lower() != target_status:
+                    continue
+
+                if max_archives is not None and self._backfill_limit_reached(counts, max_archives):
                     return counts
 
                 counts["seen"] += 1
@@ -94,6 +96,9 @@ class ArchiveSyncService:
                     logger.exception("Failed to sync Bambuddy archive %s during backfill", archive.id)
                     counts["failed"] += 1
 
+                if max_archives is not None and self._backfill_limit_reached(counts, max_archives):
+                    return counts
+
             offset += len(archives)
             if total is not None and offset >= total:
                 break
@@ -274,3 +279,7 @@ class ArchiveSyncService:
         if status in {"success", "completed", "complete", "done"}:
             return True
         return bool(archive.completed_at and status not in {"failed", "stopped", "printing", "running"})
+
+    @staticmethod
+    def _backfill_limit_reached(counts: dict[str, int], max_archives: int) -> bool:
+        return counts["synced"] + counts["already_synced"] + counts["failed"] >= max_archives