diff --git a/pkgs/clan-cli/clan_cli/facts/secret_modules/sops.py b/pkgs/clan-cli/clan_cli/facts/secret_modules/sops.py
index 071ef3c82..746948895 100644
--- a/pkgs/clan-cli/clan_cli/facts/secret_modules/sops.py
+++ b/pkgs/clan-cli/clan_cli/facts/secret_modules/sops.py
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 from pathlib import Path
+from typing import override
 
 from clan_cli.machines.machines import Machine
 from clan_cli.secrets.folders import sops_secrets_folder
@@ -58,13 +59,10 @@ class SecretStore(SecretStoreBase):
             sops_secrets_folder(self.machine.flake_dir) / f"{self.machine.name}-{name}",
         )
 
+    @override
+    def needs_upload(self) -> bool:
+        return False
+
+    # We rely now on the vars backend to upload the age key
     def upload(self, output_dir: Path) -> None:
-        key_name = f"{self.machine.name}-age.key"
-        if not has_secret(sops_secrets_folder(self.machine.flake_dir) / key_name):
-            # skip uploading the secret, not managed by us
-            return
-        key = decrypt_secret(
-            self.machine.flake_dir,
-            sops_secrets_folder(self.machine.flake_dir) / key_name,
-        )
-        (output_dir / "key.txt").write_text(key)
+        pass
diff --git a/pkgs/clan-cli/clan_cli/tests/test_secrets_upload.py b/pkgs/clan-cli/clan_cli/tests/test_secrets_upload.py
deleted file mode 100644
index 352e9fbb4..000000000
--- a/pkgs/clan-cli/clan_cli/tests/test_secrets_upload.py
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,98 +0,0 @@
-from pathlib import Path
-from typing import TYPE_CHECKING
-
-import pytest
-from clan_cli.ssh.host import Host, HostKeyCheck
-from clan_cli.ssh.upload import upload
-from clan_cli.tests.fixtures_flakes import ClanFlake
-from clan_cli.tests.helpers import cli
-
-if TYPE_CHECKING:
-    from .age_keys import KeyPair
-
-
-@pytest.mark.with_core
-def test_upload_single_file(
-    monkeypatch: pytest.MonkeyPatch,
-    temporary_home: Path,
-    hosts: list[Host],
-) -> None:
-    host = hosts[0]
-    host.host_key_check = HostKeyCheck.NONE
-
-    src_file = temporary_home / "test.txt"
-    src_file.write_text("test")
-    dest_file = temporary_home / "test_dest.txt"
-
-    upload(host, src_file, dest_file)
-
-    assert dest_file.exists()
-    assert dest_file.read_text() == "test"
-
-
-@pytest.mark.with_core
-def test_secrets_upload(
-    monkeypatch: pytest.MonkeyPatch,
-    flake: ClanFlake,
-    hosts: list[Host],
-    age_keys: list["KeyPair"],
-) -> None:
-    config = flake.machines["vm1"]
-    config["nixpkgs"]["hostPlatform"] = "x86_64-linux"
-    host = hosts[0]
-    addr = f"{host.user}@{host.host}:{host.port}?StrictHostKeyChecking=no&UserKnownHostsFile=/dev/null&IdentityFile={host.private_key}"
-    config["clan"]["networking"]["targetHost"] = addr
-    config["clan"]["core"]["facts"]["secretUploadDirectory"] = str(flake.path / "facts")
-    flake.refresh()
-
-    with monkeypatch.context():
-        monkeypatch.chdir(str(flake.path))
-        monkeypatch.setenv("SOPS_AGE_KEY", age_keys[0].privkey)
-
-        sops_dir = flake.path / "facts"
-
-        # the flake defines this path as the location where the sops key should be installed
-        sops_key = sops_dir / "key.txt"
-        sops_key2 = sops_dir / "key2.txt"
-
-        # Create old state, which should be cleaned up
-        sops_dir.mkdir()
-        sops_key.write_text("OLD STATE")
-        sops_key2.write_text("OLD STATE2")
-
-        cli.run(
-            [
-                "secrets",
-                "users",
-                "add",
-                "--flake",
-                str(flake.path),
-                "user1",
-                age_keys[0].pubkey,
-            ]
-        )
-
-        cli.run(
-            [
-                "secrets",
-                "machines",
-                "add",
-                "--flake",
-                str(flake.path),
-                "vm1",
-                age_keys[1].pubkey,
-            ]
-        )
-
-        with monkeypatch.context() as m:
-            m.setenv("SOPS_NIX_SECRET", age_keys[0].privkey)
-
-            cli.run(["secrets", "set", "--flake", str(flake.path), "vm1-age.key"])
-
-            flake_path = flake.path.joinpath("flake.nix")
-
-            cli.run(["facts", "upload", "--flake", str(flake_path), "vm1"])
-
-            assert sops_key.exists()
-            assert sops_key.read_text() == age_keys[0].privkey
-            assert not sops_key2.exists()
diff --git a/pkgs/clan-cli/clan_cli/tests/test_upload_single_file.py b/pkgs/clan-cli/clan_cli/tests/test_upload_single_file.py
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..4bb1df16e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/pkgs/clan-cli/clan_cli/tests/test_upload_single_file.py
@@ -0,0 +1,24 @@
+from pathlib import Path
+
+import pytest
+from clan_cli.ssh.host import Host, HostKeyCheck
+from clan_cli.ssh.upload import upload
+
+
+@pytest.mark.with_core
+def test_upload_single_file(
+    monkeypatch: pytest.MonkeyPatch,
+    temporary_home: Path,
+    hosts: list[Host],
+) -> None:
+    host = hosts[0]
+    host.host_key_check = HostKeyCheck.NONE
+
+    src_file = temporary_home / "test.txt"
+    src_file.write_text("test")
+    dest_file = temporary_home / "test_dest.txt"
+
+    upload(host, src_file, dest_file)
+
+    assert dest_file.exists()
+    assert dest_file.read_text() == "test"