diff --git a/common/flatpak-dir.c b/common/flatpak-dir.c
index 0783ede0..e1ba91d4 100644
--- a/common/flatpak-dir.c
+++ b/common/flatpak-dir.c
@@ -10302,6 +10302,7 @@ flatpak_dir_lookup_remote_filter (FlatpakDir *self,
 {
   RemoteFilter *filter = NULL;
   const char *filter_path;
+  gboolean handled_fallback = FALSE;
   g_autoptr(GFile) filter_file = NULL;
 
   if (checksum_out)
@@ -10331,6 +10332,15 @@ flatpak_dir_lookup_remote_filter (FlatpakDir *self,
         filter = NULL; /* New path, reload */
       else if ((now - filter->last_mtime_check) > (1000 * (FILTER_MTIME_CHECK_TIMEOUT_MSEC)))
         {
+          /* Fall back to backup copy if remote filter disappears */
+          handled_fallback = TRUE;
+          if (!g_file_query_exists (filter_file, NULL))
+            {
+              char *basename = g_strconcat (name, ".filter", NULL);
+              g_object_unref (filter_file);
+              filter_file = flatpak_build_file (self->basedir, "repo", basename, NULL);
+            }
+
           filter->last_mtime_check = now;
           if (!get_mtime (filter_file, &mtime, NULL, NULL) ||
               mtime.tv_sec != filter->mtime.tv_sec ||
@@ -10354,6 +10364,14 @@ flatpak_dir_lookup_remote_filter (FlatpakDir *self,
   if (filter) /* This is outside the lock, but we already copied the returned data, and we're not dereferencing filter */
     return TRUE;
 
+  /* Fall back to backup copy if remote filter disappears */
+  if (!handled_fallback && !g_file_query_exists (filter_file, NULL))
+    {
+      char *basename = g_strconcat (name, ".filter", NULL);
+      g_object_unref (filter_file);
+      filter_file = flatpak_build_file (self->basedir, "repo", basename, NULL);
+    }
+
   filter = remote_filter_load (filter_file, error);
   if (filter == NULL)
     return FALSE;
@@ -12741,6 +12759,7 @@ flatpak_dir_modify_remote (FlatpakDir   *self,
   g_autofree char *url = NULL;
   g_autofree char *metalink = NULL;
   g_autoptr(GKeyFile) new_config = NULL;
+  g_autofree gchar *filter_path = NULL;
   gboolean has_remote;
 
   if (strchr (remote_name, '/') != NULL)
@@ -12819,6 +12838,32 @@ flatpak_dir_modify_remote (FlatpakDir   *self,
                imported, (imported == 1) ? "" : "s", remote_name);
     }
 
+  filter_path = g_key_file_get_value (new_config, group, "xa.filter", NULL);
+  if (filter_path && *filter_path && g_file_test (filter_path, G_FILE_TEST_EXISTS))
+    {
+      /* Make a backup filter copy in case it goes away later */
+      char *filter_name = g_strconcat (remote_name, ".filter", NULL);
+      g_autoptr(GFile) filter_file = g_file_new_for_path (filter_path);
+      g_autoptr(GFile) filter_copy = flatpak_build_file (self->basedir, "repo", filter_name, NULL);
+      g_autoptr(GError) local_error = NULL;
+      g_autofree char *backup_data = NULL;
+      gsize backup_data_size;
+
+      if (g_file_load_contents (filter_file, cancellable, &backup_data, &backup_data_size, NULL, &local_error))
+        {
+          g_autofree char *backup_data_copy =
+            g_strdup_printf ("# backup copy of %s, do not edit!\n%s", filter_path, backup_data);
+
+          if (!g_file_replace_contents (filter_copy, backup_data_copy, strlen (backup_data_copy),
+                                        NULL, FALSE, G_FILE_CREATE_REPLACE_DESTINATION, NULL, cancellable, &local_error))
+            g_debug ("Failed to save backup copy of filter file %s: %s\n", filter_path, local_error->message);
+        }
+      else
+        {
+          g_debug ("Failed to read filter %s file while making a backup copy: %s\n", filter_path, local_error->message);
+        }
+    }
+
   if (!flatpak_dir_mark_changed (self, error))
     return FALSE;
 
diff --git a/tests/test-repo.sh b/tests/test-repo.sh
index c0db3a92..028a3f10 100644
--- a/tests/test-repo.sh
+++ b/tests/test-repo.sh
@@ -620,8 +620,9 @@ assert_file_has_content remote-ref-info "ID: org\.test\.Hello"
 ${FLATPAK} ${U} update --appstream test-repo
 assert_file_has_content $FL_DIR/appstream/test-repo/$ARCH/active/appstream.xml "app/org\.test\.Hello"
 
-
-${FLATPAK} ${U} remote-modify test-repo --filter ${test_builddir}/test.filter
+# Make a copy so we can remove it later
+cp ${test_builddir}/test.filter test.filter
+${FLATPAK} ${U} remote-modify test-repo --filter $(pwd)/test.filter
 
 ${FLATPAK} ${U} remote-ls -d -a test-repo > remote-ls-log
 
@@ -640,6 +641,24 @@ fi
 ${FLATPAK} ${U} update --appstream test-repo
 assert_not_file_has_content $FL_DIR/appstream/test-repo/$ARCH/active/appstream.xml "app/org\.test\.Hello"
 
+# Ensure that filter works even when the filter file is removed (uses the backup)
+rm test.filter
+${FLATPAK} ${U} remote-ls -d -a test-repo > remote-ls-log
+assert_not_file_has_content remote-ls-log "app/org\.test\.Hello"
+assert_not_file_has_content remote-ls-log "runtime/org\.test\.Hello\.Locale"
+assert_file_has_content remote-ls-log "runtime/org\.test\.Platform"
+if ${FLATPAK}  ${U} remote-info test-repo org.test.Hello > remote-ref-info; then
+        assert_not_reached "flatpak remote-info test-repo org.test.Hello should fail due to filter"
+fi
+if ${FLATPAK} ${U} install -y test-repo org.test.Hello; then
+    assert_not_reached "should not be able to install org.test.Hello should fail due to filter"
+fi
+
+${FLATPAK} ${U} update --appstream test-repo
+assert_not_file_has_content $FL_DIR/appstream/test-repo/$ARCH/active/appstream.xml "app/org\.test\.Hello"
+
+# Remove filter
+
 ${FLATPAK} ${U} remote-modify test-repo --no-filter
 
 ${FLATPAK} ${U} remote-ls -d -a test-repo > remote-ls-log