diff --git a/src/baudolo/backup/compose.py b/src/baudolo/backup/compose.py
index 6fe9ce9..487209d 100644
--- a/src/baudolo/backup/compose.py
+++ b/src/baudolo/backup/compose.py
@@ -1,13 +1,104 @@
 from __future__ import annotations
 
 import os
+import shutil
 import subprocess
+from pathlib import Path
+from typing import List, Optional
+
+
+def _detect_env_file(project_dir: Path) -> Optional[Path]:
+    """
+    Detect Compose env file in a directory.
+    Preference (same as Infinito.Nexus wrapper):
+      1) <dir>/.env (file)
+      2) <dir>/.env/env (file)  (legacy layout)
+    """
+    c1 = project_dir / ".env"
+    if c1.is_file():
+        return c1
+
+    c2 = project_dir / ".env" / "env"
+    if c2.is_file():
+        return c2
+
+    return None
+
+
+def _detect_compose_files(project_dir: Path) -> List[Path]:
+    """
+    Detect Compose file stack in a directory (same as Infinito.Nexus wrapper).
+    Always requires docker-compose.yml.
+    Optionals:
+      - docker-compose.override.yml
+      - docker-compose.ca.override.yml
+    """
+    base = project_dir / "docker-compose.yml"
+    if not base.is_file():
+        raise FileNotFoundError(f"Missing docker-compose.yml in: {project_dir}")
+
+    files = [base]
+
+    override = project_dir / "docker-compose.override.yml"
+    if override.is_file():
+        files.append(override)
+
+    ca_override = project_dir / "docker-compose.ca.override.yml"
+    if ca_override.is_file():
+        files.append(ca_override)
+
+    return files
+
+
+def _compose_wrapper_path() -> Optional[str]:
+    """
+    Prefer the Infinito.Nexus compose wrapper if present.
+    Equivalent to: `which compose`
+    """
+    return shutil.which("compose")
+
+
+def _build_compose_cmd(project_dir: str, passthrough: List[str]) -> List[str]:
+    """
+    Build the compose command for this project directory.
+
+    Behavior:
+    - If `compose` wrapper exists: use it with --chdir (so it resolves -f/--env-file itself)
+    - Else: use `docker compose` and replicate wrapper's file/env detection.
+    """
+    pdir = Path(project_dir).resolve()
+
+    wrapper = _compose_wrapper_path()
+    if wrapper:
+        # Wrapper defaults project name to basename of --chdir.
+        # "--" ensures wrapper stops parsing its own args.
+        return [wrapper, "--chdir", str(pdir), "--", *passthrough]
+
+    # Fallback: pure docker compose, but mirror wrapper behavior.
+    files = _detect_compose_files(pdir)
+    env_file = _detect_env_file(pdir)
+
+    cmd: List[str] = ["docker", "compose"]
+    for f in files:
+        cmd += ["-f", str(f)]
+    if env_file:
+        cmd += ["--env-file", str(env_file)]
+
+    cmd += passthrough
+    return cmd
 
 
 def hard_restart_docker_services(dir_path: str) -> None:
-    print(f"Hard restart docker-compose services in: {dir_path}", flush=True)
-    subprocess.run(["docker-compose", "down"], cwd=dir_path, check=True)
-    subprocess.run(["docker-compose", "up", "-d"], cwd=dir_path, check=True)
+    print(f"Hard restart compose services in: {dir_path}", flush=True)
+
+    down_cmd = _build_compose_cmd(dir_path, ["down"])
+    up_cmd = _build_compose_cmd(dir_path, ["up", "-d"])
+
+    print(">>> " + " ".join(down_cmd), flush=True)
+    subprocess.run(down_cmd, check=True)
+
+    print(">>> " + " ".join(up_cmd), flush=True)
+    subprocess.run(up_cmd, check=True)
 
 
 def handle_docker_compose_services(
diff --git a/tests/unit/src/baudolo/backup/test_compose.py b/tests/unit/src/baudolo/backup/test_compose.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..31e1ba7
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/unit/src/baudolo/backup/test_compose.py
@@ -0,0 +1,215 @@
+from __future__ import annotations
+
+from pathlib import Path
+from typing import List
+
+import pytest
+
+
+@pytest.fixture
+def compose_mod():
+    """
+    Import the module under test.
+    Adjust the import path if your package layout differs.
+    """
+    from baudolo.backup import compose as mod
+
+    return mod
+
+
+def _touch(p: Path) -> None:
+    p.parent.mkdir(parents=True, exist_ok=True)
+    p.write_text("x", encoding="utf-8")
+
+
+def _setup_compose_dir(
+    tmp_path: Path,
+    name: str = "mailu",
+    *,
+    with_override: bool = False,
+    with_ca_override: bool = False,
+    env_layout: str | None = None,  # None | ".env" | ".env/env"
+) -> Path:
+    d = tmp_path / name
+    d.mkdir(parents=True, exist_ok=True)
+
+    _touch(d / "docker-compose.yml")
+
+    if with_override:
+        _touch(d / "docker-compose.override.yml")
+
+    if with_ca_override:
+        _touch(d / "docker-compose.ca.override.yml")
+
+    if env_layout == ".env":
+        _touch(d / ".env")
+    elif env_layout == ".env/env":
+        _touch(d / ".env" / "env")
+
+    return d
+
+
+def test_detect_env_file_prefers_dotenv_over_legacy(tmp_path: Path, compose_mod):
+    d = _setup_compose_dir(tmp_path, env_layout=".env/env")
+    # Also create .env file -> should be preferred
+    _touch(d / ".env")
+
+    env_file = compose_mod._detect_env_file(d)
+    assert env_file == d / ".env"
+
+
+def test_detect_env_file_uses_legacy_if_no_dotenv(tmp_path: Path, compose_mod):
+    d = _setup_compose_dir(tmp_path, env_layout=".env/env")
+    env_file = compose_mod._detect_env_file(d)
+    assert env_file == d / ".env" / "env"
+
+
+def test_detect_compose_files_requires_base(tmp_path: Path, compose_mod):
+    d = tmp_path / "stack"
+    d.mkdir()
+
+    with pytest.raises(FileNotFoundError):
+        compose_mod._detect_compose_files(d)
+
+
+def test_detect_compose_files_includes_optional_overrides(tmp_path: Path, compose_mod):
+    d = _setup_compose_dir(
+        tmp_path,
+        with_override=True,
+        with_ca_override=True,
+    )
+
+    files = compose_mod._detect_compose_files(d)
+    assert files == [
+        d / "docker-compose.yml",
+        d / "docker-compose.override.yml",
+        d / "docker-compose.ca.override.yml",
+    ]
+
+
+def test_build_cmd_uses_wrapper_when_present(monkeypatch, tmp_path: Path, compose_mod):
+    d = _setup_compose_dir(
+        tmp_path, with_override=True, with_ca_override=True, env_layout=".env"
+    )
+
+    # Pretend "which compose" finds a wrapper.
+    monkeypatch.setattr(
+        compose_mod.shutil, "which", lambda name: "/usr/local/bin/compose"
+    )
+
+    cmd = compose_mod._build_compose_cmd(str(d), ["up", "-d"])
+
+    # Wrapper should be used, and wrapper itself resolves -f / --env-file.
+    assert cmd == [
+        "/usr/local/bin/compose",
+        "--chdir",
+        str(d.resolve()),
+        "--",
+        "up",
+        "-d",
+    ]
+
+
+def test_build_cmd_fallback_docker_compose_with_all_files_and_env(
+    monkeypatch, tmp_path: Path, compose_mod
+):
+    d = _setup_compose_dir(
+        tmp_path,
+        with_override=True,
+        with_ca_override=True,
+        env_layout=".env",
+    )
+
+    # No wrapper found.
+    monkeypatch.setattr(compose_mod.shutil, "which", lambda name: None)
+
+    cmd = compose_mod._build_compose_cmd(str(d), ["up", "-d", "--force-recreate"])
+
+    # Fallback should replicate the wrapper resolution logic.
+    expected: List[str] = [
+        "docker",
+        "compose",
+        "-f",
+        str((d / "docker-compose.yml").resolve()),
+        "-f",
+        str((d / "docker-compose.override.yml").resolve()),
+        "-f",
+        str((d / "docker-compose.ca.override.yml").resolve()),
+        "--env-file",
+        str((d / ".env").resolve()),
+        "up",
+        "-d",
+        "--force-recreate",
+    ]
+    assert cmd == expected
+
+
+def test_hard_restart_calls_run_twice_with_correct_cmds_wrapper(
+    monkeypatch, tmp_path: Path, compose_mod
+):
+    d = _setup_compose_dir(tmp_path, name="mailu", env_layout=".env")
+
+    # Wrapper exists
+    monkeypatch.setattr(
+        compose_mod.shutil, "which", lambda name: "/usr/local/bin/compose"
+    )
+
+    calls = []
+
+    def fake_run(cmd, check: bool):
+        calls.append((cmd, check))
+        return 0
+
+    monkeypatch.setattr(compose_mod.subprocess, "run", fake_run)
+
+    compose_mod.hard_restart_docker_services(str(d))
+
+    assert calls == [
+        (["/usr/local/bin/compose", "--chdir", str(d.resolve()), "--", "down"], True),
+        (
+            ["/usr/local/bin/compose", "--chdir", str(d.resolve()), "--", "up", "-d"],
+            True,
+        ),
+    ]
+
+
+def test_hard_restart_calls_run_twice_with_correct_cmds_fallback(
+    monkeypatch, tmp_path: Path, compose_mod
+):
+    d = _setup_compose_dir(
+        tmp_path,
+        name="mailu",
+        with_override=True,
+        with_ca_override=True,
+        env_layout=".env/env",
+    )
+
+    # No wrapper exists
+    monkeypatch.setattr(compose_mod.shutil, "which", lambda name: None)
+
+    calls = []
+
+    def fake_run(cmd, check: bool):
+        calls.append((cmd, check))
+        return 0
+
+    monkeypatch.setattr(compose_mod.subprocess, "run", fake_run)
+
+    compose_mod.hard_restart_docker_services(str(d))
+
+    # We assert only key structure + ordering to keep it robust.
+    down_cmd = calls[0][0]
+    up_cmd = calls[1][0]
+
+    assert calls[0][1] is True
+    assert calls[1][1] is True
+
+    # down: docker compose -f ... --env-file ... down
+    assert down_cmd[0:2] == ["docker", "compose"]
+    assert down_cmd[-1] == "down"
+    assert "--env-file" in down_cmd
+
+    # up: docker compose ... up -d
+    assert up_cmd[0:2] == ["docker", "compose"]
+    assert up_cmd[-2:] == ["up", "-d"] or up_cmd[-3:] == ["up", "-d"]  # tolerance
+    assert "--env-file" in up_cmd