diff --git a/debian/control b/debian/control
index 34e1d8928..318d6d8b4 100644
--- a/debian/control
+++ b/debian/control
@@ -38,7 +38,6 @@ Build-Depends:
  python3-markupsafe,
  python3-mypy,
  python3-pampy,
- python3-paramiko,
  python3-pexpect,
  python3-pip,
  python3-psutil,
@@ -114,7 +113,6 @@ Depends:
  python3-gi,
  python3-markupsafe,
  python3-pampy,
- python3-paramiko,
  python3-pexpect,
  python3-psutil,
  python3-requests,
diff --git a/doc/dev/conf.py b/doc/dev/conf.py
index 7fee95aa9..dada84f0f 100644
--- a/doc/dev/conf.py
+++ b/doc/dev/conf.py
@@ -211,7 +211,6 @@ autodoc_mock_imports = [
     'gi',
     'markupsafe',
     'pam',
-    'paramiko',
     'psutil',
     'pytest',
     'requests',
diff --git a/plinth/modules/backups/__init__.py b/plinth/modules/backups/__init__.py
index 5a6c6db19..7e880102e 100644
--- a/plinth/modules/backups/__init__.py
+++ b/plinth/modules/backups/__init__.py
@@ -6,8 +6,8 @@ import logging
 import os
 import pathlib
 import re
+import subprocess
 
-import paramiko
 from django.utils.text import get_valid_filename
 from django.utils.translation import gettext_lazy as _
 from django.utils.translation import gettext_noop
@@ -51,7 +51,8 @@ class BackupsApp(app_module.App):
                               order=20)
         self.add(menu_item)
 
-        packages = Packages('packages-backups', ['borgbackup', 'sshfs'])
+        packages = Packages('packages-backups',
+                            ['borgbackup', 'sshfs', 'sshpass'])
         self.add(packages)
 
     @staticmethod
@@ -143,9 +144,13 @@ def is_ssh_hostkey_verified(hostname):
     if not known_hosts_path.exists():
         return False
 
-    known_hosts = paramiko.hostkeys.HostKeys(str(known_hosts_path))
-    host_keys = known_hosts.lookup(hostname)
-    return host_keys is not None
+    try:
+        subprocess.run(
+            ['ssh-keygen', '-F', hostname, '-f',
+             str(known_hosts_path)], check=True)
+        return True
+    except subprocess.CalledProcessError:
+        return False
 
 
 def split_path(path):
diff --git a/plinth/modules/backups/repository.py b/plinth/modules/backups/repository.py
index 614486316..a135ff495 100644
--- a/plinth/modules/backups/repository.py
+++ b/plinth/modules/backups/repository.py
@@ -7,9 +7,9 @@ import io
 import logging
 import os
 import re
+import subprocess
 from uuid import uuid1
 
-import paramiko
 from django.utils.translation import gettext_lazy as _
 
 from plinth import cfg
@@ -493,28 +493,13 @@ class SshBorgRepository(BaseBorgRepository):
         password = self.credentials['ssh_password']
 
         # Ensure remote directory exists, check contents
-        # TODO Test with IPv6 connection
-        with _ssh_connection(hostname, username, password) as ssh_client:
-            with ssh_client.open_sftp() as sftp_client:
-                try:
-                    sftp_client.listdir(dir_path)
-                except FileNotFoundError:
-                    logger.info('Directory %s does not exist, creating.',
-                                dir_path)
-                    sftp_client.mkdir(dir_path)
-
-
-@contextlib.contextmanager
-def _ssh_connection(hostname, username, password):
-    """Context manager to create and close an SSH connection."""
-    ssh_client = paramiko.SSHClient()
-    ssh_client.load_host_keys(str(get_known_hosts_path()))
-
-    try:
-        ssh_client.connect(hostname, username=username, password=password)
-        yield ssh_client
-    finally:
-        ssh_client.close()
+        env = {'SSHPASS': password}
+        known_hosts_path = str(get_known_hosts_path())
+        subprocess.run([
+            'sshpass', '-e', 'ssh', '-o',
+            f'UserKnownHostsFile={known_hosts_path}', f'{username}@{hostname}',
+            'mkdir', '-p', dir_path
+        ], check=True, env=env)
 
 
 def get_repositories():
diff --git a/plinth/modules/backups/views.py b/plinth/modules/backups/views.py
index ba4780ffb..134f80860 100644
--- a/plinth/modules/backups/views.py
+++ b/plinth/modules/backups/views.py
@@ -5,10 +5,10 @@ Views for the backups app.
 
 import logging
 import os
+import subprocess
 from datetime import datetime
 from urllib.parse import unquote
 
-import paramiko
 from django.contrib import messages
 from django.contrib.messages.views import SuccessMessageMixin
 from django.http import Http404, StreamingHttpResponse
@@ -427,13 +427,14 @@ def _save_repository(request, repository):
         repository.verified = True
         repository.save()
         return True
-    except paramiko.BadHostKeyException:
-        message = _('SSH host public key could not be verified.')
-    except paramiko.AuthenticationException:
-        message = _('Authentication to remote server failed.')
-    except paramiko.SSHException as exception:
-        message = _('Error establishing connection to server: {}').format(
-            str(exception))
+    except subprocess.CalledProcessError as exception:
+        if exception.returncode in (6, 7):
+            message = _('SSH host public key could not be verified.')
+        elif exception.returncode == 5:
+            message = _('Authentication to remote server failed.')
+        else:
+            message = _('Error establishing connection to server: {}').format(
+                str(exception))
     except Exception as exception:
         message = str(exception)
         logger.exception('Error adding repository: %s', exception)