diff --git a/zfs-backup.cfg b/zfs-backup.cfg
index 7f33fa4..c12b764 100644
--- a/zfs-backup.cfg
+++ b/zfs-backup.cfg
@@ -1,14 +1,17 @@
 # required format:
-# SOURCE	TARGET					KEEPDAYS	ENABLED
-# dataset	[user@host:]dataset			number		Y or N
+# SOURCE	TARGET					KEEPDAYS	MODE		ENABLED
+# dataset	[user@host:]dataset			number		backup or sync	Y or N
 
 # we are securing this elsewhere; if we are using this method, we'll need to configure the target host
 # 'user' needs an authorized and restricted public key for SSH access and sudoer rights on 'remotehost' to execute the following as root:
 # /usr/sbin/zfs recv -Feuv datapool/backup, /usr/sbin/zfs destroy -r datapool/backup/*
-data/home	user@remotehost:datapool/backup		7		Y
+data/home	user@remotehost:datapool/backup		7		backup		Y
 
-# this goes to another pool on this host so no further configuration is necessary
-data/config	backup/data				5		Y
+# this goes to another pool on this host so no further configuration is	necessary
+data/config	backup/data				5		backup		Y
 
 # we no longer back this up
-data/volatile	backup/data				2		N
+data/volatile	backup/data				2		backup		N
+
+# we only sync this one
+data/replica	remote/dump				31		sync		Y
diff --git a/zfs-backup.sh b/zfs-backup.sh
index 3a4f563..2dd6b53 100755
--- a/zfs-backup.sh
+++ b/zfs-backup.sh
@@ -76,7 +76,7 @@ function backup() {
 	R_SNAPSHOTS=( $(${R_RMOD} zfs list -rt snapshot -d1 -Ho name -S creation ${SAVETO}/$( basename ${DATASET}) 2>/dev/null) )
 	check_dataset ${SAVETO}/$( basename ${DATASET}) && R_USED_BEFORE=$(snapuse ${SAVETO}/$( basename ${DATASET}))
 
-	if [ ${MODE:-backup} == "backup" ]
+	if [ $MODE == "backup" ]
 		then
 			# determine current timestamp
 			DATE=$(date +%Y-%m-%d-%H%M)
@@ -127,7 +127,7 @@ function backup() {
 			unset SNAPMODIFIER R_SNAPMODIFIER
 	fi
 	
-	if [ ${MODE:-backup} == "backup" ]
+	if [ $MODE == "backup" ]
 		then
 			# send backup
 			zfs send -Rcv${RAW_MOD}${SNAPMODIFIER} ${NEWSNAP} | ${RMOD:-$R_RMOD} zfs recv -Feu${RESUME_MOD}v ${SAVETO} 2>&1 >> ${LOGFILE}
@@ -202,7 +202,7 @@ function backup() {
 
 #### BEGIN LOGIC ####
 
-while getopts hf:m:s OPTION
+while getopts hf:m: OPTION
 	do
 		case "$OPTION" in
 			f)
@@ -215,11 +215,6 @@ while getopts hf:m:s OPTION
 				RECIPIENT="$OPTARG"
 				;;
 
-			s)
-				# sync mode | this could also be a per-target setting to mitigate the need to call multiple jobs
-				MODE="sync"
-				;;
-
 			h|\?)
 				# display help
 				usage
@@ -296,7 +291,7 @@ LOGDIR="/var/log"
 # determine session logfile
 LOGFILE="${LOGDIR:-/tmp}/${ME}_${RUNDATE}.txt"
 
-while read -u 4 DATASET SAVETO KEEP ENABLED
+while read -u 4 DATASET SAVETO KEEP MODE ENABLED
 	# alternate file descriptor in use because SSH might be involved and we can not pass '-n' to it because we need stdin for 'zfs recv'
 	do
 		let COUNTER++