diff --git a/packages/server/src/utils/storageJanitor.ts b/packages/server/src/utils/storageJanitor.ts
index c9031a17..5d258fac 100644
--- a/packages/server/src/utils/storageJanitor.ts
+++ b/packages/server/src/utils/storageJanitor.ts
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 import fs from 'fs';
 import path from 'path';
 import { and, eq, inArray, isNotNull, isNull, lt, lte } from 'drizzle-orm';
+import { FileStore } from '@tus/file-store';
 import { config } from '../config.js';
 import { getDb, getRawDb, schema } from '../db/index.js';
 import { deleteUploadFile, deleteAttachmentFiles } from './fileCleanup.js';
@@ -693,6 +694,64 @@ export function cleanupSoftDeletedDmChannels(): number {
   return purged;
 }
 
+// ── Tus-specific janitor functions ──────────────────────────────────────────
+// Lazily construct (and cache) a FileStore pointed at config.tusUploadDir so
+// we don't re-instantiate it on every janitor tick. The store is only used
+// for its deleteExpired() method — we never serve uploads through it.
+let cachedTusStore: FileStore | null = null;
+function getTusStore(): FileStore {
+  if (!cachedTusStore) {
+    cachedTusStore = new FileStore({
+      directory: config.tusUploadDir,
+      expirationPeriodInMilliseconds: config.tusExpirationMs,
+    });
+  }
+  return cachedTusStore;
+}
+
+/**
+ * Tus's own expiration sweep — removes uploads whose creation_date sidecar
+ * is past the configured expirationPeriodInMilliseconds. Cheap when nothing
+ * has expired (one directory listing). Returns the number of removed entries.
+ */
+export async function cleanupTusUploads(): Promise<{ removed: number }> {
+  const store = getTusStore();
+  const removed = await store.deleteExpired();
+  return { removed: typeof removed === 'number' ? removed : 0 };
+}
+
+/**
+ * Defensive sweep of `${config.tusUploadDir}`: any file (payload OR sidecar)
+ * whose mtime is older than `config.tusStragglerSweepMs` is unlinked. Covers
+ * the rare case where a tus crash left an orphan that deleteExpired() doesn't
+ * recognize — e.g. a payload without sidecar (so creation_date is unknown),
+ * or a sidecar without payload (so getUpload() rejects).
+ */
+export function cleanupTusStragglers(): { removed: number } {
+  if (!fs.existsSync(config.tusUploadDir)) return { removed: 0 };
+  const entries = fs.readdirSync(config.tusUploadDir);
+  const cutoff = Date.now() - config.tusStragglerSweepMs;
+  let removed = 0;
+  for (const entry of entries) {
+    const full = path.join(config.tusUploadDir, entry);
+    let stat: fs.Stats;
+    try {
+      stat = fs.statSync(full);
+    } catch {
+      continue;
+    }
+    if (!stat.isFile()) continue;
+    if (stat.mtimeMs >= cutoff) continue;
+    try {
+      fs.unlinkSync(full);
+      removed += 1;
+    } catch {
+      // Race with tus's own cleanup or permissions error — ignore
+    }
+  }
+  return { removed };
+}
+
 // cleanupStorage is expensive (full disk scan + DB joins) so we run it at
 // most once per 24h rather than on every janitor tick.
 const STORAGE_CLEANUP_INTERVAL_MS = 24 * 60 * 60 * 1000;
@@ -736,6 +795,25 @@ export async function runFederationJanitor(): Promise<void> {
       console.error('[storage-janitor] Approval request expiry error:', err);
     }
 
+    // Tus expiration sweep — every tick. Removes tus uploads whose
+    // creation_date sidecar is past config.tusExpirationMs (24h default).
+    // Cheap when nothing has expired (one directory listing).
+    try {
+      await cleanupTusUploads();
+    } catch (err) {
+      console.warn('[storage-janitor] cleanupTusUploads failed:', err);
+    }
+
+    // Tus straggler sweep — every tick. Defensive removal of payload/sidecar
+    // files in .tus/ whose mtime is older than config.tusStragglerSweepMs
+    // (48h default). Catches orphans that deleteExpired() can't recognize
+    // (payload without sidecar, sidecar without payload).
+    try {
+      cleanupTusStragglers();
+    } catch (err) {
+      console.warn('[storage-janitor] cleanupTusStragglers failed:', err);
+    }
+
     // Once-per-day storage cleanup. Sweeps orphan disk files (unreferenced
     // by any DB row) + unlinked attachments (uploaded but never attached
     // to a message past the 1h grace) + dangling attachment rows. Backs up
diff --git a/packages/server/src/utils/storageJanitor.tus.test.ts b/packages/server/src/utils/storageJanitor.tus.test.ts
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..58abf022
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/server/src/utils/storageJanitor.tus.test.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,81 @@
+import { describe, it, expect, beforeEach, afterEach, vi } from 'vitest';
+import fs from 'node:fs';
+import path from 'node:path';
+import os from 'node:os';
+import crypto from 'node:crypto';
+
+// Each test gets a fresh tmp dir so file I/O stays isolated. The Proxy
+// mock below reads `tmpDir` and `stragglerSweepMs` lazily on each access,
+// so reassigning them in beforeEach (or per-test) takes effect immediately.
+let tmpDir: string;
+let stragglerSweepMs = 48 * 60 * 60 * 1000; // default 48h
+
+vi.mock('../config.js', async () => {
+  const real = await import('../config.js');
+  return {
+    config: new Proxy(real.config, {
+      get(target, prop: string) {
+        if (prop === 'tusUploadDir') return tmpDir;
+        if (prop === 'tusStragglerSweepMs') return stragglerSweepMs;
+        if (prop === 'tusExpirationMs') return 24 * 60 * 60 * 1000;
+        return (target as Record<string, unknown>)[prop];
+      },
+    }),
+  };
+});
+
+beforeEach(() => {
+  tmpDir = path.join(os.tmpdir(), `backspace-tus-jan-${crypto.randomBytes(8).toString('hex')}`);
+  stragglerSweepMs = 48 * 60 * 60 * 1000;
+});
+
+afterEach(() => {
+  if (fs.existsSync(tmpDir)) {
+    fs.rmSync(tmpDir, { recursive: true, force: true });
+  }
+});
+
+// Note: cleanupTusUploads() is exercised indirectly through @tus/file-store's
+// own test suite — full integration would require building a real FileStore
+// state with creation_date sidecars, which adds little signal here.
+describe('cleanupTusStragglers', () => {
+  it('removes a file older than the sweep cutoff', async () => {
+    const { cleanupTusStragglers } = await import('./storageJanitor.js');
+    fs.mkdirSync(tmpDir, { recursive: true });
+    const stale = path.join(tmpDir, 'stale-upload-id');
+    fs.writeFileSync(stale, 'stale data');
+
+    // Force mtime to 72h ago (stragglerSweepMs default is 48h)
+    const seventyTwoHoursAgo = Date.now() - 72 * 60 * 60 * 1000;
+    const seconds = seventyTwoHoursAgo / 1000;
+    fs.utimesSync(stale, seconds, seconds);
+
+    const result = cleanupTusStragglers();
+
+    expect(result.removed).toBe(1);
+    expect(fs.existsSync(stale)).toBe(false);
+  });
+
+  it('keeps a recent file', async () => {
+    const { cleanupTusStragglers } = await import('./storageJanitor.js');
+    fs.mkdirSync(tmpDir, { recursive: true });
+    const fresh = path.join(tmpDir, 'fresh-upload-id');
+    fs.writeFileSync(fresh, 'fresh data');
+    // mtime defaults to "now" — well within the 48h window.
+
+    const result = cleanupTusStragglers();
+
+    expect(result.removed).toBe(0);
+    expect(fs.existsSync(fresh)).toBe(true);
+  });
+
+  it('returns { removed: 0 } when the directory does not exist', async () => {
+    const { cleanupTusStragglers } = await import('./storageJanitor.js');
+    // tmpDir was set in beforeEach but never created — so it doesn't exist.
+    expect(fs.existsSync(tmpDir)).toBe(false);
+
+    const result = cleanupTusStragglers();
+
+    expect(result.removed).toBe(0);
+  });
+});