diff --git a/.vscode/settings.json b/.vscode/settings.json
index da31cd7f..154dce4a 100644
--- a/.vscode/settings.json
+++ b/.vscode/settings.json
@@ -2,20 +2,8 @@
     "python.formatting.blackArgs": [
         "--config=pyproject.toml"
     ],
-    "python.formatting.provider": "black",
-    "python.linting.banditEnabled": true,
-    "python.linting.banditArgs": [
-        "-ii",
-        "--ini=.bandit",
+    "python.analysis.typeCheckingMode": "basic",
+    "conventionalCommits.scopes": [
+        "deploy"
     ],
-    "python.linting.enabled": true,
-    "python.linting.mypyArgs": [
-        "--config-file=mypy.ini"
-    ],
-    "python.linting.mypyEnabled": true,
-    "python.linting.flake8Enabled": true,
-    "python.linting.pylintArgs": [
-        "--rcfile=.pylint-rcfile"
-    ],
-    "python.linting.pylintEnabled": true,
-}
+}
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/fdroidserver/deploy.py b/fdroidserver/deploy.py
index 5a6f7c7c..c1990b93 100644
--- a/fdroidserver/deploy.py
+++ b/fdroidserver/deploy.py
@@ -63,7 +63,7 @@ INDEX_FILES = [
 ]
 
 
-def _get_index_file_paths(repo_section):
+def _get_index_file_paths(base_dir):
     """Return the list of files to be synced last, since they finalize the deploy.
 
     The process of pushing all the new packages to the various
@@ -72,11 +72,11 @@ def _get_index_file_paths(repo_section):
     client learns about them from the new index files.
     """
 
-    return [os.path.join(repo_section, filename) for filename in INDEX_FILES]
+    return [os.path.join(base_dir, filename) for filename in INDEX_FILES]
 
 
-def _get_index_excludes(repo_section):
-    indexes = _get_index_file_paths(repo_section)
+def _get_index_excludes(base_dir):
+    indexes = _get_index_file_paths(base_dir)
     index_excludes = []
     for f in indexes:
         index_excludes.append('--exclude')
@@ -84,8 +84,8 @@ def _get_index_excludes(repo_section):
     return index_excludes
 
 
-def _get_index_includes(repo_section):
-    indexes = _get_index_file_paths(repo_section)
+def _get_index_includes(base_dir):
+    indexes = _get_index_file_paths(base_dir)
     index_includes = []
     for f in indexes:
         index_includes.append('--include')
@@ -559,13 +559,18 @@ def sync_from_localcopy(repo_section, local_copy_dir):
 
     """
     logging.info('Syncing from local_copy_dir to this repo.')
-    # trailing slashes have a meaning in rsync which is not needed here, so
-    # make sure both paths have exactly one trailing slash
-    common.local_rsync(
-        common.get_options(),
-        os.path.join(local_copy_dir, repo_section).rstrip('/') + '/',
-        repo_section.rstrip('/') + '/',
-    )
+    if options.index_only:
+        common.local_rsync(common.get_options(),
+                           _get_index_includes(local_copy_dir),
+                           repo_section.rstrip('/') + '/')
+    else:
+        # trailing slashes have a meaning in rsync which is not needed here, so
+        # make sure both paths have exactly one trailing slash
+        common.local_rsync(
+            common.get_options(),
+            os.path.join(local_copy_dir, repo_section).rstrip('/') + '/',
+            repo_section.rstrip('/') + '/',
+        )
 
     offline_copy = os.path.join(local_copy_dir, BINARY_TRANSPARENCY_DIR)
     if os.path.exists(os.path.join(offline_copy, '.git')):
@@ -581,8 +586,13 @@ def update_localcopy(repo_section, local_copy_dir):
     drive.
 
     """
-    # local_copy_dir is guaranteed to have a trailing slash in main() below
-    common.local_rsync(common.get_options(), repo_section, local_copy_dir)
+    if options.index_only:
+        common.local_rsync(common.get_options(),
+                           _get_index_includes(repo_section),
+                           repo_section.rstrip('/') + '/')
+    else:
+        # local_copy_dir is guaranteed to have a trailing slash in main() below
+        common.local_rsync(common.get_options(), repo_section, local_copy_dir)
 
     offline_copy = os.path.join(os.getcwd(), BINARY_TRANSPARENCY_DIR)
     if os.path.isdir(os.path.join(offline_copy, '.git')):