diff --git a/.vscode/tasks.json b/.vscode/tasks.json
index 4ddd7f3..4ff331d 100644
--- a/.vscode/tasks.json
+++ b/.vscode/tasks.json
@@ -43,6 +43,13 @@
       "command": "sudo cp access.yml /home/infilytics/ && sudo chown -R infilytics:infilytics /home/infilytics/access.yml",
       "problemMatcher": [],
       "detail": "Copy access.yml to /home/infilytics"
+    },
+    {
+      "label": "Create home tarball",
+      "type": "shell",
+      "command": "${workspaceFolder}/create-home-tarball.sh",
+      "problemMatcher": [],
+      "detail": "create home.tar.gz from .config .local .ssh start.sh"
     }
   ],
   "inputs": []
diff --git a/create-home-tarball.sh b/create-home-tarball.sh
new file mode 100755
index 0000000..f858ff6
--- /dev/null
+++ b/create-home-tarball.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,9 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env bash
+set -euo pipefail
+
+if [ "$(basename "$(pwd -P)")" != "workspaces" ]; then
+  echo "Error: this script must be run from a directory named 'workspaces', not '$(basename "$(pwd -P)")'" >&2
+  exit 1
+fi
+
+tar -czf home.tar.gz --owner root --group secproc --xform "s,$PWD,/home/devuser," .config .local .ssh start.sh