Azure Blob backup stuck in ProtectionError after SubscriptionSuspended - repair fails, no engineer response despite Standard support plan

Problem

My Azure subscription was temporarily suspended because my credit card expired. The billing issue was resolved, and the subscription is now Enabled, but my Azure Blob vaulted backup instance remains stuck in:

• provisioningState: SubscriptionSuspended
• currentProtectionState: ProtectionError
• Stored error: UserErrorStorageAccountInLockedState

I need to restore protection without deleting or recreating the backup vault or backup instance, and without losing existing recovery points or retention.

Environment and verified findings

Diagnostics collected on October 21, 2026 confirmed:

• Both the Backup vault and storage account are in Switzerland North.
• The subscription is Enabled.
• The storage account provisioning state is Succeeded.
• The vault uses a system-assigned managed identity.
• Storage public network access is enabled, with firewall default action Deny, configured IP allow rules, and AzureServices bypass.
• No private endpoint connections are configured.
• Existing recovery points are visible. The latest visible recovery point is July 14, 2026, at 19:04:54 UTC. Restorability has not been tested.
• The backup job list returned an empty array: [].

Troubleshooting and failures

1. Removed a storage account resource lock.
   1. The instance continues to report the original lock-related error.
2. Tried the portal’s “Fix protection error” action.
   1. It fails with: UserErrorInvalidRequestParameter:
      Parameter ProtectionStatus in request is invalid
3. Called the REST sync API with {"syncType":"ForceResync"}.
   1. It fails with the same error, although the request does not supply a ProtectionStatus parameter.
4. Attempted to update the assigned backup policy.
   1. An attempt was rejected with:
      The current operation is not allowed on Backup instance in ProtectionError.
      Please fix protection error and then retry the operation.
   2. I also created a new policy and attempted reassignment following support guidance. No successful reassignment has been confirmed; the original policy remained assigned in the October 21 diagnostics.

This leaves me unable to repair protection or update the policy through the attempted operations.

Similar reported issue

This Microsoft Q&A thread describes nearly identical symptoms:

https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/answers/questions/5978248/azure-blob-vaulted-backup-stuck-in-protectionerror

Its accepted answer reports a product-team finding involving failed suspension handling and automatic resume skipping an instance already in ProtectionError. I am referencing it as a similar case, not as confirmation of the cause in my environment.

Support experience

I have an Azure Standard support plan, but despite opening support requests and providing diagnostics, I have gone days without a response from an assigned Support Engineer or a confirmed technical investigation.

Instead, I have received repeated AI-generated summaries and redirections to this public forum. Some summaries omitted information already supplied or mixed details from the community case with my own environment.

Previous support request numbers:

• 2610150050003329
• 2610210050001401

Assistance requested

Could a Microsoft Azure Backup engineer or moderator help escalate this to the appropriate technical team?

I need:

• Investigation of the persistent SubscriptionSuspended state despite the subscription being Enabled.
• Confirmation of whether this matches the defect described in the linked thread.
• A supported, non-destructive recovery procedure or service-side repair that preserves all existing recovery points and retention.
• Clear ownership and a concrete next action through my paid support case.

I can provide full resource IDs, Activity IDs, and fresh diagnostics privately through Microsoft support.

Thank you for your help.
Regards,

Hugo