diff --git a/src/routes/internal.js b/src/routes/internal.js
index 3352f06a0..e9f029d76 100644
--- a/src/routes/internal.js
+++ b/src/routes/internal.js
@@ -4,7 +4,8 @@
 
 exports = module.exports = {
     backup: backup,
-    update: update
+    update: update,
+    retire: retire
 };
 
 var cloudron = require('../cloudron.js'),
@@ -39,3 +40,15 @@ function update(req, res, next) {
     });
 }
 
+function retire(req, res, next) {
+    debug('triggering retire');
+
+    // note that cloudron.backup only waits for backup initiation and not for backup to complete
+    // backup progress can be checked up ny polling the progress api call
+    cloudron.retire(function (error) {
+        if (error && error.reason === CloudronError.BAD_STATE) return next(new HttpError(409, error.message));
+        if (error) return next(new HttpError(500, error));
+
+        next(new HttpSuccess(202, {}));
+    });
+}
diff --git a/src/server.js b/src/server.js
index 08854c447..23676c62b 100644
--- a/src/server.js
+++ b/src/server.js
@@ -227,6 +227,7 @@ function initializeInternalExpressSync() {
     // internal routes
     router.post('/api/v1/backup', routes.internal.backup);
     router.post('/api/v1/update', routes.internal.update);
+    router.post('/api/v1/retire', routes.internal.retire);
 
     return httpServer;
 }