diff --git a/src/apps.js b/src/apps.js
index 776649158..5bcea4f8b 100644
--- a/src/apps.js
+++ b/src/apps.js
@@ -33,6 +33,7 @@ exports = module.exports = {
     repair: repair,
 
     restore: restore,
+    importApp: importApp,
     clone: clone,
 
     update: update,
@@ -726,8 +727,6 @@ function install(data, user, auditSource, callback) {
         debugMode = data.debugMode || null,
         enableBackup = 'enableBackup' in data ? data.enableBackup : true,
         enableAutomaticUpdate = 'enableAutomaticUpdate' in data ? data.enableAutomaticUpdate : true,
-        backupId = data.backupId || null,
-        backupFormat = data.backupFormat || 'tgz',
         alternateDomains = data.alternateDomains || [],
         env = data.env || {},
         mailboxName = data.mailboxName || '',
@@ -757,8 +756,6 @@ function install(data, user, auditSource, callback) {
 
         error = validateDebugMode(debugMode);
         if (error) return callback(error);
-        error = validateBackupFormat(backupFormat);
-        if (error) return callback(error);
 
         error = validateLabel(label);
         if (error) return callback(error);
@@ -814,7 +811,7 @@ function install(data, user, auditSource, callback) {
                 label: label,
                 tags: tags,
                 runState: exports.RSTATE_RUNNING,
-                installationState: backupId ? exports.ISTATE_PENDING_RESTORE : exports.ISTATE_PENDING_INSTALL
+                installationState: exports.ISTATE_PENDING_INSTALL
             };
 
             appdb.add(appId, appStoreId, manifest, location, domain, translatePortBindings(portBindings, manifest), data, function (error) {
@@ -831,9 +828,8 @@ function install(data, user, auditSource, callback) {
                         if (error) return callback(new AppsError(AppsError.INTERNAL_ERROR, 'Error setting cert: ' + error.message));
                     }
 
-                    const restoreConfig = backupId ? { backupId: backupId, backupFormat: backupFormat } : null;
                     const task = {
-                        args: { restoreConfig, overwriteDns },
+                        args: { restoreConfig: null, overwriteDns },
                         values: { },
                         requiredState: data.installationState
                     };
@@ -1489,6 +1485,43 @@ function restore(appId, data, auditSource, callback) {
     });
 }
 
+function importApp(appId, data, auditSource, callback) {
+    assert.strictEqual(typeof appId, 'string');
+    assert.strictEqual(typeof data, 'object');
+    assert.strictEqual(typeof auditSource, 'object');
+    assert.strictEqual(typeof callback, 'function');
+
+    debug('Will import app with id:%s', appId);
+
+    get(appId, function (error, app) {
+        if (error) return callback(error);
+
+        error = validateBackupFormat(data.backupFormat);
+        if (error) return callback(error);
+
+        error = checkAppState(app, exports.ISTATE_PENDING_RESTORE);
+        if (error) return callback(error);
+
+        // TODO: check if the file exists in the storage backend
+        const restoreConfig = { backupId: data.backupId, backupFormat: data.backupFormat, oldManifest: app.manifest };
+
+        const task = {
+            args: {
+                restoreConfig,
+                overwriteDns: true
+            },
+            values: {}
+        };
+        addTask(appId, exports.ISTATE_PENDING_RESTORE, task, function (error, result) {
+            if (error) return callback(error);
+
+            eventlog.add(eventlog.ACTION_APP_RESTORE, auditSource, { app: app, backupId: data.backupId, fromManifest: app.manifest, toManifest: app.manifest, taskId: result.taskId });
+
+            callback(null, { taskId: result.taskId });
+        });
+    });
+}
+
 function purchaseApp(data, callback) {
     assert.strictEqual(typeof data, 'object');
     assert.strictEqual(typeof callback, 'function');
diff --git a/src/routes/apps.js b/src/routes/apps.js
index 05f5e8708..c6ee76866 100644
--- a/src/routes/apps.js
+++ b/src/routes/apps.js
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@ exports = module.exports = {
     installApp: installApp,
     uninstallApp: uninstallApp,
     restoreApp: restoreApp,
+    importApp: importApp,
     backupApp: backupApp,
     updateApp: updateApp,
     getLogs: getLogs,
@@ -121,9 +122,6 @@ function installApp(req, res, next) {
     if (('portBindings' in data) && typeof data.portBindings !== 'object') return next(new HttpError(400, 'portBindings must be an object'));
     if ('icon' in data && typeof data.icon !== 'string') return next(new HttpError(400, 'icon is not a string'));
 
-    if (data.backupId && typeof data.backupId !== 'string') return next(new HttpError(400, 'backupId must be string or null'));
-    if (data.backupFormat && typeof data.backupFormat !== 'string') return next(new HttpError(400, 'backupFormat must be string or null'));
-
     if ('label' in data && typeof data.label !== 'string') return next(new HttpError(400, 'label must be a string'));
 
     // falsy values in cert and key unset the cert
@@ -407,6 +405,24 @@ function restoreApp(req, res, next) {
     });
 }
 
+function importApp(req, res, next) {
+    assert.strictEqual(typeof req.body, 'object');
+    assert.strictEqual(typeof req.params.id, 'string');
+
+    var data = req.body;
+
+    debug('Importing app id:%s', req.params.id);
+
+    if (typeof data.backupId !== 'string') return next(new HttpError(400, 'backupId must be string'));
+    if (typeof data.backupFormat !== 'string') return next(new HttpError(400, 'backupFormat must be string'));
+
+    apps.importApp(req.params.id, data, auditSource.fromRequest(req), function (error, result) {
+        if (error) return next(toHttpError(error));
+
+        next(new HttpSuccess(202, { taskId: result.taskId }));
+    });
+}
+
 function cloneApp(req, res, next) {
     assert.strictEqual(typeof req.body, 'object');
     assert.strictEqual(typeof req.params.id, 'string');
diff --git a/src/server.js b/src/server.js
index 3ee30d52c..76bfedd73 100644
--- a/src/server.js
+++ b/src/server.js
@@ -258,6 +258,7 @@ function initializeExpressSync() {
 
     router.post('/api/v1/apps/:id/update',    appsManageScope, routes.apps.updateApp);
     router.post('/api/v1/apps/:id/restore',   appsManageScope, routes.apps.restoreApp);
+    router.post('/api/v1/apps/:id/import',    appsManageScope, routes.apps.importApp);
     router.post('/api/v1/apps/:id/backup',    appsManageScope, routes.apps.backupApp);
     router.get ('/api/v1/apps/:id/backups',   appsManageScope, routes.apps.listBackups);
     router.post('/api/v1/apps/:id/stop',      appsManageScope, routes.apps.stopApp);