diff --git a/src/appstore.js b/src/appstore.js
index fb4f80d76..862d982fa 100644
--- a/src/appstore.js
+++ b/src/appstore.js
@@ -164,7 +164,8 @@ function sendAliveStatus(data, callback) {
                     provider: result[settings.TLS_CONFIG_KEY].provider
                 },
                 backupConfig: {
-                    provider: result[settings.BACKUP_CONFIG_KEY].provider
+                    provider: result[settings.BACKUP_CONFIG_KEY].provider,
+                    hardlinks: !result[settings.BACKUP_CONFIG_KEY].noHardlinks
                 },
                 mailConfig: {
                     enabled: result[settings.MAIL_CONFIG_KEY].enabled
diff --git a/src/storage/filesystem.js b/src/storage/filesystem.js
index 9ba9f75f0..bc47e9902 100644
--- a/src/storage/filesystem.js
+++ b/src/storage/filesystem.js
@@ -107,7 +107,8 @@ function copy(apiConfig, oldFilePath, newFilePath) {
         if (error) return events.emit('done', new BackupsError(BackupsError.EXTERNAL_ERROR, error.message));
 
         // this will hardlink backups saving space
-        shell.exec('copy', '/bin/cp', [ '-al', oldFilePath, newFilePath ], { }, function (error) {
+        var cpOptions = apiConfig.noHardlinks ? '-a' : '-al';
+        shell.exec('copy', '/bin/cp', [ cpOptions, oldFilePath, newFilePath ], { }, function (error) {
             if (error) return events.emit('done', new BackupsError(BackupsError.EXTERNAL_ERROR, error.message));
 
             events.emit('done', null);
@@ -159,6 +160,8 @@ function testConfig(apiConfig, callback) {
 
     if (!apiConfig.backupFolder) return callback(new BackupsError(BackupsError.BAD_FIELD, 'backupFolder is required'));
 
+    if ('noHardlinks' in apiConfig && typeof apiConfig.noHardlinks !== 'boolean') return callback(new BackupsError(BackupsError.BAD_FIELD, 'noHardlinks must be boolean'));
+
     fs.stat(apiConfig.backupFolder, function (error, result) {
         if (error) {
             debug('testConfig: %s', apiConfig.backupFolder, error);
diff --git a/webadmin/src/views/settings.html b/webadmin/src/views/settings.html
index dd45a6ec4..04ba3531b 100644
--- a/webadmin/src/views/settings.html
+++ b/webadmin/src/views/settings.html
@@ -146,6 +146,14 @@
                             </p>
                         </div>
 
+                        <div class="checkbox" ng-show="configureBackup.provider === 'filesystem'">
+                            <label>
+                                <input type="checkbox" ng-model="configureBackup.useHardlinks" id="inputConfigureUseHardlinks">
+                                    Use hardlinks
+                                </input>
+                            </label>
+                        </div>
+
                         <!-- S3/Minio/SOS -->
                         <div class="form-group" ng-class="{ 'has-error': configureBackup.error.endpoint }" ng-show="configureBackup.provider === 'minio' || configureBackup.provider === 's3-v4-compat'">
                             <label class="control-label" for="inputConfigureBackupEndpoint">Endpoint</label>
diff --git a/webadmin/src/views/settings.js b/webadmin/src/views/settings.js
index f5b140b4c..b02a19ec5 100644
--- a/webadmin/src/views/settings.js
+++ b/webadmin/src/views/settings.js
@@ -327,6 +327,7 @@ angular.module('Application').controller('SettingsController', ['$scope', '$loca
         backupFolder: '',
         retentionSecs:  7 * 24 * 60 * 60,
         acceptSelfSignedCerts: false,
+        useHardlinks: true,
         format: 'tgz',
 
         clearForm: function () {
@@ -340,6 +341,7 @@ angular.module('Application').controller('SettingsController', ['$scope', '$loca
             $scope.configureBackup.retentionSecs = 7 * 24 * 60 * 60;
             $scope.configureBackup.format = 'tgz';
             $scope.configureBackup.acceptSelfSignedCerts = false;
+            $scope.configureBackup.useHardlinks = true;
         },
 
         show: function () {
@@ -358,6 +360,7 @@ angular.module('Application').controller('SettingsController', ['$scope', '$loca
             $scope.configureBackup.retentionSecs = $scope.backupConfig.retentionSecs;
             $scope.configureBackup.format = $scope.backupConfig.format;
             $scope.configureBackup.acceptSelfSignedCerts = !!$scope.backupConfig.acceptSelfSignedCerts;
+            $scope.configureBackup.useHardlinks = !$scope.backupConfig.noHardlinks;
 
             $('#configureBackupModal').modal('show');
         },
@@ -397,6 +400,7 @@ angular.module('Application').controller('SettingsController', ['$scope', '$loca
                 }
             } else if (backupConfig.provider === 'filesystem') {
                 backupConfig.backupFolder = $scope.configureBackup.backupFolder;
+                backupConfig.noHardlinks = !$scope.configureBackup.useHardlinks;
             }
 
             Client.setBackupConfig(backupConfig, function (error) {