diff --git a/src/backups.js b/src/backups.js
index 86811e09e..1b2fb6225 100644
--- a/src/backups.js
+++ b/src/backups.js
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@ exports = module.exports = {
     getByTypePaged,
     add,
     update,
+    setState,
     list,
     del,
 
@@ -129,13 +130,14 @@ async function add(data) {
     assert(Array.isArray(data.dependsOn));
     assert.strictEqual(typeof data.manifest, 'object');
     assert.strictEqual(typeof data.format, 'string');
+    assert.strictEqual(typeof data.preserveSecs, 'number');
 
     const creationTime = data.creationTime || new Date(); // allow tests to set the time
     const manifestJson = JSON.stringify(data.manifest);
     const id = 'bid-' + uuid.v4();
 
-    const [error] = await safe(database.query('INSERT INTO backups (id, remotePath, identifier, encryptionVersion, packageVersion, type, creationTime, state, dependsOnJson, manifestJson, format) VALUES (?, ?, ?, ?, ?, ?, ?, ?, ?, ?, ?)',
-        [ id, data.remotePath, data.identifier, data.encryptionVersion, data.packageVersion, data.type, creationTime, data.state, JSON.stringify(data.dependsOn), manifestJson, data.format ]));
+    const [error] = await safe(database.query('INSERT INTO backups (id, remotePath, identifier, encryptionVersion, packageVersion, type, creationTime, state, dependsOnJson, manifestJson, format, preserveSecs) VALUES (?, ?, ?, ?, ?, ?, ?, ?, ?, ?, ?, ?)',
+        [ id, data.remotePath, data.identifier, data.encryptionVersion, data.packageVersion, data.type, creationTime, data.state, JSON.stringify(data.dependsOn), manifestJson, data.format, data.preserveSecs ]));
 
     if (error && error.code === 'ER_DUP_ENTRY') throw new BoxError(BoxError.ALREADY_EXISTS, 'Backup already exists');
     if (error) throw error;
@@ -186,6 +188,7 @@ function validateLabel(label) {
     return null;
 }
 
+// this is called by REST API
 async function update(id, data) {
     assert.strictEqual(typeof id, 'string');
     assert.strictEqual(typeof data, 'object');
@@ -198,15 +201,33 @@ async function update(id, data) {
 
     const fields = [], values = [];
     for (const p in data) {
-        if (p === 'label' || p === 'preserveSecs' || p === 'state') {
+        if (p === 'label' || p === 'preserveSecs') {
             fields.push(p + ' = ?');
             values.push(data[p]);
         }
     }
     values.push(id);
 
+    const backup = await get(id);
+    if (backup === null) throw new BoxError(BoxError.NOT_FOUND, 'Backup not found');
+
     const result = await database.query('UPDATE backups SET ' + fields.join(', ') + ' WHERE id = ?', values);
     if (result.affectedRows !== 1) throw new BoxError(BoxError.NOT_FOUND, 'Backup not found');
+
+    if ('preserveSecs' in data) {
+        // update the dependancies
+        for (const depId of backup.dependsOn) {
+            await database.query('UPDATE backups SET preserveSecs=? WHERE id = ?', [ data.preserveSecs, depId]);
+        }
+    }
+}
+
+async function setState(id, state) {
+    assert.strictEqual(typeof id, 'string');
+    assert.strictEqual(typeof state, 'string');
+
+    const result = await database.query('UPDATE backups SET state = ? WHERE id = ?', [state, id]);
+    if (result.affectedRows !== 1) throw new BoxError(BoxError.NOT_FOUND, 'Backup not found');
 }
 
 async function startBackupTask(auditSource) {
diff --git a/src/backuptask.js b/src/backuptask.js
index cd1fffb12..3af737f6b 100644
--- a/src/backuptask.js
+++ b/src/backuptask.js
@@ -797,13 +797,14 @@ async function rotateBoxBackup(backupConfig, tag, options, dependsOn, progressCa
         identifier: backups.BACKUP_IDENTIFIER_BOX,
         dependsOn,
         manifest: null,
-        format
+        format,
+        preserveSecs: options.preserveSecs || 0
     };
 
     const id = await backups.add(data);
     const [copyBackupError] = await safe(copy(backupConfig, 'snapshot/box', remotePath, progressCallback));
     const state = copyBackupError ? backups.BACKUP_STATE_ERROR : backups.BACKUP_STATE_NORMAL;
-    await backups.update(id, { preserveSecs: options.preserveSecs || 0, state });
+    await backups.setState(id, state);
     if (copyBackupError) throw copyBackupError;
 
     return id;
@@ -843,15 +844,16 @@ async function rotateAppBackup(backupConfig, app, tag, options, progressCallback
         type: backups.BACKUP_TYPE_APP,
         state: backups.BACKUP_STATE_CREATING,
         identifier: app.id,
-        dependsOn: [ ],
+        dependsOn: [],
         manifest,
-        format: format
+        format,
+        preserveSecs: options.preserveSecs || 0
     };
 
     const id = await backups.add(data);
     const copyBackupError = await safe(copy(backupConfig,  `snapshot/app_${app.id}`, remotePath, progressCallback));
     const state = copyBackupError ? backups.BACKUP_STATE_ERROR : backups.BACKUP_STATE_NORMAL;
-    await backups.update(id, { preserveSecs: options.preserveSecs || 0, state });
+    await backups.setState(id, state);
     if (copyBackupError) throw copyBackupError;
 
     return id;
@@ -979,13 +981,14 @@ async function rotateMailBackup(backupConfig, tag, options, progressCallback) {
         identifier: backups.BACKUP_IDENTIFIER_MAIL,
         dependsOn: [],
         manifest: null,
-        format: format
+        format,
+        preserveSecs: options.preserveSecs || 0
     };
 
     const id = await backups.add(data);
     const [copyBackupError] = await safe(copy(backupConfig, 'snapshot/mail', remotePath, progressCallback));
     const state = copyBackupError ? backups.BACKUP_STATE_ERROR : backups.BACKUP_STATE_NORMAL;
-    await backups.update(id, { preserveSecs: options.preserveSecs || 0, state });
+    await backups.setState(id, state);
     if (copyBackupError) throw copyBackupError;
 
     return id;
diff --git a/src/test/backupcleaner-test.js b/src/test/backupcleaner-test.js
index 611e36bc5..d24dd0904 100644
--- a/src/test/backupcleaner-test.js
+++ b/src/test/backupcleaner-test.js
@@ -135,7 +135,8 @@ describe('backup cleaner', function () {
             state: backups.BACKUP_STATE_NORMAL,
             dependsOn: [ 'backup-app-00', 'backup-app-01' ],
             manifest: null,
-            format: 'tgz'
+            format: 'tgz',
+            preserveSecs: 0
         };
 
         const BACKUP_0_APP_0 = { // backup of installed app
@@ -148,7 +149,8 @@ describe('backup cleaner', function () {
             state: backups.BACKUP_STATE_NORMAL,
             dependsOn: [],
             manifest: null,
-            format: 'tgz'
+            format: 'tgz',
+            preserveSecs: 0
         };
 
         const BACKUP_0_APP_1 = { // this app is uninstalled
@@ -161,7 +163,8 @@ describe('backup cleaner', function () {
             state: backups.BACKUP_STATE_NORMAL,
             dependsOn: [],
             manifest: null,
-            format: 'tgz'
+            format: 'tgz',
+            preserveSecs: 0
         };
 
         const BACKUP_1_BOX = {
@@ -174,7 +177,8 @@ describe('backup cleaner', function () {
             identifier: 'box',
             dependsOn: [ 'backup-app-10', 'backup-app-11' ],
             manifest: null,
-            format: 'tgz'
+            format: 'tgz',
+            preserveSecs: 0
         };
 
         const BACKUP_1_APP_0 = {
@@ -187,7 +191,8 @@ describe('backup cleaner', function () {
             identifier: app.id,
             dependsOn: [],
             manifest: null,
-            format: 'tgz'
+            format: 'tgz',
+            preserveSecs: 0
         };
 
         const BACKUP_1_APP_1 = {
@@ -200,7 +205,8 @@ describe('backup cleaner', function () {
             identifier: 'app1',
             dependsOn: [],
             manifest: null,
-            format: 'tgz'
+            format: 'tgz',
+            preserveSecs: 0
         };
 
         before(async function () {