diff --git a/api/src/main/java/org/apache/cloudstack/api/command/admin/backup/CreateImageTransferCmd.java b/api/src/main/java/org/apache/cloudstack/api/command/admin/backup/CreateImageTransferCmd.java
index a60ce02c430..8948d1a0d5f 100644
--- a/api/src/main/java/org/apache/cloudstack/api/command/admin/backup/CreateImageTransferCmd.java
+++ b/api/src/main/java/org/apache/cloudstack/api/command/admin/backup/CreateImageTransferCmd.java
@@ -35,9 +35,9 @@ import org.apache.cloudstack.context.CallContext;
 import com.cloud.utils.EnumUtils;
 
 @APICommand(name = "createImageTransfer",
-        description = "Create image transfer for a disk in backup",
+        description = "Create image transfer for a disk in backup. This API is intended for testing only and is disabled by default.",
         responseObject = ImageTransferResponse.class,
-        since = "4.22.0",
+        since = "4.23.0",
         authorized = {RoleType.Admin})
 public class CreateImageTransferCmd extends BaseCmd implements AdminCmd {
 
diff --git a/api/src/main/java/org/apache/cloudstack/api/command/admin/backup/DeleteVmCheckpointCmd.java b/api/src/main/java/org/apache/cloudstack/api/command/admin/backup/DeleteVmCheckpointCmd.java
index a39a597d470..d0e17e86d42 100644
--- a/api/src/main/java/org/apache/cloudstack/api/command/admin/backup/DeleteVmCheckpointCmd.java
+++ b/api/src/main/java/org/apache/cloudstack/api/command/admin/backup/DeleteVmCheckpointCmd.java
@@ -31,9 +31,9 @@ import org.apache.cloudstack.backup.KVMBackupExportService;
 import org.apache.cloudstack.context.CallContext;
 
 @APICommand(name = "deleteVirtualMachineCheckpoint",
-        description = "Delete a VM checkpoint",
+        description = "Delete a VM checkpoint. This API is intended for testing only and is disabled by default.",
         responseObject = SuccessResponse.class,
-        since = "4.22.0",
+        since = "4.23.0",
         authorized = {RoleType.Admin})
 public class DeleteVmCheckpointCmd extends BaseCmd implements AdminCmd {
 
diff --git a/api/src/main/java/org/apache/cloudstack/api/command/admin/backup/FinalizeBackupCmd.java b/api/src/main/java/org/apache/cloudstack/api/command/admin/backup/FinalizeBackupCmd.java
index 81d16bf80fe..45173f8668e 100644
--- a/api/src/main/java/org/apache/cloudstack/api/command/admin/backup/FinalizeBackupCmd.java
+++ b/api/src/main/java/org/apache/cloudstack/api/command/admin/backup/FinalizeBackupCmd.java
@@ -37,9 +37,9 @@ import org.apache.cloudstack.context.CallContext;
 import com.cloud.event.EventTypes;
 
 @APICommand(name = "finalizeBackup",
-        description = "Finalize a VM backup session",
+        description = "Finalize a VM backup session. This API is intended for testing only and is disabled by default.",
         responseObject = BackupResponse.class,
-        since = "4.22.0",
+        since = "4.23.0",
         authorized = {RoleType.Admin})
 public class FinalizeBackupCmd extends BaseAsyncCmd implements AdminCmd {
 
diff --git a/api/src/main/java/org/apache/cloudstack/api/command/admin/backup/FinalizeImageTransferCmd.java b/api/src/main/java/org/apache/cloudstack/api/command/admin/backup/FinalizeImageTransferCmd.java
index ce853fb49d2..d483f78b422 100644
--- a/api/src/main/java/org/apache/cloudstack/api/command/admin/backup/FinalizeImageTransferCmd.java
+++ b/api/src/main/java/org/apache/cloudstack/api/command/admin/backup/FinalizeImageTransferCmd.java
@@ -31,9 +31,9 @@ import org.apache.cloudstack.backup.KVMBackupExportService;
 import org.apache.cloudstack.context.CallContext;
 
 @APICommand(name = "finalizeImageTransfer",
-        description = "Finalize an image transfer",
+        description = "Finalize an image transfe. This API is intended for testing only and is disabled by default.r",
         responseObject = SuccessResponse.class,
-        since = "4.22.0",
+        since = "4.23.0",
         authorized = {RoleType.Admin})
 public class FinalizeImageTransferCmd extends BaseCmd implements AdminCmd {
 
diff --git a/api/src/main/java/org/apache/cloudstack/api/command/admin/backup/ListImageTransfersCmd.java b/api/src/main/java/org/apache/cloudstack/api/command/admin/backup/ListImageTransfersCmd.java
index eb7fb604bc1..2565ef241a6 100644
--- a/api/src/main/java/org/apache/cloudstack/api/command/admin/backup/ListImageTransfersCmd.java
+++ b/api/src/main/java/org/apache/cloudstack/api/command/admin/backup/ListImageTransfersCmd.java
@@ -34,9 +34,9 @@ import org.apache.cloudstack.backup.KVMBackupExportService;
 import org.apache.cloudstack.context.CallContext;
 
 @APICommand(name = "listImageTransfers",
-        description = "List image transfers for a backup",
+        description = "List image transfers for a backup. This API is intended for testing only and is disabled by default.",
         responseObject = ImageTransferResponse.class,
-        since = "4.22.0",
+        since = "4.23.0",
         authorized = {RoleType.Admin})
 public class ListImageTransfersCmd extends BaseListCmd implements AdminCmd {
 
diff --git a/api/src/main/java/org/apache/cloudstack/api/command/admin/backup/ListVmCheckpointsCmd.java b/api/src/main/java/org/apache/cloudstack/api/command/admin/backup/ListVmCheckpointsCmd.java
index 208d791006a..a61661e982d 100644
--- a/api/src/main/java/org/apache/cloudstack/api/command/admin/backup/ListVmCheckpointsCmd.java
+++ b/api/src/main/java/org/apache/cloudstack/api/command/admin/backup/ListVmCheckpointsCmd.java
@@ -33,9 +33,9 @@ import org.apache.cloudstack.api.response.UserVmResponse;
 import org.apache.cloudstack.backup.KVMBackupExportService;
 
 @APICommand(name = "listVirtualMachineCheckpoints",
-        description = "List checkpoints for a VM",
+        description = "List checkpoints for a VM. This API is intended for testing only and is disabled by default.",
         responseObject = CheckpointResponse.class,
-        since = "4.22.0",
+        since = "4.23.0",
         authorized = {RoleType.Admin})
 public class ListVmCheckpointsCmd extends BaseListCmd implements AdminCmd {
 
diff --git a/api/src/main/java/org/apache/cloudstack/api/command/admin/backup/StartBackupCmd.java b/api/src/main/java/org/apache/cloudstack/api/command/admin/backup/StartBackupCmd.java
index 04ebfe143cc..a5c4773c0fc 100644
--- a/api/src/main/java/org/apache/cloudstack/api/command/admin/backup/StartBackupCmd.java
+++ b/api/src/main/java/org/apache/cloudstack/api/command/admin/backup/StartBackupCmd.java
@@ -37,9 +37,9 @@ import org.apache.cloudstack.context.CallContext;
 import com.cloud.event.EventTypes;
 
 @APICommand(name = "startBackup",
-        description = "Start a VM backup session (oVirt-style incremental backup)",
+        description = "Start a VM backup session. This API is intended for testing only and is disabled by default.",
         responseObject = BackupResponse.class,
-        since = "4.22.0",
+        since = "4.23.0",
         authorized = {RoleType.Admin})
     public class StartBackupCmd extends BaseAsyncCreateCmd implements AdminCmd {
 
diff --git a/api/src/main/java/org/apache/cloudstack/backup/KVMBackupExportService.java b/api/src/main/java/org/apache/cloudstack/backup/KVMBackupExportService.java
index cddd316b867..6093293779b 100644
--- a/api/src/main/java/org/apache/cloudstack/backup/KVMBackupExportService.java
+++ b/api/src/main/java/org/apache/cloudstack/backup/KVMBackupExportService.java
@@ -43,6 +43,10 @@ public interface KVMBackupExportService extends Configurable, PluggableService {
             "10",
             "The image transfer progress polling interval in seconds.", true, ConfigKey.Scope.Global);
 
+    ConfigKey<Boolean> ExposeKVMBackupExportServiceApis = new ConfigKey<>("Hidden", Boolean.class,
+            "expose.kvm.backup.export.service.apis",
+            "false",
+            "Enable to expose APIs for testing the KVM Backup Export Service.", false, ConfigKey.Scope.Global);
     /**
      * Creates a backup session for a VM
      */
diff --git a/server/src/main/java/org/apache/cloudstack/backup/KVMBackupExportServiceImpl.java b/server/src/main/java/org/apache/cloudstack/backup/KVMBackupExportServiceImpl.java
index a69ce2fd7e5..5ff82362a79 100644
--- a/server/src/main/java/org/apache/cloudstack/backup/KVMBackupExportServiceImpl.java
+++ b/server/src/main/java/org/apache/cloudstack/backup/KVMBackupExportServiceImpl.java
@@ -123,7 +123,6 @@ public class KVMBackupExportServiceImpl extends ManagerBase implements KVMBackup
 
     @Override
     public Backup createBackup(StartBackupCmd cmd) {
-        //ToDo: add config check, access check, resource count check, etc.
         Long vmId = cmd.getVmId();
 
         VMInstanceVO vm = vmInstanceDao.findById(vmId);
@@ -705,13 +704,15 @@ public class KVMBackupExportServiceImpl extends ManagerBase implements KVMBackup
     @Override
     public List<Class<?>> getCommands() {
         List<Class<?>> cmdList = new ArrayList<>();
-        cmdList.add(StartBackupCmd.class);
-        cmdList.add(FinalizeBackupCmd.class);
-        cmdList.add(CreateImageTransferCmd.class);
-        cmdList.add(FinalizeImageTransferCmd.class);
-        cmdList.add(ListImageTransfersCmd.class);
-        cmdList.add(ListVmCheckpointsCmd.class);
-        cmdList.add(DeleteVmCheckpointCmd.class);
+        if (ExposeKVMBackupExportServiceApis.value()) {
+            cmdList.add(StartBackupCmd.class);
+            cmdList.add(FinalizeBackupCmd.class);
+            cmdList.add(CreateImageTransferCmd.class);
+            cmdList.add(FinalizeImageTransferCmd.class);
+            cmdList.add(ListImageTransfersCmd.class);
+            cmdList.add(ListVmCheckpointsCmd.class);
+            cmdList.add(DeleteVmCheckpointCmd.class);
+        }
         return cmdList;
     }