diff --git a/engine/api/src/org/apache/cloudstack/engine/subsystem/api/storage/SnapshotInfo.java b/engine/api/src/org/apache/cloudstack/engine/subsystem/api/storage/SnapshotInfo.java
index 5541b362547..ef72afc5b77 100644
--- a/engine/api/src/org/apache/cloudstack/engine/subsystem/api/storage/SnapshotInfo.java
+++ b/engine/api/src/org/apache/cloudstack/engine/subsystem/api/storage/SnapshotInfo.java
@@ -17,6 +17,7 @@
 package org.apache.cloudstack.engine.subsystem.api.storage;
 
 import com.cloud.storage.Snapshot;
+import com.cloud.utils.exception.CloudRuntimeException;
 
 public interface SnapshotInfo extends DataObject, Snapshot {
     SnapshotInfo getParent();
@@ -42,4 +43,6 @@ public interface SnapshotInfo extends DataObject, Snapshot {
     boolean isRevertable();
 
     long getPhysicalSize();
+
+    void markBackedUp() throws CloudRuntimeException;
 }
diff --git a/engine/storage/snapshot/src/org/apache/cloudstack/storage/snapshot/SnapshotObject.java b/engine/storage/snapshot/src/org/apache/cloudstack/storage/snapshot/SnapshotObject.java
index 23e1650ffa0..65d6fa52e66 100644
--- a/engine/storage/snapshot/src/org/apache/cloudstack/storage/snapshot/SnapshotObject.java
+++ b/engine/storage/snapshot/src/org/apache/cloudstack/storage/snapshot/SnapshotObject.java
@@ -149,6 +149,17 @@ public class SnapshotObject implements SnapshotInfo {
         return physicalSize;
     }
 
+    @Override
+    public void markBackedUp() throws CloudRuntimeException{
+        try {
+            processEvent(Event.OperationNotPerformed);
+        } catch (NoTransitionException ex) {
+            s_logger.error("no transition error: ", ex);
+            throw new CloudRuntimeException("Error marking snapshot backed up: " +
+                    this.snapshot.getId() + " " + ex.getMessage());
+        }
+    }
+
     @Override
     public VolumeInfo getBaseVolume() {
         return volFactory.getVolume(snapshot.getVolumeId());
diff --git a/server/src/com/cloud/storage/snapshot/SnapshotManager.java b/server/src/com/cloud/storage/snapshot/SnapshotManager.java
index f3557d0a670..407ffa30213 100644
--- a/server/src/com/cloud/storage/snapshot/SnapshotManager.java
+++ b/server/src/com/cloud/storage/snapshot/SnapshotManager.java
@@ -56,6 +56,9 @@ public interface SnapshotManager extends Configurable {
     public static final ConfigKey<Integer> BackupRetryInterval = new ConfigKey<Integer>(Integer.class, "backup.retry.interval", "Advanced", "300",
             "Time in seconds between retries in backing up snapshot to secondary", false, ConfigKey.Scope.Global, null);
 
+    public static final ConfigKey<Boolean> BackupSnapshotAfterTakingSnapshot = new ConfigKey<Boolean>(Boolean.class, "snapshot.backup.to.secondary",  "Snapshots", "true",
+            "Indicates whether to always backup primary storage snapshot to secondary storage", false, ConfigKey.Scope.Global, null);
+
     void deletePoliciesForVolume(Long volumeId);
 
     /**
diff --git a/server/src/com/cloud/storage/snapshot/SnapshotManagerImpl.java b/server/src/com/cloud/storage/snapshot/SnapshotManagerImpl.java
index bd49c05f43e..07eb072e82c 100755
--- a/server/src/com/cloud/storage/snapshot/SnapshotManagerImpl.java
+++ b/server/src/com/cloud/storage/snapshot/SnapshotManagerImpl.java
@@ -206,7 +206,7 @@ public class SnapshotManagerImpl extends MutualExclusiveIdsManagerBase implement
 
     @Override
     public ConfigKey<?>[] getConfigKeys() {
-        return new ConfigKey<?>[] {BackupRetryAttempts, BackupRetryInterval, SnapshotHourlyMax, SnapshotDailyMax, SnapshotMonthlyMax, SnapshotWeeklyMax, usageSnapshotSelection};
+        return new ConfigKey<?>[] {BackupRetryAttempts, BackupRetryInterval, SnapshotHourlyMax, SnapshotDailyMax, SnapshotMonthlyMax, SnapshotWeeklyMax, usageSnapshotSelection, BackupSnapshotAfterTakingSnapshot};
     }
 
     @Override
@@ -1123,13 +1123,16 @@ public class SnapshotManagerImpl extends MutualExclusiveIdsManagerBase implement
             }
 
             SnapshotInfo snapshotOnPrimary = snapshotStrategy.takeSnapshot(snapshot);
-            if (payload.getAsyncBackup()) {
-                backupSnapshotExecutor.schedule(new BackupSnapshotTask(snapshotOnPrimary, snapshotBackupRetries - 1, snapshotStrategy), 0, TimeUnit.SECONDS);
+            boolean backupSnapToSecondary = BackupSnapshotAfterTakingSnapshot.value() == null ||
+                    BackupSnapshotAfterTakingSnapshot.value();
+
+            if (backupSnapToSecondary) {
+                backupSnapshotToSecondary(payload.getAsyncBackup(), snapshotStrategy, snapshotOnPrimary);
             } else {
-                SnapshotInfo backupedSnapshot = snapshotStrategy.backupSnapshot(snapshotOnPrimary);
-                if (backupedSnapshot != null) {
-                    snapshotStrategy.postSnapshotCreation(snapshotOnPrimary);
+                if(s_logger.isDebugEnabled()) {
+                    s_logger.debug("skipping backup of snapshot " + snapshotId + " to secondary due to configuration");
                 }
+                snapshotOnPrimary.markBackedUp();
             }
 
             try {
@@ -1171,6 +1174,17 @@ public class SnapshotManagerImpl extends MutualExclusiveIdsManagerBase implement
         return snapshot;
     }
 
+    protected void backupSnapshotToSecondary(boolean asyncBackup, SnapshotStrategy snapshotStrategy, SnapshotInfo snapshotOnPrimary) {
+        if (asyncBackup) {
+            backupSnapshotExecutor.schedule(new BackupSnapshotTask(snapshotOnPrimary, snapshotBackupRetries - 1, snapshotStrategy), 0, TimeUnit.SECONDS);
+        } else {
+            SnapshotInfo backupedSnapshot = snapshotStrategy.backupSnapshot(snapshotOnPrimary);
+            if (backupedSnapshot != null) {
+                snapshotStrategy.postSnapshotCreation(snapshotOnPrimary);
+            }
+        }
+    }
+
     protected class BackupSnapshotTask extends ManagedContextRunnable {
         SnapshotInfo snapshot;
         int attempts;