diff --git a/api/restapi.py b/api/restapi.py
index 687ad275..69869829 100644
--- a/api/restapi.py
+++ b/api/restapi.py
@@ -29,6 +29,7 @@
 from market.btcprice import BtcPrice
 from net.upnp import PortMapper
 from api.utils import sanitize_html
+import db.backuptool
 
 DEFAULT_RECORDS_COUNT = 20
 DEFAULT_RECORDS_OFFSET = 0
@@ -104,7 +105,6 @@ def login(self, request):
             self._failed_login(request.getHost().host)
             return json.dumps({"success": False, "reason": "invalid username or password"})
 
-
     @GET('^/api/v1/get_image')
     @authenticated
     def get_image(self, request):
@@ -1061,6 +1061,18 @@ def get_response(num):
             request.finish()
             return server.NOT_DONE_YET
 
+    @POST('^/api/v1/backup_files')
+    def backup_files(self, request):
+        """Archives OpenBazaar files in a single tar archive."""
+        output_name = request.args["output_name"][0]
+        return db.backuptool.backupfiles(output_name)
+
+    @POST('^/api/v1/restore_files')
+    def restore_files(self, request):
+        """Restores files of given archive to OpenBazaar folder."""
+        input_file = request.args["input_file"][0]
+        return db.backuptool.restorefiles(input_file)
+
     @GET('^/api/v1/get_chat_messages')
     @authenticated
     def get_chat_messages(self, request):
diff --git a/db/backuptool.py b/db/backuptool.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..bc9a0622
--- /dev/null
+++ b/db/backuptool.py
@@ -0,0 +1,62 @@
+"""Import and export data for the OpenBazaar server."""
+__author__ = 'marc'
+from constants import DATA_FOLDER
+import db.datastore as db
+import os
+import sqlite3 as lite
+import tarfile
+import time
+
+BACKUP_FOLDER = 'backup'
+
+def _getdatabase():
+    """Retrieves the OpenBazaar database file."""
+    database = db.Database()
+    return database.DATABASE
+
+def backupfiles(output_name=None):
+    """Archives OpenBazaar files in a single tar archive."""
+    os.chdir(DATA_FOLDER)
+    if not os.path.exists(BACKUP_FOLDER):
+        os.makedirs(BACKUP_FOLDER)
+    if not output_name:
+        output_name = 'backup_{0}.tar.gz'.format(time.strftime('%Y-%m-%d'))
+    if not os.path.isabs(output_name):
+        output = BACKUP_FOLDER + os.sep + output_name
+    if os.path.isfile(output):
+        raise IOError(output + ' already exists.')
+
+    # Lock the database
+    db_file = _getdatabase()
+    db_connection = lite.connect(db_file)
+    db_connection.commit()
+
+    # Archive files
+    files = os.listdir(DATA_FOLDER)
+    with tarfile.open(output, 'w:gz') as tar:
+        for fil in files:
+            if fil != BACKUP_FOLDER:
+                tar.add(fil)
+        tar.close()
+
+    # Unlock database
+    db_connection.rollback()
+    db_connection.close()
+
+    return True
+
+
+def restorefiles(input_file):
+    """Restores files of given archive to OpenBazaar folder."""
+    os.chdir(DATA_FOLDER)
+    if not os.path.isabs(input_file):
+        input_file = BACKUP_FOLDER + os.sep + input_file
+
+    if not os.path.isfile(input_file):
+        raise IOError(input_file + ' does not exist.')
+
+    # Unarchive files
+    with tarfile.open(input_file, 'r:gz') as tar:
+        tar.extractall()
+
+    return True
diff --git a/db/tests/test_backuptool.py b/db/tests/test_backuptool.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..818b2035
--- /dev/null
+++ b/db/tests/test_backuptool.py
@@ -0,0 +1,47 @@
+"""Test for db/backuptool"""
+from constants import DATA_FOLDER
+import os
+import unittest
+
+import db.backuptool as bt
+
+TEST_FOLDER = 'test'
+TEST_TAR = 'test.tar.gz'
+TEST_FILE_1 = 'test.txt'
+TEST_FILE_2 = TEST_FOLDER + os.sep + 'test2.txt'
+
+class BackuptoolTest(unittest.TestCase):
+    """Test class for backuptool functions"""
+    def setUp(self):
+        os.chdir(DATA_FOLDER)
+        # Create test folder
+        if not os.path.exists(TEST_FOLDER):
+            os.makedirs(TEST_FOLDER)
+        # Create test files "test.txt", "test/test2.txt"
+        fil = open(TEST_FILE_1, 'w')
+        fil.close()
+        fil = open(TEST_FILE_2, 'w')
+        fil.close()
+        # Backup to "test.tar.gz"
+        if os.path.exists(bt.BACKUP_FOLDER + os.sep + TEST_TAR):
+            os.remove(bt.BACKUP_FOLDER + os.sep + TEST_TAR)
+        bt.backupfiles(TEST_TAR)
+        # Remove test files and directory
+        os.remove(TEST_FILE_1)
+        os.remove(TEST_FILE_2)
+        # Restore from "test.tar.gz"
+        bt.restorefiles(TEST_TAR)
+
+    def tearDown(self):
+        os.remove(TEST_FILE_1)
+        os.remove(TEST_FILE_2)
+        os.remove(bt.BACKUP_FOLDER + os.sep + TEST_TAR)
+
+    def test_backupexists(self):
+        """Checks if the backup file exists"""
+        self.assertTrue(os.path.isfile(bt.BACKUP_FOLDER + os.sep + TEST_TAR))
+
+    def test_restoreexists(self):
+        """Checks if the restored files exists"""
+        self.assertTrue(os.path.isfile(TEST_FILE_1))
+        self.assertTrue(os.path.isfile(TEST_FILE_2))