diff --git a/.buildkite/local-pipeline.yml b/.buildkite/local-pipeline.yml
index d532c27..36643f7 100644
--- a/.buildkite/local-pipeline.yml
+++ b/.buildkite/local-pipeline.yml
@@ -9,4 +9,5 @@ steps:
           p4user: banana
           view: //depot/... ...
           root: p4_workspace
-          parallel: 2
\ No newline at end of file
+          parallel: 2
+          backup_changelists: yes
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/plugin.yml b/plugin.yml
index 71b7509..a54cf7c 100644
--- a/plugin.yml
+++ b/plugin.yml
@@ -22,4 +22,6 @@ configuration:
     parallel:
       type: string
     client_opts:
-      type: string      
+      type: string
+    backup_changelists:
+      type: bool
diff --git a/python/buildkite.py b/python/buildkite.py
index a0b2aeb..aba476b 100644
--- a/python/buildkite.py
+++ b/python/buildkite.py
@@ -41,6 +41,9 @@ def get_config():
     conf['view'] = ['%s %s' % (v, next(view_iter)) for v in view_iter]
     return conf
 
+def should_backup_changelists():
+    return os.environ.get('BUILDKITE_PLUGIN_PERFORCE_BACKUP_CHANGELISTS', 'false') == 'true'
+
 def get_metadata(key):
     """If it exists, retrieve metadata from buildkite for a given key"""
     if not __ACCESS_TOKEN__ or __LOCAL_RUN__:
diff --git a/python/checkout.py b/python/checkout.py
index 4610c23..a804175 100644
--- a/python/checkout.py
+++ b/python/checkout.py
@@ -8,7 +8,8 @@
 
 from perforce import P4Repo
 from buildkite import (get_env, get_config, get_build_revision, set_build_revision,
-    get_users_changelist, get_build_changelist, set_build_changelist, set_build_info)
+    get_users_changelist, get_build_changelist, set_build_changelist, set_build_info,
+    should_backup_changelists)
 
 def main():
     """Main"""
@@ -25,7 +26,7 @@ def main():
 
     # Convert changelist number to revision specifier
     if re.match(r'^\d*$', revision):
-        revision = '@%d' % revision
+        revision = '@%s' % revision
 
     repo.sync(revision=revision)
 
@@ -37,7 +38,9 @@ def main():
         # Use existing or make a copy of the users changelist for this build
         changelist = get_build_changelist()
         if not changelist:
-            changelist = repo.backup(user_changelist)
+            changelist = user_changelist
+            if should_backup_changelists():
+                changelist = repo.backup(user_changelist)
             set_build_changelist(changelist)
 
         repo.unshelve(changelist)