diff --git a/Changelog.md b/Changelog.md
index 4ea8a82b..6be0506e 100644
--- a/Changelog.md
+++ b/Changelog.md
@@ -1,5 +1,8 @@
 # Changelog
 
+**latest**
+- accept `BACKUP` parameter while running the restore rake task, closes #220
+
 **7.5.2**
 - gitlab: upgrade to CE v.7.5.2
 
diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 1f25e32e..ca74a3ea 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -811,6 +811,13 @@ docker run --name=gitlab -it --rm [OPTIONS] \
 
 The restore operation will list all available backups in reverse chronological order. Select the backup you want to restore and gitlab will do its job.
 
+To avoid user interaction in the restore operation, you can specify the timestamp of the specific backup using the `BACKUP` argument to the rake task.
+
+```bash
+docker run --name=gitlab -it --rm [OPTIONS] \
+  sameersbn/gitlab:7.5.2 app:rake gitlab:backup:restore BACKUP=1417624827
+```
+
 ## Automated Backups
 
 The image can be configured to automatically take backups on a daily, weekly or monthly basis. Adding `-e 'GITLAB_BACKUPS=daily'` to the docker run command will enable daily backups. Adding `-e 'GITLAB_BACKUPS=weekly'` or `-e 'GITLAB_BACKUPS=monthly'` will enable weekly or monthly backups.
diff --git a/assets/init b/assets/init
index 678a9a9d..d43ea45d 100755
--- a/assets/init
+++ b/assets/init
@@ -763,24 +763,35 @@ appRake () {
   echo "Running gitlab rake task..."
 
   if [ "$1" == "gitlab:backup:restore" ]; then
-    # user needs to select the backup to restore
-    nBackups=$(ls ${GITLAB_BACKUP_DIR}/*_gitlab_backup.tar | wc -l)
-    if [ $nBackups -eq 0 ]; then
-      echo "No backup present. Cannot continue restore process.".
-      return 1
-    fi
-
-    for b in `ls ${GITLAB_BACKUP_DIR} | sort -r`
+    # check if the BACKUP argument is specified
+    for a in $@
     do
-      echo " ├ $b"
+      if [[ $a == BACKUP=* ]]; then
+        timestamp=${a:7}
+        break
+      fi
     done
-    read -p "Select a backup to restore: " file
 
-    if [ ! -f "${GITLAB_BACKUP_DIR}/${file}" ]; then
-      echo "Specified backup does not exist. Aborting..."
-      return 1
+    if [ -z ${timestamp} ]; then
+      # user needs to select the backup to restore
+      nBackups=$(ls ${GITLAB_BACKUP_DIR}/*_gitlab_backup.tar | wc -l)
+      if [ $nBackups -eq 0 ]; then
+        echo "No backup present. Cannot continue restore process.".
+        return 1
+      fi
+
+      for b in `ls ${GITLAB_BACKUP_DIR} | sort -r`
+      do
+        echo " ├ $b"
+      done
+      read -p "Select a backup to restore: " file
+
+      if [ ! -f "${GITLAB_BACKUP_DIR}/${file}" ]; then
+        echo "Specified backup does not exist. Aborting..."
+        return 1
+      fi
+      timestamp=$(echo $file | cut -d'_' -f1)
     fi
-    timestamp=$(echo $file | cut -d'_' -f1)
     sudo -u git -H bundle exec rake gitlab:backup:restore BACKUP=$timestamp RAILS_ENV=production
   else
     [ "$1" == "gitlab:import:repos" ] && appSanitize