diff --git a/cgyro/bin/cgyro_parse.py b/cgyro/bin/cgyro_parse.py
index 3add3d21b..57b16d134 100644
--- a/cgyro/bin/cgyro_parse.py
+++ b/cgyro/bin/cgyro_parse.py
@@ -21,6 +21,7 @@
 x.add('MAX_TIME','100.0')
 x.add('PRINT_STEP','100')
 x.add('RESTART_STEP','10')
+x.add('RESTART_PRESERVATION_MODE','3')
 x.add('FREQ_TOL','0.001')
 x.add('UP_RADIAL','1.0')
 x.add('UP_THETA','1.0')
diff --git a/cgyro/src/cgyro_globals.F90 b/cgyro/src/cgyro_globals.F90
index 988bde474..698589963 100644
--- a/cgyro/src/cgyro_globals.F90
+++ b/cgyro/src/cgyro_globals.F90
@@ -45,6 +45,7 @@ module cgyro_globals
   real    :: max_time
   integer :: print_step
   integer :: restart_step
+  integer :: restart_preservation_mode
   real    :: freq_tol
   real    :: up_radial
   real    :: up_theta
diff --git a/cgyro/src/cgyro_read_input.f90 b/cgyro/src/cgyro_read_input.f90
index 047d20e37..00449bbef 100644
--- a/cgyro/src/cgyro_read_input.f90
+++ b/cgyro/src/cgyro_read_input.f90
@@ -24,6 +24,7 @@ subroutine cgyro_read_input
   call cgyro_readbc_real(max_time)
   call cgyro_readbc_int(print_step,'PRINT_STEP')
   call cgyro_readbc_int(restart_step,'RESTART_STEP')
+  call cgyro_readbc_int(restart_preservation_mode,'RESTART_PRESERVATION_MODE')
   call cgyro_readbc_real(freq_tol)
   call cgyro_readbc_real(up_radial)
   call cgyro_readbc_real(up_theta)
diff --git a/cgyro/src/cgyro_write_restart.F90 b/cgyro/src/cgyro_write_restart.F90
index 234223004..991ab8b9b 100644
--- a/cgyro/src/cgyro_write_restart.F90
+++ b/cgyro/src/cgyro_write_restart.F90
@@ -99,6 +99,22 @@ subroutine cgyro_write_restart_one
      return
   endif
 
+  if ((i_proc == 0) .and. (restart_preservation_mode<4)) then 
+    ! Anything but restart_preservation_mode == 4
+    ! User does not want high guarntees for the old file
+    ! So, remove .old file, if it exists
+    call UNLINK(trim(path)//runfile_restart//".old")
+    ! NOTE: We will not check if it succeeded... not important, may not even exist (yet)
+  endif
+
+  if ((i_proc == 0) .and. (restart_preservation_mode<2)) then 
+    ! restart_preservation_mode == 1
+    ! User wants to save disk space
+    ! So, remove existing restart file, if it exists
+    call UNLINK(trim(path)//runfile_restart)
+    ! NOTE: We will not check if it succeeded... not important, may not even exist (yet)
+  endif
+
   ! TODO Error handling
   call MPI_INFO_CREATE(finfo,i_err)
 
@@ -167,10 +183,14 @@ subroutine cgyro_write_restart_one
 
   ! now that we know things worked well, move the file in its final location
   if (i_proc == 0) then 
-    ! but first try to save any existing file
-    i_err = RENAME(trim(path)//runfile_restart, trim(path)//runfile_restart//".old")
-    ! NOTE: We will not check if it succeeded... not important, may not even exist (yet)
+    if (restart_preservation_mode>2) then 
+       ! restart_preservation_mode == 3 or 4
+       ! First try to save any existing restart file as old
+       i_err = RENAME(trim(path)//runfile_restart, trim(path)//runfile_restart//".old")
+       ! NOTE: We will not check if it succeeded... not important, may not even exist (yet)
+    endif
 
+    ! Rename part into the final expected file name
     i_err = RENAME(trim(path)//runfile_restart//".part", trim(path)//runfile_restart)
     if (i_err /= 0) then
        call cgyro_error('Final rename in cgyro_write_restart failed')