diff --git a/go/cmd/dolt/commands/backup.go b/go/cmd/dolt/commands/backup.go
index 093296394e..4c2d443940 100644
--- a/go/cmd/dolt/commands/backup.go
+++ b/go/cmd/dolt/commands/backup.go
@@ -267,14 +267,6 @@ func syncBackup(ctx context.Context, dEnv *env.DoltEnv, apr *argparser.ArgParseR
 }
 
 func backup(ctx context.Context, dEnv *env.DoltEnv, b env.Remote) errhand.VerboseError {
-	metadata, err := env.GetMultiEnvStorageMetadata(dEnv.FS)
-	if err != nil {
-		return nil
-	}
-	if metadata.ArchiveFilesPresent() {
-		return errhand.BuildDError("error: archive files present. Please revert them with the --revert flag before running this command.").Build()
-	}
-
 	destDb, err := b.GetRemoteDB(ctx, dEnv.DoltDB(ctx).ValueReadWriter().Format(), dEnv)
 	if err != nil {
 		return errhand.BuildDError("error: unable to open destination.").AddCause(err).Build()
diff --git a/go/store/nbs/archive_chunk_source.go b/go/store/nbs/archive_chunk_source.go
index 23bb5d46d2..5f78485332 100644
--- a/go/store/nbs/archive_chunk_source.go
+++ b/go/store/nbs/archive_chunk_source.go
@@ -150,7 +150,14 @@ func (acs archiveChunkSource) currentSize() uint64 {
 }
 
 func (acs archiveChunkSource) reader(ctx context.Context) (io.ReadCloser, uint64, error) {
-	return nil, 0, errors.New("Archive chunk source does not support reader")
+	rdr := acs.aRdr.reader
+	chks, err := acs.count()
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, 0, err
+	}
+
+	rc := io.NewSectionReader(rdr, 0, int64(acs.currentSize()))
+	return io.NopCloser(rc), uint64(chks), nil
 }
 func (acs archiveChunkSource) uncompressedLen() (uint64, error) {
 	return 0, errors.New("Archive chunk source does not support uncompressedLen")
diff --git a/integration-tests/bats/archive.bats b/integration-tests/bats/archive.bats
index d68b8695d4..6af2fd0e57 100755
--- a/integration-tests/bats/archive.bats
+++ b/integration-tests/bats/archive.bats
@@ -183,16 +183,6 @@ mutations_and_gc_statement() {
     run dolt sql -q 'select sum(i) from tbl;'
     [[ "$status" -eq 0 ]] || false
     [[ "$output" =~ "138075" ]] || false # i = 1 - 525, sum is 138075
-
-
-    ## Temporary check. We want to ensure that backup will give an error, even when
-    ## there are archives in newgen.
-    mkdir ../backup
-    dolt backup add bac1 file://../backup
-
-    run dolt backup sync bac1
-    [ "$status" -eq 1 ]
-    [[ "$output" =~ "error: archive files present" ]] || false
 }
 
 @test "archive: can clone respiratory with mixed types" {
@@ -269,3 +259,21 @@ mutations_and_gc_statement() {
     dolt fsck
 }
 
+@test "archive: backup and restore" {
+  # cp the repository from the test dir.
+  mkdir -p original/.dolt
+  cp -R $BATS_TEST_DIRNAME/archive-test-repo/* original/.dolt
+
+  cd original
+  dolt backup add bac1 file://../bac1
+  dolt backup sync bac1
+
+  cd ..
+
+  dolt backup restore file://./bac1 restored
+  cd restored
+  # Verify we can read data
+  run dolt sql -q 'select sum(i) from tbl;'
+  [[ "$status" -eq 0 ]] || false
+  [[ "$output" =~ "138075" ]] || false # i = 1 - 525, sum is 138075
+}
\ No newline at end of file