diff --git a/backend/backend_test.go b/backend/backend_test.go
index 0ff5f01b4..311a7b2d6 100644
--- a/backend/backend_test.go
+++ b/backend/backend_test.go
@@ -128,6 +128,7 @@ func testBackend(b backend.Backend, t *testing.T) {
 				OK(t, err)
 
 				found, err := b.Test(tpe, id.String())
+
 				OK(t, err)
 				Assert(t, found, fmt.Sprintf("id %q was not found before removal", id))
 
diff --git a/backend/rest/rest.go b/backend/rest/rest.go
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..4a65106b3
--- /dev/null
+++ b/backend/rest/rest.go
@@ -0,0 +1,208 @@
+package rest
+
+import (
+	"bytes"
+	"encoding/json"
+	"errors"
+	"fmt"
+	"io"
+	"io/ioutil"
+	"net/http"
+	"net/url"
+
+	"github.com/restic/restic/backend"
+)
+
+const connLimit = 10
+
+// Returns the url of the resource
+func restPath(url *url.URL, t backend.Type, name string) string {
+	if t == backend.Config {
+		return url.String() + "/" + string(t)
+	}
+
+	return url.String() + "/" + string(t) + "/" + name
+}
+
+type RestBlob struct {
+	b     *Rest
+	buf   *bytes.Buffer
+	final bool
+}
+
+func (rb *RestBlob) Write(p []byte) (int, error) {
+	if rb.final {
+		return 0, errors.New("blob already closed")
+	}
+	n, err := rb.buf.Write(p)
+	return n, err
+}
+
+func (rb *RestBlob) Read(p []byte) (int, error) {
+	return rb.buf.Read(p)
+}
+
+func (rb *RestBlob) Close() error {
+	rb.final = true
+	rb.buf.Reset()
+	return nil
+}
+
+// Finalize moves the data blob to the final location for type and name.
+func (rb *RestBlob) Finalize(t backend.Type, name string) error {
+	if rb.final {
+		return errors.New("Already finalized")
+	}
+
+	rb.final = true
+
+	// Check key does not already exist
+	resp, err := http.Get(restPath(rb.b.url, t, name))
+	if err == nil && resp.StatusCode == 200 {
+		return errors.New("Key already exists")
+	}
+
+	<-rb.b.connChan
+	_, err2 := http.Post(restPath(rb.b.url, t, name), "binary/octet-stream", rb.buf)
+	rb.b.connChan <- struct{}{}
+	rb.buf.Reset()
+	return err2
+}
+
+// Size returns the number of bytes written to the backend so far.
+func (rb *RestBlob) Size() uint {
+	return uint(rb.buf.Len())
+}
+
+// A simple REST backend.
+type Rest struct {
+	url      *url.URL
+	connChan chan struct{}
+}
+
+// Open opens the http backend at the specified url.
+func Open(url *url.URL) (*Rest, error) {
+	connChan := make(chan struct{}, connLimit)
+	for i := 0; i < connLimit; i++ {
+		connChan <- struct{}{}
+	}
+	return &Rest{url: url, connChan: connChan}, nil
+}
+
+// Location returns a string that specifies the location of the repository, like a URL.
+func (b *Rest) Location() string {
+	return b.url.Host
+}
+
+// Create creates a new Blob. The data is available only after Finalize()
+// has been called on the returned Blob.
+func (b *Rest) Create() (backend.Blob, error) {
+	blob := RestBlob{
+		b:   b,
+		buf: &bytes.Buffer{},
+	}
+	return &blob, nil
+}
+
+// Get returns an io.ReadCloser for the Blob with the given name of type t.
+func (b *Rest) Get(t backend.Type, name string) (io.ReadCloser, error) {
+	resp, err := http.Get(restPath(b.url, t, name))
+	if err == nil && resp.StatusCode != 200 {
+		err = errors.New("Not found")
+	}
+	return resp.Body, err
+}
+
+// GetReader returns an io.ReadCloser for the Blob with the given name of
+// type t at offset and length.
+func (b *Rest) GetReader(t backend.Type, name string, offset, length uint) (io.ReadCloser, error) {
+	rc, err := b.Get(t, name)
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, err
+	}
+
+	n, errc := io.CopyN(ioutil.Discard, rc, int64(offset))
+	if errc != nil {
+		return nil, errc
+	} else if n != int64(offset) {
+		return nil, fmt.Errorf("less bytes read than expected, read: %d, expected: %d", n, offset)
+	}
+
+	if length == 0 {
+		return rc, nil
+	}
+
+	return backend.LimitReadCloser(rc, int64(length)), nil
+}
+
+// Test a boolean value whether a Blob with the name and type exists.
+func (b *Rest) Test(t backend.Type, name string) (bool, error) {
+	found := false
+
+	req, e1 := http.NewRequest("HEAD", restPath(b.url, t, name), nil)
+	if e1 != nil {
+		return found, e1
+	}
+
+	resp, err := http.DefaultClient.Do(req)
+	if resp.StatusCode == 200 {
+		found = true
+	}
+	return found, err
+}
+
+// Remove removes a Blob with type t and name.
+func (b *Rest) Remove(t backend.Type, name string) error {
+	req, err := http.NewRequest("DELETE", restPath(b.url, t, name), nil)
+	if err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+
+	_, err2 := http.DefaultClient.Do(req)
+	return err2
+}
+
+// Close the backend
+func (b *Rest) Close() error {
+	return nil
+}
+
+// List returns a channel that yields all names of blobs of type t in
+// lexicographic order. A goroutine is started for this. If the channel
+// done is closed, sending stops.
+func (b *Rest) List(t backend.Type, done <-chan struct{}) <-chan string {
+	ch := make(chan string)
+
+	resp, e1 := http.Get(restPath(b.url, t, ""))
+	if e1 != nil {
+		close(ch)
+		return ch
+	}
+
+	data, e2 := ioutil.ReadAll(resp.Body)
+	if e2 != nil {
+		close(ch)
+		return ch
+	}
+
+	var list []string
+	e3 := json.Unmarshal(data, &list)
+	if e3 != nil {
+		close(ch)
+		return ch
+	}
+
+	go func() {
+		defer close(ch)
+		for _, m := range list {
+			fmt.Println(m)
+			select {
+			case ch <- m:
+			case <-done:
+				return
+			}
+		}
+	}()
+
+	return ch
+}
diff --git a/backend/rest_test.go b/backend/rest_test.go
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..26bfa7d84
--- /dev/null
+++ b/backend/rest_test.go
@@ -0,0 +1,18 @@
+package backend_test
+
+import (
+	"github.com/restic/restic/backend/rest"
+	"net/url"
+	"testing"
+)
+
+func setupRestBackend(t *testing.T) *rest.Rest {
+	url, _ := url.Parse("http://localhost:8000")
+	backend, _ := rest.Open(url)
+	return backend
+}
+
+func TestRestBackend(t *testing.T) {
+	s := setupRestBackend(t)
+	testBackend(s, t)
+}
diff --git a/backend/s3/s3.go b/backend/s3/s3.go
index 2f5d2d786..edd8cafef 100644
--- a/backend/s3/s3.go
+++ b/backend/s3/s3.go
@@ -71,7 +71,7 @@ type s3Blob struct {
 
 func (bb *s3Blob) Write(p []byte) (int, error) {
 	if bb.final {
-		return 0, errors.New("blob already closed")
+		return 0, errors.New("Blob already closed")
 	}
 
 	n, err := bb.buf.Write(p)
diff --git a/cmd/restic/global.go b/cmd/restic/global.go
index 46ee2e011..a612849e1 100644
--- a/cmd/restic/global.go
+++ b/cmd/restic/global.go
@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@ import (
 	"github.com/jessevdk/go-flags"
 	"github.com/restic/restic/backend"
 	"github.com/restic/restic/backend/local"
+	"github.com/restic/restic/backend/rest"
 	"github.com/restic/restic/backend/s3"
 	"github.com/restic/restic/backend/sftp"
 	"github.com/restic/restic/repository"
@@ -129,10 +130,11 @@ func (o GlobalOptions) OpenRepository() (*repository.Repository, error) {
 // Open the backend specified by URI.
 // Valid formats are:
 // * /foo/bar -> local repository at /foo/bar
+// * c:\temp -> local repository at c:\temp - the path must exist
 // * s3://region/bucket -> amazon s3 bucket
 // * sftp://user@host/foo/bar -> remote sftp repository on host for user at path foo/bar
 // * sftp://host//tmp/backup -> remote sftp repository on host at path /tmp/backup
-// * c:\temp -> local repository at c:\temp - the path must exist
+// * http://host -> remote and public http repository
 func open(u string) (backend.Backend, error) {
 	// check if the url is a directory that exists
 	fi, err := os.Stat(u)
@@ -155,6 +157,8 @@ func open(u string) (backend.Backend, error) {
 
 	if url.Scheme == "s3" {
 		return s3.Open(url.Host, url.Path[1:])
+	} else if url.Scheme == "http" {
+		return rest.Open(url)
 	}
 
 	args := []string{url.Host}
@@ -190,6 +194,8 @@ func create(u string) (backend.Backend, error) {
 
 	if url.Scheme == "s3" {
 		return s3.Open(url.Host, url.Path[1:])
+	} else if url.Scheme == "http" {
+		return rest.Open(url)
 	}
 
 	args := []string{url.Host}