diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 2ff70a1..d893abf 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -39,6 +39,8 @@ proxmoxbackupgo.exe
         Datastore name
   -namespace string
         Namespace (optional)
+  -backup-id string
+        Backup ID (optional - if not specified, the hostname is used as the default for host-type backups)
   -pxarout string
         Output PXAR archive for debug purposes (optional)
   -secret string
diff --git a/main.go b/main.go
index 16de3a6..cdee0e6 100644
--- a/main.go
+++ b/main.go
@@ -59,6 +59,7 @@ func main() {
 	secretFlag := flag.String("secret", "", "Secret for authentication")
 	datastoreFlag := flag.String("datastore", "", "Datastore name")
 	namespaceFlag := flag.String("namespace", "", "Namespace (optional)")
+	backupIDFlag := flag.String("backup-id", "", "Backup ID (optional - if not specified, the hostname is used as the default)")
 	backupSourceDirFlag := flag.String("backupdir", "", "Backup source directory, must not be symlink")
 	pxarOut := flag.String("pxarout", "", "Output PXAR archive for debug purposes (optional)")
 
@@ -101,6 +102,9 @@ func main() {
 		secret:          *secretFlag,
 		datastore:       *datastoreFlag,
 		namespace:       *namespaceFlag,
+		manifest: BackupManifest{
+			BackupID: *backupIDFlag,
+		},
 	}
 
 	backupdir := *backupSourceDirFlag
diff --git a/pbsapi.go b/pbsapi.go
index 2ba7afe..32be883 100644
--- a/pbsapi.go
+++ b/pbsapi.go
@@ -348,8 +348,10 @@ func (pbs *PBSClient) Connect(reader bool) {
 
 	pbs.manifest.BackupTime = time.Now().Unix()
 	pbs.manifest.BackupType = "host"
-	hostname, _ := os.Hostname()
-	pbs.manifest.BackupID = hostname
+	if pbs.manifest.BackupID == "" {
+		hostname, _ := os.Hostname()
+		pbs.manifest.BackupID = hostname
+	}
 	pbs.client = http.Client{
 		Transport: &http2.Transport{