diff --git a/docs/formatbackup.html.in b/docs/formatbackup.html.in
index 1f486cdb2e..9e69d8f7d3 100644
--- a/docs/formatbackup.html.in
+++ b/docs/formatbackup.html.in
@@ -110,7 +110,8 @@
                 disk. An optional sub-element <code>driver</code> can
                 also be used, with an attribute <code>type</code> to
                 specify a destination format different from
-                qcow2. </dd>
+                qcow2. See documentation for <code>scratch</code> below for
+                additional configuration.</dd>
               <dt><code>scratch</code></dt>
               <dd>Valid only for pull mode backups, this is the
                 primary sub-element that describes the file name of
@@ -130,7 +131,14 @@
                 used without modification. The file is not deleted after the
                 backup but the contents of the file don't make sense outside
                 of the backup. The same applies for the block device which
-                must be formatted appropriately.</dd>
+                must be formatted appropriately.
+
+                Similarly to the domain
+                <a href="formatdomain.html#elementsDisks"><code>disk</code></a>
+                definition <code>scratch</code> and <code>target</code> can
+                contain <code>seclabel</code> and/or <code>encryption</code>
+                subelements to configure the corresponding properties.
+              </dd>
             </dl>
           </dd>
         </dl>
diff --git a/docs/schemas/domainbackup.rng b/docs/schemas/domainbackup.rng
index 395ea841f9..ac5b12c463 100644
--- a/docs/schemas/domainbackup.rng
+++ b/docs/schemas/domainbackup.rng
@@ -7,6 +7,27 @@
 
   <include href='domaincommon.rng'/>
 
+  <define name='backupEncryption'>
+    <element name='encryption'>
+      <attribute name='format'>
+        <choice>
+          <value>luks</value>
+        </choice>
+      </attribute>
+      <interleave>
+        <ref name='secret'/>
+        <optional>
+          <element name='cipher'>
+            <ref name='keycipher'/>
+          </element>
+          <element name='ivgen'>
+            <ref name='keyivgen'/>
+          </element>
+        </optional>
+      </interleave>
+    </element>
+  </define>
+
   <define name='domainbackup'>
     <element name='domainbackup'>
       <interleave>
@@ -123,9 +144,14 @@
                       <attribute name='file'>
                         <ref name='absFilePath'/>
                       </attribute>
-                      <zeroOrMore>
-                        <ref name='devSeclabel'/>
-                      </zeroOrMore>
+                      <interleave>
+                        <zeroOrMore>
+                          <ref name='devSeclabel'/>
+                        </zeroOrMore>
+                        <optional>
+                          <ref name='backupEncryption'/>
+                        </optional>
+                      </interleave>
                     </element>
                   </optional>
                   <ref name='backupPushDriver'/>
@@ -142,9 +168,14 @@
                       <attribute name='dev'>
                         <ref name='absFilePath'/>
                       </attribute>
-                      <zeroOrMore>
-                        <ref name='devSeclabel'/>
-                      </zeroOrMore>
+                      <interleave>
+                        <zeroOrMore>
+                          <ref name='devSeclabel'/>
+                        </zeroOrMore>
+                        <optional>
+                          <ref name='backupEncryption'/>
+                        </optional>
+                      </interleave>
                     </element>
                   </optional>
                   <ref name='backupPushDriver'/>
@@ -192,9 +223,14 @@
                       <attribute name='file'>
                         <ref name='absFilePath'/>
                       </attribute>
-                      <zeroOrMore>
-                        <ref name='devSeclabel'/>
-                      </zeroOrMore>
+                      <interleave>
+                        <zeroOrMore>
+                          <ref name='devSeclabel'/>
+                        </zeroOrMore>
+                        <optional>
+                          <ref name='backupEncryption'/>
+                        </optional>
+                      </interleave>
                     </element>
                     <ref name='backupPullDriver'/>
                   </interleave>
@@ -210,9 +246,14 @@
                     <attribute name='dev'>
                       <ref name='absFilePath'/>
                     </attribute>
-                    <zeroOrMore>
-                      <ref name='devSeclabel'/>
-                    </zeroOrMore>
+                    <interleave>
+                      <zeroOrMore>
+                        <ref name='devSeclabel'/>
+                      </zeroOrMore>
+                      <optional>
+                        <ref name='backupEncryption'/>
+                      </optional>
+                    </interleave>
                   </element>
                   <ref name='backupPullDriver'/>
                 </interleave>
diff --git a/tests/domainbackupxml2xmlin/backup-pull-encrypted.xml b/tests/domainbackupxml2xmlin/backup-pull-encrypted.xml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..1469189a37
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/domainbackupxml2xmlin/backup-pull-encrypted.xml
@@ -0,0 +1,30 @@
+<domainbackup mode="pull">
+  <incremental>1525889631</incremental>
+  <server transport='tcp' name='localhost' port='10809'/>
+  <disks>
+    <disk name='vda' type='file' exportname='test-vda' exportbitmap='blah'>
+      <driver type='qcow2'/>
+      <scratch file='/path/to/file'>
+        <encryption format='luks'>
+          <secret type='passphrase' uuid='0a81f5b2-8403-7b23-c8d6-21ccc2f80d6f'/>
+        </encryption>
+      </scratch>
+    </disk>
+    <disk name='vdb' type='file' exportname='test-vda' exportbitmap='blah'>
+      <driver type='qcow2'/>
+      <scratch file='/path/to/file'>
+        <encryption format='luks'>
+          <secret type='passphrase' usage='/storage/backup/vdb'/>
+        </encryption>
+      </scratch>
+    </disk>
+    <disk name='vdc' type='block'>
+      <driver type='qcow2'/>
+      <scratch dev='/dev/block'>
+        <encryption format='luks'>
+          <secret type='passphrase' usage='/storage/backup/vdc'/>
+        </encryption>
+      </scratch>
+    </disk>
+  </disks>
+</domainbackup>
diff --git a/tests/domainbackupxml2xmlin/backup-push-encrypted.xml b/tests/domainbackupxml2xmlin/backup-push-encrypted.xml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..121cfd7fa9
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/domainbackupxml2xmlin/backup-push-encrypted.xml
@@ -0,0 +1,29 @@
+<domainbackup mode="push">
+  <incremental>1525889631</incremental>
+  <disks>
+    <disk name='vda' type='file'>
+      <driver type='qcow2'/>
+      <target file='/path/to/file'>
+        <encryption format='luks'>
+          <secret type='passphrase' uuid='0a81f5b2-8403-7b23-c8d6-21ccc2f80d6f'/>
+        </encryption>
+      </target>
+    </disk>
+    <disk name='vdb' type='file'>
+      <driver type='raw'/>
+      <target file='/path/to/file'>
+        <encryption format='luks'>
+          <secret type='passphrase' usage='/storage/backup/vdb'/>
+        </encryption>
+      </target>
+    </disk>
+    <disk name='vdc' type='block'>
+      <driver type='qcow2'/>
+      <target dev='/dev/block'>
+        <encryption format='luks'>
+          <secret type='passphrase' usage='/storage/backup/vdc'/>
+        </encryption>
+      </target>
+    </disk>
+  </disks>
+</domainbackup>
diff --git a/tests/domainbackupxml2xmlout/backup-pull-encrypted.xml b/tests/domainbackupxml2xmlout/backup-pull-encrypted.xml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..81519bfcb5
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/domainbackupxml2xmlout/backup-pull-encrypted.xml
@@ -0,0 +1,30 @@
+<domainbackup mode='pull'>
+  <incremental>1525889631</incremental>
+  <server transport='tcp' name='localhost' port='10809'/>
+  <disks>
+    <disk name='vda' backup='yes' type='file' exportname='test-vda' exportbitmap='blah'>
+      <driver type='qcow2'/>
+      <scratch file='/path/to/file'>
+        <encryption format='luks'>
+          <secret type='passphrase' uuid='0a81f5b2-8403-7b23-c8d6-21ccc2f80d6f'/>
+        </encryption>
+      </scratch>
+    </disk>
+    <disk name='vdb' backup='yes' type='file' exportname='test-vda' exportbitmap='blah'>
+      <driver type='qcow2'/>
+      <scratch file='/path/to/file'>
+        <encryption format='luks'>
+          <secret type='passphrase' usage='/storage/backup/vdb'/>
+        </encryption>
+      </scratch>
+    </disk>
+    <disk name='vdc' backup='yes' type='block'>
+      <driver type='qcow2'/>
+      <scratch dev='/dev/block'>
+        <encryption format='luks'>
+          <secret type='passphrase' usage='/storage/backup/vdc'/>
+        </encryption>
+      </scratch>
+    </disk>
+  </disks>
+</domainbackup>
diff --git a/tests/domainbackupxml2xmlout/backup-push-encrypted.xml b/tests/domainbackupxml2xmlout/backup-push-encrypted.xml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..a955340964
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/domainbackupxml2xmlout/backup-push-encrypted.xml
@@ -0,0 +1,29 @@
+<domainbackup mode='push'>
+  <incremental>1525889631</incremental>
+  <disks>
+    <disk name='vda' backup='yes' type='file'>
+      <driver type='qcow2'/>
+      <target file='/path/to/file'>
+        <encryption format='luks'>
+          <secret type='passphrase' uuid='0a81f5b2-8403-7b23-c8d6-21ccc2f80d6f'/>
+        </encryption>
+      </target>
+    </disk>
+    <disk name='vdb' backup='yes' type='file'>
+      <driver type='raw'/>
+      <target file='/path/to/file'>
+        <encryption format='luks'>
+          <secret type='passphrase' usage='/storage/backup/vdb'/>
+        </encryption>
+      </target>
+    </disk>
+    <disk name='vdc' backup='yes' type='block'>
+      <driver type='qcow2'/>
+      <target dev='/dev/block'>
+        <encryption format='luks'>
+          <secret type='passphrase' usage='/storage/backup/vdc'/>
+        </encryption>
+      </target>
+    </disk>
+  </disks>
+</domainbackup>
diff --git a/tests/genericxml2xmltest.c b/tests/genericxml2xmltest.c
index 501bcdb0a1..74e520522b 100644
--- a/tests/genericxml2xmltest.c
+++ b/tests/genericxml2xmltest.c
@@ -192,8 +192,11 @@ mymain(void)
     DO_TEST_BACKUP("empty");
     DO_TEST_BACKUP("backup-pull");
     DO_TEST_BACKUP("backup-pull-seclabel");
+    DO_TEST_BACKUP("backup-pull-encrypted");
     DO_TEST_BACKUP("backup-push");
     DO_TEST_BACKUP("backup-push-seclabel");
+    DO_TEST_BACKUP("backup-push-encrypted");
+
 
     virObjectUnref(caps);
     virObjectUnref(xmlopt);