diff --git a/.github/test-script.sh b/.github/test-script.sh
index 25b399e..5b82d33 100644
--- a/.github/test-script.sh
+++ b/.github/test-script.sh
@@ -42,3 +42,13 @@ export export_method="tar"
 cp .github/test-hook.sh ./hooks.sh
 create_dummy_files
 ./backup.sh
+
+# discouraged_disable_archive enabled, ADB exporting method
+export discouraged_disable_archive="yes"
+export use_hooks="no"
+export export_method="adb"
+create_dummy_files
+./backup.sh
+
+# Show the contents of the backup location
+ls -la $archive_path
diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 83a3354..6eaae23 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -117,7 +117,7 @@ You need 3 functions in your hook for it to be properly initialized by the scrip
 
 Please keep in mind that this project has minimal support for automation and very little support will be provided. In order to export contacts, you still need to have physical access to the device you're backing up as an "unattended mode" for the companion app hasn't been implemented yet.
 
-There are 8 environment variables that control what the script does without user input:
+There are 9 environment variables that control what the script does without user input:
 
 1. `unattended_mode` - Instead of waiting for a key press, sleeps for 5 seconds. Can be any value.
 2. `selected_action` - What the script should do when run. Possible values are `Backup` and `Restore` (case sensitive).
@@ -127,6 +127,7 @@ There are 8 environment variables that control what the script does without user
 6. `export_method` - The method Open Android Backup should use to export data from the device. Possible values are `tar` and `adb` (case sensitive) - the former is fast & very stable but might not work on all devices, and the latter is widely compatible but has stability issues.
 7. `use_hooks` - Whether to use hooks or not. Possible values are `yes` or `no` (case sensitive).
 8. `data_erase_choice` - Whether to securely erase temporary files or not. Possible values are `Fast`, `Slow` and `Extra Slow` (case sensitive). The value of this variable is ignored if the command `srm` isn't present on your computer.
+9. `discouraged_disable_archive` - Disables the creation of a backup archive, only creates a backup *directory* with no compression, encryption or other features. This is not recommended, although some may find it useful to deduplicate backups and save space. Restoring backups created with this option enabled is not supported by default; you must manually create an archive from the backup directory and then restore it. Possible values are `yes` or `no` (case sensitive).
 
 Examples:
 
diff --git a/functions/backup_func.sh b/functions/backup_func.sh
index 868ebcc..0e3dc0d 100644
--- a/functions/backup_func.sh
+++ b/functions/backup_func.sh
@@ -104,16 +104,26 @@ function backup_func() {
   cp "$DIR/extras/backup_archive_info.txt" ./backup-tmp/PLEASE_READ.txt
   echo "$APP_VERSION" > ./backup-tmp/version.txt
 
-  # Compress
-  cecho "Compressing & encrypting data - this will take a while."
-  # 7-Zip options:
-  # -p: encrypt backup
-  # -mhe=on: encrypt headers (metadata)
-  # -mx=9: ultra compression
-  # -bb3: verbose logging
-  # The undefined variable (archive_password) is set by the user if they're using unattended mode
-  declare backup_archive="$archive_path/open-android-backup-$(date +%m-%d-%Y-%H-%M-%S).7z"
-  retry 5 7z a -p"$archive_password" -mhe=on -mx=7 -bb3 "$backup_archive" backup-tmp/*
+  # If the "discouraged_disable_archive" is set to "yes", then we'll only create a directory with the backup files.
+  if [ "$discouraged_disable_archive" = "yes" ]; then
+    cecho "Skipping compression & encryption due to the 'discouraged_disable_archive' option being set to 'yes'."
+    cecho "The backup data will be stored in a directory instead."
+    # TODO: clean up the code, i.e. remove the repetition
+    declare backup_archive="$archive_path/open-android-backup-$(date +%m-%d-%Y-%H-%M-%S)"
+    mkdir -p "$archive_path/open-android-backup-$(date +%m-%d-%Y-%H-%M-%S)"
+    mv ./backup-tmp "$archive_path/open-android-backup-$(date +%m-%d-%Y-%H-%M-%S)"
+  else
+    # Compress
+    cecho "Compressing & encrypting data - this will take a while."
+    # 7-Zip options:
+    # -p: encrypt backup
+    # -mhe=on: encrypt headers (metadata)
+    # -mx=9: ultra compression
+    # -bb3: verbose logging
+    # The undefined variable (archive_password) is set by the user if they're using unattended mode
+    declare backup_archive="$archive_path/open-android-backup-$(date +%m-%d-%Y-%H-%M-%S).7z"
+    retry 5 7z a -p"$archive_password" -mhe=on -mx=7 -bb3 "$backup_archive" backup-tmp/*
+  fi
 
   # We're not using 7-Zip's -sdel option (delete files after compression) to honor the user's choice to securely delete temporary files after a backup
   remove_backup_tmp