diff --git a/src/vmm_mad/remotes/kvm/save b/src/vmm_mad/remotes/kvm/save
index a63644ff71..110189dbbf 100755
--- a/src/vmm_mad/remotes/kvm/save
+++ b/src/vmm_mad/remotes/kvm/save
@@ -22,10 +22,16 @@ source $(dirname $0)/../../scripts_common.sh
 deploy_id=$1
 file=$2
 
-if [ ! -f $file ]; then
-    touch $file
-    chmod 666 $file
+if [ -f $file ]; then
+    log "Moving old checkpoint file $file"
+    epoch=`date +%s`
+
+    exec_and_log "mv $file $file.$epoch" \
+        "Could not move $file to $file.$epoch"
 fi
 
+touch $file
+chmod 666 $file
+
 exec_and_log "virsh --connect $LIBVIRT_URI save $deploy_id $file" \
     "Could not save $deploy_id to $file"
diff --git a/src/vmm_mad/remotes/xen/save b/src/vmm_mad/remotes/xen/save
index d5b5511bd8..c168cc00c6 100755
--- a/src/vmm_mad/remotes/xen/save
+++ b/src/vmm_mad/remotes/xen/save
@@ -22,5 +22,13 @@ source $(dirname $0)/../../scripts_common.sh
 deploy_id=$1
 file=$2
 
+if [ -f $file ]; then
+    log "Moving old checkpoint file $file"
+    epoch=`date +%s`
+
+    exec_and_log "mv $file $file.$epoch" \
+        "Could not move $file to $file.$epoch"
+fi
+
 exec_and_log "$XM_SAVE $deploy_id $file" \
     "Could not save $deploy_id to $file"