diff --git a/scripts/conda-backup-restore.py b/scripts/conda-backup-restore.py
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..5624fe142
--- /dev/null
+++ b/scripts/conda-backup-restore.py
@@ -0,0 +1,333 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env python3
+"""
+conda-store backup and restore CLI tool
+"""
+
+import argparse
+import asyncio
+import os
+import sys
+from datetime import datetime
+from pathlib import Path
+from typing import Optional
+
+from conda_store._internal import utils
+from conda_store.api import CondaStoreAPI, CondaStoreAPIError
+
+
+# TODO(asmacdo) this could potentially be moved to upstream conda-store
+# I'll ask in the community meeting if they want it before putting in the time
+class ExtendedCondaStoreAPI(CondaStoreAPI):
+    """Extended client with lockfile and idempotent restore support"""
+
+    async def get_environment_lockfile(
+        self, namespace: str, environment_name: str
+    ) -> str:
+        """Get current lockfile for an environment"""
+        async with self.session.get(
+            utils.ensure_slash(
+                self.api_url
+                / "environment"
+                / namespace
+                / environment_name
+                / "conda-lock.yaml"
+            )
+        ) as response:
+            if response.status != 200:
+                raise CondaStoreAPIError(
+                    f"Error getting lockfile for {namespace}/{environment_name}"
+                )
+            return await response.text()
+
+    async def create_environment_from_lockfile(
+        self,
+        namespace: str,
+        specification: str,
+        environment_name: str = "",
+        environment_description: str = "",
+    ):
+        """Create environment from lockfile specification"""
+        async with self.session.post(
+            utils.ensure_slash(self.api_url / "specification"),
+            json={
+                "namespace": namespace,
+                "specification": specification,
+                "is_lockfile": True,
+                "environment_name": environment_name,
+                "environment_description": environment_description,
+            },
+        ) as response:
+            data = await response.json()
+            if response.status != 200:
+                message = data["message"]
+                raise CondaStoreAPIError(
+                    f"Error creating environment from lockfile in namespace {namespace}\nReason {message}"
+                )
+            return data["data"]["build_id"]
+
+    async def environment_exists(self, namespace: str, environment_name: str) -> bool:
+        """Check if environment exists"""
+        try:
+            await self.get_environment(namespace=namespace, name=environment_name)
+            return True
+        except CondaStoreAPIError:
+            return False
+
+
+async def _backup_environment(
+    conda_store: ExtendedCondaStoreAPI,
+    namespace_name: str,
+    env_name: str,
+    backup_dir: Path,
+) -> bool:
+    """Backup a single environment. Returns True if successful."""
+    try:
+        # Create namespace subdirectory
+        namespace_dir = backup_dir / namespace_name
+        namespace_dir.mkdir(exist_ok=True)
+
+        # Get current lockfile for environment (not build-specific)
+        lockfile_content = await conda_store.get_environment_lockfile(
+            namespace_name, env_name
+        )
+
+        # Save lockfile with environment name
+        filename = f"{env_name}.conda-lock.yaml"
+        filepath = namespace_dir / filename
+
+        with open(filepath, "w") as f:
+            f.write(lockfile_content)
+
+        print(f"✓ {namespace_name}/{env_name} -> {filepath}")
+        return True
+
+    except Exception as e:
+        print(f"✗ Failed to backup {namespace_name}/{env_name}: {e}")
+        return False
+
+
+async def backup_environments(
+    conda_store: ExtendedCondaStoreAPI,
+    backup_dir: Path,
+    target_env: Optional[str] = None,
+):
+    """Backup all environments or a specific one"""
+
+    # Create timestamped backup directory
+    timestamp = datetime.now().strftime("%Y-%m-%d_%H-%M-%S")
+    timestamped_backup_dir = backup_dir / f"{timestamp}"
+    timestamped_backup_dir.mkdir(parents=True, exist_ok=True)
+    print(f"Created backup directory: {timestamped_backup_dir}")
+
+    backup_count = 0
+    skip_count = 0
+
+    # If specific environment specified, backup just that one
+    if target_env:
+        if "/" not in target_env:
+            print("Error: Environment must be specified as 'namespace/name'")
+            return
+
+        target_namespace, target_name = target_env.split("/", 1)
+        print(f"\n=== Backing up {target_env} ===")
+
+        success = await _backup_environment(
+            conda_store, target_namespace, target_name, timestamped_backup_dir
+        )
+        if success:
+            backup_count = 1
+        else:
+            skip_count = 1
+    else:
+        # Backup all environments
+        print("\n=== Backing up all environments ===")
+        environments = await conda_store.list_environments(
+            status=None, artifact=None, packages=[]
+        )
+
+        for env in environments:
+            namespace_name = env["namespace"]["name"]
+            env_name = env["name"]
+
+            success = await _backup_environment(
+                conda_store, namespace_name, env_name, timestamped_backup_dir
+            )
+            if success:
+                backup_count += 1
+            else:
+                skip_count += 1
+
+    print("\n=== Backup Summary ===")
+    print(f"Successfully backed up: {backup_count} environments")
+    print(f"Skipped: {skip_count} environments")
+    print(f"Backup directory: {timestamped_backup_dir.absolute()}")
+
+
+async def _restore_environment(
+    conda_store: ExtendedCondaStoreAPI,
+    namespace_name: str,
+    env_name: str,
+    lockfile_path: Path,
+    force: bool = False,
+) -> Optional[str]:
+    """Restore a single environment. Returns 'restored', 'skipped', or None for error."""
+    try:
+        # Check if environment already exists (idempotent check)
+        exists = await conda_store.environment_exists(namespace_name, env_name)
+
+        if exists and not force:
+            print(
+                f"⚠ {namespace_name}/{env_name} already exists (use --force to recreate)"
+            )
+            return "skipped"
+
+        # Read lockfile
+        lockfile_content = lockfile_path.read_text()
+
+        print(f"{'↻' if exists else '+'} Restoring {namespace_name}/{env_name}...")
+
+        # Create/update environment from lockfile
+        build_id = await conda_store.create_environment_from_lockfile(
+            namespace=namespace_name,
+            specification=lockfile_content,
+            environment_name=env_name,
+            environment_description="Restored from backup",
+        )
+
+        print(f"✓ {namespace_name}/{env_name} -> build {build_id}")
+        return "restored"
+
+    except Exception as e:
+        print(f"✗ Failed to restore {namespace_name}/{env_name}: {e}")
+        return None
+
+
+async def restore_environments(
+    conda_store: ExtendedCondaStoreAPI,
+    backup_dir: Path,
+    target_env: Optional[str] = None,
+    force: bool = False,
+):
+    """Restore environments from latest backup"""
+
+    # Find latest backup directory
+    backup_dirs = sorted([d for d in backup_dir.glob("*") if d.is_dir()], reverse=True)
+    if not backup_dirs:
+        print("No backup directories found")
+        return
+
+    latest_backup = backup_dirs[0]
+    print(f"Restoring from: {latest_backup}")
+
+    restore_count = 0
+    skip_count = 0
+    error_count = 0
+
+    # If specific environment specified, restore just that one
+    if target_env:
+        if "/" not in target_env:
+            print("Error: Environment must be specified as 'namespace/name'")
+            return
+
+        target_namespace, target_name = target_env.split("/", 1)
+        lockfile_path = (
+            latest_backup / target_namespace / f"{target_name}.conda-lock.yaml"
+        )
+
+        if not lockfile_path.exists():
+            print(f"Error: Backup not found for {target_env}")
+            return
+
+        result = await _restore_environment(
+            conda_store, target_namespace, target_name, lockfile_path, force
+        )
+        if result == "restored":
+            restore_count = 1
+        elif result == "skipped":
+            skip_count = 1
+        else:
+            error_count = 1
+    else:
+        # Restore all environments
+        for namespace_dir in latest_backup.iterdir():
+            if not namespace_dir.is_dir():
+                continue
+
+            namespace_name = namespace_dir.name
+
+            # Process each lockfile in namespace
+            for lockfile_path in namespace_dir.glob("*.conda-lock.yaml"):
+                env_name = lockfile_path.stem.replace(".conda-lock", "")
+
+                result = await _restore_environment(
+                    conda_store, namespace_name, env_name, lockfile_path, force
+                )
+                if result == "restored":
+                    restore_count += 1
+                elif result == "skipped":
+                    skip_count += 1
+                else:
+                    error_count += 1
+
+    print("\n=== Restore Summary ===")
+    print(f"Successfully restored: {restore_count} environments")
+    print(f"Skipped (already exist): {skip_count} environments")
+    print(f"Errors: {error_count} environments")
+
+
+async def main():
+    parser = argparse.ArgumentParser(description="conda-store backup and restore tool")
+    parser.add_argument("command", choices=["backup", "restore"], help="Command to run")
+    parser.add_argument(
+        "--backup-dir",
+        default="./conda_store_backups",
+        help="Backup directory (default: ./conda_store_backups)",
+    )
+    parser.add_argument(
+        "--environment",
+        help="Specific environment to backup/restore (format: namespace/name)",
+    )
+    parser.add_argument(
+        "--force", action="store_true", help="Force restore even if environment exists"
+    )
+
+    args = parser.parse_args()
+
+    # Configuration from environment
+    conda_store_url = os.getenv("CONDA_STORE_URL")
+    api_token = os.getenv("CONDA_STORE_TOKEN")
+
+    if not conda_store_url:
+        print("Error: CONDA_STORE_URL environment variable must be set")
+        sys.exit(1)
+
+    if not api_token:
+        print("Error: CONDA_STORE_TOKEN environment variable must be set")
+        sys.exit(1)
+
+    backup_dir = Path(args.backup_dir)
+
+    # Initialize API client
+    async with ExtendedCondaStoreAPI(
+        conda_store_url=conda_store_url,
+        auth_type="token",
+        api_token=api_token,
+        verify_ssl=True,
+    ) as conda_store:
+
+        try:
+            if args.command == "backup":
+                await backup_environments(conda_store, backup_dir, args.environment)
+            elif args.command == "restore":
+                await restore_environments(
+                    conda_store, backup_dir, args.environment, args.force
+                )
+
+        except Exception as e:
+            print(f"Error: {e}")
+            raise
+            sys.exit(1)
+
+
+if __name__ == "__main__":
+    asyncio.run(main())