diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index 7ac9f2a9..ef8aad59 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -5,6 +5,9 @@
 
 ### Major changes:
 ### Minor changes:
+* Experimental: Added CLICON_TRANSACTION_MOD configurqation option. If set,
+  modifications in validation and commit callbacks are written back
+  into the datastore.
 * Invalid key to api_path2xml gives warning instead of error and quit.	
 * Added restconf/operations get, see RFC8040 Sec 3.3.2:
 * yang_find_topnode() and api_path2xml() schemanode parameter replaced with yang_class. Replace as follows: 0 -> YC_DATANODE, 1 -> YC_SCHEMANODE
diff --git a/apps/backend/backend_commit.c b/apps/backend/backend_commit.c
index 73753b63..ef73adf2 100644
--- a/apps/backend/backend_commit.c
+++ b/apps/backend/backend_commit.c
@@ -239,13 +239,20 @@ candidate_commit(clicon_handle h,
      if (plugin_transaction_commit(h, td) < 0)
 	 goto done;
 
-     /* 8. Success: Copy candidate to running */
+     /* Optionally write (potentially modified) tree back to candidate */
+     if (clicon_option_bool(h, "CLICON_TRANSACTION_MOD"))
+	 if (xmldb_put(h, candidate, OP_REPLACE, td->td_target) < 0)
+	     goto done;
+     /* 8. Success: Copy candidate to running 
+      */
+
      if (xmldb_copy(h, candidate, "running") < 0)
 	 goto done;
 
     /* 9. Call plugin transaction end callbacks */
     plugin_transaction_end(h, td);
 
+
     /* 8. Copy running back to candidate in case end functions updated running */
     if (xmldb_copy(h, "running", candidate) < 0){
 	/* ignore errors or signal major setback ? */
@@ -392,6 +399,10 @@ from_client_validate(clicon_handle h,
 		clicon_err_reason);
 	goto ok;
     }
+    /* Optionally write (potentially modified) tree back to candidate */
+     if (clicon_option_bool(h, "CLICON_TRANSACTION_MOD"))
+	 if (xmldb_put(h, "candidate", OP_REPLACE, td->td_target) < 0)
+	     goto done;
     cprintf(cbret, "<rpc-reply><ok/></rpc-reply>");
  ok:
     retval = 0;
diff --git a/yang/clixon-config@2018-02-12.yang b/yang/clixon-config@2018-02-12.yang
index 883a002f..3bcc0ce2 100644
--- a/yang/clixon-config@2018-02-12.yang
+++ b/yang/clixon-config@2018-02-12.yang
@@ -300,5 +300,11 @@ module clixon-config {
 	    type startup_mode;
 	    description "Which method to boot/start clicon backend";
 	}
+	leaf CLICON_TRANSACTION_MOD {
+	    type boolean;
+	    default false;
+	    description "If set, modifications in validation and commit 
+                         callbacks will be saved into running";
+	}
     }
 }