diff --git a/meta/lib/oeqa/selftest/cases/devtool.py b/meta/lib/oeqa/selftest/cases/devtool.py
index b2cd13e9a5..1bad223278 100644
--- a/meta/lib/oeqa/selftest/cases/devtool.py
+++ b/meta/lib/oeqa/selftest/cases/devtool.py
@@ -1286,6 +1286,28 @@ class DevtoolUpdateTests(DevtoolBase):
         self._check_repo_status(os.path.dirname(recipefile), expected_status)
         result = runCmd(cleanup_cmd)
         self._check_repo_status(os.path.dirname(recipefile), [])
+        # Now try the same passing --initial-rev: the recorded initial
+        # revision must give the same result as not passing the option, and a
+        # later revision must export only the commits after it
+        result = runCmd('git rev-parse devtool-base', cwd=tempdir)
+        initial_rev = result.output.strip()
+        result = runCmd('devtool update-recipe --initial-rev %s %s' % (initial_rev, testrecipe))
+        result = runCmd('git add minicom', cwd=os.path.dirname(recipefile))
+        expected_status = [(' M', '.*/%s$' % os.path.basename(recipefile)),
+                           ('A ', '.*/0001-Change-the-README.patch$'),
+                           ('A ', '.*/0002-Add-a-new-file.patch$')]
+        self._check_repo_status(os.path.dirname(recipefile), expected_status)
+        result = runCmd(cleanup_cmd)
+        self._check_repo_status(os.path.dirname(recipefile), [])
+        result = runCmd('git rev-parse HEAD~1', cwd=tempdir)
+        midpoint_rev = result.output.strip()
+        result = runCmd('devtool update-recipe --initial-rev %s %s' % (midpoint_rev, testrecipe))
+        result = runCmd('git add minicom', cwd=os.path.dirname(recipefile))
+        expected_status = [(' M', '.*/%s$' % os.path.basename(recipefile)),
+                           ('A ', '.*/0001-Add-a-new-file.patch$')]
+        self._check_repo_status(os.path.dirname(recipefile), expected_status)
+        result = runCmd(cleanup_cmd)
+        self._check_repo_status(os.path.dirname(recipefile), [])
 
     def test_devtool_update_recipe_git(self):
         # Check preconditions