diff --git a/meta/lib/oeqa/selftest/cases/devtool.py b/meta/lib/oeqa/selftest/cases/devtool.py
index 6af3e2417a..cace9d26bd 100644
--- a/meta/lib/oeqa/selftest/cases/devtool.py
+++ b/meta/lib/oeqa/selftest/cases/devtool.py
@@ -1186,13 +1186,38 @@ class DevtoolUpdateTests(DevtoolBase):
         result = runCmd('echo "A new file" > devtool-new-file', cwd=tempdir)
         result = runCmd('git add devtool-new-file', cwd=tempdir)
         result = runCmd('git commit -m "Add a new file"', cwd=tempdir)
-        self.add_command_to_tearDown('cd %s; rm %s/*.patch; git checkout %s %s' % (os.path.dirname(recipefile), testrecipe, testrecipe, os.path.basename(recipefile)))
+        cleanup_cmd = 'cd %s; rm %s/*.patch; git add %s; git checkout %s' % (os.path.dirname(recipefile), testrecipe, testrecipe, os.path.basename(recipefile))
+        self.add_command_to_tearDown(cleanup_cmd)
         result = runCmd('devtool update-recipe %s' % 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$')]
         self._check_repo_status(os.path.dirname(recipefile), expected_status)
+        result = runCmd(cleanup_cmd)
+        self._check_repo_status(os.path.dirname(recipefile), [])
+        # Now try the same passing --initial-rev: the recorded initial
+        # revision must give the same result as not passing the option, and a
+        # later revision must export only the commits after it
+        result = runCmd('git rev-parse devtool-base', cwd=tempdir)
+        initial_rev = result.output.strip()
+        result = runCmd('devtool update-recipe --initial-rev %s %s' % (initial_rev, testrecipe))
+        result = runCmd('git add minicom', cwd=os.path.dirname(recipefile))
+        expected_status = [(' M', '.*/%s$' % 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