diff --git a/app/models/backup_draft_post.rb b/app/models/backup_draft_post.rb
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..9dd552452b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/app/models/backup_draft_post.rb
@@ -0,0 +1,23 @@
+# frozen_string_literal: true
+
+class BackupDraftPost < ActiveRecord::Base
+  belongs_to :user
+  belongs_to :post
+end
+
+# == Schema Information
+#
+# Table name: backup_draft_posts
+#
+#  id         :bigint           not null, primary key
+#  user_id    :integer          not null
+#  post_id    :integer          not null
+#  key        :string           not null
+#  created_at :datetime         not null
+#  updated_at :datetime         not null
+#
+# Indexes
+#
+#  index_backup_draft_posts_on_post_id          (post_id) UNIQUE
+#  index_backup_draft_posts_on_user_id_and_key  (user_id,key) UNIQUE
+#
diff --git a/app/models/backup_draft_topic.rb b/app/models/backup_draft_topic.rb
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..c3fdfe1204
--- /dev/null
+++ b/app/models/backup_draft_topic.rb
@@ -0,0 +1,22 @@
+# frozen_string_literal: true
+
+class BackupDraftTopic < ActiveRecord::Base
+  belongs_to :user
+  belongs_to :topic
+end
+
+# == Schema Information
+#
+# Table name: backup_draft_topics
+#
+#  id         :bigint           not null, primary key
+#  user_id    :integer          not null
+#  topic_id   :integer          not null
+#  created_at :datetime         not null
+#  updated_at :datetime         not null
+#
+# Indexes
+#
+#  index_backup_draft_topics_on_topic_id  (topic_id) UNIQUE
+#  index_backup_draft_topics_on_user_id   (user_id) UNIQUE
+#
diff --git a/app/models/draft.rb b/app/models/draft.rb
index 9905cbe1c5..287d25c263 100644
--- a/app/models/draft.rb
+++ b/app/models/draft.rb
@@ -6,6 +6,10 @@ class Draft < ActiveRecord::Base
   EXISTING_TOPIC ||= 'topic_'
 
   def self.set(user, key, sequence, data)
+    if SiteSetting.backup_drafts_to_pm_length > 0 && SiteSetting.backup_drafts_to_pm_length < data.length
+      backup_draft(user, key, sequence, data)
+    end
+
     if d = find_draft(user, key)
       return if d.sequence > sequence
 
@@ -96,6 +100,92 @@ class Draft < ActiveRecord::Base
     Draft.where("updated_at < ?", delete_drafts_older_than_n_days).destroy_all
   end
 
+  def self.backup_draft(user, key, sequence, data)
+    reply = JSON.parse(data)["reply"] || ""
+    return if reply.length < SiteSetting.backup_drafts_to_pm_length
+
+    post_id = BackupDraftPost.where(user_id: user.id, key: key).pluck(:post_id).first
+    post = Post.where(id: post_id).first if post_id
+
+    if post_id && !post
+      BackupDraftPost.where(user_id: user.id, key: key).delete_all
+    end
+
+    indented_reply = reply.split("\n").map! do |l|
+      "    #{l}"
+    end
+    draft_body = <<~MD
+      #{indented_reply.join("\n")}
+
+      ```text
+      seq: #{sequence}
+      key: #{key}
+      ```
+    MD
+
+    return if post && post.raw == draft_body
+
+    if !post
+      topic = ensure_draft_topic!(user)
+      Post.transaction do
+        post = PostCreator.new(
+          user,
+          raw: draft_body,
+          skip_jobs: true,
+          skip_validations: true,
+          topic_id: topic.id,
+        ).create
+        BackupDraftPost.create!(user_id: user.id, key: key, post_id: post.id)
+      end
+    elsif post.updated_at > 5.minutes.ago
+      # bypass all validations here to maximize speed
+      post.update_columns(
+        raw: draft_body,
+        cooked: PrettyText.cook(draft_body),
+        updated_at: Time.zone.now
+      )
+    else
+      revisor = PostRevisor.new(post, post.topic)
+      revisor.revise!(user, { raw: draft_body },
+        bypass_bump: true,
+        skip_validations: true,
+        skip_staff_log: true,
+        bypass_rate_limiter: true
+      )
+    end
+
+  rescue => e
+    Discourse.warn_exception(e, message: "Failed to backup draft")
+  end
+
+  def self.ensure_draft_topic!(user)
+    topic_id = BackupDraftTopic.where(user_id: user.id).pluck(:topic_id).first
+    topic = Topic.find_by(id: topic_id) if topic_id
+
+    if topic_id && !topic
+      BackupDraftTopic.where(user_id: user.id).delete_all
+    end
+
+    if !topic
+      Topic.transaction do
+        creator = PostCreator.new(
+          user,
+          title: I18n.t("draft_backup.pm_title"),
+          archetype: Archetype.private_message,
+          raw: I18n.t("draft_backup.pm_body"),
+          skip_jobs: true,
+          skip_validations: true,
+          target_usernames: user.username
+        )
+        topic = creator.create.topic
+        BackupDraftTopic.create!(topic_id: topic.id, user_id: user.id)
+      end
+    end
+
+    topic
+
+  end
+
 end
 
 # == Schema Information
diff --git a/config/locales/server.en.yml b/config/locales/server.en.yml
index 1e72fbf09b..d88a01ccc1 100644
--- a/config/locales/server.en.yml
+++ b/config/locales/server.en.yml
@@ -871,6 +871,9 @@ en:
       short_description: "Like this post"
       long_form: "liked this"
 
+  draft_backup:
+    pm_title: "Backup Drafts from ongoing topics"
+    pm_body: "Topic containing backup drafts"
   user_activity:
     no_default:
       self: "You have no activity yet."
@@ -1993,7 +1996,7 @@ en:
     notify_about_flags_after: "If there are flags that haven't been handled after this many hours, send a personal message to moderators. Set to 0 to disable."
     show_create_topics_notice: "If the site has fewer than 5 public topics, show a notice asking admins to create some topics."
 
-    delete_drafts_older_than_n_days: Delete drafts older than (n) days.
+    delete_drafts_older_than_n_days: "Delete drafts older than (n) days."
 
     bootstrap_mode_min_users: "Minimum number of users required to disable bootstrap mode (set to 0 to disable)"
 
diff --git a/config/site_settings.yml b/config/site_settings.yml
index 603ac3cc89..c452320eac 100644
--- a/config/site_settings.yml
+++ b/config/site_settings.yml
@@ -1858,6 +1858,10 @@ uncategorized:
   delete_drafts_older_than_n_days:
     default: 180
 
+  backup_drafts_to_pm_length:
+    default: 0
+    hidden: true
+
   tos_topic_id:
     default: -1
     hidden: true
diff --git a/db/migrate/20191017044811_add_draft_backup_tables.rb b/db/migrate/20191017044811_add_draft_backup_tables.rb
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..6177426c50
--- /dev/null
+++ b/db/migrate/20191017044811_add_draft_backup_tables.rb
@@ -0,0 +1,25 @@
+# frozen_string_literal: true
+
+class AddDraftBackupTables < ActiveRecord::Migration[6.0]
+  def change
+
+    create_table :backup_draft_topics do |t|
+      t.integer :user_id, null: false
+      t.integer :topic_id, null: false
+      t.timestamps
+    end
+
+    create_table :backup_draft_posts do |t|
+      t.integer :user_id, null: false
+      t.integer :post_id, null: false
+      t.string :key, null: false
+      t.timestamps
+    end
+
+    add_index :backup_draft_posts, [:user_id, :key], unique: true
+    add_index :backup_draft_posts, [:post_id], unique: true
+
+    add_index :backup_draft_topics, [:user_id], unique: true
+    add_index :backup_draft_topics, [:topic_id], unique: true
+  end
+end
diff --git a/lib/post_creator.rb b/lib/post_creator.rb
index bf1fe848d7..561720dfb0 100644
--- a/lib/post_creator.rb
+++ b/lib/post_creator.rb
@@ -34,6 +34,7 @@ class PostCreator
   #                             dequeue before the commit finishes. If you do this, be sure to
   #                             call `enqueue_jobs` after the transaction is comitted.
   #   hidden_reason_id        - Reason for hiding the post (optional)
+  #   skip_validations        - Do not validate any of the content in the post
   #
   #   When replying to a topic:
   #     topic_id              - topic we're replying to
diff --git a/spec/models/draft_spec.rb b/spec/models/draft_spec.rb
index 2cdf5fa5d4..b65c20c3b7 100644
--- a/spec/models/draft_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/models/draft_spec.rb
@@ -3,37 +3,70 @@
 require 'rails_helper'
 
 describe Draft do
-  before do
-    @user = Fabricate(:user)
+
+  fab!(:user) do
+    Fabricate(:user)
   end
+
+  context 'backup_drafts_to_pm_length' do
+    it "correctly backs up drafts to a personal message" do
+      SiteSetting.backup_drafts_to_pm_length = 1
+
+      draft = {
+        reply: "this is a reply",
+        random_key: "random"
+      }
+
+      Draft.set(user, "new_private_message", 0, draft.to_json)
+      draft["reply"] = "test" * 100
+      Draft.set(user, "new_private_message", 77, draft.to_json)
+
+      draft_post = BackupDraftPost.find_by(user_id: user.id, key: "new_private_message").post
+
+      expect(draft_post.revisions.count).to eq(0)
+
+      freeze_time 10.minutes.from_now
+
+      # this should trigger a post revision as 10 minutes have passed
+      draft["reply"] = "hello"
+      Draft.set(user, "new_private_message", 77, draft.to_json)
+
+      draft_topic = BackupDraftTopic.find_by(user_id: user.id)
+      expect(draft_topic.topic.posts_count).to eq(2)
+
+      draft_post.reload
+      expect(draft_post.revisions.count).to eq(1)
+    end
+  end
+
   it "can get a draft by user" do
-    Draft.set(@user, "test", 0, "data")
-    expect(Draft.get(@user, "test", 0)).to eq "data"
+    Draft.set(user, "test", 0, "data")
+    expect(Draft.get(user, "test", 0)).to eq "data"
   end
 
   it "uses the user id and key correctly" do
-    Draft.set(@user, "test", 0, "data")
+    Draft.set(user, "test", 0, "data")
     expect(Draft.get(Fabricate.build(:coding_horror), "test", 0)).to eq nil
   end
 
   it "should overwrite draft data correctly" do
-    Draft.set(@user, "test", 0, "data")
-    Draft.set(@user, "test", 0, "new data")
-    expect(Draft.get(@user, "test", 0)).to eq "new data"
+    Draft.set(user, "test", 0, "data")
+    Draft.set(user, "test", 0, "new data")
+    expect(Draft.get(user, "test", 0)).to eq "new data"
   end
 
   it "should clear drafts on request" do
-    Draft.set(@user, "test", 0, "data")
-    Draft.clear(@user, "test", 0)
-    expect(Draft.get(@user, "test", 0)).to eq nil
+    Draft.set(user, "test", 0, "data")
+    Draft.clear(user, "test", 0)
+    expect(Draft.get(user, "test", 0)).to eq nil
   end
 
   it "should disregard old draft if sequence decreases" do
-    Draft.set(@user, "test", 0, "data")
-    Draft.set(@user, "test", 1, "hello")
-    Draft.set(@user, "test", 0, "foo")
-    expect(Draft.get(@user, "test", 0)).to eq nil
-    expect(Draft.get(@user, "test", 1)).to eq "hello"
+    Draft.set(user, "test", 0, "data")
+    Draft.set(user, "test", 1, "hello")
+    Draft.set(user, "test", 0, "foo")
+    expect(Draft.get(user, "test", 0)).to eq nil
+    expect(Draft.get(user, "test", 1)).to eq "hello"
   end
 
   it 'can cleanup old drafts' do
@@ -71,25 +104,25 @@ describe Draft do
     let(:public_topic) { public_post.topic }
 
     let(:stream) do
-      Draft.stream(user: @user)
+      Draft.stream(user: user)
     end
 
     it "should include the correct number of drafts in the stream" do
-      Draft.set(@user, "test", 0, '{"reply":"hey.","action":"createTopic","title":"Hey"}')
-      Draft.set(@user, "test2", 0, '{"reply":"howdy"}')
+      Draft.set(user, "test", 0, '{"reply":"hey.","action":"createTopic","title":"Hey"}')
+      Draft.set(user, "test2", 0, '{"reply":"howdy"}')
       expect(stream.count).to eq(2)
     end
 
     it "should include the right topic id in a draft reply in the stream" do
-      Draft.set(@user, "topic_#{public_topic.id}", 0, '{"reply":"hi"}')
+      Draft.set(user, "topic_#{public_topic.id}", 0, '{"reply":"hi"}')
       draft_row = stream.first
       expect(draft_row.topic_id).to eq(public_topic.id)
     end
 
     it "should include the right draft username in the stream" do
-      Draft.set(@user, "topic_#{public_topic.id}", 0, '{"reply":"hey"}')
+      Draft.set(user, "topic_#{public_topic.id}", 0, '{"reply":"hey"}')
       draft_row = stream.first
-      expect(draft_row.draft_username).to eq(@user.username)
+      expect(draft_row.draft_username).to eq(user.username)
     end
 
   end