@@ -2105,11 +2105,12 @@
 	 (states       (if state  (string-split state  ",") '()))
 	 (statuses     (if status (string-split status ",") '()))
 	 (state-status (if (string? new-state-status) (string-split new-state-status ",") '(#f #f)))
 	 (rp-mutex     (make-mutex))
 	 (bup-mutex    (make-mutex))
-         (keep-records (args:get-arg "-keep-records"))) ;; used in conjunction with -remove-runs to keep the records, TODO: consolidate this with "mode".
+         (keep-records (args:get-arg "-keep-records")) ;; used in conjunction with -remove-runs to keep the records, TODO: consolidate this with "mode".
+	 (test-records '())) ;; for tasks that we wish to operate on all tests in one fell swoop
 
     (let* ((write-access-actions '(remove-runs set-state-status archive run-wait kill-runs))
            (dbfile             (conc  *toppath* "/megatest.db"))
            (readonly-mode      (not (file-write-access? dbfile))))
       (when (and readonly-mode
@@ -2139,11 +2140,11 @@
 		(run-name  (db:get-value-by-header run header "runname"))
 		(tests     (if (not (equal? run-state "locked"))
 			       (proc-get-tests run-id)
 			       '()))
 		(lasttpath "/does/not/exist/I/hope")
-    (lastrealpath "/does/not/exist/I/hope")
+		(lastrealpath "/does/not/exist/I/hope")
 		(worker-thread #f))
 	   (debug:print-info 4 *default-log-port* "runs:operate-on run=" run ", header=" header)
 	   (if (not (null? tests))
 	       (begin
 		 (case action
@@ -2166,23 +2167,29 @@
 		    action)
 		   ((run-wait)
 		    (debug:print 1 *default-log-port* "Waiting for run " runkey ", run=" runnamepatt " to complete"))
 		   ((archive)
 		    (debug:print 1 *default-log-port* "Archiving/restoring (" (args:get-arg "-archive") ") data for run: " runkey " " (db:get-value-by-header run header "runname"))
-		    (set! worker-thread
-			  (make-thread
-			   (lambda ()
-			     (case (string->symbol (args:get-arg "-archive"))
-			       ((save save-remove keep-html)
-				(archive:run-bup (args:get-arg "-archive") run-id run-name tests rp-mutex bup-mutex))
-			       ((restore)
-				(archive:bup-restore (args:get-arg "-archive") run-id run-name tests rp-mutex bup-mutex))
-			       (else 
-				(debug:print-error 0 *default-log-port* "unrecognised sub command to -archive. Run \"megatest\" to see help")
-				(exit))))
-			   "archive-bup-thread"))
-		    (thread-start! worker-thread))
+		    (let ((op (string->symbol (args:get-arg "-archive"))))
+		      (set! worker-thread
+			    (make-thread
+			     (lambda ()
+			       (case op
+				 ((save save-remove keep-html)
+				  (archive:run-bup op run-id run-name tests rp-mutex bup-mutex))
+				 ((restore)
+				  (archive:bup-restore op run-id run-name tests rp-mutex bup-mutex))
+				 ((get) ;;; NOTE: This is a special case. We wish to operate on ALL tests in one go
+				  (set! test-records (append tests test-records)))
+				 (else 
+				  (debug:print-error 0 *default-log-port* "unrecognised sub command " op " for -archive. Run \"megatest\" to see help")
+				  (exit))))
+			     "archive-bup-thread"))
+		      (thread-start! worker-thread)
+		      (if (eq? op 'get)
+			  (thread-join! worker-thread)) ;; we need the test-records set to not overlap
+		      ))
 		   (else
 		    (debug:print-info 0 *default-log-port* "action not recognised " action)))
 		 
 		 ;; actions that operate on one test at a time can be handled below
 		 ;;
@@ -2394,10 +2401,11 @@
 				    (loop (car tal)(cdr tal))))
 			       )))
 		       )
 		     (if worker-thread (thread-join! worker-thread)))
                    (common:join-backgrounded-threads))))
+	   
 	   ;; remove the run if zero tests remain
 	   (if (eq? action 'remove-runs)
 	       (let* ((run-id   (db:get-value-by-header run header "id")) ;; NB// masks run-id from above?
                       (remtests (mt:get-tests-for-run run-id #f '("DELETED") '("n/a") not-in: #t)))
 		 (if (null? remtests) ;; no more tests remaining
@@ -2423,14 +2431,16 @@
             (runs:recursive-delete-with-error-msg realpath)
 
 		       )))))
 	 ))
      runs)
-    ;; (sqlite3:finalize! (db:delay-if-busy tdbdat))
+    ;; special case - archive get
+    (if (equal? (args:get-arg "-archive") "get")
+	(archive:bup-get-data "get" #f #f test-records rp-mutex bup-mutex))
+    )
+  #t
   )
-#t
-)
 
 (define (runs:remove-test-directory test mode) ;; remove-data-only)
   (let* ((run-dir       (db:test-get-rundir test))    ;; run dir is from the link tree
 	 (real-dir      (if (common:file-exists? run-dir)
 			    ;; (resolve-pathname run-dir)