diff --git a/google-cloud-pubsublite/clirr-ignored-differences.xml b/google-cloud-pubsublite/clirr-ignored-differences.xml
index 4bf5160bf..a655b4f2c 100644
--- a/google-cloud-pubsublite/clirr-ignored-differences.xml
+++ b/google-cloud-pubsublite/clirr-ignored-differences.xml
@@ -7,6 +7,11 @@
     <className>com/google/cloud/pubsublite/PublishMetadata</className>
     <method>*</method>
   </difference>
+  <difference>
+    <differenceType>7012</differenceType>
+    <className>com/google/cloud/pubsublite/AdminClient</className>
+    <method>*</method>
+  </difference>
   <!-- Added abstract method to AutoValue.Builder class (Always okay) -->
   <difference>
     <differenceType>7013</differenceType>
diff --git a/google-cloud-pubsublite/src/main/java/com/google/cloud/pubsublite/AdminClient.java b/google-cloud-pubsublite/src/main/java/com/google/cloud/pubsublite/AdminClient.java
index f44117cdb..c649c46e3 100755
--- a/google-cloud-pubsublite/src/main/java/com/google/cloud/pubsublite/AdminClient.java
+++ b/google-cloud-pubsublite/src/main/java/com/google/cloud/pubsublite/AdminClient.java
@@ -30,6 +30,17 @@ static AdminClient create(AdminClientSettings settings) throws ApiException {
     return settings.instantiate();
   }
 
+  /**
+   * BacklogLoction refers to a location with respect to the message backlog.
+   *
+   * <p>BEGINNING refers to the location of the oldest retained message. END refers to the location
+   * past all currently published messages, skipping the entire message backlog.
+   */
+  public enum BacklogLocation {
+    BEGINNING,
+    END
+  }
+
   /** The Google Cloud region this client operates on. */
   CloudRegion region();
 
@@ -102,11 +113,27 @@ static AdminClient create(AdminClientSettings settings) throws ApiException {
   /**
    * Create the provided subscription if it does not yet exist.
    *
+   * <p>By default, a new subscription will only receive messages published after the subscription
+   * was created.
+   *
+   * @param subscription The subscription to create.
+   * @return A future that will have either an error {@link com.google.api.gax.rpc.ApiException} or
+   *     the subscription on success.
+   */
+  default ApiFuture<Subscription> createSubscription(Subscription subscription) {
+    return createSubscription(subscription, BacklogLocation.END);
+  }
+
+  /**
+   * Create the provided subscription at the given starting offset if it does not yet exist.
+   *
    * @param subscription The subscription to create.
+   * @param startingOffset The offset at which the new subscription will start receiving messages.
    * @return A future that will have either an error {@link com.google.api.gax.rpc.ApiException} or
    *     the subscription on success.
    */
-  ApiFuture<Subscription> createSubscription(Subscription subscription);
+  ApiFuture<Subscription> createSubscription(
+      Subscription subscription, BacklogLocation startingOffset);
 
   /**
    * Get the subscription with id {@code id} if it exists.
diff --git a/google-cloud-pubsublite/src/main/java/com/google/cloud/pubsublite/internal/AdminClientImpl.java b/google-cloud-pubsublite/src/main/java/com/google/cloud/pubsublite/internal/AdminClientImpl.java
index f541fdc9e..d6deafb34 100755
--- a/google-cloud-pubsublite/src/main/java/com/google/cloud/pubsublite/internal/AdminClientImpl.java
+++ b/google-cloud-pubsublite/src/main/java/com/google/cloud/pubsublite/internal/AdminClientImpl.java
@@ -19,6 +19,7 @@
 import com.google.api.core.ApiFuture;
 import com.google.api.core.ApiFutures;
 import com.google.cloud.pubsublite.AdminClient;
+import com.google.cloud.pubsublite.AdminClient.BacklogLocation;
 import com.google.cloud.pubsublite.CloudRegion;
 import com.google.cloud.pubsublite.LocationPath;
 import com.google.cloud.pubsublite.SubscriptionPath;
@@ -136,7 +137,8 @@ public ApiFuture<List<SubscriptionPath>> listTopicSubscriptions(TopicPath path)
   }
 
   @Override
-  public ApiFuture<Subscription> createSubscription(Subscription subscription) {
+  public ApiFuture<Subscription> createSubscription(
+      Subscription subscription, BacklogLocation startingOffset) {
     SubscriptionPath path = SubscriptionPath.parse(subscription.getName());
     return serviceClient
         .createSubscriptionCallable()
@@ -145,6 +147,7 @@ public ApiFuture<Subscription> createSubscription(Subscription subscription) {
                 .setParent(path.locationPath().toString())
                 .setSubscription(subscription)
                 .setSubscriptionId(path.name().toString())
+                .setSkipBacklog(startingOffset == BacklogLocation.END)
                 .build());
   }
 
diff --git a/google-cloud-pubsublite/src/test/java/com/google/cloud/pubsublite/internal/AdminClientImplTest.java b/google-cloud-pubsublite/src/test/java/com/google/cloud/pubsublite/internal/AdminClientImplTest.java
index 1ddab9464..ef8721cbb 100755
--- a/google-cloud-pubsublite/src/test/java/com/google/cloud/pubsublite/internal/AdminClientImplTest.java
+++ b/google-cloud-pubsublite/src/test/java/com/google/cloud/pubsublite/internal/AdminClientImplTest.java
@@ -29,6 +29,7 @@
 import com.google.api.core.ApiFutures;
 import com.google.api.gax.rpc.StatusCode.Code;
 import com.google.api.gax.rpc.UnaryCallable;
+import com.google.cloud.pubsublite.AdminClient.BacklogLocation;
 import com.google.cloud.pubsublite.CloudRegion;
 import com.google.cloud.pubsublite.CloudZone;
 import com.google.cloud.pubsublite.LocationPath;
@@ -372,6 +373,7 @@ public void createSubscription_Ok() throws Exception {
             .setParent(subscriptionPath().locationPath().toString())
             .setSubscription(SUBSCRIPTION)
             .setSubscriptionId(subscriptionName().value())
+            .setSkipBacklog(true)
             .build();
 
     when(createSubscriptionCallable.futureCall(request))
@@ -387,6 +389,7 @@ public void createSubscription_Error() {
             .setParent(subscriptionPath().locationPath().toString())
             .setSubscription(SUBSCRIPTION)
             .setSubscriptionId(subscriptionName().value())
+            .setSkipBacklog(true)
             .build();
 
     when(createSubscriptionCallable.futureCall(request)).thenReturn(failedPreconditionFuture());
@@ -394,6 +397,40 @@ public void createSubscription_Error() {
     assertFutureThrowsCode(client.createSubscription(SUBSCRIPTION), Code.FAILED_PRECONDITION);
   }
 
+  @Test
+  public void createSubscriptionAtBeginning_Ok() throws Exception {
+    CreateSubscriptionRequest request =
+        CreateSubscriptionRequest.newBuilder()
+            .setParent(subscriptionPath().locationPath().toString())
+            .setSubscription(SUBSCRIPTION)
+            .setSubscriptionId(subscriptionName().value())
+            .setSkipBacklog(false)
+            .build();
+
+    when(createSubscriptionCallable.futureCall(request))
+        .thenReturn(immediateFuture(SUBSCRIPTION_2));
+
+    assertThat(client.createSubscription(SUBSCRIPTION, BacklogLocation.BEGINNING).get())
+        .isEqualTo(SUBSCRIPTION_2);
+  }
+
+  @Test
+  public void createSubscriptionAtBeginning_Error() throws Exception {
+    CreateSubscriptionRequest request =
+        CreateSubscriptionRequest.newBuilder()
+            .setParent(subscriptionPath().locationPath().toString())
+            .setSubscription(SUBSCRIPTION)
+            .setSubscriptionId(subscriptionName().value())
+            .setSkipBacklog(false)
+            .build();
+
+    when(createSubscriptionCallable.futureCall(request)).thenReturn(failedPreconditionFuture());
+
+    assertFutureThrowsCode(
+        client.createSubscription(SUBSCRIPTION, BacklogLocation.BEGINNING),
+        Code.FAILED_PRECONDITION);
+  }
+
   @Test
   public void updateSubscription_Ok() throws Exception {
     UpdateSubscriptionRequest request =