diff --git a/google/cloud/pubsublite/admin_client.py b/google/cloud/pubsublite/admin_client.py
index d5e82197..7d7a8dd5 100644
--- a/google/cloud/pubsublite/admin_client.py
+++ b/google/cloud/pubsublite/admin_client.py
@@ -30,6 +30,7 @@
     SubscriptionPath,
     LocationPath,
     TopicPath,
+    BacklogLocation,
 )
 from google.cloud.pubsublite_v1 import AdminServiceClient, Subscription, Topic
 
@@ -101,8 +102,12 @@ def list_topic_subscriptions(self, topic_path: TopicPath):
         return self._impl.list_topic_subscriptions(topic_path)
 
     @overrides
-    def create_subscription(self, subscription: Subscription) -> Subscription:
-        return self._impl.create_subscription(subscription)
+    def create_subscription(
+        self,
+        subscription: Subscription,
+        starting_offset: BacklogLocation = BacklogLocation.END,
+    ) -> Subscription:
+        return self._impl.create_subscription(subscription, starting_offset)
 
     @overrides
     def get_subscription(self, subscription_path: SubscriptionPath) -> Subscription:
diff --git a/google/cloud/pubsublite/admin_client_interface.py b/google/cloud/pubsublite/admin_client_interface.py
index 2c59a102..38b90ba3 100644
--- a/google/cloud/pubsublite/admin_client_interface.py
+++ b/google/cloud/pubsublite/admin_client_interface.py
@@ -20,6 +20,7 @@
     TopicPath,
     LocationPath,
     SubscriptionPath,
+    BacklogLocation,
 )
 from google.cloud.pubsublite_v1 import Topic, Subscription
 from google.protobuf.field_mask_pb2 import FieldMask
@@ -63,8 +64,14 @@ def list_topic_subscriptions(self, topic_path: TopicPath):
         """List the subscriptions that exist for a given topic."""
 
     @abstractmethod
-    def create_subscription(self, subscription: Subscription) -> Subscription:
-        """Create a subscription, returns the created subscription."""
+    def create_subscription(
+        self,
+        subscription: Subscription,
+        starting_offset: BacklogLocation = BacklogLocation.END,
+    ) -> Subscription:
+        """Create a subscription, returns the created subscription. By default
+        a subscription will only receive messages published after the
+        subscription was created."""
 
     @abstractmethod
     def get_subscription(self, subscription_path: SubscriptionPath) -> Subscription:
diff --git a/google/cloud/pubsublite/internal/wire/admin_client_impl.py b/google/cloud/pubsublite/internal/wire/admin_client_impl.py
index 234916b9..ab5acba6 100644
--- a/google/cloud/pubsublite/internal/wire/admin_client_impl.py
+++ b/google/cloud/pubsublite/internal/wire/admin_client_impl.py
@@ -22,6 +22,7 @@
     SubscriptionPath,
     LocationPath,
     TopicPath,
+    BacklogLocation,
 )
 from google.cloud.pubsublite_v1 import (
     Subscription,
@@ -72,12 +73,19 @@ def list_topic_subscriptions(self, topic_path: TopicPath):
         ]
         return [SubscriptionPath.parse(x) for x in subscription_strings]
 
-    def create_subscription(self, subscription: Subscription) -> Subscription:
+    def create_subscription(
+        self,
+        subscription: Subscription,
+        starting_offset: BacklogLocation = BacklogLocation.END,
+    ) -> Subscription:
         path = SubscriptionPath.parse(subscription.name)
         return self._underlying.create_subscription(
-            parent=str(path.to_location_path()),
-            subscription=subscription,
-            subscription_id=path.name,
+            request={
+                "parent": str(path.to_location_path()),
+                "subscription": subscription,
+                "subscription_id": path.name,
+                "skip_backlog": (starting_offset == BacklogLocation.END),
+            }
         )
 
     def get_subscription(self, subscription_path: SubscriptionPath) -> Subscription:
diff --git a/google/cloud/pubsublite/types/__init__.py b/google/cloud/pubsublite/types/__init__.py
index 6304fd3c..fbf5cc00 100644
--- a/google/cloud/pubsublite/types/__init__.py
+++ b/google/cloud/pubsublite/types/__init__.py
@@ -18,6 +18,7 @@
 from .paths import LocationPath, TopicPath, SubscriptionPath
 from .message_metadata import MessageMetadata
 from .flow_control_settings import FlowControlSettings, DISABLED_FLOW_CONTROL
+from .backlog_location import BacklogLocation
 
 __all__ = (
     "CloudRegion",
@@ -28,4 +29,5 @@
     "MessageMetadata",
     "SubscriptionPath",
     "TopicPath",
+    "BacklogLocation",
 )
diff --git a/google/cloud/pubsublite/types/backlog_location.py b/google/cloud/pubsublite/types/backlog_location.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..42e64218
--- /dev/null
+++ b/google/cloud/pubsublite/types/backlog_location.py
@@ -0,0 +1,24 @@
+# Copyright 2020 Google LLC
+#
+# Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
+# you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+# You may obtain a copy of the License at
+#
+#     http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+#
+# Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+# distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
+# WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
+# See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
+# limitations under the License.
+
+import enum
+
+
+class BacklogLocation(enum.Enum):
+    """A location with respect to the message backlog. 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."""
+
+    BEGINNING = 0
+    END = 1