diff --git a/xtrabackup/backup_tools.py b/xtrabackup/backup_tools.py
index 0916bc7..4cd0fdc 100644
--- a/xtrabackup/backup_tools.py
+++ b/xtrabackup/backup_tools.py
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@
 import xtrabackup.exception as exception
 import xtrabackup.timer as timer
 import logging
-
+import datetime
 
 class BackupTool:
 
@@ -56,7 +56,7 @@ def prepare_workdir(self, path):
 
     def prepare_repository(self, repository, incremental):
         if incremental:
-            sub_directory = '/INC'
+            sub_directory = ''.join(['/INC_', str(self.find_base_index(repository, 'INC'))])
         else:
             sub_directory = ''
         try:
@@ -67,6 +67,21 @@ def prepare_repository(self, repository, incremental):
                               exc_info=self.debug)
             raise
 
+    def find_base_index(self, repository, sub_dir_prefix):
+        try:
+            existing_inc_dirs = filesystem_utils.get_prefixed_files_in_dir(repository, ''.join([datetime.datetime.now().strftime("%Y%m%d"), '/', sub_dir_prefix]))
+            max_base_index = 0
+            for existing_inc_dir in existing_inc_dirs:
+                repo_path, inc_dir = filesystem_utils.split_path(existing_inc_dir)
+                base_index = int(inc_dir.split('_')[1])
+                if base_index > max_base_index:
+                   max_base_index = base_index
+            return max_base_index + 1
+        except exception.ProgramError:
+            self.logger.error('Unable to find base index.',
+                              exc_info=self.debug)
+            raise
+
     def prepare_archive_name(self, incremental, incremental_cycle):
         if incremental:
             backup_prefix = ''.join(['inc_', str(self.incremental_step), '_'])
@@ -196,7 +211,7 @@ def save_incremental_data(self, incremental):
 
     def load_incremental_data(self):
         try:
-            self.base_dir = filesystem_utils.retrieve_value_from_file(
+            self.backup_repository = filesystem_utils.retrieve_value_from_file(
                 '/var/tmp/pyxtrabackup-incremental',
                 '^BASEDIR=(.*)$')
             self.last_lsn = filesystem_utils.retrieve_value_from_file(
@@ -231,12 +246,12 @@ def start_incremental_backup(self, repository, incremental,
                                  workdir, user, password, threads):
         self.check_prerequisites(repository)
         self.prepare_workdir(workdir)
-        self.prepare_repository(repository, True)
         if incremental:
             self.load_incremental_data()
             self.prepare_archive_name(incremental, True)
             self.exec_incremental_backup(user, password, threads)
         else:
+            self.prepare_repository(repository, True)
             self.prepare_archive_name(incremental, True)
             self.exec_full_backup(user, password, threads)
         self.save_incremental_data(incremental)
diff --git a/xtrabackup/filesystem_utils.py b/xtrabackup/filesystem_utils.py
index e4f77b3..283d5e9 100644
--- a/xtrabackup/filesystem_utils.py
+++ b/xtrabackup/filesystem_utils.py
@@ -93,3 +93,8 @@ def split_path(path):
 def get_prefixed_file_in_dir(directory, prefix):
     files = glob(''.join([directory, '/', prefix, '*']))
     return files[0]
+
+def get_prefixed_files_in_dir(directory, prefix):
+    files = glob(''.join([directory, '/', prefix, '*']))
+    return files
+
diff --git a/xtrabackup/restoration.py b/xtrabackup/restoration.py
index 4bce256..eb95caa 100644
--- a/xtrabackup/restoration.py
+++ b/xtrabackup/restoration.py
@@ -11,7 +11,8 @@
 [--log-file=<log>] \
 [--out-file=<log>] \
 [--backup-threads=<threads>] \
-[--uncompressed-archives]
+[--uncompressed-archives] \
+[--without-stop-mysql] \
     pyxtrabackup-restore (-h | --help)
     pyxtrabackup --version
 
@@ -44,6 +45,10 @@
     --uncompressed-archives                     \
     Specify that the backup archives are not compressed. \
 Use this option if you did backup with --no-compress.
+    --without-stop-mysql                        \
+    Does not stop the server for restoration. \
+Ensure that --data-dir is defined to a directory differ from data directory of running MySQL server.
+
 
 """
 from docopt import docopt
@@ -62,6 +67,7 @@ def main():
         restore_tool.start_restoration(arguments['--base-archive'],
                                        arguments['--incremental-archive'],
                                        arguments['--tmp-dir'],
+                                       arguments['--without-stop-mysql'],
                                        arguments['--restart'])
     except Exception:
         logger = logging.getLogger(__name__)
diff --git a/xtrabackup/restoration_tools.py b/xtrabackup/restoration_tools.py
index df395b3..5cfba05 100644
--- a/xtrabackup/restoration_tools.py
+++ b/xtrabackup/restoration_tools.py
@@ -67,7 +67,7 @@ def restore_incremental_backups(self, incremental_archive):
             repository, archive_name = filesystem_utils.split_path(
                 incremental_archive)
             incremental_target = int(archive_name.split('_')[1])
-            for step in range(1, incremental_target + 1):
+            for step in range(0, incremental_target + 1):
                 self.apply_incremental_backup(repository, step)
         except:
             self.logger.error(
@@ -140,9 +140,10 @@ def clean(self):
         filesystem_utils.delete_directory_if_exists(self.workdir)
 
     def start_restoration(self, base_archive, incremental_archive,
-                          workdir, restart_service):
+                          workdir, without_stop_service, restart_service):
         self.prepare_workdir(workdir)
-        self.stop_service()
+        if not without_stop_service:
+            self.stop_service()
         self.clean_data_dir()
         self.restore_base_backup(base_archive)
         self.restore_incremental_backups(incremental_archive)
@@ -150,4 +151,8 @@ def start_restoration(self, base_archive, incremental_archive,
         self.set_data_dir_permissions()
         self.clean()
         if restart_service:
-            self.start_service()
+            if without_stop_service:
+                self.logger.warning('Both arguments --without-stop-mysql and --restart are used. --restart will be ignored.')
+            else:
+                self.start_service()
+