diff --git a/pkg/backup/item_backupper.go b/pkg/backup/item_backupper.go
index d914b7411..0648081bf 100644
--- a/pkg/backup/item_backupper.go
+++ b/pkg/backup/item_backupper.go
@@ -310,8 +310,13 @@ func (ib *defaultItemBackupper) takePVSnapshot(pv runtime.Unstructured, backup *
 
 	log = log.WithField("volumeID", volumeID)
 
+	tags := map[string]string{
+		"ark.heptio.com/backup": backup.Name,
+		"ark.heptio.com/pv":     metadata.GetName(),
+	}
+
 	log.Info("Snapshotting PersistentVolume")
-	snapshotID, err := ib.snapshotService.CreateSnapshot(volumeID, pvFailureDomainZone)
+	snapshotID, err := ib.snapshotService.CreateSnapshot(volumeID, pvFailureDomainZone, tags)
 	if err != nil {
 		// log+error on purpose - log goes to the per-backup log file, error goes to the backup
 		log.WithError(err).Error("error creating snapshot")
diff --git a/pkg/cloudprovider/snapshot_service.go b/pkg/cloudprovider/snapshot_service.go
index 1e124f1fb..9ad886442 100644
--- a/pkg/cloudprovider/snapshot_service.go
+++ b/pkg/cloudprovider/snapshot_service.go
@@ -29,7 +29,7 @@ type SnapshotService interface {
 	// CreateSnapshot triggers a snapshot for the specified cloud volume and tags it with metadata.
 	// it returns the cloud snapshot ID, or an error if a problem is encountered triggering the snapshot via
 	// the cloud API.
-	CreateSnapshot(volumeID, volumeAZ string) (string, error)
+	CreateSnapshot(volumeID, volumeAZ string, tags map[string]string) (string, error)
 
 	// CreateVolumeFromSnapshot triggers a restore operation to create a new cloud volume from the specified
 	// snapshot and volume characteristics. Returns the cloud volume ID, or an error if a problem is
@@ -53,8 +53,6 @@ type SnapshotService interface {
 const (
 	volumeCreateWaitTimeout  = 30 * time.Second
 	volumeCreatePollInterval = 1 * time.Second
-	snapshotTagKey           = "tag-key"
-	snapshotTagVal           = "ark-snapshot"
 )
 
 type snapshotService struct {
@@ -94,11 +92,7 @@ func (sr *snapshotService) CreateVolumeFromSnapshot(snapshotID string, volumeTyp
 	}
 }
 
-func (sr *snapshotService) CreateSnapshot(volumeID, volumeAZ string) (string, error) {
-	tags := map[string]string{
-		snapshotTagKey: snapshotTagVal,
-	}
-
+func (sr *snapshotService) CreateSnapshot(volumeID, volumeAZ string, tags map[string]string) (string, error) {
 	return sr.blockStore.CreateSnapshot(volumeID, volumeAZ, tags)
 }
 
diff --git a/pkg/util/test/fake_snapshot_service.go b/pkg/util/test/fake_snapshot_service.go
index 089e47b76..f5ffaaff7 100644
--- a/pkg/util/test/fake_snapshot_service.go
+++ b/pkg/util/test/fake_snapshot_service.go
@@ -39,7 +39,7 @@ type FakeSnapshotService struct {
 	VolumeIDSet string
 }
 
-func (s *FakeSnapshotService) CreateSnapshot(volumeID, volumeAZ string) (string, error) {
+func (s *FakeSnapshotService) CreateSnapshot(volumeID, volumeAZ string, tags map[string]string) (string, error) {
 	if _, exists := s.SnapshottableVolumes[volumeID]; !exists {
 		return "", errors.New("snapshottable volume not found")
 	}