diff --git a/R/checkout.R b/R/checkout.R
index 8ec8f7454..2db7f31c0 100644
--- a/R/checkout.R
+++ b/R/checkout.R
@@ -11,6 +11,15 @@
 #' packages used in a particular renv project to the package versions
 #' provided by a particular snapshot.
 #'
+#' Note that calling `renv::checkout()` will also install the version of `renv`
+#' available as of the requested snapshot date, which might be older or lack
+#' features available in the currently-installed version of `renv`. In addition,
+#' the project's `renv/activate.R` script will be re-generated after checkout.
+#' If this is undesired, you can re-install a newer version of `renv` after
+#' checkout from your regular \R package repository.
+#'
+#' @section Caveats:
+#'
 #' If your library contains packages installed from other remote sources (e.g.
 #' GitHub), but a version of a package of the same name is provided by the
 #' repositories being checked out, then please be aware that the package will be
@@ -33,6 +42,10 @@
 #'   [Package Manager](https://packagemanager.rstudio.com/) instance will be
 #'   used. Ignored if `repos` is non-`NULL`.
 #'
+#' @param restart Should the \R session be restarted after the new
+#'   packages have been checked out? When `NULL` (the default), the
+#'   session is restarted if the "restore" action was taken.
+#'
 #' @param actions The action(s) to perform with the requested repositories.
 #'   This can either be "snapshot", in which `renv` will generate a lockfile
 #'   based on the latest versions of the packages available from `repos`, or
@@ -52,6 +65,9 @@
 #' # only check out some subset of packages (and their recursive dependencies)
 #' renv::checkout(packages = "dplyr", date = "2023-01-02")
 #'
+#' # generate a lockfile based on a snapshot date
+#' renv::checkout(date = "2023-01-02", actions = "snapshot")
+#'
 #' }
 #' @export
 checkout <- function(repos = NULL,
@@ -60,6 +76,7 @@ checkout <- function(repos = NULL,
                      date     = NULL,
                      clean    = FALSE,
                      actions  = "restore",
+                     restart  = NULL,
                      project  = NULL)
 {
   renv_consent_check()
@@ -89,14 +106,35 @@ checkout <- function(repos = NULL,
   lockfile$Packages <- records
 
   if ("restore" %in% actions) {
+
+    # install the requested packages
     restore(lockfile = lockfile, clean = clean)
-    lockfile <- snapshot(packages = packages, lockfile = NULL)
+
+    # re-generate the activate script
+    args <- c("--vanilla", "-s", "-e", shQuote("renv::activate()"))
+    r(args)
+
+    # update the renv lockfile record
+    local({
+      renv_scope_options(renv.verbose = FALSE)
+      record(
+        records = renv_lockfile_records(lockfile)["renv"],
+        project = project
+      )
+    })
+
   }
 
+  # re-generate the lockfile if requested
   if ("snapshot" %in% actions) {
-    renv_lockfile_write(lockfile, file = renv_lockfile_path(project))
+    snapshot(project)
   }
 
+  # try to restart the session if we installed some packages
+  restart <- restart %||% "restore" %in% actions
+  if (restart)
+    renv_restart_request(project = project, reason = "renv has been updated")
+
   invisible(lockfile)
 
 }
diff --git a/R/roxygen.R b/R/roxygen.R
index 97c80bdbd..aa9bb73c3 100644
--- a/R/roxygen.R
+++ b/R/roxygen.R
@@ -38,6 +38,8 @@
 #'
 #' @param profile The profile to be activated. See
 #'   `vignette("profiles", package = "renv")` for more information.
+#'   When `NULL` (the default), the profile is not changed. Use
+#'   `profile = "default"` to revert to the default `renv` profile.
 #'
 #' @param dependencies A vector of DESCRIPTION field names that should be used
 #'   for package dependency resolution. When `NULL` (the default), the value
diff --git a/man/activate.Rd b/man/activate.Rd
index fa253d136..9796ccdd0 100644
--- a/man/activate.Rd
+++ b/man/activate.Rd
@@ -15,7 +15,9 @@ be used. If no project is currently active, then the current working
 directory is used instead.}
 
 \item{profile}{The profile to be activated. See
-\code{vignette("profiles", package = "renv")} for more information.}
+\code{vignette("profiles", package = "renv")} for more information.
+When \code{NULL} (the default), the profile is not changed. Use
+\code{profile = "default"} to revert to the default \code{renv} profile.}
 
 \item{clean}{If \code{TRUE}, will also remove the \verb{renv/} directory and the
 lockfile.}
diff --git a/man/checkout.Rd b/man/checkout.Rd
index 632e6a074..affaf8a9e 100644
--- a/man/checkout.Rd
+++ b/man/checkout.Rd
@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@ checkout(
   date = NULL,
   clean = FALSE,
   actions = "restore",
+  restart = NULL,
   project = NULL
 )
 }
@@ -41,6 +42,10 @@ based on the latest versions of the packages available from \code{repos}, or
 \code{c("snapshot", "restore")} if you'd like to generate a lockfile and
 install those packages in a single call.}
 
+\item{restart}{Should the \R session be restarted after the new
+packages have been checked out? When \code{NULL} (the default), the
+session is restarted if the "restore" action was taken.}
+
 \item{project}{The project directory. If \code{NULL}, then the active project will
 be used. If no project is currently active, then the current working
 directory is used instead.}
@@ -57,6 +62,16 @@ renv project. In this way, you can upgrade (or downgrade) all of the
 packages used in a particular renv project to the package versions
 provided by a particular snapshot.
 
+Note that calling \code{renv::checkout()} will also install the version of \code{renv}
+available as of the requested snapshot date, which might be older or lack
+features available in the currently-installed version of \code{renv}. In addition,
+the project's \code{renv/activate.R} script will be re-generated after checkout.
+If this is undesired, you can re-install a newer version of \code{renv} after
+checkout from your regular \R package repository.
+}
+\section{Caveats}{
+
+
 If your library contains packages installed from other remote sources (e.g.
 GitHub), but a version of a package of the same name is provided by the
 repositories being checked out, then please be aware that the package will be
@@ -65,6 +80,7 @@ be a concern if your project uses \R packages from GitHub whose name matches
 that of an existing CRAN package, but is otherwise unrelated to the package
 on CRAN.
 }
+
 \examples{
 \dontrun{
 
@@ -77,5 +93,8 @@ renv::checkout(repos = c(PPM = "https://packagemanager.rstudio.com/cran/2023-01-
 # only check out some subset of packages (and their recursive dependencies)
 renv::checkout(packages = "dplyr", date = "2023-01-02")
 
+# generate a lockfile based on a snapshot date
+renv::checkout(date = "2023-01-02", actions = "snapshot")
+
 }
 }
diff --git a/man/init.Rd b/man/init.Rd
index 6111b9117..4242d21b9 100644
--- a/man/init.Rd
+++ b/man/init.Rd
@@ -26,7 +26,9 @@ changed to match the requested project directory.}
 are matched to \code{...}, renv will signal an error.}
 
 \item{profile}{The profile to be activated. See
-\code{vignette("profiles", package = "renv")} for more information.}
+\code{vignette("profiles", package = "renv")} for more information.
+When \code{NULL} (the default), the profile is not changed. Use
+\code{profile = "default"} to revert to the default \code{renv} profile.}
 
 \item{settings}{A list of \link{settings} to be used with the newly-initialized
 project.}
diff --git a/man/load.Rd b/man/load.Rd
index a7fd35cbb..b745615b6 100644
--- a/man/load.Rd
+++ b/man/load.Rd
@@ -14,7 +14,9 @@ directory is used instead.}
 \item{quiet}{Boolean; be quiet during load?}
 
 \item{profile}{The profile to be activated. See
-\code{vignette("profiles", package = "renv")} for more information.}
+\code{vignette("profiles", package = "renv")} for more information.
+When \code{NULL} (the default), the profile is not changed. Use
+\code{profile = "default"} to revert to the default \code{renv} profile.}
 
 \item{...}{Unused arguments, reserved for future expansion. If any arguments
 are matched to \code{...}, renv will signal an error.}