During progression of the Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS), the human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV‐1) is harbored in CD4+ T cells, which act as the primary reservoir for the virus. In vitro, HIV‐1 requires activated T cells for a productive infection; however, in vivo, the number of circulating T cells in the activated state that are potential targets for HIV‐1 infection is low. We have investigated the ability of HIV‐1 to infect resting T cells, and the consequences of such an infection. T cell activation was not required for HIV‐1 infection; however, viral DNA was unable to integrate in resting T cells and was maintained extrachromosomally. Subsequent T cell activation allowed integration of extrachromosomal forms and led to a productive viral life cycle. Extrachromosomal forms of viral DNA were found to persist for several weeks after infection of resting T cells and, following T cell activation, these forms maintained their ability to integrate and act as a template for infectious virus. Several lines of evidence, including temporal analysis of HIV‐1 replication and analysis of an HIV‐1 integrase deletion mutant, indicated that extra‐chromosomal HIV‐1 DNA genomes were transcriptionally active. These results are compatible with a model whereby HIV‐1 can persist in a non‐productive extra‐chromosomal state in resting T cells until subsequent antigen‐induced or mitogen‐induced T cell activation, virus integration and release. Thus agents that induce T cell activation may control the rate of HIV‐1 replication and spread during AIDS progression.