diff --git a/src/fractal_btree_merger2.erl b/src/fractal_btree_merger2.erl
index 0a99834..bb1f877 100644
--- a/src/fractal_btree_merger2.erl
+++ b/src/fractal_btree_merger2.erl
@@ -6,20 +6,33 @@
 
 -export([merge/4]).
 
+-define(LOCAL_WRITER, true).
+
 merge(A,B,C, Size) ->
     {ok, BT1} = fractal_btree_reader:open(A),
     {ok, BT2} = fractal_btree_reader:open(B),
-    {ok, Out} = fractal_btree_writer:open(C, Size),
+    case ?LOCAL_WRITER of
+        true ->
+            {ok, Out} = fractal_btree_writer:init([C, Size]);
+        false ->
+            {ok, Out} = fractal_btree_writer:open(C, Size)
+    end,
 
     {node, AKVs} = fractal_btree_reader:first_node(BT1),
     {node, BKVs} = fractal_btree_reader:first_node(BT2),
 
-    {ok, Count} = scan(BT1, BT2, Out, AKVs, BKVs, 0),
+    {ok, Count, Out2} = scan(BT1, BT2, Out, AKVs, BKVs, 0),
 
     %% finish stream tree
     ok = fractal_btree_reader:close(BT1),
     ok = fractal_btree_reader:close(BT2),
-    ok = fractal_btree_writer:close(Out),
+
+    case ?LOCAL_WRITER of
+        true ->
+            {stop, normal, ok, _} = fractal_btree_writer:handle_call(close, self(), Out2);
+        false ->
+            ok = fractal_btree_writer:close(Out2)
+    end,
 
     {ok, Count}.
 
@@ -42,17 +55,33 @@ scan(BT1, BT2, Out, AKVs, [], Count) ->
 
 scan(BT1, BT2, Out, [{Key1,Value1}|AT]=AKVs, [{Key2,Value2}|BT]=BKVs, Count) ->
     if Key1 < Key2 ->
-            ok = fractal_btree_writer:add(Out, Key1, Value1),
-            scan(BT1, BT2, Out, AT, BKVs, Count+1);
+            case ?LOCAL_WRITER of
+                true ->
+                    {noreply, Out2} = fractal_btree_writer:handle_cast({add, Key1, Value1}, Out);
+                false ->
+                    ok = fractal_btree_writer:add(Out2=Out, Key1, Value1)
+            end,
+
+            scan(BT1, BT2, Out2, AT, BKVs, Count+1);
 
        Key2 < Key1 ->
-            ok = fractal_btree_writer:add(Out, Key2, Value2),
-            scan(BT1, BT2, Out, AKVs, BT, Count+1);
+            case ?LOCAL_WRITER of
+                true ->
+                    {noreply, Out2} = fractal_btree_writer:handle_cast({add, Key2, Value2}, Out);
+                false ->
+                    ok = fractal_btree_writer:add(Out2=Out, Key2, Value2)
+            end,
+            scan(BT1, BT2, Out2, AKVs, BT, Count+1);
 
        Key1 == Key2 ->
             %% TODO: eliminate tombstones, right now they just bubble down
-            ok = fractal_btree_writer:add(Out, Key2, Value2),
-            scan(BT1, BT2, Out, AT, BT, Count+1)
+            case ?LOCAL_WRITER of
+                true ->
+                    {noreply, Out2} = fractal_btree_writer:handle_cast({add, Key2, Value2}, Out);
+                false ->
+                    ok = fractal_btree_writer:add(Out2=Out, Key2, Value2)
+            end,
+            scan(BT1, BT2, Out2, AT, BT, Count+1)
     end.
 
 scan_only(BT, Out, [], Count) ->
@@ -60,9 +89,14 @@ scan_only(BT, Out, [], Count) ->
         {node, KVs} ->
             scan_only(BT, Out, KVs, Count);
         end_of_data ->
-            {ok, Count}
+            {ok, Count, Out}
     end;
 
 scan_only(BT, Out, [{Key,Value}|Rest], Count) ->
-    ok = fractal_btree_writer:add(Out, Key, Value),
-    scan_only(BT, Out, Rest, Count+1).
+    case ?LOCAL_WRITER of
+        true ->
+            {noreply, Out2} = fractal_btree_writer:handle_cast({add, Key, Value}, Out);
+        false ->
+            ok = fractal_btree_writer:add(Out2=Out, Key, Value)
+    end,
+    scan_only(BT, Out2, Rest, Count+1).