diff --git a/src/stasis/io/debug.c b/src/stasis/io/debug.c
index 164ccc3..0b7879c 100644
--- a/src/stasis/io/debug.c
+++ b/src/stasis/io/debug.c
@@ -35,6 +35,15 @@ static int debug_close(stasis_handle_t * h) {
   free(h);
   return ret;
 }
+static stasis_handle_t * debug_dup(stasis_handle_t * h) {
+  stasis_handle_t * hh = ((debug_impl*)h->impl)->h;
+  printf("tid=%9ld call dup(%lx)\n", (long)(intptr_t)pthread_self(), (unsigned long)hh); fflush(stdout);
+  stasis_handle_t * ret = hh->dup(hh);
+  printf("tid=%9ld retn dup(%lx) = %lx\n", (long)(intptr_t)pthread_self(), (unsigned long)hh, (unsigned long)ret); fflush(stdout);
+  free(h->impl);
+  free(h);
+  return ret;
+}
 static lsn_t debug_start_position(stasis_handle_t *h) {
   stasis_handle_t * hh = ((debug_impl*)h->impl)->h;
   printf("tid=%9ld call start_position(%lx)\n", (long)(intptr_t)pthread_self(), (unsigned long)hh); fflush(stdout);
@@ -170,6 +179,7 @@ struct stasis_handle_t debug_func = {
   .num_copies = debug_num_copies,
   .num_copies_buffer = debug_num_copies_buffer,
   .close = debug_close,
+  .dup = debug_dup,
   .start_position = debug_start_position,
   .end_position = debug_end_position,
   .write = debug_write,
diff --git a/src/stasis/io/file.c b/src/stasis/io/file.c
index 88e05b9..9a90b58 100644
--- a/src/stasis/io/file.c
+++ b/src/stasis/io/file.c
@@ -46,6 +46,11 @@ static int file_close(stasis_handle_t * h) {
   if(!ret) return 0;
   else     return errno;
 }
+static stasis_handle_t* file_dup(stasis_handle_t * h) {
+  file_impl * impl = h->impl;
+  return stasis_handle_open_file(impl->start_pos, impl->filename, impl->file_flags, impl->file_mode);
+}
+
 static lsn_t file_start_position(stasis_handle_t *h) {
   file_impl * impl = (file_impl*)h->impl;
   pthread_mutex_lock(&(impl->mut));
@@ -548,6 +553,7 @@ struct stasis_handle_t file_func = {
   .num_copies = file_num_copies,
   .num_copies_buffer = file_num_copies_buffer,
   .close = file_close,
+  .dup = file_dup,
   .start_position = file_start_position,
   .end_position = file_end_position,
   .write = file_write,
diff --git a/src/stasis/io/memory.c b/src/stasis/io/memory.c
index 3e6bea7..352ae76 100644
--- a/src/stasis/io/memory.c
+++ b/src/stasis/io/memory.c
@@ -6,18 +6,28 @@ typedef struct mem_impl {
   lsn_t start_pos;
   lsn_t end_pos;
   byte * buf;
+  int refcount;
 } mem_impl;
 
 static int mem_num_copies(stasis_handle_t * h) { return 1; }
 static int mem_num_copies_buffer(stasis_handle_t * h) { return 0; }
 
 static int mem_close(stasis_handle_t * h) {
-  free(((mem_impl*)h->impl)->buf);
-  pthread_mutex_destroy(&(((mem_impl*)h->impl)->mut));
+  mem_impl *impl = h->impl;
+  (impl->refcount)--;
+  if(impl->refcount) { return 0; }
+
+  free(impl->buf);
+  pthread_mutex_destroy(&(impl->mut));
   free(h->impl);
   free(h);
   return 0;
 }
+static stasis_handle_t * mem_dup(stasis_handle_t *h) {
+  mem_impl *impl = h->impl;
+  (impl->refcount)++;
+  return h;
+}
 static lsn_t mem_start_position(stasis_handle_t *h) {
   lsn_t ret;
   mem_impl* impl = (mem_impl*)(h->impl);
@@ -243,6 +253,7 @@ struct stasis_handle_t mem_func = {
   .num_copies = mem_num_copies,
   .num_copies_buffer = mem_num_copies_buffer,
   .close = mem_close,
+  .dup = mem_dup,
   .start_position = mem_start_position,
   .end_position = mem_end_position,
   .write = mem_write,
@@ -270,6 +281,7 @@ stasis_handle_t * stasis_handle(open_memory)(lsn_t start_offset) {
   impl->start_pos = start_offset;
   impl->end_pos = start_offset;
   impl->buf = malloc(0);
+  impl->refcount = 1;
 
   return ret;
 }
diff --git a/src/stasis/io/non_blocking.c b/src/stasis/io/non_blocking.c
index 7fe2e4f..6e0664a 100644
--- a/src/stasis/io/non_blocking.c
+++ b/src/stasis/io/non_blocking.c
@@ -179,6 +179,7 @@ typedef struct nbw_impl {
   pthread_cond_t force_completed_cond;
   pthread_cond_t pending_writes_cond;
   int still_open;
+  int refcount;
 } nbw_impl;
 
 static inline void freeFastHandle(nbw_impl * impl, const tree_node * n);
@@ -332,6 +333,12 @@ static int nbw_close(stasis_handle_t * h) {
   nbw_impl * impl = h->impl;
 
   pthread_mutex_lock(&impl->mut);
+
+  (impl->refcount)--;
+  if(impl->refcount) {
+    pthread_mutex_unlock(&impl->mut);
+    return 0;
+  }
   impl->still_open = 0;
   pthread_mutex_unlock(&impl->mut);
   pthread_cond_broadcast(&impl->pending_writes_cond);
@@ -374,6 +381,11 @@ static int nbw_close(stasis_handle_t * h) {
   free(h);
   return ret;
 }
+static stasis_handle_t * nbw_dup(stasis_handle_t *h) {
+  nbw_impl * impl = h->impl;
+  (impl->refcount)++;
+  return h;
+}
 static lsn_t nbw_start_position(stasis_handle_t *h) {
   nbw_impl * impl = h->impl;
   pthread_mutex_lock(&impl->mut);
@@ -614,6 +626,7 @@ struct stasis_handle_t nbw_func = {
   .num_copies = nbw_num_copies,
   .num_copies_buffer = nbw_num_copies_buffer,
   .close = nbw_close,
+  .dup = nbw_dup,
   .start_position = nbw_start_position,
   .end_position = nbw_end_position,
   .write = nbw_write,
@@ -830,6 +843,7 @@ stasis_handle_t * stasis_handle(open_non_blocking)
   pthread_cond_init(&impl->force_completed_cond, 0);
 
   impl->still_open = 1;
+  impl->refcount++;
 
   stasis_handle_t *h = malloc(sizeof(stasis_handle_t));
   *h = nbw_func;
diff --git a/src/stasis/io/pfile.c b/src/stasis/io/pfile.c
index dd9fdd4..7a10520 100644
--- a/src/stasis/io/pfile.c
+++ b/src/stasis/io/pfile.c
@@ -74,6 +74,11 @@ static int pfile_close(stasis_handle_t *h) {
   else     return errno;
 }
 
+static stasis_handle_t * pfile_dup(stasis_handle_t *h) {
+  pfile_impl *impl = h->impl;
+  return stasis_handle_open_pfile(impl->start_pos, impl->filename, impl->file_flags, impl->file_mode);
+}
+
 static lsn_t pfile_start_position(stasis_handle_t *h) {
   pfile_impl *impl = (pfile_impl*)h->impl;
   return impl->start_pos;
@@ -415,6 +420,7 @@ struct stasis_handle_t pfile_func = {
   .num_copies = pfile_num_copies,
   .num_copies_buffer = pfile_num_copies_buffer,
   .close = pfile_close,
+  .dup = pfile_dup,
   .start_position = pfile_start_position,
   .end_position = pfile_end_position,
   .write = pfile_write,
diff --git a/stasis/io/handle.h b/stasis/io/handle.h
index 1ad3a63..b00debf 100644
--- a/stasis/io/handle.h
+++ b/stasis/io/handle.h
@@ -104,6 +104,15 @@ typedef struct stasis_handle_t {
   /** Close this handle, and release any associated resources. */
   int (*close)(struct stasis_handle_t *);
 
+  /** Duplicate this handle.  This is useful for performance hinting;
+   *  sending sequential disk operations to different handles than random
+   *  operations allows the kernel's prefetch algorithm to kick in.
+   *
+   *  XXX calling dup on a handle, then calling truncate or append on the resulting handles has undefined semantics.
+   *
+   *  @return a stasis_handle_t that should eventually have close() called on it.
+   */
+  struct stasis_handle_t * (*dup)(struct stasis_handle_t *h);
   /** The offset of the handle's first byte */
   lsn_t (*start_position)(struct stasis_handle_t * h);
 
diff --git a/test/stasis/check_io.c b/test/stasis/check_io.c
index c84b625..db83c22 100644
--- a/test/stasis/check_io.c
+++ b/test/stasis/check_io.c
@@ -129,10 +129,15 @@ void load_handle(thread_arg* t) {
 
   stasis_handle_t * h = t->h;
 
-  for(int i = 0; i < t->count; i++) {
-    offsets[i] = -1;
+  if(handle_truncate_is_supported) {
+    for(int i = 0; i < t->count; i++) {
+      offsets[i] = -1;
+    }
+  } else {
+    for(int i = 0; i < t->count; i++) {
+      offsets[i] = i * sizeof(int);
+    }
   }
-
   for(int i = 0; i < OPS_PER_THREAD; i++) {
     int val = myrandom(t->count);
 
@@ -178,21 +183,25 @@ void load_handle(thread_arg* t) {
 	}
       } break;
       case 2: {	  // append
-	lsn_t oldend = h->end_position(h);
-	int ret = h->append(h, &(offsets[val]), (const byte*)&(t->values[val]), sizeof(int));
-	assert(!ret || oldend < h->start_position(h));
+        if(handle_truncate_is_supported) {
+          lsn_t oldend = h->end_position(h);
+          int ret = h->append(h, &(offsets[val]), (const byte*)&(t->values[val]), sizeof(int));
+          assert(!ret || oldend < h->start_position(h));
+        }
       } break;
       case 3: {	  // append_buffer
-	lsn_t oldend = h->end_position(h);
-	stasis_write_buffer_t * w = h->append_buffer(h, sizeof(int));
-	if(!w->error) {
-	  *((int*)w->buf) = t->values[val];
-	  assert(w->len == sizeof(int));
-	  offsets[val] = w->off;
-	} else {
-	  assert(oldend < h->start_position(h));
-	}
-	w->h->release_write_buffer(w);
+        if(handle_truncate_is_supported) {
+          lsn_t oldend = h->end_position(h);
+          stasis_write_buffer_t * w = h->append_buffer(h, sizeof(int));
+          if(!w->error) {
+            *((int*)w->buf) = t->values[val];
+            assert(w->len == sizeof(int));
+            offsets[val] = w->off;
+          } else {
+            assert(oldend < h->start_position(h));
+          }
+          w->h->release_write_buffer(w);
+        }
       } break;
       default: {
 	abort();
@@ -202,7 +211,7 @@ void load_handle(thread_arg* t) {
       int check;
       int ret = h->read(h, offsets[val], (byte*)&check, sizeof(int));
       if(!ret) {
-	assert(check == t->values[val]);
+        assert(check == t->values[val]);
       }
 
 
@@ -219,7 +228,8 @@ void load_handle(thread_arg* t) {
 	  assert(j == t->values[val]);
 	} else {
 	  assert(ret == EDOM);
-	  assert(h->start_position(h) > offsets[val]);
+	  if(handle_truncate_is_supported)
+	    assert(h->start_position(h) > offsets[val]);
 	}
       } break;
       case 1: {   // read_buffer
@@ -231,7 +241,8 @@ void load_handle(thread_arg* t) {
 	} else {
 	  assert(r->error == EDOM);
 	  r->h->release_read_buffer(r);
-	  assert(h->start_position(h) > offsets[val]);
+      if(handle_truncate_is_supported)
+        assert(h->start_position(h) > offsets[val]);
 	}
       } break;
       default:
@@ -287,7 +298,7 @@ void handle_sequentialtest(stasis_handle_t * h) {
 void handle_concurrencytest(stasis_handle_t * h) {
   int vc = myrandom(VALUE_COUNT) + 10;
 
-  printf("Running concurrency test with %d values", vc); fflush(stdout);
+  printf("Running concurrency test with %d values\n", vc); fflush(stdout);
 
   int * values = malloc(vc * sizeof(int));
 
@@ -297,12 +308,17 @@ void handle_concurrencytest(stasis_handle_t * h) {
 
   thread_arg * args = malloc(THREAD_COUNT * sizeof(thread_arg));
   pthread_t * threads = malloc(THREAD_COUNT * sizeof(pthread_t));
+  stasis_handle_t ** handles = malloc(THREAD_COUNT / 2 * sizeof(*handles));
 
   int val_per_thread = vc / THREAD_COUNT;
   trunc_val = 0;
   for(int i = 0; i < THREAD_COUNT; i++) {
     args[i].values = &(values[i * val_per_thread]);
     args[i].count  = val_per_thread;
+    if(!(i % 2)) {
+      handles[i/2] = h->dup(h);
+      h = handles[i/2];
+    }
     args[i].h = h;
     pthread_create(&threads[i], 0, (void*(*)(void*))load_handle, &args[i]);
   }
@@ -310,9 +326,13 @@ void handle_concurrencytest(stasis_handle_t * h) {
   for(int i = 0; i < THREAD_COUNT; i++) {
     pthread_join(threads[i], 0);
   }
+  for(int i = 0; i < THREAD_COUNT / 2; i++) {
+    handles[i]->close(handles[i]);
+  }
   free(values);
   free(args);
   free(threads);
+  free(handles);
 }
 /**
    @test
@@ -353,7 +373,7 @@ START_TEST(io_fileTest) {
   unlink("logfile.txt");
 
   h = stasis_handle(open_file)(0, "logfile.txt", O_CREAT | O_RDWR, FILE_PERM);
-  //handle_concurrencytest(h);
+//  handle_concurrencytest(h);  // fails by design
   h->close(h);
 
   unlink("logfile.txt");
@@ -390,7 +410,7 @@ START_TEST(io_pfileTest) {
   unlink("logfile.txt");
 
   h = stasis_handle(open_pfile)(0, "logfile.txt", O_CREAT | O_RDWR, FILE_PERM);
-  //handle_concurrencytest(h);
+  handle_concurrencytest(h);
   h->close(h);
 
   unlink("logfile.txt");