diff --git a/content/helpers.go b/content/helpers.go
index ac0b5a3db..a093c210b 100644
--- a/content/helpers.go
+++ b/content/helpers.go
@@ -78,7 +78,7 @@ func WriteBlob(ctx context.Context, cs Ingester, ref string, r io.Reader, size i
 }
 
 // Copy copies data with the expected digest from the reader into the
-// provided content store writer.
+// provided content store writer. This copy commits the writer.
 //
 // This is useful when the digest and size are known beforehand. When
 // the size or digest is unknown, these values may be empty.
@@ -113,6 +113,22 @@ func Copy(ctx context.Context, cw Writer, r io.Reader, size int64, expected dige
 	return nil
 }
 
+// CopyReaderAt copies to a writer from a given reader at for the given
+// number of bytes. This copy does not commit the writer.
+func CopyReaderAt(cw Writer, ra ReaderAt, n int64) error {
+	ws, err := cw.Status()
+	if err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+
+	buf := bufPool.Get().(*[]byte)
+	defer bufPool.Put(buf)
+
+	_, err = io.CopyBuffer(cw, io.NewSectionReader(ra, ws.Offset, n), *buf)
+
+	return err
+}
+
 // seekReader attempts to seek the reader to the given offset, either by
 // resolving `io.Seeker`, by detecting `io.ReaderAt`, or discarding
 // up to the given offset.
diff --git a/content/testsuite/testsuite.go b/content/testsuite/testsuite.go
index 38bdbd9e5..0f77f59b2 100644
--- a/content/testsuite/testsuite.go
+++ b/content/testsuite/testsuite.go
@@ -30,7 +30,6 @@ import (
 	"time"
 
 	"github.com/containerd/containerd/content"
-	"github.com/containerd/containerd/namespaces"
 	"github.com/containerd/containerd/testutil"
 	"github.com/gotestyourself/gotestyourself/assert"
 	digest "github.com/opencontainers/go-digest"
@@ -48,11 +47,38 @@ func ContentSuite(t *testing.T, name string, storeFn func(ctx context.Context, r
 	t.Run("ResumeCopySeeker", makeTest(t, name, storeFn, checkResume(resumeCopySeeker)))
 	t.Run("ResumeCopyReaderAt", makeTest(t, name, storeFn, checkResume(resumeCopyReaderAt)))
 	t.Run("Labels", makeTest(t, name, storeFn, checkLabels))
+
+	t.Run("CrossNamespaceAppend", makeTest(t, name, storeFn, checkCrossNSAppend))
+	t.Run("CrossNamespaceShare", makeTest(t, name, storeFn, checkCrossNSShare))
+}
+
+// ContextWrapper is used to decorate new context used inside the test
+// before using the context on the content store.
+// This can be used to support leasing and multiple namespaces tests.
+type ContextWrapper func(ctx context.Context) (context.Context, func() error, error)
+
+type wrapperKey struct{}
+
+// SetContextWrapper sets the wrapper on the context for deriving
+// new test contexts from the context.
+func SetContextWrapper(ctx context.Context, w ContextWrapper) context.Context {
+	return context.WithValue(ctx, wrapperKey{}, w)
+}
+
+type nameKey struct{}
+
+// Name gets the test name from the context
+func Name(ctx context.Context) string {
+	name, ok := ctx.Value(nameKey{}).(string)
+	if !ok {
+		return ""
+	}
+	return name
 }
 
 func makeTest(t *testing.T, name string, storeFn func(ctx context.Context, root string) (context.Context, content.Store, func() error, error), fn func(ctx context.Context, t *testing.T, cs content.Store)) func(t *testing.T) {
 	return func(t *testing.T) {
-		ctx := namespaces.WithNamespace(context.Background(), name)
+		ctx := context.WithValue(context.Background(), nameKey{}, name)
 
 		tmpDir, err := ioutil.TempDir("", "content-suite-"+name+"-")
 		if err != nil {
@@ -70,6 +96,20 @@ func makeTest(t *testing.T, name string, storeFn func(ctx context.Context, root
 			}
 		}()
 
+		w, ok := ctx.Value(wrapperKey{}).(ContextWrapper)
+		if ok {
+			var done func() error
+			ctx, done, err = w(ctx)
+			if err != nil {
+				t.Fatalf("Error wrapping context: %+v", err)
+			}
+			defer func() {
+				if err := done(); err != nil && !t.Failed() {
+					t.Fatalf("Wrapper release failed: %+v", err)
+				}
+			}()
+		}
+
 		defer testutil.DumpDirOnFailure(t, tmpDir)
 		fn(ctx, t, cs)
 	}
@@ -483,6 +523,124 @@ func resumeCopyReaderAt(ctx context.Context, w content.Writer, b []byte, _, size
 	return errors.Wrap(content.Copy(ctx, w, r, size, dgst), "copy failed")
 }
 
+func checkCrossNSShare(ctx context.Context, t *testing.T, cs content.Store) {
+	wrap, ok := ctx.Value(wrapperKey{}).(ContextWrapper)
+	if !ok {
+		t.Skip("multiple contexts not supported")
+	}
+
+	var size int64 = 1000
+	b, d := createContent(size)
+	ref := fmt.Sprintf("ref-%d", size)
+	t1 := time.Now()
+
+	if err := content.WriteBlob(ctx, cs, ref, bytes.NewReader(b), size, d); err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+
+	ctx2, done, err := wrap(context.Background())
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+	defer done()
+
+	w, err := cs.Writer(ctx2, ref, size, d)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+	t2 := time.Now()
+
+	checkStatus(t, w, content.Status{
+		Ref:    ref,
+		Offset: size,
+		Total:  size,
+	}, d, t1, t2, t1, t2)
+
+	if err := w.Commit(ctx2, size, d); err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+	t3 := time.Now()
+
+	info := content.Info{
+		Digest: d,
+		Size:   size,
+	}
+	if err := checkContent(ctx, cs, d, info, t1, t3, t1, t3); err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+
+	if err := checkContent(ctx2, cs, d, info, t1, t3, t1, t3); err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+}
+
+func checkCrossNSAppend(ctx context.Context, t *testing.T, cs content.Store) {
+	wrap, ok := ctx.Value(wrapperKey{}).(ContextWrapper)
+	if !ok {
+		t.Skip("multiple contexts not supported")
+	}
+
+	var size int64 = 1000
+	b, d := createContent(size)
+	ref := fmt.Sprintf("ref-%d", size)
+	t1 := time.Now()
+
+	if err := content.WriteBlob(ctx, cs, ref, bytes.NewReader(b), size, d); err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+
+	ctx2, done, err := wrap(context.Background())
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+	defer done()
+
+	extra := []byte("appended bytes")
+	size2 := size + int64(len(extra))
+	b2 := make([]byte, size2)
+	copy(b2[:size], b)
+	copy(b2[size:], extra)
+	d2 := digest.FromBytes(b2)
+
+	w, err := cs.Writer(ctx2, ref, size, d)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+	t2 := time.Now()
+
+	checkStatus(t, w, content.Status{
+		Ref:    ref,
+		Offset: size,
+		Total:  size,
+	}, d, t1, t2, t1, t2)
+
+	if _, err := w.Write(extra); err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+
+	if err := w.Commit(ctx2, size2, d2); err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+	t3 := time.Now()
+
+	info := content.Info{
+		Digest: d,
+		Size:   size,
+	}
+	if err := checkContent(ctx, cs, d, info, t1, t3, t1, t3); err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+
+	info2 := content.Info{
+		Digest: d2,
+		Size:   size2,
+	}
+	if err := checkContent(ctx2, cs, d2, info2, t1, t3, t1, t3); err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+
+}
+
 func checkStatus(t *testing.T, w content.Writer, expected content.Status, d digest.Digest, preStart, postStart, preUpdate, postUpdate time.Time) {
 	t.Helper()
 	st, err := w.Status()
@@ -564,6 +722,27 @@ func checkInfo(ctx context.Context, cs content.Store, d digest.Digest, expected
 
 	return nil
 }
+func checkContent(ctx context.Context, cs content.Store, d digest.Digest, expected content.Info, c1, c2, u1, u2 time.Time) error {
+	if err := checkInfo(ctx, cs, d, expected, c1, c2, u1, u2); err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+
+	b, err := content.ReadBlob(ctx, cs, d)
+	if err != nil {
+		return errors.Wrap(err, "failed to read blob")
+	}
+
+	if int64(len(b)) != expected.Size {
+		return errors.Errorf("wrong blob size %d, expected %d", len(b), expected.Size)
+	}
+
+	actual := digest.FromBytes(b)
+	if actual != d {
+		return errors.Errorf("wrong digest %s, expected %s", actual, d)
+	}
+
+	return nil
+}
 
 var contentSeed int64
 
diff --git a/content_test.go b/content_test.go
index 87f8dcae6..c7112e683 100644
--- a/content_test.go
+++ b/content_test.go
@@ -18,11 +18,14 @@ package containerd
 
 import (
 	"context"
+	"fmt"
+	"sync/atomic"
 	"testing"
 
 	"github.com/containerd/containerd/content"
 	"github.com/containerd/containerd/content/testsuite"
 	"github.com/containerd/containerd/errdefs"
+	"github.com/containerd/containerd/namespaces"
 	"github.com/pkg/errors"
 )
 
@@ -31,33 +34,48 @@ func newContentStore(ctx context.Context, root string) (context.Context, content
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, nil, nil, err
 	}
-	ctx, releaselease, err := client.WithLease(ctx)
-	if err != nil {
-		return nil, nil, nil, err
+
+	var (
+		count uint64
+		cs    = client.ContentStore()
+		name  = testsuite.Name(ctx)
+	)
+
+	wrap := func(ctx context.Context) (context.Context, func() error, error) {
+		n := atomic.AddUint64(&count, 1)
+		ctx = namespaces.WithNamespace(ctx, fmt.Sprintf("%s-n%d", name, n))
+		return client.WithLease(ctx)
 	}
-	cs := client.ContentStore()
+
+	ctx = testsuite.SetContextWrapper(ctx, wrap)
 
 	return ctx, cs, func() error {
-		statuses, err := cs.ListStatuses(ctx)
-		if err != nil {
-			return err
-		}
-		for _, st := range statuses {
-			if err := cs.Abort(ctx, st.Ref); err != nil {
-				return errors.Wrapf(err, "failed to abort %s", st.Ref)
-			}
-		}
-		releaselease()
-		return cs.Walk(ctx, func(info content.Info) error {
-			if err := cs.Delete(ctx, info.Digest); err != nil {
-				if errdefs.IsNotFound(err) {
-					return nil
-				}
-
+		for i := uint64(1); i <= count; i++ {
+			ctx = namespaces.WithNamespace(ctx, fmt.Sprintf("%s-n%d", name, i))
+			statuses, err := cs.ListStatuses(ctx)
+			if err != nil {
 				return err
 			}
-			return nil
-		})
+			for _, st := range statuses {
+				if err := cs.Abort(ctx, st.Ref); err != nil {
+					return errors.Wrapf(err, "failed to abort %s", st.Ref)
+				}
+			}
+			err = cs.Walk(ctx, func(info content.Info) error {
+				if err := cs.Delete(ctx, info.Digest); err != nil {
+					if errdefs.IsNotFound(err) {
+						return nil
+					}
+
+					return err
+				}
+				return nil
+			})
+			if err != nil {
+				return err
+			}
+		}
+		return nil
 
 	}, nil
 }
diff --git a/metadata/buckets.go b/metadata/buckets.go
index cade7eea3..873626f2b 100644
--- a/metadata/buckets.go
+++ b/metadata/buckets.go
@@ -52,7 +52,7 @@ var (
 	bucketKeyObjectSnapshots  = []byte("snapshots")  // stores snapshot references
 	bucketKeyObjectContent    = []byte("content")    // stores content references
 	bucketKeyObjectBlob       = []byte("blob")       // stores content links
-	bucketKeyObjectIngest     = []byte("ingest")     // stores ingest links
+	bucketKeyObjectIngests    = []byte("ingests")    // stores ingest objects
 	bucketKeyObjectLeases     = []byte("leases")     // stores leases
 
 	bucketKeyDigest      = []byte("digest")
@@ -70,6 +70,10 @@ var (
 	bucketKeyTarget      = []byte("target")
 	bucketKeyExtensions  = []byte("extensions")
 	bucketKeyCreatedAt   = []byte("createdat")
+	bucketKeyExpected    = []byte("expected")
+	bucketKeyRef         = []byte("ref")
+
+	deprecatedBucketKeyObjectIngest = []byte("ingest") // stores ingest links, deprecated in v1.2
 )
 
 func getBucket(tx *bolt.Tx, keys ...[]byte) *bolt.Bucket {
@@ -178,14 +182,18 @@ func getBlobBucket(tx *bolt.Tx, namespace string, dgst digest.Digest) *bolt.Buck
 	return getBucket(tx, bucketKeyVersion, []byte(namespace), bucketKeyObjectContent, bucketKeyObjectBlob, []byte(dgst.String()))
 }
 
-func createIngestBucket(tx *bolt.Tx, namespace string) (*bolt.Bucket, error) {
-	bkt, err := createBucketIfNotExists(tx, bucketKeyVersion, []byte(namespace), bucketKeyObjectContent, bucketKeyObjectIngest)
+func getIngestsBucket(tx *bolt.Tx, namespace string) *bolt.Bucket {
+	return getBucket(tx, bucketKeyVersion, []byte(namespace), bucketKeyObjectContent, bucketKeyObjectIngests)
+}
+
+func createIngestBucket(tx *bolt.Tx, namespace, ref string) (*bolt.Bucket, error) {
+	bkt, err := createBucketIfNotExists(tx, bucketKeyVersion, []byte(namespace), bucketKeyObjectContent, bucketKeyObjectIngests, []byte(ref))
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, err
 	}
 	return bkt, nil
 }
 
-func getIngestBucket(tx *bolt.Tx, namespace string) *bolt.Bucket {
-	return getBucket(tx, bucketKeyVersion, []byte(namespace), bucketKeyObjectContent, bucketKeyObjectIngest)
+func getIngestBucket(tx *bolt.Tx, namespace, ref string) *bolt.Bucket {
+	return getBucket(tx, bucketKeyVersion, []byte(namespace), bucketKeyObjectContent, bucketKeyObjectIngests, []byte(ref))
 }
diff --git a/metadata/content.go b/metadata/content.go
index 3a746c016..ecb74ba66 100644
--- a/metadata/content.go
+++ b/metadata/content.go
@@ -226,14 +226,16 @@ func (cs *contentStore) ListStatuses(ctx context.Context, fs ...string) ([]conte
 
 	brefs := map[string]string{}
 	if err := view(ctx, cs.db, func(tx *bolt.Tx) error {
-		bkt := getIngestBucket(tx, ns)
+		bkt := getIngestsBucket(tx, ns)
 		if bkt == nil {
 			return nil
 		}
 
 		return bkt.ForEach(func(k, v []byte) error {
-			// TODO(dmcgowan): match name and potentially labels here
-			brefs[string(k)] = string(v)
+			if v == nil {
+				// TODO(dmcgowan): match name and potentially labels here
+				brefs[string(k)] = string(bkt.Bucket(k).Get(bucketKeyRef))
+			}
 			return nil
 		})
 	}); err != nil {
@@ -261,11 +263,11 @@ func (cs *contentStore) ListStatuses(ctx context.Context, fs ...string) ([]conte
 }
 
 func getRef(tx *bolt.Tx, ns, ref string) string {
-	bkt := getIngestBucket(tx, ns)
+	bkt := getIngestBucket(tx, ns, ref)
 	if bkt == nil {
 		return ""
 	}
-	v := bkt.Get([]byte(ref))
+	v := bkt.Get(bucketKeyRef)
 	if len(v) == 0 {
 		return ""
 	}
@@ -308,19 +310,29 @@ func (cs *contentStore) Abort(ctx context.Context, ref string) error {
 	defer cs.l.RUnlock()
 
 	return update(ctx, cs.db, func(tx *bolt.Tx) error {
-		bkt := getIngestBucket(tx, ns)
+		ibkt := getIngestsBucket(tx, ns)
+		if ibkt == nil {
+			return errors.Wrapf(errdefs.ErrNotFound, "reference %v", ref)
+		}
+		bkt := ibkt.Bucket([]byte(ref))
 		if bkt == nil {
 			return errors.Wrapf(errdefs.ErrNotFound, "reference %v", ref)
 		}
-		bref := string(bkt.Get([]byte(ref)))
+		bref := string(bkt.Get(bucketKeyRef))
 		if bref == "" {
 			return errors.Wrapf(errdefs.ErrNotFound, "reference %v", ref)
 		}
-		if err := bkt.Delete([]byte(ref)); err != nil {
+		expected := string(bkt.Get(bucketKeyExpected))
+		if err := ibkt.DeleteBucket([]byte(ref)); err != nil {
 			return err
 		}
 
-		return cs.Store.Abort(ctx, bref)
+		// if not shared content, delete active ingest on backend
+		if expected == "" {
+			return cs.Store.Abort(ctx, bref)
+		}
+
+		return nil
 	})
 
 }
@@ -337,8 +349,10 @@ func (cs *contentStore) Writer(ctx context.Context, ref string, size int64, expe
 	var (
 		w      content.Writer
 		exists bool
+		bref   string
 	)
 	if err := update(ctx, cs.db, func(tx *bolt.Tx) error {
+		var shared bool
 		if expected != "" {
 			cbkt := getBlobBucket(tx, ns, expected)
 			if cbkt != nil {
@@ -352,18 +366,24 @@ func (cs *contentStore) Writer(ctx context.Context, ref string, size int64, expe
 				exists = true
 				return nil
 			}
+
+			if st, err := cs.Store.Info(ctx, expected); err == nil {
+				// Ensure the expected size is the same, it is likely
+				// an error if the size is mismatched but the caller
+				// must resolve this on commit
+				if size == 0 || size == st.Size {
+					shared = true
+					size = st.Size
+				}
+			}
 		}
 
-		bkt, err := createIngestBucket(tx, ns)
+		bkt, err := createIngestBucket(tx, ns, ref)
 		if err != nil {
 			return err
 		}
 
-		var (
-			bref  string
-			brefb = bkt.Get([]byte(ref))
-		)
-
+		brefb := bkt.Get(bucketKeyRef)
 		if brefb == nil {
 			sid, err := bkt.NextSequence()
 			if err != nil {
@@ -371,21 +391,24 @@ func (cs *contentStore) Writer(ctx context.Context, ref string, size int64, expe
 			}
 
 			bref = createKey(sid, ns, ref)
-			if err := bkt.Put([]byte(ref), []byte(bref)); err != nil {
+			if err := bkt.Put(bucketKeyRef, []byte(bref)); err != nil {
 				return err
 			}
 		} else {
 			bref = string(brefb)
 		}
 
-		// Do not use the passed in expected value here since it was
-		// already checked against the user metadata. If the content
-		// store has the content, it must still be written before
-		// linked into the given namespace. It is possible in the future
-		// to allow content which exists in content store but not
-		// namespace to be linked here and returned an exist error, but
-		// this would require more configuration to make secure.
-		w, err = cs.Store.Writer(ctx, bref, size, "")
+		if shared {
+			if err := bkt.Put(bucketKeyExpected, []byte(expected)); err != nil {
+				return err
+			}
+		} else {
+			// Do not use the passed in expected value here since it was
+			// already checked against the user metadata. The content must
+			// be committed in the namespace before it will be seen as
+			// available in the current namespace.
+			w, err = cs.Store.Writer(ctx, bref, size, "")
+		}
 		return err
 	}); err != nil {
 		return nil, err
@@ -394,23 +417,99 @@ func (cs *contentStore) Writer(ctx context.Context, ref string, size int64, expe
 		return nil, errors.Wrapf(errdefs.ErrAlreadyExists, "content %v", expected)
 	}
 
-	// TODO: keep the expected in the writer to use on commit
-	// when no expected is provided there.
 	return &namespacedWriter{
-		Writer:    w,
+		ctx:       ctx,
 		ref:       ref,
 		namespace: ns,
 		db:        cs.db,
+		provider:  cs.Store,
 		l:         &cs.l,
+		w:         w,
+		bref:      bref,
+		started:   time.Now(),
+		expected:  expected,
+		size:      size,
 	}, nil
 }
 
 type namespacedWriter struct {
-	content.Writer
+	ctx       context.Context
 	ref       string
 	namespace string
 	db        transactor
-	l         *sync.RWMutex
+	provider  interface {
+		content.Provider
+		content.Ingester
+	}
+	l *sync.RWMutex
+
+	w content.Writer
+
+	bref     string
+	started  time.Time
+	expected digest.Digest
+	size     int64
+}
+
+func (nw *namespacedWriter) Close() error {
+	if nw.w != nil {
+		return nw.w.Close()
+	}
+	return nil
+}
+
+func (nw *namespacedWriter) Write(p []byte) (int, error) {
+	// if no writer, first copy and unshare before performing write
+	if nw.w == nil {
+		if len(p) == 0 {
+			return 0, nil
+		}
+
+		if err := nw.createAndCopy(nw.ctx, nw.size); err != nil {
+			return 0, err
+		}
+	}
+
+	return nw.w.Write(p)
+}
+
+func (nw *namespacedWriter) Digest() digest.Digest {
+	if nw.w != nil {
+		return nw.w.Digest()
+	}
+	return nw.expected
+}
+
+func (nw *namespacedWriter) Truncate(size int64) error {
+	if nw.w != nil {
+		return nw.w.Truncate(size)
+	}
+
+	return nw.createAndCopy(nw.ctx, size)
+}
+
+func (nw *namespacedWriter) createAndCopy(ctx context.Context, size int64) error {
+	w, err := nw.provider.Writer(ctx, nw.bref, nw.size, "")
+	if err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+
+	if size > 0 {
+		ra, err := nw.provider.ReaderAt(ctx, nw.expected)
+		if err != nil {
+			return err
+		}
+		defer ra.Close()
+
+		if err := content.CopyReaderAt(w, ra, size); err != nil {
+			nw.w.Close()
+			nw.w = nil
+			return err
+		}
+	}
+	nw.w = w
+
+	return nil
 }
 
 func (nw *namespacedWriter) Commit(ctx context.Context, size int64, expected digest.Digest, opts ...content.Opt) error {
@@ -418,9 +517,9 @@ func (nw *namespacedWriter) Commit(ctx context.Context, size int64, expected dig
 	defer nw.l.RUnlock()
 
 	return update(ctx, nw.db, func(tx *bolt.Tx) error {
-		bkt := getIngestBucket(tx, nw.namespace)
+		bkt := getIngestsBucket(tx, nw.namespace)
 		if bkt != nil {
-			if err := bkt.Delete([]byte(nw.ref)); err != nil {
+			if err := bkt.DeleteBucket([]byte(nw.ref)); err != nil && err != bolt.ErrBucketNotFound {
 				return err
 			}
 		}
@@ -443,24 +542,38 @@ func (nw *namespacedWriter) commit(ctx context.Context, tx *bolt.Tx, size int64,
 		return "", err
 	}
 
-	status, err := nw.Writer.Status()
-	if err != nil {
-		return "", err
-	}
-	if size != 0 && size != status.Offset {
-		return "", errors.Errorf("%q failed size validation: %v != %v", nw.ref, status.Offset, size)
-	}
-	size = status.Offset
-
-	actual := nw.Writer.Digest()
-
-	if err := nw.Writer.Commit(ctx, size, expected); err != nil {
-		if !errdefs.IsAlreadyExists(err) {
-			return "", err
+	var actual digest.Digest
+	if nw.w == nil {
+		if size != 0 && size != nw.size {
+			return "", errors.Errorf("%q failed size validation: %v != %v", nw.ref, nw.size, size)
 		}
+		if expected != "" && expected != nw.expected {
+			return "", errors.Errorf("%q unexpected digest", nw.ref)
+		}
+		size = nw.size
+		actual = nw.expected
 		if getBlobBucket(tx, nw.namespace, actual) != nil {
 			return "", errors.Wrapf(errdefs.ErrAlreadyExists, "content %v", actual)
 		}
+	} else {
+		status, err := nw.w.Status()
+		if err != nil {
+			return "", err
+		}
+		if size != 0 && size != status.Offset {
+			return "", errors.Errorf("%q failed size validation: %v != %v", nw.ref, status.Offset, size)
+		}
+		size = status.Offset
+		actual = nw.w.Digest()
+
+		if err := nw.w.Commit(ctx, size, expected); err != nil {
+			if !errdefs.IsAlreadyExists(err) {
+				return "", err
+			}
+			if getBlobBucket(tx, nw.namespace, actual) != nil {
+				return "", errors.Wrapf(errdefs.ErrAlreadyExists, "content %v", actual)
+			}
+		}
 	}
 
 	bkt, err := createBlobBucket(tx, nw.namespace, actual)
@@ -484,12 +597,20 @@ func (nw *namespacedWriter) commit(ctx context.Context, tx *bolt.Tx, size int64,
 	return actual, bkt.Put(bucketKeySize, sizeEncoded)
 }
 
-func (nw *namespacedWriter) Status() (content.Status, error) {
-	st, err := nw.Writer.Status()
+func (nw *namespacedWriter) Status() (st content.Status, err error) {
+	if nw.w != nil {
+		st, err = nw.w.Status()
+	} else {
+		st.Offset = nw.size
+		st.Total = nw.size
+		st.StartedAt = nw.started
+		st.UpdatedAt = nw.started
+		st.Expected = nw.expected
+	}
 	if err == nil {
 		st.Ref = nw.ref
 	}
-	return st, err
+	return
 }
 
 func (cs *contentStore) ReaderAt(ctx context.Context, dgst digest.Digest) (content.ReaderAt, error) {
@@ -590,13 +711,30 @@ func (cs *contentStore) garbageCollect(ctx context.Context) (d time.Duration, er
 				continue
 			}
 			bbkt := cbkt.Bucket(bucketKeyObjectBlob)
-			if err := bbkt.ForEach(func(ck, cv []byte) error {
-				if cv == nil {
-					seen[string(ck)] = struct{}{}
+			if bbkt != nil {
+				if err := bbkt.ForEach(func(ck, cv []byte) error {
+					if cv == nil {
+						seen[string(ck)] = struct{}{}
+					}
+					return nil
+				}); err != nil {
+					return err
+				}
+			}
+
+			ibkt := cbkt.Bucket(bucketKeyObjectIngests)
+			if ibkt != nil {
+				if err := ibkt.ForEach(func(ref, v []byte) error {
+					if v == nil {
+						expected := ibkt.Bucket(ref).Get(bucketKeyExpected)
+						if len(expected) > 0 {
+							seen[string(expected)] = struct{}{}
+						}
+					}
+					return nil
+				}); err != nil {
+					return err
 				}
-				return nil
-			}); err != nil {
-				return err
 			}
 		}
 
diff --git a/metadata/content_test.go b/metadata/content_test.go
index 6f05bd1a2..1ba4a027d 100644
--- a/metadata/content_test.go
+++ b/metadata/content_test.go
@@ -19,7 +19,9 @@ package metadata
 import (
 	"bytes"
 	"context"
+	"fmt"
 	"path/filepath"
+	"sync/atomic"
 	"testing"
 
 	"github.com/boltdb/bolt"
@@ -45,6 +47,16 @@ func createContentStore(ctx context.Context, root string) (context.Context, cont
 		return nil, nil, nil, err
 	}
 
+	var (
+		count uint64
+		name  = testsuite.Name(ctx)
+	)
+	wrap := func(ctx context.Context) (context.Context, func() error, error) {
+		n := atomic.AddUint64(&count, 1)
+		return namespaces.WithNamespace(ctx, fmt.Sprintf("%s-n%d", name, n)), func() error { return nil }, nil
+	}
+	ctx = testsuite.SetContextWrapper(ctx, wrap)
+
 	return ctx, NewDB(db, cs, nil).ContentStore(), func() error {
 		return db.Close()
 	}, nil
diff --git a/metadata/db.go b/metadata/db.go
index 7296d8caa..4398fc20f 100644
--- a/metadata/db.go
+++ b/metadata/db.go
@@ -43,7 +43,7 @@ const (
 	// dbVersion represents updates to the schema
 	// version which are additions and compatible with
 	// prior version of the same schema.
-	dbVersion = 1
+	dbVersion = 2
 )
 
 // DB represents a metadata database backed by a bolt
diff --git a/metadata/db_test.go b/metadata/db_test.go
index 1c583d794..dedc1dd3f 100644
--- a/metadata/db_test.go
+++ b/metadata/db_test.go
@@ -102,6 +102,27 @@ func TestInit(t *testing.T) {
 }
 
 func TestMigrations(t *testing.T) {
+	testRefs := []struct {
+		ref  string
+		bref string
+	}{
+		{
+			ref:  "k1",
+			bref: "bk1",
+		},
+		{
+			ref:  strings.Repeat("longerkey", 30), // 270 characters
+			bref: "short",
+		},
+		{
+			ref:  "short",
+			bref: strings.Repeat("longerkey", 30), // 270 characters
+		},
+		{
+			ref:  "emptykey",
+			bref: "",
+		},
+	}
 	migrationTests := []struct {
 		name  string
 		init  func(*bolt.Tx) error
@@ -199,6 +220,48 @@ func TestMigrations(t *testing.T) {
 					}
 				}
 
+				return nil
+			},
+		},
+		{
+			name: "IngestUpdate",
+			init: func(tx *bolt.Tx) error {
+				bkt, err := createBucketIfNotExists(tx, bucketKeyVersion, []byte("testing"), bucketKeyObjectContent, deprecatedBucketKeyObjectIngest)
+				if err != nil {
+					return err
+				}
+
+				for _, s := range testRefs {
+					if err := bkt.Put([]byte(s.ref), []byte(s.bref)); err != nil {
+						return err
+					}
+				}
+
+				return nil
+			},
+			check: func(tx *bolt.Tx) error {
+				bkt := getIngestsBucket(tx, "testing")
+				if bkt == nil {
+					return errors.Wrap(errdefs.ErrNotFound, "ingests bucket not found")
+				}
+
+				for _, s := range testRefs {
+					sbkt := bkt.Bucket([]byte(s.ref))
+					if sbkt == nil {
+						return errors.Wrap(errdefs.ErrNotFound, "ref does not exist")
+					}
+
+					bref := string(sbkt.Get(bucketKeyRef))
+					if bref != s.bref {
+						return errors.Errorf("unexpected reference key %q, expected %q", bref, s.bref)
+					}
+				}
+
+				dbkt := getBucket(tx, bucketKeyVersion, []byte("testing"), bucketKeyObjectContent, deprecatedBucketKeyObjectIngest)
+				if dbkt != nil {
+					return errors.New("deprecated ingest bucket still exists")
+				}
+
 				return nil
 			},
 		},
diff --git a/metadata/migrations.go b/metadata/migrations.go
index 5be5f8301..3ffda6b3b 100644
--- a/metadata/migrations.go
+++ b/metadata/migrations.go
@@ -40,6 +40,11 @@ var migrations = []migration{
 		version: 1,
 		migrate: addChildLinks,
 	},
+	{
+		schema:  "v1",
+		version: 2,
+		migrate: migrateIngests,
+	},
 }
 
 // addChildLinks Adds children key to the snapshotters to enforce snapshot
@@ -99,3 +104,53 @@ func addChildLinks(tx *bolt.Tx) error {
 
 	return nil
 }
+
+// migrateIngests moves ingests from the key/value ingest bucket
+// to a structured ingest bucket for storing additional state about
+// an ingest.
+func migrateIngests(tx *bolt.Tx) error {
+	v1bkt := tx.Bucket(bucketKeyVersion)
+	if v1bkt == nil {
+		return nil
+	}
+
+	// iterate through each namespace
+	v1c := v1bkt.Cursor()
+
+	for k, v := v1c.First(); k != nil; k, v = v1c.Next() {
+		if v != nil {
+			continue
+		}
+		bkt := v1bkt.Bucket(k).Bucket(bucketKeyObjectContent)
+		if bkt == nil {
+			continue
+		}
+
+		dbkt := bkt.Bucket(deprecatedBucketKeyObjectIngest)
+		if dbkt == nil {
+			continue
+		}
+
+		// Create new ingests bucket
+		nbkt, err := bkt.CreateBucketIfNotExists(bucketKeyObjectIngests)
+		if err != nil {
+			return err
+		}
+
+		if err := dbkt.ForEach(func(ref, bref []byte) error {
+			ibkt, err := nbkt.CreateBucketIfNotExists(ref)
+			if err != nil {
+				return err
+			}
+			return ibkt.Put(bucketKeyRef, bref)
+		}); err != nil {
+			return err
+		}
+
+		if err := bkt.DeleteBucket(deprecatedBucketKeyObjectIngest); err != nil {
+			return err
+		}
+	}
+
+	return nil
+}
diff --git a/namespaces/context.go b/namespaces/context.go
index afcd9d1b0..cc5621a68 100644
--- a/namespaces/context.go
+++ b/namespaces/context.go
@@ -17,11 +17,11 @@
 package namespaces
 
 import (
+	"context"
 	"os"
 
 	"github.com/containerd/containerd/errdefs"
 	"github.com/pkg/errors"
-	"golang.org/x/net/context"
 )
 
 const (
diff --git a/services/content/service.go b/services/content/service.go
index a2c87a4d5..d809dab1e 100644
--- a/services/content/service.go
+++ b/services/content/service.go
@@ -366,7 +366,7 @@ func (s *service) Write(session api.Content_WriteServer) (err error) {
 		// users use the same writer style for each with a minimum of overhead.
 		if req.Expected != "" {
 			if expected != "" && expected != req.Expected {
-				return status.Errorf(codes.InvalidArgument, "inconsistent digest provided: %v != %v", req.Expected, expected)
+				log.G(ctx).Debugf("commit digest differs from writer digest: %v != %v", req.Expected, expected)
 			}
 			expected = req.Expected
 
@@ -383,7 +383,7 @@ func (s *service) Write(session api.Content_WriteServer) (err error) {
 			// Update the expected total. Typically, this could be seen at
 			// negotiation time or on a commit message.
 			if total > 0 && req.Total != total {
-				return status.Errorf(codes.InvalidArgument, "inconsistent total provided: %v != %v", req.Total, total)
+				log.G(ctx).Debugf("commit size differs from writer size: %v != %v", req.Total, total)
 			}
 			total = req.Total
 		}