diff --git a/backend/interface.go b/backend/interface.go
index 3836daa7b..b671609c7 100644
--- a/backend/interface.go
+++ b/backend/interface.go
@@ -38,9 +38,7 @@ type Getter interface {
 }
 
 type Creater interface {
-	Create(Type, []byte) (ID, error)
-	CreateFrom(Type, io.Reader) (ID, error)
-	CreateBlob(Type) (Blob, error)
+	Create(Type) (Blob, error)
 }
 
 type Tester interface {
diff --git a/backend/local.go b/backend/local.go
index 338149de6..5509e034c 100644
--- a/backend/local.go
+++ b/backend/local.go
@@ -10,8 +10,6 @@ import (
 	"path/filepath"
 	"strconv"
 	"strings"
-
-	"github.com/juju/arrar"
 )
 
 const (
@@ -183,96 +181,6 @@ func (b *Local) dirname(t Type, id ID) string {
 	return filepath.Join(b.p, n)
 }
 
-// Create stores new content of type t and data and returns the ID. If the blob
-// is already present, returns ErrAlreadyPresent and the blob's ID.
-func (b *Local) Create(t Type, data []byte) (ID, error) {
-	// TODO: make sure that tempfile is removed upon error
-
-	// check if blob is already present in backend
-	id := IDFromData(data)
-	res, err := b.Test(t, id)
-	if err != nil {
-		return nil, arrar.Annotate(err, "test for presence")
-	}
-
-	if res {
-		return id, ErrAlreadyPresent
-	}
-
-	// create tempfile in backend
-	file, err := b.tempFile()
-	if err != nil {
-		return nil, err
-	}
-
-	// write data to tempfile
-	_, err = file.Write(data)
-	if err != nil {
-		return nil, err
-	}
-
-	err = file.Close()
-	if err != nil {
-		return nil, err
-	}
-
-	// return id
-	err = b.renameFile(file, t, id)
-	if err != nil {
-		return nil, err
-	}
-
-	return id, nil
-}
-
-// CreateFrom reads content from rd and stores it as type t. Returned is the
-// storage ID. If the blob is already present, returns ErrAlreadyPresent and
-// the blob's ID.
-func (b *Local) CreateFrom(t Type, rd io.Reader) (ID, error) {
-	// TODO: make sure that tempfile is removed upon error
-
-	// check hash while writing
-	hr := NewHashingReader(rd, newHash())
-
-	// create tempfile in backend
-	file, err := b.tempFile()
-	if err != nil {
-		return nil, err
-	}
-
-	// write data to tempfile
-	_, err = io.Copy(file, hr)
-	if err != nil {
-		return nil, err
-	}
-
-	err = file.Close()
-	if err != nil {
-		return nil, err
-	}
-
-	// get ID
-	id := ID(hr.Sum(nil))
-
-	// check for duplicate ID
-	res, err := b.Test(t, id)
-	if err != nil {
-		return nil, arrar.Annotate(err, "test for presence")
-	}
-
-	if res {
-		return id, ErrAlreadyPresent
-	}
-
-	// rename file
-	err = b.renameFile(file, t, id)
-	if err != nil {
-		return nil, err
-	}
-
-	return id, nil
-}
-
 type localBlob struct {
 	f       *os.File
 	h       hash.Hash
@@ -325,7 +233,7 @@ func (lb *localBlob) ID() (ID, error) {
 // Create creates a new blob of type t. Blob implements io.WriteCloser. Once
 // Close() has been called, ID() can be used to retrieve the ID. If the blob is
 // already present, Close() returns ErrAlreadyPresent.
-func (b *Local) CreateBlob(t Type) (Blob, error) {
+func (b *Local) Create(t Type) (Blob, error) {
 	// TODO: make sure that tempfile is removed upon error
 
 	// create tempfile in backend
diff --git a/backend/local_test.go b/backend/local_test.go
index 1179f1462..397bd1fee 100644
--- a/backend/local_test.go
+++ b/backend/local_test.go
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@ import (
 	"bytes"
 	"flag"
 	"fmt"
+	"io"
 	"io/ioutil"
 	"sort"
 	"testing"
@@ -69,7 +70,7 @@ func testBackend(b backend.Backend, t *testing.T) {
 		// add files
 		for _, test := range TestStrings {
 			// store string in backend
-			blob, err := b.CreateBlob(tpe)
+			blob, err := b.Create(tpe)
 			ok(t, err)
 
 			_, err = blob.Write([]byte(test.data))
@@ -97,24 +98,43 @@ func testBackend(b backend.Backend, t *testing.T) {
 			equals(t, test.data, string(buf))
 		}
 
-		// test stream functions with first file
+		// test adding the first file again
 		test := TestStrings[0]
 		id, err := backend.ParseID(test.id)
 		ok(t, err)
 
-		// create with reader, should return error
-		_, err = b.CreateFrom(tpe, bytes.NewReader([]byte(test.data)))
+		// create blob
+		blob, err := b.Create(tpe)
+		ok(t, err)
+
+		_, err = io.Copy(blob, bytes.NewReader([]byte(test.data)))
+		ok(t, err)
+		err = blob.Close()
 		assert(t, err == backend.ErrAlreadyPresent,
-			"expected ErrAlreadyPresent, got %v", err)
+			"wrong error returned: expected %v, got %v",
+			backend.ErrAlreadyPresent, err)
+
+		id2, err := blob.ID()
+		ok(t, err)
+
+		assert(t, id.Equal(id2), "IDs do not match: expected %v, got %v", id, id2)
 
 		// remove and recreate
 		err = b.Remove(tpe, id)
 		ok(t, err)
 
-		id2, err := b.CreateFrom(tpe, bytes.NewReader([]byte(test.data)))
+		// create blob
+		blob, err = b.Create(tpe)
 		ok(t, err)
-		assert(t, id.Equal(id2),
-			"expected id %v, got %v", id, id2)
+
+		_, err = io.Copy(blob, bytes.NewReader([]byte(test.data)))
+		ok(t, err)
+		err = blob.Close()
+		ok(t, err)
+
+		id2, err = blob.ID()
+		ok(t, err)
+		assert(t, id.Equal(id2), "IDs do not match: expected %v, got %v", id, id2)
 
 		// list items
 		IDs := backend.IDs{}
diff --git a/backend/sftp.go b/backend/sftp.go
index 2c73ae393..c98eff480 100644
--- a/backend/sftp.go
+++ b/backend/sftp.go
@@ -15,7 +15,6 @@ import (
 	"strconv"
 	"strings"
 
-	"github.com/juju/arrar"
 	"github.com/pkg/sftp"
 )
 
@@ -291,96 +290,6 @@ func (r *SFTP) dirname(t Type, id ID) string {
 	return filepath.Join(r.p, n)
 }
 
-// Create stores new content of type t and data and returns the ID. If the blob
-// is already present, returns ErrAlreadyPresent and the blob's ID.
-func (r *SFTP) Create(t Type, data []byte) (ID, error) {
-	// TODO: make sure that tempfile is removed upon error
-
-	// check if blob is already present in backend
-	id := IDFromData(data)
-	res, err := r.Test(t, id)
-	if err != nil {
-		return nil, arrar.Annotate(err, "test for presence")
-	}
-
-	if res {
-		return id, ErrAlreadyPresent
-	}
-
-	// create tempfile in backend
-	filename, file, err := r.tempFile()
-	if err != nil {
-		return nil, arrar.Annotate(err, "create tempfile")
-	}
-
-	// write data to tempfile
-	_, err = file.Write(data)
-	if err != nil {
-		return nil, arrar.Annotate(err, "writing data to tempfile")
-	}
-
-	err = file.Close()
-	if err != nil {
-		return nil, arrar.Annotate(err, "close tempfile")
-	}
-
-	// return id
-	err = r.renameFile(filename, t, id)
-	if err != nil {
-		return nil, arrar.Annotate(err, "rename file")
-	}
-
-	return id, nil
-}
-
-// CreateFrom reads content from rd and stores it as type t. Returned is the
-// storage ID. If the blob is already present, returns ErrAlreadyPresent and
-// the blob's ID.
-func (r *SFTP) CreateFrom(t Type, rd io.Reader) (ID, error) {
-	// TODO: make sure that tempfile is removed upon error
-
-	// check hash while writing
-	hr := NewHashingReader(rd, newHash())
-
-	// create tempfile in backend
-	filename, file, err := r.tempFile()
-	if err != nil {
-		return nil, err
-	}
-
-	// write data to tempfile
-	_, err = io.Copy(file, hr)
-	if err != nil {
-		return nil, err
-	}
-
-	err = file.Close()
-	if err != nil {
-		return nil, err
-	}
-
-	// get ID
-	id := ID(hr.Sum(nil))
-
-	// check for duplicate ID
-	res, err := r.Test(t, id)
-	if err != nil {
-		return nil, arrar.Annotate(err, "test for presence")
-	}
-
-	if res {
-		return id, ErrAlreadyPresent
-	}
-
-	// rename file
-	err = r.renameFile(filename, t, id)
-	if err != nil {
-		return nil, err
-	}
-
-	return id, nil
-}
-
 type sftpBlob struct {
 	f       *sftp.File
 	name    string
@@ -434,7 +343,7 @@ func (sb *sftpBlob) ID() (ID, error) {
 // Create creates a new blob of type t. Blob implements io.WriteCloser. Once
 // Close() has been called, ID() can be used to retrieve the ID. If the blob is
 // already present, Close() returns ErrAlreadyPresent.
-func (r *SFTP) CreateBlob(t Type) (Blob, error) {
+func (r *SFTP) Create(t Type) (Blob, error) {
 	// TODO: make sure that tempfile is removed upon error
 
 	// create tempfile in backend
diff --git a/key.go b/key.go
index fcc5fba17..e306ec1bc 100644
--- a/key.go
+++ b/key.go
@@ -209,10 +209,26 @@ func AddKey(s Server, password string, template *Key) (*Key, error) {
 	}
 
 	// store in repository and return
-	id, err := s.Create(backend.Key, buf)
+	blob, err := s.Create(backend.Key)
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, err
 	}
+
+	_, err = blob.Write(buf)
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, err
+	}
+
+	err = blob.Close()
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, err
+	}
+
+	id, err := blob.ID()
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, err
+	}
+
 	newkey.id = id
 
 	FreeChunkBuf("key", newkey.Data)
diff --git a/server.go b/server.go
index e09e9ff5c..7c0093caf 100644
--- a/server.go
+++ b/server.go
@@ -169,7 +169,22 @@ func (s Server) Save(t backend.Type, data []byte, id backend.ID) (Blob, error) {
 	ciphertext = ciphertext[:n]
 
 	// save blob
-	sid, err := s.Create(t, ciphertext)
+	backendBlob, err := s.Create(t)
+	if err != nil {
+		return Blob{}, err
+	}
+
+	_, err = backendBlob.Write(ciphertext)
+	if err != nil {
+		return Blob{}, err
+	}
+
+	err = backendBlob.Close()
+	if err != nil {
+		return Blob{}, err
+	}
+
+	sid, err := backendBlob.ID()
 	if err != nil {
 		return Blob{}, err
 	}
@@ -225,8 +240,22 @@ func (s Server) SaveFrom(t backend.Type, id backend.ID, length uint, rd io.Reade
 
 	ciphertext = ciphertext[:n]
 
-	// save blob
-	sid, err := s.Create(t, ciphertext)
+	backendBlob, err := s.Create(t)
+	if err != nil {
+		return Blob{}, err
+	}
+
+	_, err = backendBlob.Write(ciphertext)
+	if err != nil {
+		return Blob{}, err
+	}
+
+	err = backendBlob.Close()
+	if err != nil {
+		return Blob{}, err
+	}
+
+	sid, err := backendBlob.ID()
 	if err != nil {
 		return Blob{}, err
 	}
@@ -322,16 +351,8 @@ func (s Server) GetReader(t backend.Type, id backend.ID) (io.ReadCloser, error)
 	return s.be.GetReader(t, id)
 }
 
-func (s Server) Create(t backend.Type, data []byte) (backend.ID, error) {
-	return s.be.Create(t, data)
-}
-
-func (s Server) CreateFrom(t backend.Type, r io.Reader) (backend.ID, error) {
-	return s.be.CreateFrom(t, r)
-}
-
-func (s Server) CreateBlob(t backend.Type) (backend.Blob, error) {
-	return s.be.CreateBlob(t)
+func (s Server) Create(t backend.Type) (backend.Blob, error) {
+	return s.be.Create(t)
 }
 
 func (s Server) Test(t backend.Type, id backend.ID) (bool, error) {