diff --git a/kmod/src/data.c b/kmod/src/data.c
index a8bca721..c518e16f 100644
--- a/kmod/src/data.c
+++ b/kmod/src/data.c
@@ -93,6 +93,16 @@ static void ext_from_item(struct scoutfs_extent *ext,
 	ext->flags = dv->flags;
 }
 
+static void data_ext_op_warn(struct inode *inode)
+{
+	struct scoutfs_inode_info *si;
+
+	if (inode) {
+		si = SCOUTFS_I(inode);
+		WARN_ON_ONCE(!rwsem_is_locked(&si->extent_sem));
+	}
+}
+
 static int data_ext_next(struct super_block *sb, void *arg, u64 start, u64 len,
 			 struct scoutfs_extent *ext)
 {
@@ -102,6 +112,8 @@ static int data_ext_next(struct super_block *sb, void *arg, u64 start, u64 len,
 	struct scoutfs_key last;
 	int ret;
 
+	data_ext_op_warn(args->inode);
+
 	item_from_extent(&last, &dv, args->ino, U64_MAX, 1, 0, 0);
 	item_from_extent(&key, &dv, args->ino, start, len, 0, 0);
 
@@ -139,6 +151,8 @@ static int data_ext_insert(struct super_block *sb, void *arg, u64 start,
 	struct scoutfs_key key;
 	int ret;
 
+	data_ext_op_warn(args->inode);
+
 	item_from_extent(&key, &dv, args->ino, start, len, map, flags);
 	ret = scoutfs_item_create(sb, &key, &dv, sizeof(dv), args->lock);
 	if (ret == 0 && args->inode)
@@ -154,6 +168,8 @@ static int data_ext_remove(struct super_block *sb, void *arg, u64 start,
 	struct scoutfs_key key;
 	int ret;
 
+	data_ext_op_warn(args->inode);
+
 	item_from_extent(&key, &dv, args->ino, start, len, map, flags);
 	ret = scoutfs_item_delete(sb, &key, args->lock);
 	if (ret == 0 && args->inode)
@@ -276,6 +292,7 @@ int scoutfs_data_truncate_items(struct super_block *sb, struct inode *inode,
 				struct scoutfs_lock *lock)
 {
 	struct scoutfs_item_count cnt = SIC_TRUNC_EXTENT(inode);
+	struct scoutfs_inode_info *si = NULL;
 	LIST_HEAD(ind_locks);
 	s64 ret = 0;
 
@@ -290,6 +307,11 @@ int scoutfs_data_truncate_items(struct super_block *sb, struct inode *inode,
 	if (WARN_ON_ONCE(last < iblock))
 		return -EINVAL;
 
+	if (inode) {
+		si = SCOUTFS_I(inode);
+		down_write(&si->extent_sem);
+	}
+
 	while (iblock <= last) {
 		if (inode)
 			ret = scoutfs_inode_index_lock_hold(inode, &ind_locks,
@@ -321,6 +343,9 @@ int scoutfs_data_truncate_items(struct super_block *sb, struct inode *inode,
 		ret = 0;
 	}
 
+	if (si)
+		up_write(&si->extent_sem);
+
 	return ret;
 }
 
@@ -533,6 +558,38 @@ out:
 	return ret;
 }
 
+/*
+ * Typically extent item users are serialized by i_mutex.  But page
+ * readers only hold the page lock and need to be protected from writers
+ * in other pages which can be manipulating neighbouring extents as
+ * they split and merge.
+ */
+static int scoutfs_get_block_read(struct inode *inode, sector_t iblock,
+				  struct buffer_head *bh, int create)
+{
+	struct scoutfs_inode_info *si = SCOUTFS_I(inode);
+	int ret;
+
+	down_read(&si->extent_sem);
+	ret = scoutfs_get_block(inode, iblock, bh, create);
+	up_read(&si->extent_sem);
+
+	return ret;
+}
+
+static int scoutfs_get_block_write(struct inode *inode, sector_t iblock,
+				   struct buffer_head *bh, int create)
+{
+	struct scoutfs_inode_info *si = SCOUTFS_I(inode);
+	int ret;
+
+	down_write(&si->extent_sem);
+	ret = scoutfs_get_block(inode, iblock, bh, create);
+	up_write(&si->extent_sem);
+
+	return ret;
+}
+
 /*
  * This is almost never used.  We can't block on a cluster lock while
  * holding the page lock because lock invalidation gets the page lock
@@ -598,7 +655,7 @@ static int scoutfs_readpage(struct file *file, struct page *page)
 			return ret;
 	}
 
-	ret = mpage_readpage(page, scoutfs_get_block);
+	ret = mpage_readpage(page, scoutfs_get_block_read);
 
 	scoutfs_unlock(sb, inode_lock, SCOUTFS_LOCK_READ);
 	scoutfs_per_task_del(&si->pt_data_lock, &pt_ent);
@@ -646,7 +703,7 @@ static int scoutfs_readpages(struct file *file, struct address_space *mapping,
 		}
 	}
 
-	ret = mpage_readpages(mapping, pages, nr_pages, scoutfs_get_block);
+	ret = mpage_readpages(mapping, pages, nr_pages, scoutfs_get_block_read);
 out:
 	scoutfs_unlock(sb, inode_lock, SCOUTFS_LOCK_READ);
 	BUG_ON(!list_empty(pages));
@@ -655,13 +712,13 @@ out:
 
 static int scoutfs_writepage(struct page *page, struct writeback_control *wbc)
 {
-	return block_write_full_page(page, scoutfs_get_block, wbc);
+	return block_write_full_page(page, scoutfs_get_block_write, wbc);
 }
 
 static int scoutfs_writepages(struct address_space *mapping,
 			      struct writeback_control *wbc)
 {
-	return mpage_writepages(mapping, wbc, scoutfs_get_block);
+	return mpage_writepages(mapping, wbc, scoutfs_get_block_write);
 }
 
 /* fsdata allocated in write_begin and freed in write_end */
@@ -715,7 +772,7 @@ static int scoutfs_write_begin(struct file *file,
 	ret = scoutfs_dirty_inode_item(inode, wbd->lock);
 	if (ret == 0)
 		ret = block_write_begin(mapping, pos, len, flags, pagep,
-					scoutfs_get_block);
+					scoutfs_get_block_write);
 	if (ret)
 		scoutfs_release_trans(sb);
 out:
@@ -903,6 +960,7 @@ static s64 fallocate_extents(struct super_block *sb, struct inode *inode,
 long scoutfs_fallocate(struct file *file, int mode, loff_t offset, loff_t len)
 {
 	struct inode *inode = file_inode(file);
+	struct scoutfs_inode_info *si = SCOUTFS_I(inode);
 	struct super_block *sb = inode->i_sb;
 	const u64 ino = scoutfs_ino(inode);
 	struct scoutfs_lock *lock = NULL;
@@ -913,6 +971,7 @@ long scoutfs_fallocate(struct file *file, int mode, loff_t offset, loff_t len)
 	s64 ret;
 
 	mutex_lock(&inode->i_mutex);
+	down_write(&si->extent_sem);
 
 	/* XXX support more flags */
         if (mode & ~(FALLOC_FL_KEEP_SIZE)) {
@@ -978,6 +1037,7 @@ long scoutfs_fallocate(struct file *file, int mode, loff_t offset, loff_t len)
 
 out:
 	scoutfs_unlock(sb, lock, SCOUTFS_LOCK_WRITE);
+	up_write(&si->extent_sem);
 	mutex_unlock(&inode->i_mutex);
 
 	trace_scoutfs_data_fallocate(sb, ino, mode, offset, len, ret);
@@ -998,6 +1058,7 @@ int scoutfs_data_init_offline_extent(struct inode *inode, u64 size,
 				     struct scoutfs_lock *lock)
 
 {
+	struct scoutfs_inode_info *si = SCOUTFS_I(inode);
 	struct super_block *sb = inode->i_sb;
 	struct data_ext_args args = {
 		.ino = scoutfs_ino(inode),
@@ -1028,8 +1089,10 @@ int scoutfs_data_init_offline_extent(struct inode *inode, u64 size,
 	if (ret < 0)
 		goto unlock;
 
+	down_write(&si->extent_sem);
 	ret = scoutfs_ext_insert(sb, &data_ext_ops, &args,
 				 0, count, 0, SEF_OFFLINE);
+	up_write(&si->extent_sem);
 	if (ret < 0)
 		goto unlock;
 
@@ -1075,6 +1138,7 @@ static int fill_extent(struct fiemap_extent_info *fieinfo,
 int scoutfs_data_fiemap(struct inode *inode, struct fiemap_extent_info *fieinfo,
 			u64 start, u64 len)
 {
+	struct scoutfs_inode_info *si = SCOUTFS_I(inode);
 	struct super_block *sb = inode->i_sb;
 	const u64 ino = scoutfs_ino(inode);
 	struct scoutfs_lock *lock = NULL;
@@ -1095,8 +1159,8 @@ int scoutfs_data_fiemap(struct inode *inode, struct fiemap_extent_info *fieinfo,
 	if (ret)
 		goto out;
 
-	/* XXX overkill? */
 	mutex_lock(&inode->i_mutex);
+	down_read(&si->extent_sem);
 
 	ret = scoutfs_lock_inode(sb, SCOUTFS_LOCK_READ, 0, inode, &lock);
 	if (ret)
@@ -1148,6 +1212,7 @@ int scoutfs_data_fiemap(struct inode *inode, struct fiemap_extent_info *fieinfo,
 		ret = fill_extent(fieinfo, &cur, last_flags);
 unlock:
 	scoutfs_unlock(sb, lock, SCOUTFS_LOCK_READ);
+	up_read(&si->extent_sem);
 	mutex_unlock(&inode->i_mutex);
 
 out:
@@ -1227,8 +1292,9 @@ static struct scoutfs_data_wait *dw_next(struct scoutfs_data_wait *dw)
  * Check if we should wait by looking for extents whose flags match.
  * Returns 0 if no extents were found or any error encountered.
  *
- * The caller must have locked the extents before calling, both across
- * mounts and within this mount.
+ * The caller must have acquired a cluster lock that covers the extent
+ * items.  We acquire the extent_sem to protect our read from writers in
+ * other tasks.
  *
  * Returns 1 if any file extents in the caller's region matched.  If the
  * wait struct is provided then it is initialized to be woken when the
@@ -1240,6 +1306,7 @@ int scoutfs_data_wait_check(struct inode *inode, loff_t pos, loff_t len,
 			    u8 sef, u8 op, struct scoutfs_data_wait *dw,
 			    struct scoutfs_lock *lock)
 {
+	struct scoutfs_inode_info *si = SCOUTFS_I(inode);
 	struct super_block *sb = inode->i_sb;
 	const u64 ino = scoutfs_ino(inode);
 	struct data_ext_args args = {
@@ -1272,6 +1339,8 @@ int scoutfs_data_wait_check(struct inode *inode, loff_t pos, loff_t len,
 		}
 	}
 
+	down_read(&si->extent_sem);
+
 	iblock = pos >> SCOUTFS_BLOCK_SM_SHIFT;
 	last_block = (pos + len - 1) >> SCOUTFS_BLOCK_SM_SHIFT;
 
@@ -1308,6 +1377,8 @@ int scoutfs_data_wait_check(struct inode *inode, loff_t pos, loff_t len,
 		iblock = ext.start + ext.len;
 	}
 
+	up_read(&si->extent_sem);
+
 out:
 	trace_scoutfs_data_wait_check(sb, ino, pos, len, sef, op, &ext, ret);
 
diff --git a/kmod/src/inode.c b/kmod/src/inode.c
index 63aa70b9..c5fbbb00 100644
--- a/kmod/src/inode.c
+++ b/kmod/src/inode.c
@@ -71,29 +71,30 @@ static struct kmem_cache *scoutfs_inode_cachep;
  */
 static void scoutfs_inode_ctor(void *obj)
 {
-	struct scoutfs_inode_info *ci = obj;
+	struct scoutfs_inode_info *si = obj;
 
-	mutex_init(&ci->item_mutex);
-	seqcount_init(&ci->seqcount);
-	ci->staging = false;
-	scoutfs_per_task_init(&ci->pt_data_lock);
-	atomic64_set(&ci->data_waitq.changed, 0);
-	init_waitqueue_head(&ci->data_waitq.waitq);
-	init_rwsem(&ci->xattr_rwsem);
-	RB_CLEAR_NODE(&ci->writeback_node);
+	init_rwsem(&si->extent_sem);
+	mutex_init(&si->item_mutex);
+	seqcount_init(&si->seqcount);
+	si->staging = false;
+	scoutfs_per_task_init(&si->pt_data_lock);
+	atomic64_set(&si->data_waitq.changed, 0);
+	init_waitqueue_head(&si->data_waitq.waitq);
+	init_rwsem(&si->xattr_rwsem);
+	RB_CLEAR_NODE(&si->writeback_node);
 
-	inode_init_once(&ci->inode);
+	inode_init_once(&si->inode);
 }
 
 struct inode *scoutfs_alloc_inode(struct super_block *sb)
 {
-	struct scoutfs_inode_info *ci;
+	struct scoutfs_inode_info *si;
 
-	ci = kmem_cache_alloc(scoutfs_inode_cachep, GFP_NOFS);
-	if (!ci)
+	si = kmem_cache_alloc(scoutfs_inode_cachep, GFP_NOFS);
+	if (!si)
 		return NULL;
 
-	return &ci->inode;
+	return &si->inode;
 }
 
 static void scoutfs_i_callback(struct rcu_head *head)
@@ -221,7 +222,7 @@ static void set_item_info(struct scoutfs_inode_info *si,
 
 static void load_inode(struct inode *inode, struct scoutfs_inode *cinode)
 {
-	struct scoutfs_inode_info *ci = SCOUTFS_I(inode);
+	struct scoutfs_inode_info *si = SCOUTFS_I(inode);
 
 	i_size_write(inode, le64_to_cpu(cinode->size));
 	set_nlink(inode, le32_to_cpu(cinode->nlink));
@@ -236,23 +237,23 @@ static void load_inode(struct inode *inode, struct scoutfs_inode *cinode)
 	inode->i_ctime.tv_sec = le64_to_cpu(cinode->ctime.sec);
 	inode->i_ctime.tv_nsec = le32_to_cpu(cinode->ctime.nsec);
 
-	ci->meta_seq = le64_to_cpu(cinode->meta_seq);
-	ci->data_seq = le64_to_cpu(cinode->data_seq);
-	ci->data_version = le64_to_cpu(cinode->data_version);
-	ci->online_blocks = le64_to_cpu(cinode->online_blocks);
-	ci->offline_blocks = le64_to_cpu(cinode->offline_blocks);
-	ci->next_readdir_pos = le64_to_cpu(cinode->next_readdir_pos);
-	ci->next_xattr_id = le64_to_cpu(cinode->next_xattr_id);
-	ci->flags = le32_to_cpu(cinode->flags);
+	si->meta_seq = le64_to_cpu(cinode->meta_seq);
+	si->data_seq = le64_to_cpu(cinode->data_seq);
+	si->data_version = le64_to_cpu(cinode->data_version);
+	si->online_blocks = le64_to_cpu(cinode->online_blocks);
+	si->offline_blocks = le64_to_cpu(cinode->offline_blocks);
+	si->next_readdir_pos = le64_to_cpu(cinode->next_readdir_pos);
+	si->next_xattr_id = le64_to_cpu(cinode->next_xattr_id);
+	si->flags = le32_to_cpu(cinode->flags);
 
 	/*
 	 * i_blocks is initialized from online and offline and is then
 	 * maintained as blocks come and go.
 	 */
-	inode->i_blocks = (ci->online_blocks + ci->offline_blocks)
+	inode->i_blocks = (si->online_blocks + si->offline_blocks)
 				<< SCOUTFS_BLOCK_SM_SECTOR_SHIFT;
 
-	set_item_info(ci, cinode);
+	set_item_info(si, cinode);
 }
 
 static void init_inode_key(struct scoutfs_key *key, u64 ino)
@@ -334,7 +335,7 @@ int scoutfs_getattr(struct vfsmount *mnt, struct dentry *dentry,
 static int set_inode_size(struct inode *inode, struct scoutfs_lock *lock,
 			  u64 new_size, bool truncate)
 {
-	struct scoutfs_inode_info *ci = SCOUTFS_I(inode);
+	struct scoutfs_inode_info *si = SCOUTFS_I(inode);
 	struct super_block *sb = inode->i_sb;
 	LIST_HEAD(ind_locks);
 	int ret;
@@ -353,7 +354,7 @@ static int set_inode_size(struct inode *inode, struct scoutfs_lock *lock,
 	truncate_setsize(inode, new_size);
 	inode->i_ctime = inode->i_mtime = CURRENT_TIME;
 	if (truncate)
-		ci->flags |= SCOUTFS_INO_FLAG_TRUNCATE;
+		si->flags |= SCOUTFS_INO_FLAG_TRUNCATE;
 	scoutfs_inode_set_data_seq(inode);
 	scoutfs_update_inode_item(inode, lock, &ind_locks);
 
@@ -365,7 +366,7 @@ static int set_inode_size(struct inode *inode, struct scoutfs_lock *lock,
 
 static int clear_truncate_flag(struct inode *inode, struct scoutfs_lock *lock)
 {
-	struct scoutfs_inode_info *ci = SCOUTFS_I(inode);
+	struct scoutfs_inode_info *si = SCOUTFS_I(inode);
 	struct super_block *sb = inode->i_sb;
 	LIST_HEAD(ind_locks);
 	int ret;
@@ -375,7 +376,7 @@ static int clear_truncate_flag(struct inode *inode, struct scoutfs_lock *lock)
 	if (ret)
 		return ret;
 
-	ci->flags &= ~SCOUTFS_INO_FLAG_TRUNCATE;
+	si->flags &= ~SCOUTFS_INO_FLAG_TRUNCATE;
 	scoutfs_update_inode_item(inode, lock, &ind_locks);
 
 	scoutfs_release_trans(sb);
@@ -386,13 +387,13 @@ static int clear_truncate_flag(struct inode *inode, struct scoutfs_lock *lock)
 
 int scoutfs_complete_truncate(struct inode *inode, struct scoutfs_lock *lock)
 {
-	struct scoutfs_inode_info *ci = SCOUTFS_I(inode);
+	struct scoutfs_inode_info *si = SCOUTFS_I(inode);
 	u64 start;
 	int ret, err;
 
-	trace_scoutfs_complete_truncate(inode, ci->flags);
+	trace_scoutfs_complete_truncate(inode, si->flags);
 
-	if (!(ci->flags & SCOUTFS_INO_FLAG_TRUNCATE))
+	if (!(si->flags & SCOUTFS_INO_FLAG_TRUNCATE))
 		return 0;
 
 	start = (i_size_read(inode) + SCOUTFS_BLOCK_SM_SIZE - 1) >>
@@ -643,19 +644,19 @@ void scoutfs_inode_get_onoff(struct inode *inode, s64 *on, s64 *off)
 
 static int scoutfs_iget_test(struct inode *inode, void *arg)
 {
-	struct scoutfs_inode_info *ci = SCOUTFS_I(inode);
+	struct scoutfs_inode_info *si = SCOUTFS_I(inode);
 	u64 *ino = arg;
 
-	return ci->ino == *ino;
+	return si->ino == *ino;
 }
 
 static int scoutfs_iget_set(struct inode *inode, void *arg)
 {
-	struct scoutfs_inode_info *ci = SCOUTFS_I(inode);
+	struct scoutfs_inode_info *si = SCOUTFS_I(inode);
 	u64 *ino = arg;
 
 	inode->i_ino = *ino;
-	ci->ino = *ino;
+	si->ino = *ino;
 
 	return 0;
 }
@@ -705,7 +706,7 @@ out:
 
 static void store_inode(struct scoutfs_inode *cinode, struct inode *inode)
 {
-	struct scoutfs_inode_info *ci = SCOUTFS_I(inode);
+	struct scoutfs_inode_info *si = SCOUTFS_I(inode);
 	u64 online_blocks;
 	u64 offline_blocks;
 
@@ -732,9 +733,9 @@ static void store_inode(struct scoutfs_inode *cinode, struct inode *inode)
 	cinode->data_version = cpu_to_le64(scoutfs_inode_data_version(inode));
 	cinode->online_blocks = cpu_to_le64(online_blocks);
 	cinode->offline_blocks = cpu_to_le64(offline_blocks);
-	cinode->next_readdir_pos = cpu_to_le64(ci->next_readdir_pos);
-	cinode->next_xattr_id = cpu_to_le64(ci->next_xattr_id);
-	cinode->flags = cpu_to_le32(ci->flags);
+	cinode->next_readdir_pos = cpu_to_le64(si->next_readdir_pos);
+	cinode->next_xattr_id = cpu_to_le64(si->next_xattr_id);
+	cinode->flags = cpu_to_le32(si->flags);
 }
 
 /*
@@ -1368,7 +1369,7 @@ struct inode *scoutfs_new_inode(struct super_block *sb, struct inode *dir,
 				umode_t mode, dev_t rdev, u64 ino,
 				struct scoutfs_lock *lock)
 {
-	struct scoutfs_inode_info *ci;
+	struct scoutfs_inode_info *si;
 	struct scoutfs_key key;
 	struct scoutfs_inode sinode;
 	struct inode *inode;
@@ -1378,16 +1379,16 @@ struct inode *scoutfs_new_inode(struct super_block *sb, struct inode *dir,
 	if (!inode)
 		return ERR_PTR(-ENOMEM);
 
-	ci = SCOUTFS_I(inode);
-	ci->ino = ino;
-	ci->data_version = 0;
-	ci->online_blocks = 0;
-	ci->offline_blocks = 0;
-	ci->next_readdir_pos = SCOUTFS_DIRENT_FIRST_POS;
-	ci->next_xattr_id = 0;
-	ci->have_item = false;
-	atomic64_set(&ci->last_refreshed, lock->refresh_gen);
-	ci->flags = 0;
+	si = SCOUTFS_I(inode);
+	si->ino = ino;
+	si->data_version = 0;
+	si->online_blocks = 0;
+	si->offline_blocks = 0;
+	si->next_readdir_pos = SCOUTFS_DIRENT_FIRST_POS;
+	si->next_xattr_id = 0;
+	si->have_item = false;
+	atomic64_set(&si->last_refreshed, lock->refresh_gen);
+	si->flags = 0;
 
 	scoutfs_inode_set_meta_seq(inode);
 	scoutfs_inode_set_data_seq(inode);
diff --git a/kmod/src/inode.h b/kmod/src/inode.h
index 9034aef4..a281180c 100644
--- a/kmod/src/inode.h
+++ b/kmod/src/inode.h
@@ -22,6 +22,14 @@ struct scoutfs_inode_info {
 	u64 offline_blocks;
 	u32 flags;
 
+	/*
+	 * Protects per-inode extent items, most particularly readers
+	 * who want to serialize writers without holding i_mutex. (only
+	 * used in data.c, it's the only place that understands file
+	 * extent items)
+	 */
+	struct rw_semaphore extent_sem;
+
 	/*
 	 * The in-memory item info caches the current index item values
 	 * so that we can decide to update them with comparisons instead
diff --git a/tests/golden/stage-multi-part b/tests/golden/stage-multi-part
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..e69de29b
diff --git a/tests/sequence b/tests/sequence
index 6b142b4a..4c7d0cdb 100644
--- a/tests/sequence
+++ b/tests/sequence
@@ -16,6 +16,7 @@ createmany-parallel.sh
 createmany-large-names.sh
 createmany-rename-large-dir.sh
 stage-release-race-alloc.sh
+stage-multi-part.sh
 basic-posix-consistency.sh
 dirent-consistency.sh
 lock-ex-race-processes.sh
diff --git a/tests/tests/stage-multi-part.sh b/tests/tests/stage-multi-part.sh
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..594a4f06
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/tests/stage-multi-part.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,69 @@
+#
+# Stage a large file in multiple parts and have a reader read it while
+# it's being staged.  This has found problems with extent access
+# locking.
+#
+
+t_require_commands scoutfs perl cmp rm
+
+FILE_BYTES=$((4 * 1024 * 1024 * 1024))
+FILE_BLOCKS=$((FILE_BYTES / 4096))
+FRAG_BYTES=$((128 * 1024 * 1024))
+FRAG_BLOCKS=$((FRAG_BYTES / 4096))
+NR_FRAGS=$((FILE_BLOCKS / FRAG_BLOCKS))
+
+#
+# high bandwidth way to generate file contents with predictable
+# contents.  We use ascii lines with the block identity, padded to 4KB
+# with spaces.
+#
+# $1 is number of 4k blocks to write, and each block gets its block
+# number in the line.  $2, $3, and $4 are fields that are put in every
+# block.
+#
+gen() {
+	perl -e 'for (my $i = 0; $i < '$1'; $i++) { printf("mount %020u process %020u file %020u blkno %020u%s\n", '$2', '$3', '$4', $i, " " x 3987); }'
+}
+
+release_file() {
+        local path="$1"
+        local vers=$(scoutfs stat -s data_version "$path")
+
+        scoutfs release "$path" "$vers" 0 $FILE_BLOCKS
+}
+
+stage_file() {
+        local path="$1"
+        local vers=$(scoutfs stat -s data_version "$path")
+        local off=0
+
+	for a in $(seq 1 $NR_FRAGS); do
+		scoutfs stage "$path" "$vers" $off $FRAG_BYTES \
+			<(gen $FRAG_BLOCKS $a $a $a)
+		((off+=$FRAG_BYTES))
+	done
+}
+
+FILE="$T_D0/file"
+
+whole_file() {
+	for a in $(seq 1 $NR_FRAGS); do
+		gen $FRAG_BLOCKS $a $a $a
+	done
+}
+
+#
+# just one pass through the file.
+#
+
+whole_file > "$FILE"
+release_file "$FILE"
+
+cmp "$FILE" <(whole_file) &
+pid=$!
+
+stage_file "$FILE"
+
+wait $pid || t_fail "comparison failed"
+
+t_pass