diff --git a/include/bake-client.h b/include/bake-client.h
index 8557ed54f6b29165363e12ca2ac65b93ea0209da..a66513c54a03af0bc7a02126d0ff1602c4b46a54 100644
--- a/include/bake-client.h
+++ b/include/bake-client.h
@@ -101,6 +101,26 @@ int bake_persist(
     bake_target_id_t bti,
     bake_region_id_t rid);
 
+/**
+ * Creates a bounded-size BAKE region, writes data into it, and persists
+ * the reason all in one call/RPC (and thus 1 RTT).
+ *
+ * @param [in] bti BAKE target identifier
+ * @param [in] region_size size of region to be created
+ * @param [in] region_offset offset into the target region to write
+ * @param [in] buf local memory buffer to write
+ * @param [in] buf_size size of local memory buffer to write
+ * @param [out] rid identifier for new region
+ * @returns 0 on success, -1 on failure
+ */
+int bake_create_write_persist(
+    bake_target_id_t bti,
+    uint64_t region_size,
+    uint64_t region_offset,
+    void const *buf,
+    uint64_t buf_size,
+    bake_region_id_t *rid);
+
 /**
  * Checks the size of an existing BAKE region. 
  *
diff --git a/src/bake-client.c b/src/bake-client.c
index 0a48aae12578721cec324203dac44db11bb05922..f15068e7d69a30725d50d4182e4ea35db254eebc 100644
--- a/src/bake-client.c
+++ b/src/bake-client.c
@@ -29,6 +29,7 @@ struct bake_margo_instance
     hg_id_t bake_eager_read_id;
     hg_id_t bake_write_id;
     hg_id_t bake_persist_id;
+    hg_id_t bake_create_write_persist_id;
     hg_id_t bake_get_size_id;
     hg_id_t bake_read_id;
     hg_id_t bake_noop_id;
@@ -59,45 +60,38 @@ static int bake_margo_instance_init(margo_instance_id mid)
 
     /* register RPCs */
     g_margo_inst.bake_probe_id = 
-        MARGO_REGISTER(g_margo_inst.mid, 
-        "bake_probe_rpc", void, bake_probe_out_t, 
-        NULL);
+        MARGO_REGISTER(g_margo_inst.mid, "bake_probe_rpc",
+        void, bake_probe_out_t, NULL);
     g_margo_inst.bake_shutdown_id = 
-        MARGO_REGISTER(g_margo_inst.mid, 
-        "bake_shutdown_rpc", void, void, 
-        NULL);
+        MARGO_REGISTER(g_margo_inst.mid, "bake_shutdown_rpc",
+        void, void, NULL);
     g_margo_inst.bake_create_id = 
-        MARGO_REGISTER(g_margo_inst.mid, 
-        "bake_create_rpc", bake_create_in_t, bake_create_out_t,
-        NULL);
+        MARGO_REGISTER(g_margo_inst.mid, "bake_create_rpc",
+        bake_create_in_t, bake_create_out_t, NULL);
     g_margo_inst.bake_write_id = 
-        MARGO_REGISTER(g_margo_inst.mid, 
-        "bake_write_rpc", bake_write_in_t, bake_write_out_t,
-        NULL);
+        MARGO_REGISTER(g_margo_inst.mid, "bake_write_rpc",
+        bake_write_in_t, bake_write_out_t, NULL);
     g_margo_inst.bake_eager_write_id = 
-        MARGO_REGISTER(g_margo_inst.mid, 
-        "bake_eager_write_rpc", bake_eager_write_in_t, bake_eager_write_out_t,
-        NULL);
+        MARGO_REGISTER(g_margo_inst.mid, "bake_eager_write_rpc",
+        bake_eager_write_in_t, bake_eager_write_out_t, NULL);
     g_margo_inst.bake_eager_read_id = 
-        MARGO_REGISTER(g_margo_inst.mid, 
-        "bake_eager_read_rpc", bake_eager_read_in_t, bake_eager_read_out_t,
-        NULL);
+        MARGO_REGISTER(g_margo_inst.mid, "bake_eager_read_rpc",
+        bake_eager_read_in_t, bake_eager_read_out_t, NULL);
     g_margo_inst.bake_persist_id = 
-        MARGO_REGISTER(g_margo_inst.mid, 
-        "bake_persist_rpc", bake_persist_in_t, bake_persist_out_t,
-        NULL);
+        MARGO_REGISTER(g_margo_inst.mid, "bake_persist_rpc",
+        bake_persist_in_t, bake_persist_out_t, NULL);
+    g_margo_inst.bake_create_write_persist_id =
+        MARGO_REGISTER(g_margo_inst.mid, "bake_create_write_persist_rpc",
+         bake_create_write_persist_in_t, bake_create_write_persist_out_t, NULL);
     g_margo_inst.bake_get_size_id = 
-        MARGO_REGISTER(g_margo_inst.mid, 
-        "bake_get_size_rpc", bake_get_size_in_t, bake_get_size_out_t,
-        NULL);
+        MARGO_REGISTER(g_margo_inst.mid, "bake_get_size_rpc",
+        bake_get_size_in_t, bake_get_size_out_t, NULL);
     g_margo_inst.bake_read_id = 
-        MARGO_REGISTER(g_margo_inst.mid, 
-        "bake_read_rpc", bake_read_in_t, bake_read_out_t,
-        NULL);
+        MARGO_REGISTER(g_margo_inst.mid, "bake_read_rpc",
+        bake_read_in_t, bake_read_out_t, NULL);
     g_margo_inst.bake_noop_id = 
-        MARGO_REGISTER(g_margo_inst.mid, 
-        "bake_noop_rpc", void, void,
-        NULL);
+        MARGO_REGISTER(g_margo_inst.mid, "bake_noop_rpc",
+        void, void, NULL);
 
     return(0);
 }
@@ -480,6 +474,73 @@ int bake_persist(
     return(ret);
 }
 
+int bake_create_write_persist(
+    bake_target_id_t bti,
+    uint64_t region_size,
+    uint64_t region_offset,
+    void const *buf,
+    uint64_t buf_size,
+    bake_region_id_t *rid)
+{
+    hg_return_t hret;
+    hg_handle_t handle;
+    bake_create_write_persist_in_t in;
+    bake_create_write_persist_out_t out;
+    int ret;
+    struct bake_instance *instance = NULL;
+
+    /* XXX eager path? */
+
+    HASH_FIND(hh, instance_hash, &bti, sizeof(bti), instance);
+    if(!instance)
+        return(-1);
+
+    in.bti = bti;
+    in.region_size = region_size;
+    in.region_offset = region_offset;
+    in.bulk_offset = 0;
+    in.bulk_size = buf_size;
+    in.remote_addr_str = NULL; /* set remote_addr to NULL to disable proxy write */
+
+    hret = margo_bulk_create(g_margo_inst.mid, 1, (void**)(&buf), &buf_size,
+        HG_BULK_READ_ONLY, &in.bulk_handle);
+    if(hret != HG_SUCCESS)
+        return(-1);
+
+    hret = margo_create(g_margo_inst.mid, instance->dest,
+        g_margo_inst.bake_create_write_persist_id, &handle);
+    if(hret != HG_SUCCESS)
+    {
+        margo_bulk_free(in.bulk_handle);
+        return(-1);
+    }
+
+    hret = margo_forward(handle, &in);
+    if(hret != HG_SUCCESS)
+    {
+        margo_bulk_free(in.bulk_handle);
+        margo_destroy(handle);
+        return(-1);
+    }
+
+    hret = margo_get_output(handle, &out);
+    if(hret != HG_SUCCESS)
+    {
+        margo_bulk_free(in.bulk_handle);
+        margo_destroy(handle);
+        return(-1);
+    }
+
+    ret = out.ret;
+    if(ret == 0)
+        *rid = out.rid;
+
+    margo_free_output(handle, &out);
+    margo_bulk_free(in.bulk_handle);
+    margo_destroy(handle);
+    return(ret);
+}
+
 int bake_get_size(
     bake_target_id_t bti,
     bake_region_id_t rid,
diff --git a/src/bake-rpc.h b/src/bake-rpc.h
index 6d09f4e286206b98fd755c83f948c924a95ad58d..9fe67a2a307515f82b5fecbdc696bedc743c3f4c 100644
--- a/src/bake-rpc.h
+++ b/src/bake-rpc.h
@@ -62,6 +62,20 @@ MERCURY_GEN_PROC(bake_persist_out_t,
     ((int32_t)(ret)))
 DECLARE_MARGO_RPC_HANDLER(bake_persist_ult)
 
+/* BAKE create/write/persist */
+MERCURY_GEN_PROC(bake_create_write_persist_in_t,
+    ((bake_target_id_t)(bti))\
+    ((uint64_t)(region_size))\
+    ((uint64_t)(region_offset))\
+    ((hg_bulk_t)(bulk_handle))\
+    ((uint64_t)(bulk_offset))\
+    ((uint64_t)(bulk_size))\
+    ((hg_string_t)(remote_addr_str)))
+MERCURY_GEN_PROC(bake_create_write_persist_out_t,
+    ((int32_t)(ret))\
+    ((bake_region_id_t)(rid)))
+DECLARE_MARGO_RPC_HANDLER(bake_create_write_persist_ult)
+
 /* BAKE get size */
 MERCURY_GEN_PROC(bake_get_size_in_t,
     ((bake_target_id_t)(bti))\
diff --git a/src/bake-server.c b/src/bake-server.c
index 3286b5f83fcf8d83598ef4f4a72e8512acf54644..b849439b6e4d60e862d89ae44a26d4de327bab00 100644
--- a/src/bake-server.c
+++ b/src/bake-server.c
@@ -134,6 +134,9 @@ int bake_server_init(
         bake_eager_read_in_t, bake_eager_read_out_t, bake_eager_read_ult);
     MARGO_REGISTER(mid, "bake_persist_rpc",
         bake_persist_in_t, bake_persist_out_t, bake_persist_ult);
+    MARGO_REGISTER(mid, "bake_create_write_persist_rpc",
+        bake_create_write_persist_in_t, bake_create_write_persist_out_t,
+        bake_create_write_persist_ult);
     MARGO_REGISTER(mid, "bake_get_size_rpc",
         bake_get_size_in_t, bake_get_size_out_t, bake_get_size_ult);
     MARGO_REGISTER(mid, "bake_read_rpc",
@@ -286,6 +289,7 @@ static void bake_write_ult(hg_handle_t handle)
     hgi = margo_get_info(handle);
     assert(hgi);
     mid = margo_hg_info_get_instance(hgi);
+    assert(mid != MARGO_INSTANCE_NULL);
 
     hret = margo_get_input(handle, &in);
     if(hret != HG_SUCCESS)
@@ -461,6 +465,125 @@ static void bake_persist_ult(hg_handle_t handle)
 }
 DEFINE_MARGO_RPC_HANDLER(bake_persist_ult)
 
+static void bake_create_write_persist_ult(hg_handle_t handle)
+{
+    bake_create_write_persist_out_t out;
+    bake_create_write_persist_in_t in;
+    hg_addr_t src_addr;
+    char* buffer;
+    hg_bulk_t bulk_handle;
+    const struct hg_info *hgi;
+    margo_instance_id mid;
+    hg_return_t hret;
+    int ret;
+    pmemobj_region_id_t* prid;
+
+    assert(g_svr_ctx);
+
+    /* TODO: this check needs to be somewhere else */
+    assert(sizeof(pmemobj_region_id_t) <= BAKE_REGION_ID_DATA_SIZE);
+
+    memset(&out, 0, sizeof(out));
+
+    hgi = margo_get_info(handle);
+    assert(hgi);
+    mid = margo_hg_info_get_instance(hgi);
+    assert(mid != MARGO_INSTANCE_NULL);
+
+    hret = margo_get_input(handle, &in);
+    if(hret != HG_SUCCESS)
+    {
+        out.ret = -1;
+        margo_respond(handle, &out);
+        margo_destroy(handle);
+        return;
+    }
+
+    prid = (pmemobj_region_id_t*)out.rid.data;
+    prid->size = in.region_size;
+    ret = pmemobj_alloc(g_svr_ctx->pmem_pool, &prid->oid,
+        in.region_size, 0, NULL, NULL);
+    if(ret != 0)
+    {
+        out.ret = -1;
+        margo_free_input(handle, &in);
+        margo_respond(handle, &out);
+        margo_destroy(handle);
+        return;
+    }
+
+    /* find memory address for target object */
+    buffer = pmemobj_direct(prid->oid);
+    if(!buffer)
+    {
+        out.ret = -1;
+        margo_free_input(handle, &in);
+        margo_respond(handle, &out);
+        margo_destroy(handle);
+        return;
+    }
+
+    /* create bulk handle for local side of transfer */
+    hret = margo_bulk_create(mid, 1, (void**)(&buffer), &in.bulk_size,
+        HG_BULK_WRITE_ONLY, &bulk_handle);
+    if(hret != HG_SUCCESS)
+    {
+        out.ret = -1;
+        margo_free_input(handle, &in);
+        margo_respond(handle, &out);
+        margo_destroy(handle);
+        return;
+    }
+
+    if(in.remote_addr_str)
+    {
+        /* a proxy address was provided to pull write data from */
+        hret = margo_addr_lookup(mid, in.remote_addr_str, &src_addr);
+        if(hret != HG_SUCCESS)
+        {
+            out.ret = -1;
+            margo_bulk_free(bulk_handle);
+            margo_free_input(handle, &in);
+            margo_respond(handle, &out);
+            margo_destroy(handle);
+            return;
+        }
+    }
+    else
+    {
+        /* no proxy write, use the source of this request */
+        src_addr = hgi->addr;
+    }
+
+    hret = margo_bulk_transfer(mid, HG_BULK_PULL, src_addr, in.bulk_handle,
+        in.bulk_offset, bulk_handle, 0, in.bulk_size);
+    if(hret != HG_SUCCESS)
+    {
+        out.ret = -1;
+        if(in.remote_addr_str)
+            margo_addr_free(mid, src_addr);
+        margo_bulk_free(bulk_handle);
+        margo_free_input(handle, &in);
+        margo_respond(handle, &out);
+        margo_destroy(handle);
+        return;
+    }
+
+    /* TODO: should this have an abt shim in case it blocks? */
+    pmemobj_persist(g_svr_ctx->pmem_pool, buffer, prid->size);
+
+    out.ret = 0;
+
+    if(in.remote_addr_str)
+        margo_addr_free(mid, src_addr);
+    margo_bulk_free(bulk_handle);
+    margo_free_input(handle, &in);
+    margo_respond(handle, &out);
+    margo_destroy(handle);
+    return;
+}
+DEFINE_MARGO_RPC_HANDLER(bake_create_write_persist_ult)
+
 /* service a remote RPC that retrieves the size of a BAKE region */
 static void bake_get_size_ult(hg_handle_t handle)
 {