diff --git a/Gemfile.lock b/Gemfile.lock
index 1a713da..f7aad93 100644
--- a/Gemfile.lock
+++ b/Gemfile.lock
@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@ GEM
     multi_test (0.0.2)
     rspec-expectations (2.14.2)
       diff-lcs (>= 1.1.3, < 2.0)
-    thinp_xml (0.0.9)
+    thinp_xml (0.0.10)
       ejt_command_line (= 0.0.2)
 
 PLATFORMS
diff --git a/caching/cache_dump.cc b/caching/cache_dump.cc
index 73467cd..31ca00a 100644
--- a/caching/cache_dump.cc
+++ b/caching/cache_dump.cc
@@ -4,14 +4,24 @@
 #include <iostream>
 
 #include "version.h"
+#include "caching/metadata.h"
 #include "caching/xml_format.h"
+#include "persistent-data/file_utils.h"
 
 using namespace std;
 using namespace caching;
+using namespace caching::superblock_detail;
 
 //----------------------------------------------------------------
 
 namespace {
+	string to_string(unsigned char const *data) {
+		// FIXME: we're assuming the data is zero terminated here
+		return std::string(reinterpret_cast<char const *>(data));
+	}
+
+	//--------------------------------
+
 	string const STDOUT_PATH("-");
 
 	bool want_stdout(string const &output) {
@@ -19,16 +29,30 @@ namespace {
 	}
 
 	int dump_(string const &dev, ostream &out) {
+		block_manager<>::ptr bm = open_bm(dev, block_io<>::READ_ONLY);
+		metadata::ptr md(new metadata(bm, metadata::OPEN));
 		emitter::ptr e = create_xml_emitter(out);
+
+		superblock const &sb = md->sb_;
+		e->begin_superblock(to_string(sb.uuid), sb.data_block_size, sb.cache_blocks, to_string(sb.policy_name));
+		e->end_superblock();
+
 		return 0;
 	}
 
 	int dump(string const &dev, string const &output) {
-		if (want_stdout(output)) {
-			ofstream out(output.c_str());
-			return dump_(dev, out);
-		} else
-			return dump_(dev, cout);
+		try {
+			if (want_stdout(output))
+				return dump_(dev, cout);
+			else {
+				ofstream out(output.c_str());
+				return dump_(dev, out);
+			}
+
+		} catch (std::exception &e) {
+			cerr << e.what() << endl;
+			return 1;
+		}
 	}
 
 	void usage(ostream &out, string const &cmd) {
diff --git a/caching/cache_restore.cc b/caching/cache_restore.cc
index 7e64d4c..22cc452 100644
--- a/caching/cache_restore.cc
+++ b/caching/cache_restore.cc
@@ -20,7 +20,7 @@ using namespace std;
 namespace {
 	int restore(string const &xml_file, string const &dev) {
 		try {
-			block_manager<>::ptr bm = open_bm(dev, block_io<>::READ_ONLY);
+			block_manager<>::ptr bm = open_bm(dev, block_io<>::READ_WRITE);
 			metadata::ptr md(new metadata(bm, metadata::CREATE));
 			emitter::ptr restorer = create_restore_emitter(md);
 
diff --git a/caching/mapping_array.h b/caching/mapping_array.h
index a938466..030ec4f 100644
--- a/caching/mapping_array.h
+++ b/caching/mapping_array.h
@@ -7,6 +7,11 @@
 
 namespace caching {
 	namespace mapping_array_detail {
+		enum mapping_flags {
+			M_VALID = 1,
+			M_DIRTY = 2
+		};
+
 		struct mapping {
 			uint64_t oblock_;
 			uint32_t flags_;
diff --git a/caching/metadata.cc b/caching/metadata.cc
index f9c02f2..d152874 100644
--- a/caching/metadata.cc
+++ b/caching/metadata.cc
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 #include "caching/metadata.h"
+#include "caching/superblock.h"
 #include "persistent-data/space-maps/core.h"
 
 using namespace caching;
@@ -27,18 +28,6 @@ namespace {
 				lhs->set_count(b, rhs->get_count(b));
 		}
 	}
-
-	void init_superblock(superblock &sb) {
-#if 0
-		sb.magic_ = SUPERBLOCK_MAGIC;
-		sb.version_ = 1;
-		sb.data_mapping_root_ = mappings_->get_root();
-		sb.device_details_root_ = details_->get_root();
-		sb.data_block_size_ = data_block_size;
-		sb.metadata_block_size_ = MD_BLOCK_SIZE;
-		sb.metadata_nr_blocks_ = tm_->get_bm()->get_nr_blocks();
-#endif
-	}
 }
 
 //----------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -46,22 +35,16 @@ namespace {
 metadata::metadata(block_manager<>::ptr bm, open_type ot)
 {
 	switch (ot) {
-	case OPEN:
-		throw runtime_error("not implemented");
+	case CREATE:
+		create_metadata(bm);
 		break;
 
-	case CREATE:
-		tm_ = open_tm(bm);
-		space_map::ptr core = tm_->get_sm();
-		metadata_sm_ = create_metadata_sm(tm_, tm_->get_bm()->get_nr_blocks());
-		copy_space_maps(metadata_sm_, core);
-		tm_->set_sm(metadata_sm_);
+	case OPEN:
+		open_metadata(bm);
+		break;
 
-		mappings_ = mapping_array::ptr(new mapping_array(tm_, mapping_array::ref_counter()));
-//		hints_ = hint_array::ptr(new hint_array(tm_));
-
-		::memset(&sb_, 0, sizeof(sb_));
-		init_superblock(sb_);
+	default:
+		throw runtime_error("unhandled open_type");
 	}
 }
 
@@ -77,4 +60,42 @@ metadata::commit()
 	superblock_traits::pack(sb_, *disk);
 }
 
+void
+metadata::init_superblock()
+{
+#if 0
+	sb_.magic_ = SUPERBLOCK_MAGIC;
+	sb_.version_ = 1;
+	sb_.data_mapping_root_ = mappings_->get_root();
+	sb_.device_details_root_ = details_->get_root();
+	sb_.data_block_size_ = data_block_size;
+	sb_.metadata_block_size_ = MD_BLOCK_SIZE;
+	sb_.metadata_nr_blocks_ = tm_->get_bm()->get_nr_blocks();
+#endif
+}
+
+void
+metadata::create_metadata(block_manager<>::ptr bm)
+{
+	tm_ = open_tm(bm);
+
+	::memset(&sb_, 0, sizeof(sb_));
+	init_superblock();
+
+	space_map::ptr core = tm_->get_sm();
+	metadata_sm_ = create_metadata_sm(tm_, tm_->get_bm()->get_nr_blocks());
+	copy_space_maps(metadata_sm_, core);
+	tm_->set_sm(metadata_sm_);
+
+	mappings_ = mapping_array::ptr(new mapping_array(tm_, mapping_array::ref_counter()));
+//      hints_ = hint_array::ptr(new hint_array(tm_));
+}
+
+void
+metadata::open_metadata(block_manager<>::ptr bm)
+{
+	tm_ = open_tm(bm);
+	sb_ = read_superblock(tm_->get_bm());
+}
+
 //----------------------------------------------------------------
diff --git a/caching/metadata.h b/caching/metadata.h
index 7b956a5..20cb3d5 100644
--- a/caching/metadata.h
+++ b/caching/metadata.h
@@ -35,6 +35,12 @@ namespace caching {
 		checked_space_map::ptr metadata_sm_;
 		mapping_array::ptr mappings_;
 		//hint_array::ptr hints_;
+
+	private:
+		void init_superblock();
+
+		void create_metadata(block_manager<>::ptr bm);
+		void open_metadata(block_manager<>::ptr bm);
 	};
 };
 
diff --git a/caching/restore_emitter.cc b/caching/restore_emitter.cc
index efca1de..f871e61 100644
--- a/caching/restore_emitter.cc
+++ b/caching/restore_emitter.cc
@@ -1,14 +1,15 @@
 #include "caching/restore_emitter.h"
 #include "caching/superblock.h"
+#include "caching/mapping_array.h"
 
-using namespace std;
 using namespace caching;
+using namespace mapping_array_detail;
+using namespace std;
+using namespace superblock_detail;
 
 //----------------------------------------------------------------
 
 namespace {
-	using namespace superblock_detail;
-
 	class restorer : public emitter {
 	public:
 		restorer(metadata::ptr md)
@@ -54,6 +55,11 @@ namespace {
 			sb.read_misses = 0;
 			sb.write_hits = 0;
 			sb.write_misses = 0;
+
+			struct mapping unmapped_value;
+			unmapped_value.oblock_ = 0;
+			unmapped_value.flags_ = 0;
+			md_->mappings_->grow(nr_cache_blocks, unmapped_value);
 		}
 
 		virtual void end_superblock() {
diff --git a/caching/superblock.cc b/caching/superblock.cc
index 4a8b153..e783e16 100644
--- a/caching/superblock.cc
+++ b/caching/superblock.cc
@@ -141,8 +141,7 @@ caching::superblock_validator()
 //--------------------------------
 
 superblock_detail::superblock
-caching::read_superblock(persistent_data::block_manager<>::ptr bm,
-			 persistent_data::block_address location)
+caching::read_superblock(block_manager<>::ptr bm, block_address location)
 {
 	using namespace superblock_detail;
 
@@ -160,6 +159,24 @@ caching::read_superblock(persistent_data::block_manager<>::ptr bm)
 	return read_superblock(bm, SUPERBLOCK_LOCATION);
 }
 
+void
+caching::write_superblock(block_manager<>::ptr bm,
+			  block_address location,
+			  superblock_detail::superblock const &sb)
+{
+	using namespace superblock_detail;
+
+	block_manager<>::write_ref w = bm->write_lock(location, superblock_validator());
+	superblock_traits::pack(sb, *reinterpret_cast<superblock_disk *>(&w.data()));
+}
+
+void
+caching::write_superblock(block_manager<>::ptr bm,
+			  superblock_detail::superblock const &sb)
+{
+	write_superblock(bm, SUPERBLOCK_LOCATION, sb);
+}
+
 void
 caching::check_superblock(persistent_data::block_manager<>::ptr bm,
 			  superblock_detail::damage_visitor &visitor)
diff --git a/caching/superblock.h b/caching/superblock.h
index f6b9a0c..92db272 100644
--- a/caching/superblock.h
+++ b/caching/superblock.h
@@ -130,6 +130,13 @@ namespace caching {
 	superblock_detail::superblock read_superblock(persistent_data::block_manager<>::ptr bm);
 	superblock_detail::superblock read_superblock(persistent_data::block_manager<>::ptr bm,
 						      persistent_data::block_address location);
+
+	void write_superblock(persistent_data::block_manager<>::ptr bm,
+			      superblock_detail::superblock const &sb);
+	void write_superblock(persistent_data::block_manager<>::ptr bm,
+			      persistent_data::block_address location,
+			      superblock_detail::superblock const &sb);
+
 	void check_superblock(persistent_data::block_manager<>::ptr bm,
 			      superblock_detail::damage_visitor &visitor);
 }
diff --git a/features/cache_dump.feature b/features/cache_dump.feature
index 15bcecd..6ca41f6 100644
--- a/features/cache_dump.feature
+++ b/features/cache_dump.feature
@@ -41,6 +41,7 @@ Feature: cache_dump
     No input file provided.
     """  
 
+  @announce
   Scenario: dump/restore is a noop
     Given valid cache metadata
     When I cache_dump
diff --git a/features/cache_restore.feature b/features/cache_restore.feature
index 3e8c016..6b649cb 100644
--- a/features/cache_restore.feature
+++ b/features/cache_restore.feature
@@ -53,6 +53,7 @@ Feature: thin_restore
     No output file provided.
     """
 
+  @announce
   Scenario: successfully restores a valid xml file
     Given a small xml file
     And an empty dev file
diff --git a/features/step_definitions/cache_steps.rb b/features/step_definitions/cache_steps.rb
index 342fd74..68c5739 100644
--- a/features/step_definitions/cache_steps.rb
+++ b/features/step_definitions/cache_steps.rb
@@ -74,14 +74,14 @@ end
 
 Given(/^valid cache metadata$/) do
   in_current_dir do
-    system("cache_xml create --nr-cache-blocks uniform[1000-5000] --nr-mappings uniform[500-1000] > #{xml_file}")
+    system("cache_xml create --nr-cache-blocks uniform[1000..5000] --nr-mappings uniform[500..1000] > #{xml_file}")
   end
 
   run_simple("dd if=/dev/zero of=#{dev_file} bs=4k count=1024")
   run_simple("cache_restore -i #{xml_file} -o #{dev_file}")
 end
 
-Then(/^cache dumps (\d+) and (\d+) should be identical$/) do |arg1, arg2|
+Then(/^cache dumps (\d+) and (\d+) should be identical$/) do |d1, d2|
   run_simple("diff -ub #{dump_files[d1.to_i]} #{dump_files[d2.to_i]}", true)
 end
 
diff --git a/thin-provisioning/superblock.h b/thin-provisioning/superblock.h
index a9377b0..d6d78e3 100644
--- a/thin-provisioning/superblock.h
+++ b/thin-provisioning/superblock.h
@@ -122,6 +122,8 @@ namespace thin_provisioning {
 
 	persistent_data::block_manager<>::validator::ptr superblock_validator();
 
+	// FIXME: should we put init_superblock in here too?
+
 	superblock_detail::superblock read_superblock(persistent_data::block_manager<>::ptr bm);
 	superblock_detail::superblock read_superblock(persistent_data::block_manager<>::ptr bm, persistent_data::block_address location);
 	void check_superblock(persistent_data::block_manager<>::ptr bm,