diff --git a/src/Cache.cpp b/src/Cache.cpp
index 9c428036a..1228904ce 100644
--- a/src/Cache.cpp
+++ b/src/Cache.cpp
@@ -453,6 +453,34 @@ void Cache::rename(const string &oldKey, const string &newKey, ssize_t sizediff)
     currentCacheSize += sizediff;
 }
 
+int Cache::ifExistsThenDelete(const string &key)
+{
+    bf::path cachedPath = prefix / key;
+    bf::path journalPath = journalPrefix / (key + ".journal");
+
+    boost::unique_lock<boost::recursive_mutex> s(lru_mutex);
+    bool objectExists = false;
+    bool journalExists = bf::exists(journalPath);
+    
+    auto it = m_lru.find(key);
+    if (it != m_lru.end())
+    {
+        objectExists = true;
+        lru.erase(it->lit);
+        m_lru.erase(it);
+    }
+    assert(objectExists == bf::exists(cachedPath));
+    
+    size_t objectSize = (objectExists ? bf::file_size(cachedPath) : 0);
+    //size_t objectSize = (objectExists ? MetadataFile::getLengthFromKey(key) : 0);
+    size_t journalSize = (journalExists ? bf::file_size(journalPath) : 0);
+    currentCacheSize -= (objectSize + journalSize);
+    
+    //assert(!objectExists || objectSize == bf::file_size(cachedPath));
+    
+    return (objectExists ? 1 : 0) | (journalExists ? 2 : 0);
+}
+
 size_t Cache::getCurrentCacheSize() const
 {
     return currentCacheSize;
diff --git a/src/Cache.h b/src/Cache.h
index 93ead6a6b..3a158bbde 100644
--- a/src/Cache.h
+++ b/src/Cache.h
@@ -34,6 +34,10 @@ class Cache : public boost::noncopyable
         void deletedObject(const std::string &key, size_t size);
         void deletedJournal(size_t size);
         
+        // an 'atomic' existence check & delete.  Covers the object and journal.  Does not delete the files.
+        // returns 0 if it didn't exist, 1 if the object exists, 2 if the journal exists, and 3 (1 | 2) if both exist
+        int ifExistsThenDelete(const std::string &key);   
+        
         // rename is used when an old obj gets merged with its journal file
         // the size will change in that process; sizediff is by how much
         void rename(const std::string &oldKey, const std::string &newKey, ssize_t sizediff);
diff --git a/src/IOCoordinator.cpp b/src/IOCoordinator.cpp
index b012d48a3..9bf84aa64 100755
--- a/src/IOCoordinator.cpp
+++ b/src/IOCoordinator.cpp
@@ -342,7 +342,7 @@ int IOCoordinator::_write(const char *filename, const uint8_t *data, off_t offse
             //log error and abort
         }
 
-        cache->newObject(newObject.key,(writeLength + objectOffset));
+        cache->newObject(newObject.key,writeLength);
         newObjectKeys.push_back(newObject.key);
 
         count += writeLength;
@@ -560,25 +560,14 @@ int IOCoordinator::truncate(const char *path, size_t newSize)
     
     uint i = (newSize == objects[0].offset ? 0 : 1);
     vector<string> deletedObjects;
-    while (i < objects.size())
+    for (; i < objects.size(); ++i)
     {
-        bf::path journal = journalPath / (objects[i].key + ".journal");
-        if (bf::exists(journal))
-        {
-            size_t jsize = bf::file_size(journal);
-            replicator->remove(journal);
-            cache->deletedJournal(jsize);
-        }
-        
-        if (cache->exists(objects[i].key))
-        {
-            bf::path cached = cachePath / objects[i].key;
-            size_t fsize = bf::file_size(cached);
-            replicator->remove(cached);
-            cache->deletedObject(objects[i].key, fsize);
-        }
+        int result = cache->ifExistsThenDelete(objects[i].key);
+        if (result & 0x1)
+            replicator->remove(cachePath / objects[i].key);
+        if (result & 0x2)
+            replicator->remove(journalPath / (objects[i].key + ".journal"));
         deletedObjects.push_back(objects[i].key);
-        ++i;
     }
     if (!deletedObjects.empty())
         synchronizer->deletedObjects(deletedObjects);
@@ -609,24 +598,13 @@ void IOCoordinator::deleteMetaFile(const bf::path &file)
         
     vector<metadataObject> objects = meta.metadataRead(0, meta.getLength());
     vector<string> deletedObjects;
-    bf::path journal, obj;
-    size_t size;
     for (auto &object : objects)
     {
-        obj = cachePath/object.key;
-        if (bf::exists(obj))
-        {
-            size = bf::file_size(obj);
-            replicator->remove(obj);
-            cache->deletedObject(object.key, size);
-        }
-        journal = journalPath/(object.key + ".journal");
-        if (bf::exists(journal))
-        {
-            size = bf::file_size(journal);
-            replicator->remove(journal);
-            cache->deletedJournal(size);
-        }
+        int result = cache->ifExistsThenDelete(object.key);
+        if (result & 0x1)
+            replicator->remove(cachePath/object.key);
+        if (result & 0x2)
+            replicator->remove(journalPath/(object.key + ".journal"));
         deletedObjects.push_back(object.key);
     }
     synchronizer->deletedObjects(deletedObjects);
diff --git a/src/journal_printer.py b/tools/journal_printer.py
similarity index 100%
rename from src/journal_printer.py
rename to tools/journal_printer.py