diff --git a/fs.go b/fs.go
index ce991a292..eee3bb4ae 100644
--- a/fs.go
+++ b/fs.go
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@ type Fs interface {
 	String() string
 	List() FsObjectsChan
 	NewFsObject(remote string) FsObject
-	Put(src FsObject)
+	Put(in io.Reader, remote string, modTime time.Time, size int64) (FsObject, error)
 	Mkdir() error
 	Rmdir() error
 }
@@ -147,3 +147,32 @@ func Equal(src, dst FsObject) bool {
 	FsDebug(src, "Size and MD5SUM of src and dst objects identical")
 	return true
 }
+
+// Copy src object to f
+func Copy(f Fs, src FsObject) {
+	in0, err := src.Open()
+	if err != nil {
+		stats.Error()
+		FsLog(src, "Failed to open: %s", err)
+		return
+	}
+	in := NewAccount(in0) // account the transfer
+
+	dst, err := f.Put(in, src.Remote(), src.ModTime(), src.Size())
+	inErr := in.Close()
+	if err == nil {
+		err = inErr
+	}
+	if err != nil {
+		stats.Error()
+		FsLog(dst, "Failed to copy: %s", err)
+		FsDebug(dst, "Removing failed copy")
+		removeErr := dst.Remove()
+		if removeErr != nil {
+			stats.Error()
+			FsLog(dst, "Failed to remove failed copy: %s", removeErr)
+		}
+		return
+	}
+	FsDebug(src, "Copied")
+}
diff --git a/fs_local.go b/fs_local.go
index 93da943a6..ba9d8e8b6 100644
--- a/fs_local.go
+++ b/fs_local.go
@@ -101,65 +101,35 @@ func (f *FsLocal) List() FsObjectsChan {
 	return out
 }
 
-// FIXME most of this is generic
-// could make it into Copy(dst, src FsObject)
-
 // Puts the FsObject to the local filesystem
-//
-// FIXME return the object?
-func (f *FsLocal) Put(src FsObject) {
-	dstRemote := src.Remote()
-	dstPath := filepath.Join(f.root, dstRemote)
+func (f *FsLocal) Put(in io.Reader, remote string, modTime time.Time, size int64) (FsObject, error) {
+	dstPath := filepath.Join(f.root, remote)
 	// Temporary FsObject under construction
-	fs := &FsObjectLocal{remote: dstRemote, path: dstPath}
-	FsDebug(fs, "Download %s to %s", dstRemote, dstPath)
+	fs := &FsObjectLocal{remote: remote, path: dstPath}
 
 	dir := path.Dir(dstPath)
 	err := os.MkdirAll(dir, 0770)
 	if err != nil {
-		stats.Error()
-		FsLog(fs, "Couldn't make directory: %s", err)
-		return
+		return fs, err
 	}
 
 	out, err := os.Create(dstPath)
 	if err != nil {
-		stats.Error()
-		FsLog(fs, "Failed to open: %s", err)
-		return
+		return fs, err
 	}
 
-	// Close and remove file on error at the end
-	defer func() {
-		checkClose(out, &err)
-		if err != nil {
-			FsDebug(fs, "Removing failed download")
-			removeErr := os.Remove(dstPath)
-			if removeErr != nil {
-				stats.Error()
-				FsLog(fs, "Failed to remove failed download: %s", removeErr)
-			}
-		}
-	}()
-
-	in0, err := src.Open()
-	if err != nil {
-		stats.Error()
-		FsLog(fs, "Failed to open: %s", err)
-		return
-	}
-	in := NewAccount(in0) // account the transfer
-	defer checkClose(in, &err)
-
 	_, err = io.Copy(out, in)
+	outErr := out.Close()
 	if err != nil {
-		stats.Error()
-		FsLog(fs, "Failed to download: %s", err)
-		return
+		return fs, err
+	}
+	if outErr != nil {
+		return fs, outErr
 	}
 
 	// Set the mtime
-	fs.SetModTime(src.ModTime())
+	fs.SetModTime(modTime)
+	return fs, err
 }
 
 // Mkdir creates the directory if it doesn't exist
diff --git a/fs_s3.go b/fs_s3.go
index 5cb6f2648..9c4782ff0 100644
--- a/fs_s3.go
+++ b/fs_s3.go
@@ -207,43 +207,23 @@ func (f *FsS3) List() FsObjectsChan {
 }
 
 // Put the FsObject into the bucket
-func (f *FsS3) Put(src FsObject) {
+func (f *FsS3) Put(in io.Reader, remote string, modTime time.Time, size int64) (FsObject, error) {
 	// Temporary FsObject under construction
-	fs := &FsObjectS3{s3: f, remote: src.Remote()}
-
-	in0, err := src.Open()
-	if err != nil {
-		stats.Error()
-		FsLog(fs, "Failed to open: %s", err)
-		return
-	}
-	in := NewAccount(in0) // account the transfer
-	defer in.Close()
+	fs := &FsObjectS3{s3: f, remote: remote}
 
 	// Set the mtime in the headers
 	headers := s3.Headers{
-		metaMtime: swift.TimeToFloatString(src.ModTime()),
+		metaMtime: swift.TimeToFloatString(modTime),
 	}
 
 	// Guess the content type
-	contentType := mime.TypeByExtension(path.Ext(fs.remote))
+	contentType := mime.TypeByExtension(path.Ext(remote))
 	if contentType == "" {
 		contentType = "application/octet-stream"
 	}
 
-	_, err = fs.s3.b.PutReaderHeaders(fs.remote, in, src.Size(), contentType, fs.s3.perm, headers)
-	if err != nil {
-		stats.Error()
-		FsLog(fs, "Failed to upload: %s", err)
-		FsDebug(fs, "Removing failed upload")
-		removeErr := fs.Remove()
-		if removeErr != nil {
-			stats.Error()
-			FsLog(fs, "Failed to remove failed download: %s", removeErr)
-		}
-		return
-	}
-	FsDebug(fs, "Uploaded")
+	_, err := fs.s3.b.PutReaderHeaders(remote, in, size, contentType, f.perm, headers)
+	return fs, err
 }
 
 // Mkdir creates the bucket if it doesn't exist
diff --git a/fs_swift.go b/fs_swift.go
index 0ab9cae81..844694f8f 100644
--- a/fs_swift.go
+++ b/fs_swift.go
@@ -173,36 +173,19 @@ func (f *FsSwift) List() FsObjectsChan {
 }
 
 // Put the FsObject into the container
-func (f *FsSwift) Put(src FsObject) {
+//
+// Copy the reader in to the new object which is returned
+//
+// The new object may have been created
+func (f *FsSwift) Put(in io.Reader, remote string, modTime time.Time, size int64) (FsObject, error) {
 	// Temporary FsObject under construction
-	fs := &FsObjectSwift{swift: f, remote: src.Remote()}
-	// FIXME content type
-	in0, err := src.Open()
-	if err != nil {
-		stats.Error()
-		FsLog(fs, "Failed to open: %s", err)
-		return
-	}
-	in := NewAccount(in0) // account the transfer
-	defer in.Close()
+	fs := &FsObjectSwift{swift: f, remote: remote}
 
 	// Set the mtime
 	m := swift.Metadata{}
-	m.SetModTime(src.ModTime())
-
-	_, err = fs.swift.c.ObjectPut(fs.swift.container, fs.remote, in, true, "", "", m.ObjectHeaders())
-	if err != nil {
-		stats.Error()
-		FsLog(fs, "Failed to upload: %s", err)
-		FsDebug(fs, "Removing failed upload")
-		removeErr := fs.Remove()
-		if removeErr != nil {
-			stats.Error()
-			FsLog(fs, "Failed to remove failed download: %s", removeErr)
-		}
-		return
-	}
-	FsDebug(fs, "Uploaded")
+	m.SetModTime(modTime)
+	_, err := f.c.ObjectPut(f.container, remote, in, true, "", "", m.ObjectHeaders())
+	return fs, err
 }
 
 // Mkdir creates the container if it doesn't exist
diff --git a/notes.txt b/notes.txt
index 8c3d67522..fa54b0f9d 100644
--- a/notes.txt
+++ b/notes.txt
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@ Todo
   * Factor fses into own packages
   * FIXME: ls without an argument for buckets/containers?
   * FIXME: More -dry-run checks for object transfer
+  * FIXME: don't delete in sync if errors
   * Might be quicker to check md5sums first? for swift <-> swift certainly, and maybe for small files
   * Ignoring the pseudo directories
     * if object.PseudoDirectory {
diff --git a/swiftsync.go b/swiftsync.go
index b763a7c01..c4db9d340 100644
--- a/swiftsync.go
+++ b/swiftsync.go
@@ -62,13 +62,13 @@ func Copier(in FsObjectsChan, fdst Fs, wg *sync.WaitGroup) {
 	defer wg.Done()
 	for src := range in {
 		stats.Transferring(src)
-		fdst.Put(src)
+		Copy(fdst, src)
 		stats.DoneTransferring(src)
 	}
 }
 
 // Copies fsrc into fdst
-func Copy(fdst, fsrc Fs) {
+func CopyFs(fdst, fsrc Fs) {
 	err := fdst.Mkdir()
 	if err != nil {
 		stats.Error()
@@ -351,7 +351,7 @@ var Commands = []Command{
         MD5SUM.  Doesn't delete files from the destination.
 
 `,
-		Copy,
+		CopyFs,
 		2, 2,
 	},
 	{