diff --git a/core/commands/add.go b/core/commands/add.go
index c4ac6703c9f..175f6cdf42d 100644
--- a/core/commands/add.go
+++ b/core/commands/add.go
@@ -236,7 +236,7 @@ You can now refer to the added file in a gateway, like so:
 		fileAdder.Silent = silent
 		fileAdder.RawLeaves = rawblks
 		fileAdder.NoCopy = nocopy
-		fileAdder.Prefix = prefix
+		fileAdder.Prefix = &prefix
 
 		if hash {
 			md := dagtest.Mock()
diff --git a/core/coreunix/add.go b/core/coreunix/add.go
index cc9ba0dc71d..d1cdf5fad29 100644
--- a/core/coreunix/add.go
+++ b/core/coreunix/add.go
@@ -103,7 +103,7 @@ type Adder struct {
 	mroot      *mfs.Root
 	unlocker   bs.Unlocker
 	tempRoot   *cid.Cid
-	Prefix     cid.Prefix
+	Prefix     *cid.Prefix
 }
 
 func (adder *Adder) mfsRoot() (*mfs.Root, error) {
@@ -113,6 +113,7 @@ func (adder *Adder) mfsRoot() (*mfs.Root, error) {
 	rnode := unixfs.EmptyDirNode()
 	rnode.SetPrefix(adder.Prefix)
 	mr, err := mfs.NewRoot(adder.ctx, adder.dagService, rnode, nil)
+	mr.Prefix = adder.Prefix
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, err
 	}
diff --git a/importer/helpers/dagbuilder.go b/importer/helpers/dagbuilder.go
index f0c7c37e9f5..39839d3515a 100644
--- a/importer/helpers/dagbuilder.go
+++ b/importer/helpers/dagbuilder.go
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@ type DagBuilderHelper struct {
 	batch     *dag.Batch
 	fullPath  string
 	stat      os.FileInfo
-	prefix    cid.Prefix
+	prefix    *cid.Prefix
 }
 
 type DagBuilderParams struct {
@@ -36,8 +36,8 @@ type DagBuilderParams struct {
 	// instead of using the unixfs TRaw type
 	RawLeaves bool
 
-	// CID Prefix to use
-	Prefix cid.Prefix
+	// CID Prefix to use if set
+	Prefix *cid.Prefix
 
 	// DAGService to write blocks to (required)
 	Dagserv dag.DAGService
diff --git a/importer/helpers/helpers.go b/importer/helpers/helpers.go
index c7963035ae5..17b08e54ef4 100644
--- a/importer/helpers/helpers.go
+++ b/importer/helpers/helpers.go
@@ -62,7 +62,7 @@ func NewUnixfsNodeFromDag(nd *dag.ProtoNode) (*UnixfsNode, error) {
 	}, nil
 }
 
-func (n *UnixfsNode) SetPrefix(prefix cid.Prefix) {
+func (n *UnixfsNode) SetPrefix(prefix *cid.Prefix) {
 	n.node.SetPrefix(prefix)
 }
 
diff --git a/merkledag/node.go b/merkledag/node.go
index 6a533fa4219..526dad4138a 100644
--- a/merkledag/node.go
+++ b/merkledag/node.go
@@ -53,10 +53,17 @@ func PrefixForCidVersion(version int) (cid.Prefix, error) {
 	}
 }
 
-func (n *ProtoNode) SetPrefix(prefix cid.Prefix) {
-	n.Prefix = prefix
-	n.encoded = nil
-	n.cached = nil
+// SetPrefix sets the prefix if it is non nil, if prefix is nil then
+// it resets it the default value
+func (n *ProtoNode) SetPrefix(prefix *cid.Prefix) {
+	if prefix == nil {
+		n.Prefix = v0CidPrefix
+	} else {
+		n.Prefix = *prefix
+		n.Prefix.Codec = cid.DagProtobuf
+		n.encoded = nil
+		n.cached = nil
+	}
 }
 
 type LinkSlice []*node.Link
@@ -287,7 +294,7 @@ func (n *ProtoNode) Cid() *cid.Cid {
 	}
 
 	if n.Prefix.Codec == 0 {
-		n.Prefix = v0CidPrefix
+		n.SetPrefix(nil)
 	}
 
 	c, err := n.Prefix.Sum(n.RawData())
diff --git a/mfs/dir.go b/mfs/dir.go
index beb7a2eed4e..47d8260dd5b 100644
--- a/mfs/dir.go
+++ b/mfs/dir.go
@@ -58,7 +58,7 @@ func NewDirectory(ctx context.Context, name string, node node.Node, parent child
 	}, nil
 }
 
-func (d *Directory) SetPrefix(prefix cid.Prefix) {
+func (d *Directory) SetPrefix(prefix *cid.Prefix) {
 	d.dirbuilder.SetPrefix(prefix)
 }
 
diff --git a/mfs/system.go b/mfs/system.go
index cf8498e1013..c542663a26c 100644
--- a/mfs/system.go
+++ b/mfs/system.go
@@ -63,7 +63,7 @@ type Root struct {
 	Type string
 
 	// Prefix to use for any children created
-	Prefix cid.Prefix
+	Prefix *cid.Prefix
 }
 
 type PubFunc func(context.Context, *cid.Cid) error
diff --git a/unixfs/io/dirbuilder.go b/unixfs/io/dirbuilder.go
index 6b3fb83ca5a..72a93d856e6 100644
--- a/unixfs/io/dirbuilder.go
+++ b/unixfs/io/dirbuilder.go
@@ -81,7 +81,7 @@ func NewDirectoryFromNode(dserv mdag.DAGService, nd node.Node) (*Directory, erro
 }
 
 // SetPrefix sets the prefix of the root node
-func (d *Directory) SetPrefix(prefix cid.Prefix) {
+func (d *Directory) SetPrefix(prefix *cid.Prefix) {
 	if d.dirnode != nil {
 		d.dirnode.SetPrefix(prefix)
 	}