diff --git a/core/commands/add.go b/core/commands/add.go
index be15b302476..db4e21e6a00 100644
--- a/core/commands/add.go
+++ b/core/commands/add.go
@@ -7,7 +7,6 @@ import (
 	"strings"
 
 	"github.com/ipfs/go-ipfs/Godeps/_workspace/src/github.com/cheggaaa/pb"
-	context "github.com/ipfs/go-ipfs/Godeps/_workspace/src/golang.org/x/net/context"
 
 	cmds "github.com/ipfs/go-ipfs/commands"
 	files "github.com/ipfs/go-ipfs/commands/files"
@@ -16,6 +15,7 @@ import (
 	importer "github.com/ipfs/go-ipfs/importer"
 	"github.com/ipfs/go-ipfs/importer/chunk"
 	dag "github.com/ipfs/go-ipfs/merkledag"
+	pin "github.com/ipfs/go-ipfs/pin"
 	ft "github.com/ipfs/go-ipfs/unixfs"
 	u "github.com/ipfs/go-ipfs/util"
 )
@@ -113,12 +113,16 @@ remains to be implemented.
 					return
 				}
 
-				err = n.Pinning.Pin(context.Background(), rootnd, true)
+				rnk, err := rootnd.Key()
 				if err != nil {
 					res.SetError(err, cmds.ErrNormal)
 					return
 				}
 
+				mp := n.Pinning.GetManual()
+				mp.RemovePinWithMode(rnk, pin.Indirect)
+				mp.PinWithMode(rnk, pin.Recursive)
+
 				err = n.Pinning.Flush()
 				if err != nil {
 					res.SetError(err, cmds.ErrNormal)
@@ -214,7 +218,12 @@ remains to be implemented.
 }
 
 func add(n *core.IpfsNode, reader io.Reader) (*dag.Node, error) {
-	node, err := importer.BuildDagFromReader(reader, n.DAG, nil, chunk.DefaultSplitter)
+	node, err := importer.BuildDagFromReader(
+		reader,
+		n.DAG,
+		chunk.DefaultSplitter,
+		importer.PinIndirectCB(n.Pinning.GetManual()),
+	)
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, err
 	}
@@ -290,11 +299,13 @@ func addDir(n *core.IpfsNode, dir files.File, out chan interface{}, progress boo
 		return nil, err
 	}
 
-	_, err = n.DAG.Add(tree)
+	k, err := n.DAG.Add(tree)
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, err
 	}
 
+	n.Pinning.GetManual().PinWithMode(k, pin.Indirect)
+
 	return tree, nil
 }
 
diff --git a/core/corehttp/gateway_handler.go b/core/corehttp/gateway_handler.go
index efc35c445f1..4fc84dbc508 100644
--- a/core/corehttp/gateway_handler.go
+++ b/core/corehttp/gateway_handler.go
@@ -72,7 +72,7 @@ func (i *gatewayHandler) newDagFromReader(r io.Reader) (*dag.Node, error) {
 	// TODO(cryptix): change and remove this helper once PR1136 is merged
 	// return ufs.AddFromReader(i.node, r.Body)
 	return importer.BuildDagFromReader(
-		r, i.node.DAG, i.node.Pinning.GetManual(), chunk.DefaultSplitter)
+		r, i.node.DAG, chunk.DefaultSplitter, importer.BasicPinnerCB(i.node.Pinning.GetManual()))
 }
 
 // TODO(btc): break this apart into separate handlers using a more expressive muxer
diff --git a/core/coreunix/add.go b/core/coreunix/add.go
index 69acbe320e3..c1b9586c7a7 100644
--- a/core/coreunix/add.go
+++ b/core/coreunix/add.go
@@ -1,7 +1,6 @@
 package coreunix
 
 import (
-	"errors"
 	"io"
 	"io/ioutil"
 	"os"
@@ -29,15 +28,12 @@ func Add(n *core.IpfsNode, r io.Reader) (string, error) {
 	dagNode, err := importer.BuildDagFromReader(
 		r,
 		n.DAG,
-		n.Pinning.GetManual(), // Fix this interface
 		chunk.DefaultSplitter,
+		importer.BasicPinnerCB(n.Pinning.GetManual()),
 	)
 	if err != nil {
 		return "", err
 	}
-	if err := n.Pinning.Flush(); err != nil {
-		return "", err
-	}
 	k, err := dagNode.Key()
 	if err != nil {
 		return "", err
@@ -53,18 +49,28 @@ func AddR(n *core.IpfsNode, root string) (key string, err error) {
 		return "", err
 	}
 	defer f.Close()
+
 	ff, err := files.NewSerialFile(root, f)
 	if err != nil {
 		return "", err
 	}
+
 	dagnode, err := addFile(n, ff)
 	if err != nil {
 		return "", err
 	}
+
 	k, err := dagnode.Key()
 	if err != nil {
 		return "", err
 	}
+
+	n.Pinning.GetManual().RemovePinWithMode(k, pin.Indirect)
+	err = n.Pinning.Flush()
+	if err != nil {
+		return "", err
+	}
+
 	return k.String(), nil
 }
 
@@ -87,17 +93,14 @@ func AddWrapped(n *core.IpfsNode, r io.Reader, filename string) (string, *merkle
 }
 
 func add(n *core.IpfsNode, reader io.Reader) (*merkledag.Node, error) {
-	mp, ok := n.Pinning.(pin.ManualPinner)
-	if !ok {
-		return nil, errors.New("invalid pinner type! expected manual pinner")
-	}
-
-	node, err := importer.BuildDagFromReader(reader, n.DAG, mp, chunk.DefaultSplitter)
-	if err != nil {
-		return nil, err
-	}
+	mp := n.Pinning.GetManual()
 
-	err = n.Pinning.Flush()
+	node, err := importer.BuildDagFromReader(
+		reader,
+		n.DAG,
+		chunk.DefaultSplitter,
+		importer.PinIndirectCB(mp),
+	)
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, err
 	}
diff --git a/core/coreunix/metadata_test.go b/core/coreunix/metadata_test.go
index e3a9e5441c4..f752bb4521c 100644
--- a/core/coreunix/metadata_test.go
+++ b/core/coreunix/metadata_test.go
@@ -37,7 +37,7 @@ func TestMetadata(t *testing.T) {
 	data := make([]byte, 1000)
 	u.NewTimeSeededRand().Read(data)
 	r := bytes.NewReader(data)
-	nd, err := importer.BuildDagFromReader(r, ds, nil, chunk.DefaultSplitter)
+	nd, err := importer.BuildDagFromReader(r, ds, chunk.DefaultSplitter, nil)
 	if err != nil {
 		t.Fatal(err)
 	}
diff --git a/fuse/readonly/ipfs_test.go b/fuse/readonly/ipfs_test.go
index 8a139fc69bb..2f476568117 100644
--- a/fuse/readonly/ipfs_test.go
+++ b/fuse/readonly/ipfs_test.go
@@ -34,7 +34,7 @@ func randObj(t *testing.T, nd *core.IpfsNode, size int64) (*dag.Node, []byte) {
 	buf := make([]byte, size)
 	u.NewTimeSeededRand().Read(buf)
 	read := bytes.NewReader(buf)
-	obj, err := importer.BuildTrickleDagFromReader(read, nd.DAG, nil, chunk.DefaultSplitter)
+	obj, err := importer.BuildTrickleDagFromReader(read, nd.DAG, chunk.DefaultSplitter, nil)
 	if err != nil {
 		t.Fatal(err)
 	}
diff --git a/importer/helpers/dagbuilder.go b/importer/helpers/dagbuilder.go
index a5ca4e0a2e8..e6c7e721d31 100644
--- a/importer/helpers/dagbuilder.go
+++ b/importer/helpers/dagbuilder.go
@@ -5,6 +5,14 @@ import (
 	"github.com/ipfs/go-ipfs/pin"
 )
 
+// NodeCB is callback function for dag generation
+// the `last` flag signifies whether or not this is the last
+// (top-most root) node being added. useful for things like
+// only pinning the first node recursively.
+type NodeCB func(node *dag.Node, last bool) error
+
+var nilFunc NodeCB = func(_ *dag.Node, _ bool) error { return nil }
+
 // DagBuilderHelper wraps together a bunch of objects needed to
 // efficiently create unixfs dag trees
 type DagBuilderHelper struct {
@@ -13,6 +21,7 @@ type DagBuilderHelper struct {
 	in       <-chan []byte
 	nextData []byte // the next item to return.
 	maxlinks int
+	ncb      NodeCB
 }
 
 type DagBuilderParams struct {
@@ -22,18 +31,23 @@ type DagBuilderParams struct {
 	// DAGService to write blocks to (required)
 	Dagserv dag.DAGService
 
-	// Pinner to use for pinning files (optionally nil)
-	Pinner pin.ManualPinner
+	// Callback for each block added
+	NodeCB NodeCB
 }
 
 // Generate a new DagBuilderHelper from the given params, using 'in' as a
 // data source
 func (dbp *DagBuilderParams) New(in <-chan []byte) *DagBuilderHelper {
+	ncb := dbp.NodeCB
+	if ncb == nil {
+		ncb = nilFunc
+	}
+
 	return &DagBuilderHelper{
 		dserv:    dbp.Dagserv,
-		mp:       dbp.Pinner,
 		in:       in,
 		maxlinks: dbp.Maxlinks,
+		ncb:      ncb,
 	}
 }
 
@@ -125,17 +139,15 @@ func (db *DagBuilderHelper) Add(node *UnixfsNode) (*dag.Node, error) {
 		return nil, err
 	}
 
-	key, err := db.dserv.Add(dn)
+	_, err = db.dserv.Add(dn)
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, err
 	}
 
-	if db.mp != nil {
-		db.mp.PinWithMode(key, pin.Recursive)
-		err := db.mp.Flush()
-		if err != nil {
-			return nil, err
-		}
+	// node callback
+	err = db.ncb(dn, true)
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, err
 	}
 
 	return dn, nil
diff --git a/importer/helpers/helpers.go b/importer/helpers/helpers.go
index 96aafab2da9..e6a1a2012e0 100644
--- a/importer/helpers/helpers.go
+++ b/importer/helpers/helpers.go
@@ -107,14 +107,15 @@ func (n *UnixfsNode) AddChild(child *UnixfsNode, db *DagBuilderHelper) error {
 		return err
 	}
 
-	childkey, err := db.dserv.Add(childnode)
+	_, err = db.dserv.Add(childnode)
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
 
 	// Pin the child node indirectly
-	if db.mp != nil {
-		db.mp.PinWithMode(childkey, pin.Indirect)
+	err = db.ncb(childnode, false)
+	if err != nil {
+		return err
 	}
 
 	return nil
diff --git a/importer/importer.go b/importer/importer.go
index 3c70c443374..f499b190a4f 100644
--- a/importer/importer.go
+++ b/importer/importer.go
@@ -13,10 +13,10 @@ import (
 	trickle "github.com/ipfs/go-ipfs/importer/trickle"
 	dag "github.com/ipfs/go-ipfs/merkledag"
 	"github.com/ipfs/go-ipfs/pin"
-	"github.com/ipfs/go-ipfs/util"
+	u "github.com/ipfs/go-ipfs/util"
 )
 
-var log = util.Logger("importer")
+var log = u.Logger("importer")
 
 // Builds a DAG from the given file, writing created blocks to disk as they are
 // created
@@ -36,31 +36,60 @@ func BuildDagFromFile(fpath string, ds dag.DAGService, mp pin.ManualPinner) (*da
 	}
 	defer f.Close()
 
-	return BuildDagFromReader(f, ds, mp, chunk.DefaultSplitter)
+	return BuildDagFromReader(f, ds, chunk.DefaultSplitter, BasicPinnerCB(mp))
 }
 
-func BuildDagFromReader(r io.Reader, ds dag.DAGService, mp pin.ManualPinner, spl chunk.BlockSplitter) (*dag.Node, error) {
+func BuildDagFromReader(r io.Reader, ds dag.DAGService, spl chunk.BlockSplitter, ncb h.NodeCB) (*dag.Node, error) {
 	// Start the splitter
 	blkch := spl.Split(r)
 
 	dbp := h.DagBuilderParams{
 		Dagserv:  ds,
 		Maxlinks: h.DefaultLinksPerBlock,
-		Pinner:   mp,
+		NodeCB:   ncb,
 	}
 
 	return bal.BalancedLayout(dbp.New(blkch))
 }
 
-func BuildTrickleDagFromReader(r io.Reader, ds dag.DAGService, mp pin.ManualPinner, spl chunk.BlockSplitter) (*dag.Node, error) {
+func BuildTrickleDagFromReader(r io.Reader, ds dag.DAGService, spl chunk.BlockSplitter, ncb h.NodeCB) (*dag.Node, error) {
 	// Start the splitter
 	blkch := spl.Split(r)
 
 	dbp := h.DagBuilderParams{
 		Dagserv:  ds,
 		Maxlinks: h.DefaultLinksPerBlock,
-		Pinner:   mp,
+		NodeCB:   ncb,
 	}
 
 	return trickle.TrickleLayout(dbp.New(blkch))
 }
+
+func BasicPinnerCB(p pin.ManualPinner) h.NodeCB {
+	return func(n *dag.Node, last bool) error {
+		k, err := n.Key()
+		if err != nil {
+			return err
+		}
+
+		if last {
+			p.PinWithMode(k, pin.Recursive)
+			return p.Flush()
+		} else {
+			p.PinWithMode(k, pin.Indirect)
+			return nil
+		}
+	}
+}
+
+func PinIndirectCB(p pin.ManualPinner) h.NodeCB {
+	return func(n *dag.Node, last bool) error {
+		k, err := n.Key()
+		if err != nil {
+			return err
+		}
+
+		p.PinWithMode(k, pin.Indirect)
+		return nil
+	}
+}
diff --git a/importer/importer_test.go b/importer/importer_test.go
index f9e83f19dca..3641fb1b09b 100644
--- a/importer/importer_test.go
+++ b/importer/importer_test.go
@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@ import (
 func getBalancedDag(t testing.TB, size int64, blksize int) (*dag.Node, dag.DAGService) {
 	ds := mdtest.Mock(t)
 	r := io.LimitReader(u.NewTimeSeededRand(), size)
-	nd, err := BuildDagFromReader(r, ds, nil, &chunk.SizeSplitter{blksize})
+	nd, err := BuildDagFromReader(r, ds, &chunk.SizeSplitter{blksize}, nil)
 	if err != nil {
 		t.Fatal(err)
 	}
@@ -27,7 +27,7 @@ func getBalancedDag(t testing.TB, size int64, blksize int) (*dag.Node, dag.DAGSe
 func getTrickleDag(t testing.TB, size int64, blksize int) (*dag.Node, dag.DAGService) {
 	ds := mdtest.Mock(t)
 	r := io.LimitReader(u.NewTimeSeededRand(), size)
-	nd, err := BuildTrickleDagFromReader(r, ds, nil, &chunk.SizeSplitter{blksize})
+	nd, err := BuildTrickleDagFromReader(r, ds, &chunk.SizeSplitter{blksize}, nil)
 	if err != nil {
 		t.Fatal(err)
 	}
@@ -40,7 +40,7 @@ func TestBalancedDag(t *testing.T) {
 	u.NewTimeSeededRand().Read(buf)
 	r := bytes.NewReader(buf)
 
-	nd, err := BuildDagFromReader(r, ds, nil, chunk.DefaultSplitter)
+	nd, err := BuildDagFromReader(r, ds, chunk.DefaultSplitter, nil)
 	if err != nil {
 		t.Fatal(err)
 	}
diff --git a/merkledag/merkledag_test.go b/merkledag/merkledag_test.go
index 07525b8911d..28b58f88303 100644
--- a/merkledag/merkledag_test.go
+++ b/merkledag/merkledag_test.go
@@ -156,7 +156,7 @@ func runBatchFetchTest(t *testing.T, read io.Reader) {
 
 	spl := &chunk.SizeSplitter{512}
 
-	root, err := imp.BuildDagFromReader(read, dagservs[0], nil, spl)
+	root, err := imp.BuildDagFromReader(read, dagservs[0], spl, nil)
 	if err != nil {
 		t.Fatal(err)
 	}
diff --git a/unixfs/mod/dagmodifier.go b/unixfs/mod/dagmodifier.go
index e0e09f71157..bba3139cb76 100644
--- a/unixfs/mod/dagmodifier.go
+++ b/unixfs/mod/dagmodifier.go
@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@ import (
 	mh "github.com/ipfs/go-ipfs/Godeps/_workspace/src/github.com/jbenet/go-multihash"
 	context "github.com/ipfs/go-ipfs/Godeps/_workspace/src/golang.org/x/net/context"
 
+	imp "github.com/ipfs/go-ipfs/importer"
 	chunk "github.com/ipfs/go-ipfs/importer/chunk"
 	help "github.com/ipfs/go-ipfs/importer/helpers"
 	trickle "github.com/ipfs/go-ipfs/importer/trickle"
@@ -308,7 +309,7 @@ func (dm *DagModifier) appendData(node *mdag.Node, blks <-chan []byte) (*mdag.No
 	dbp := &help.DagBuilderParams{
 		Dagserv:  dm.dagserv,
 		Maxlinks: help.DefaultLinksPerBlock,
-		Pinner:   dm.mp,
+		NodeCB:   imp.BasicPinnerCB(dm.mp),
 	}
 
 	return trickle.TrickleAppend(node, dbp.New(blks))
diff --git a/unixfs/mod/dagmodifier_test.go b/unixfs/mod/dagmodifier_test.go
index abc8268e361..3e2bea6cbf9 100644
--- a/unixfs/mod/dagmodifier_test.go
+++ b/unixfs/mod/dagmodifier_test.go
@@ -52,7 +52,7 @@ func getMockDagServAndBstore(t testing.TB) (mdag.DAGService, blockstore.Blocksto
 
 func getNode(t testing.TB, dserv mdag.DAGService, size int64, pinner pin.ManualPinner) ([]byte, *mdag.Node) {
 	in := io.LimitReader(u.NewTimeSeededRand(), size)
-	node, err := imp.BuildTrickleDagFromReader(in, dserv, pinner, &chunk.SizeSplitter{500})
+	node, err := imp.BuildTrickleDagFromReader(in, dserv, &chunk.SizeSplitter{500}, imp.BasicPinnerCB(pinner))
 	if err != nil {
 		t.Fatal(err)
 	}