diff --git a/cmd/dist/fetch.go b/cmd/dist/fetch.go
index f210cfb..820d8d8 100644
--- a/cmd/dist/fetch.go
+++ b/cmd/dist/fetch.go
@@ -1,19 +1,16 @@
 package main
 
 import (
-	"bytes"
 	"context"
-	"encoding/json"
 	"fmt"
-	"io/ioutil"
+	"io"
 	"os"
 	"sync"
 	"text/tabwriter"
 	"time"
 
-	"github.com/Sirupsen/logrus"
 	contentapi "github.com/docker/containerd/api/services/content"
-	"github.com/docker/containerd/content"
+	"github.com/docker/containerd/image"
 	"github.com/docker/containerd/log"
 	"github.com/docker/containerd/progress"
 	"github.com/docker/containerd/remotes"
@@ -58,9 +55,13 @@ Most of this is experimental and there are few leaps to make this work.`,
 		if err != nil {
 			return err
 		}
-		ctx = withJobsContext(ctx)
+
+		ongoing := newJobs()
 
 		ingester := contentservice.NewIngesterFromClient(contentapi.NewContentClient(conn))
+		provider := contentservice.NewProviderFromClient(contentapi.NewContentClient(conn))
+
+		// TODO(stevvooe): Need to replace this with content store client.
 		cs, err := resolveContentStore(clicontext)
 		if err != nil {
 			return err
@@ -70,7 +71,7 @@ Most of this is experimental and there are few leaps to make this work.`,
 
 		resolved := make(chan struct{})
 		eg.Go(func() error {
-			addJob(ctx, ref)
+			ongoing.add(ref)
 			name, desc, fetcher, err := resolver.Resolve(ctx, ref)
 			if err != nil {
 				return err
@@ -78,7 +79,15 @@ Most of this is experimental and there are few leaps to make this work.`,
 			log.G(ctx).WithField("image", name).Debug("fetching")
 			close(resolved)
 
-			return dispatch(ctx, ingester, fetcher, desc)
+			return image.Dispatch(ctx,
+				image.Handlers(image.HandlerFunc(func(ctx context.Context, desc ocispec.Descriptor) ([]ocispec.Descriptor, error) {
+					ongoing.add(remotes.MakeRefKey(ctx, desc))
+					return nil, nil
+				}),
+					remotes.FetchHandler(ingester, fetcher),
+					image.ChildrenHandler(provider),
+				),
+				desc)
 		})
 
 		errs := make(chan error)
@@ -99,17 +108,7 @@ Most of this is experimental and there are few leaps to make this work.`,
 				fw.Flush()
 
 				tw := tabwriter.NewWriter(fw, 1, 8, 1, ' ', 0)
-				var total int64
 
-				js := getJobs(ctx)
-				type statusInfo struct {
-					Ref       string
-					Status    string
-					Offset    int64
-					Total     int64
-					StartedAt time.Time
-					UpdatedAt time.Time
-				}
 				statuses := map[string]statusInfo{}
 
 				activeSeen := map[string]struct{}{}
@@ -133,6 +132,7 @@ Most of this is experimental and there are few leaps to make this work.`,
 					}
 				}
 
+				js := ongoing.jobs()
 				// now, update the items in jobs that are not in active
 				for _, j := range js {
 					if _, ok := activeSeen[j]; ok {
@@ -155,42 +155,12 @@ Most of this is experimental and there are few leaps to make this work.`,
 					}
 				}
 
+				var ordered []statusInfo
 				for _, j := range js {
-					status := statuses[j]
-
-					total += status.Offset
-					switch status.Status {
-					case "downloading":
-						bar := progress.Bar(float64(status.Offset) / float64(status.Total))
-						fmt.Fprintf(tw, "%s:\t%s\t%40r\t%8.8s/%s\t\n",
-							status.Ref,
-							status.Status,
-							bar,
-							progress.Bytes(status.Offset), progress.Bytes(status.Total))
-					case "resolving":
-						bar := progress.Bar(0.0)
-						fmt.Fprintf(tw, "%s:\t%s\t%40r\t\n",
-							status.Ref,
-							status.Status,
-							bar)
-					default:
-						bar := progress.Bar(1.0)
-						fmt.Fprintf(tw, "%s:\t%s\t%40r\t\n",
-							status.Ref,
-							status.Status,
-							bar)
-					}
+					ordered = append(ordered, statuses[j])
 				}
 
-				fmt.Fprintf(tw, "elapsed: %-4.1fs\ttotal: %7.6v\t(%v)\t\n",
-					time.Since(start).Seconds(),
-					// TODO(stevvooe): These calculations are actually way off.
-					// Need to account for previously downloaded data. These
-					// will basically be right for a download the first time
-					// but will be skewed if restarting, as it includes the
-					// data into the start time before.
-					progress.Bytes(total),
-					progress.NewBytesPerSecond(total, time.Since(start)))
+				display(tw, ordered, start)
 				tw.Flush()
 
 				if done {
@@ -222,24 +192,6 @@ type jobs struct {
 	mu    sync.Mutex
 }
 
-// jobsKeys let's us store the jobs instance in the context.
-//
-// This is a very cute way to do things but not ideal.
-type jobsKey struct{}
-
-func getJobs(ctx context.Context) []string {
-	return ctx.Value(jobsKey{}).(*jobs).jobs()
-}
-
-func addJob(ctx context.Context, job string) {
-	ctx.Value(jobsKey{}).(*jobs).add(job)
-}
-
-func withJobsContext(ctx context.Context) context.Context {
-	jobs := newJobs()
-	return context.WithValue(ctx, jobsKey{}, jobs)
-}
-
 func newJobs() *jobs {
 	return &jobs{added: make(map[string]struct{})}
 }
@@ -267,88 +219,49 @@ func (j *jobs) jobs() []string {
 	return jobs
 }
 
-func fetchManifest(ctx context.Context, ingester content.Ingester, fetcher remotes.Fetcher, desc ocispec.Descriptor) error {
-	ref := "manifest-" + desc.Digest.String()
-	addJob(ctx, ref)
-
-	rc, err := fetcher.Fetch(ctx, desc)
-	if err != nil {
-		return err
-	}
-	defer rc.Close()
-
-	// it would be better to read the content back from the content store in this case.
-	p, err := ioutil.ReadAll(rc)
-	if err != nil {
-		return err
-	}
-
-	if err := content.WriteBlob(ctx, ingester, ref, bytes.NewReader(p), 0, ""); err != nil {
-		return err
-	}
-
-	// TODO(stevvooe): This assumption that we get a manifest is unfortunate.
-	// Need to provide way to resolve what the type of the target is.
-	var manifest ocispec.Manifest
-	if err := json.Unmarshal(p, &manifest); err != nil {
-		return err
-	}
-
-	var descs []ocispec.Descriptor
-
-	descs = append(descs, manifest.Config)
-	for _, desc := range manifest.Layers {
-		descs = append(descs, desc)
-	}
-
-	return dispatch(ctx, ingester, fetcher, descs...)
+type statusInfo struct {
+	Ref       string
+	Status    string
+	Offset    int64
+	Total     int64
+	StartedAt time.Time
+	UpdatedAt time.Time
 }
 
-func fetch(ctx context.Context, ingester content.Ingester, fetcher remotes.Fetcher, desc ocispec.Descriptor) error {
-	ref := "fetch-" + desc.Digest.String()
-	addJob(ctx, ref)
-	log.G(ctx).Debug("fetch")
-	rc, err := fetcher.Fetch(ctx, desc)
-	if err != nil {
-		log.G(ctx).WithError(err).Error("fetch error")
-		return err
-	}
-	defer rc.Close()
-
-	// TODO(stevvooe): Need better remote key selection here. Should be a
-	// product of the fetcher. We may need more narrow infomation on fetcher or
-	// just pull from env/context.
-	return content.WriteBlob(ctx, ingester, ref, rc, desc.Size, desc.Digest)
-}
-
-// dispatch blocks until all content in `descs` is retrieved.
-func dispatch(ctx context.Context, ingester content.Ingester, fetcher remotes.Fetcher, descs ...ocispec.Descriptor) error {
-	eg, ctx := errgroup.WithContext(ctx)
-	for _, desc := range descs {
-		if err := func(desc ocispec.Descriptor) error {
-			ctx := log.WithLogger(ctx, log.G(ctx).WithFields(logrus.Fields{
-				"digest":    desc.Digest,
-				"mediatype": desc.MediaType,
-				"size":      desc.Size,
-			}))
-			switch desc.MediaType {
-			case MediaTypeDockerSchema2Manifest, ocispec.MediaTypeImageManifest:
-				eg.Go(func() error {
-					return fetchManifest(ctx, ingester, fetcher, desc)
-				})
-			case MediaTypeDockerSchema2ManifestList, ocispec.MediaTypeImageIndex:
-				return fmt.Errorf("%v not yet supported", desc.MediaType)
-			default:
-				eg.Go(func() error {
-					return fetch(ctx, ingester, fetcher, desc)
-				})
-			}
-
-			return nil
-		}(desc); err != nil {
-			return err
+func display(w io.Writer, statuses []statusInfo, start time.Time) {
+	var total int64
+	for _, status := range statuses {
+		total += status.Offset
+		switch status.Status {
+		case "downloading":
+			bar := progress.Bar(float64(status.Offset) / float64(status.Total))
+			fmt.Fprintf(w, "%s:\t%s\t%40r\t%8.8s/%s\t\n",
+				status.Ref,
+				status.Status,
+				bar,
+				progress.Bytes(status.Offset), progress.Bytes(status.Total))
+		case "resolving":
+			bar := progress.Bar(0.0)
+			fmt.Fprintf(w, "%s:\t%s\t%40r\t\n",
+				status.Ref,
+				status.Status,
+				bar)
+		default:
+			bar := progress.Bar(1.0)
+			fmt.Fprintf(w, "%s:\t%s\t%40r\t\n",
+				status.Ref,
+				status.Status,
+				bar)
 		}
 	}
 
-	return eg.Wait()
+	fmt.Fprintf(w, "elapsed: %-4.1fs\ttotal: %7.6v\t(%v)\t\n",
+		time.Since(start).Seconds(),
+		// TODO(stevvooe): These calculations are actually way off.
+		// Need to account for previously downloaded data. These
+		// will basically be right for a download the first time
+		// but will be skewed if restarting, as it includes the
+		// data into the start time before.
+		progress.Bytes(total),
+		progress.NewBytesPerSecond(total, time.Since(start)))
 }
diff --git a/image/handlers.go b/image/handlers.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..44c7563
--- /dev/null
+++ b/image/handlers.go
@@ -0,0 +1,161 @@
+package image
+
+import (
+	"context"
+	"encoding/json"
+	"fmt"
+	"io/ioutil"
+
+	"github.com/docker/containerd/content"
+	ocispec "github.com/opencontainers/image-spec/specs-go/v1"
+	"github.com/pkg/errors"
+	"golang.org/x/sync/errgroup"
+)
+
+const (
+	MediaTypeDockerSchema2Layer        = "application/vnd.docker.image.rootfs.diff.tar"
+	MediaTypeDockerSchema2LayerGzip    = "application/vnd.docker.image.rootfs.diff.tar.gzip"
+	MediaTypeDockerSchema2Config       = "application/vnd.docker.container.image.v1+json"
+	MediaTypeDockerSchema2Manifest     = "application/vnd.docker.distribution.manifest.v2+json"
+	MediaTypeDockerSchema2ManifestList = "application/vnd.docker.distribution.manifest.list.v2+json"
+)
+
+var SkipDesc = fmt.Errorf("skip descriptor")
+
+type Handler interface {
+	Handle(ctx context.Context, desc ocispec.Descriptor) (subdescs []ocispec.Descriptor, err error)
+}
+
+type HandlerFunc func(ctx context.Context, desc ocispec.Descriptor) (subdescs []ocispec.Descriptor, err error)
+
+func (fn HandlerFunc) Handle(ctx context.Context, desc ocispec.Descriptor) (subdescs []ocispec.Descriptor, err error) {
+	return fn(ctx, desc)
+}
+
+// Handlers returns a handler that will run the handlers in sequence.
+func Handlers(handlers ...Handler) HandlerFunc {
+	return func(ctx context.Context, desc ocispec.Descriptor) (subdescs []ocispec.Descriptor, err error) {
+		var children []ocispec.Descriptor
+		for _, handler := range handlers {
+			ch, err := handler.Handle(ctx, desc)
+			if err != nil {
+				return nil, err
+			}
+
+			children = append(children, ch...)
+		}
+
+		return children, nil
+	}
+}
+
+// Walk the resources of an image and call the handler for each. If the handler
+// decodes the sub-resources for each image,
+//
+// This differs from dispatch in that each sibling resource is considered
+// synchronously.
+func Walk(ctx context.Context, handler Handler, descs ...ocispec.Descriptor) error {
+	for _, desc := range descs {
+
+		children, err := handler.Handle(ctx, desc)
+		if err != nil {
+			if errors.Cause(err) == SkipDesc {
+				return nil // don't traverse the children.
+			}
+			return err
+		}
+
+		if len(children) > 0 {
+			if err := Walk(ctx, handler, children...); err != nil {
+				return err
+			}
+		}
+	}
+
+	return nil
+}
+
+// Dispatch runs the provided handler for content specified by the descriptors.
+// If the handler decode subresources, they will be visited, as well.
+//
+// Handlers for siblings are run in parallel on the provided descriptors. A
+// handler may return `SkipDesc` to signal to the dispatcher to not traverse
+// any children.
+//
+// Typically, this function will be used with `FetchHandler`, often composed
+// with other handlers.
+//
+// If any handler returns an error, the dispatch session will be canceled.
+func Dispatch(ctx context.Context, handler Handler, descs ...ocispec.Descriptor) error {
+	eg, ctx := errgroup.WithContext(ctx)
+	for _, desc := range descs {
+		desc := desc
+
+		eg.Go(func() error {
+			desc := desc
+
+			children, err := handler.Handle(ctx, desc)
+			if err != nil {
+				if errors.Cause(err) == SkipDesc {
+					return nil // don't traverse the children.
+				}
+				return err
+			}
+
+			if len(children) > 0 {
+				return Dispatch(ctx, handler, children...)
+			}
+
+			return nil
+		})
+	}
+
+	return eg.Wait()
+}
+
+// ChildrenHandler decodes well-known manifests types and returns their children.
+//
+// This is useful for supporting recursive fetch and other use cases where you
+// want to do a full walk of resources.
+//
+// One can also replace this with another implementation to allow descending of
+// arbitrary types.
+func ChildrenHandler(provider content.Provider) HandlerFunc {
+	return func(ctx context.Context, desc ocispec.Descriptor) ([]ocispec.Descriptor, error) {
+		switch desc.MediaType {
+		case MediaTypeDockerSchema2Manifest, ocispec.MediaTypeImageManifest:
+		case MediaTypeDockerSchema2Layer, MediaTypeDockerSchema2LayerGzip,
+			MediaTypeDockerSchema2Config:
+			return nil, nil
+		default:
+			return nil, fmt.Errorf("%v not yet supported", desc.MediaType)
+		}
+
+		rc, err := provider.Reader(ctx, desc.Digest)
+		if err != nil {
+			return nil, err
+		}
+		defer rc.Close()
+
+		p, err := ioutil.ReadAll(rc)
+		if err != nil {
+			return nil, err
+		}
+
+		// TODO(stevvooe): We just assume oci manifest, for now. There may be
+		// subtle differences from the docker version.
+		var manifest ocispec.Manifest
+		if err := json.Unmarshal(p, &manifest); err != nil {
+			return nil, err
+		}
+
+		var descs []ocispec.Descriptor
+
+		descs = append(descs, manifest.Config)
+		for _, desc := range manifest.Layers {
+			descs = append(descs, desc)
+		}
+
+		return descs, nil
+	}
+}
diff --git a/remotes/handlers.go b/remotes/handlers.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..f621171
--- /dev/null
+++ b/remotes/handlers.go
@@ -0,0 +1,66 @@
+package remotes
+
+import (
+	"context"
+	"fmt"
+
+	"github.com/Sirupsen/logrus"
+	"github.com/docker/containerd/content"
+	"github.com/docker/containerd/image"
+	"github.com/docker/containerd/log"
+	ocispec "github.com/opencontainers/image-spec/specs-go/v1"
+)
+
+// MakeRef returns a unique reference for the descriptor. This reference can be
+// used to lookup ongoing processes related to the descriptor. This function
+// may look to the context to namespace the reference appropriately.
+func MakeRefKey(ctx context.Context, desc ocispec.Descriptor) string {
+	// TODO(stevvooe): Need better remote key selection here. Should be a
+	// product of the context, which may include information about the ongoing
+	// fetch process.
+	switch desc.MediaType {
+	case image.MediaTypeDockerSchema2Manifest, ocispec.MediaTypeImageManifest,
+		image.MediaTypeDockerSchema2ManifestList, ocispec.MediaTypeImageIndex:
+		return "manifest-" + desc.Digest.String()
+	case image.MediaTypeDockerSchema2Layer, image.MediaTypeDockerSchema2LayerGzip:
+		return "layer-" + desc.Digest.String()
+	case "application/vnd.docker.container.image.v1+json":
+		return "config-" + desc.Digest.String()
+	default:
+		log.G(ctx).Warnf("reference for unknown type: %s", desc.MediaType)
+		return "unknown-" + desc.Digest.String()
+	}
+}
+
+// FetchHandler returns a handler that will fetch all content into the ingester
+// discovered in a call to Dispatch. Use with ChildrenHandler to do a full
+// recursive fetch.
+func FetchHandler(ingester content.Ingester, fetcher Fetcher) image.HandlerFunc {
+	return func(ctx context.Context, desc ocispec.Descriptor) (subdescs []ocispec.Descriptor, err error) {
+		ctx = log.WithLogger(ctx, log.G(ctx).WithFields(logrus.Fields{
+			"digest":    desc.Digest,
+			"mediatype": desc.MediaType,
+			"size":      desc.Size,
+		}))
+
+		switch desc.MediaType {
+		case image.MediaTypeDockerSchema2ManifestList, ocispec.MediaTypeImageIndex:
+			return nil, fmt.Errorf("%v not yet supported", desc.MediaType)
+		default:
+			err := fetch(ctx, ingester, fetcher, desc)
+			return nil, err
+		}
+	}
+}
+
+func fetch(ctx context.Context, ingester content.Ingester, fetcher Fetcher, desc ocispec.Descriptor) error {
+	log.G(ctx).Debug("fetch")
+	ref := MakeRefKey(ctx, desc)
+	rc, err := fetcher.Fetch(ctx, desc)
+	if err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+	defer rc.Close()
+
+	return content.WriteBlob(ctx, ingester, ref, rc, desc.Size, desc.Digest)
+}