diff --git a/client/allocrunnerv2/taskrunner/task_runner.go b/client/allocrunnerv2/taskrunner/task_runner.go
index 45ecb158e..9844bb28e 100644
--- a/client/allocrunnerv2/taskrunner/task_runner.go
+++ b/client/allocrunnerv2/taskrunner/task_runner.go
@@ -1,10 +1,8 @@
 package taskrunner
 
 import (
-	"bytes"
 	"context"
 	"fmt"
-	"io"
 	"sync"
 	"time"
 
@@ -21,8 +19,6 @@ import (
 	cstate "github.com/hashicorp/nomad/client/state"
 	"github.com/hashicorp/nomad/client/vaultclient"
 	"github.com/hashicorp/nomad/nomad/structs"
-	"github.com/ugorji/go/codec"
-	"golang.org/x/crypto/blake2b"
 )
 
 const (
@@ -453,44 +449,11 @@ func (tr *TaskRunner) handleDestroy(handle driver.DriverHandle) (destroyed bool,
 }
 
 // persistLocalState persists local state to disk synchronously.
-//
-//XXX Not safe for concurrent calls. Should it be?
 func (tr *TaskRunner) persistLocalState() error {
 	tr.localStateLock.Lock()
 	defer tr.localStateLock.Unlock()
 
-	// buffer for writing serialized state to
-	var buf bytes.Buffer
-
-	// Hash for skipping unnecessary writes
-	h, err := blake2b.New256(nil)
-	if err != nil {
-		// Programming error that should never happen!
-		return err
-	}
-
-	// Multiplex writes to both
-	w := io.MultiWriter(h, &buf)
-
-	// Encode as msgpack value
-	if err := codec.NewEncoder(w, structs.MsgpackHandle).Encode(&tr.localState); err != nil {
-		return fmt.Errorf("failed to serialize snapshot: %v", err)
-	}
-
-	// If the hashes are equal, skip the write
-	hashVal := h.Sum(nil)
-	if bytes.Equal(hashVal, tr.persistedHash) {
-		return nil
-	}
-
-	if err := tr.stateDB.PutTaskRunnerLocalState(tr.allocID, tr.taskName, buf.Bytes()); err != nil {
-		return err
-	}
-
-	// State was persisted, set the hash
-	tr.persistedHash = hashVal
-
-	return nil
+	return tr.stateDB.PutTaskRunnerLocalState(tr.allocID, tr.taskName, tr.localState)
 }
 
 // XXX If the objects don't exists since the client shutdown before the task
diff --git a/client/client.go b/client/client.go
index e52d5b917..13b3ec415 100644
--- a/client/client.go
+++ b/client/client.go
@@ -381,7 +381,7 @@ func (c *Client) init() error {
 	c.logger.Printf("[INFO] client: using state directory %v", c.config.StateDir)
 
 	// Open the state database
-	db, err := state.NewStateDB(c.config.StateDir, c.config.DevMode)
+	db, err := state.GetStateDBFactory(c.config.DevMode)(c.config.StateDir)
 	if err != nil {
 		return fmt.Errorf("failed to open state database: %v", err)
 	}
diff --git a/client/state/interface.go b/client/state/interface.go
index e4d60f211..59d6bd08b 100644
--- a/client/state/interface.go
+++ b/client/state/interface.go
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@ type StateDB interface {
 	GetAllAllocations() ([]*structs.Allocation, map[string]error, error)
 	PutAllocation(*structs.Allocation) error
 	GetTaskRunnerState(allocID, taskName string) (*state.LocalState, *structs.TaskState, error)
-	PutTaskRunnerLocalState(allocID, taskName string, buf []byte) error
+	PutTaskRunnerLocalState(allocID, taskName string, val interface{}) error
 	PutTaskState(allocID, taskName string, state *structs.TaskState) error
 	Close() error
 }
diff --git a/client/state/kvcodec.go b/client/state/kvcodec.go
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..581ea528c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/client/state/kvcodec.go
@@ -0,0 +1,104 @@
+package state
+
+import (
+	"bytes"
+	"fmt"
+	"io"
+	"sync"
+
+	"github.com/hashicorp/nomad/nomad/structs"
+	"github.com/ugorji/go/codec"
+	"golang.org/x/crypto/blake2b"
+)
+
+type kvStore interface {
+	Get(key []byte) (val []byte)
+	Put(key, val []byte) error
+	Writable() bool
+}
+
+// keyValueCodec handles encoding and decoding values from a key/value store
+// such as boltdb.
+type keyValueCodec struct {
+	// hashes maps keys to the hash of the last content written
+	hashes     map[string][]byte
+	hashesLock sync.Mutex
+}
+
+func newKeyValueCodec() *keyValueCodec {
+	return &keyValueCodec{
+		hashes: make(map[string][]byte),
+	}
+}
+
+// hashKey returns a unique key for each hashed boltdb value
+func (c *keyValueCodec) hashKey(path string, key []byte) string {
+	return path + "-" + string(key)
+}
+
+// Put into kv store iff it has changed since the last write. A globally
+// unique key is constructed for each value by concatinating the path and key
+// passed in.
+func (c *keyValueCodec) Put(bkt kvStore, path string, key []byte, val interface{}) error {
+	if !bkt.Writable() {
+		return fmt.Errorf("bucket must be writable")
+	}
+
+	// buffer for writing serialized state to
+	var buf bytes.Buffer
+
+	// Hash for skipping unnecessary writes
+	h, err := blake2b.New256(nil)
+	if err != nil {
+		// Programming error that should never happen!
+		return err
+	}
+
+	// Multiplex writes to both hasher and buffer
+	w := io.MultiWriter(h, &buf)
+
+	// Serialize the object
+	if err := codec.NewEncoder(w, structs.MsgpackHandle).Encode(val); err != nil {
+		return fmt.Errorf("failed to encode passed object: %v", err)
+	}
+
+	// If the hashes are equal, skip the write
+	hashVal := h.Sum(nil)
+	hashKey := c.hashKey(path, key)
+
+	c.hashesLock.Lock()
+	persistedHash := c.hashes[hashKey]
+	c.hashesLock.Unlock()
+
+	if bytes.Equal(hashVal, persistedHash) {
+		return nil
+	}
+
+	if err := bkt.Put(key, buf.Bytes()); err != nil {
+		return fmt.Errorf("failed to write data at key %s: %v", key, err)
+	}
+
+	// New value written, store hash
+	c.hashesLock.Lock()
+	c.hashes[hashKey] = hashVal
+	c.hashesLock.Unlock()
+
+	return nil
+
+}
+
+// Get value by key from boltdb.
+func (c *keyValueCodec) Get(bkt kvStore, key []byte, obj interface{}) error {
+	// Get the data
+	data := bkt.Get(key)
+	if data == nil {
+		return fmt.Errorf("no data at key %v", string(key))
+	}
+
+	// Deserialize the object
+	if err := codec.NewDecoderBytes(data, structs.MsgpackHandle).Decode(obj); err != nil {
+		return fmt.Errorf("failed to decode data into passed object: %v", err)
+	}
+
+	return nil
+}
diff --git a/client/state/kvcodec_test.go b/client/state/kvcodec_test.go
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..49c110b91
--- /dev/null
+++ b/client/state/kvcodec_test.go
@@ -0,0 +1,70 @@
+package state
+
+import (
+	"testing"
+
+	"github.com/stretchr/testify/require"
+)
+
+// mockKVStore tracks puts and is useful for testing KVCodec's write-on-change
+// code.
+type mockKVStore struct {
+	puts int
+}
+
+func (mockKVStore) Get(key []byte) (val []byte) {
+	return nil
+}
+
+func (m *mockKVStore) Put(key, val []byte) error {
+	m.puts++
+	return nil
+}
+
+func (mockKVStore) Writable() bool {
+	return true
+}
+
+// TestKVCodec_PutHash asserts that Puts on the underlying kvstore only occur
+// when the data actually changes.
+func TestKVCodec_PutHash(t *testing.T) {
+	require := require.New(t)
+	codec := newKeyValueCodec()
+
+	// Create arguments for Put
+	kv := new(mockKVStore)
+	path := "path-path"
+	key := []byte("key1")
+	val := &struct {
+		Val int
+	}{
+		Val: 1,
+	}
+
+	// Initial Put should be written
+	require.NoError(codec.Put(kv, path, key, val))
+	require.Equal(1, kv.puts)
+
+	// Writing the same values again should be a noop
+	require.NoError(codec.Put(kv, path, key, val))
+	require.Equal(1, kv.puts)
+
+	// Changing the value should write again
+	val.Val++
+	require.NoError(codec.Put(kv, path, key, val))
+	require.Equal(2, kv.puts)
+
+	// Changing the key should write again
+	key = []byte("key2")
+	require.NoError(codec.Put(kv, path, key, val))
+	require.Equal(3, kv.puts)
+
+	// Changing the path should write again
+	path = "new-path"
+	require.NoError(codec.Put(kv, path, key, val))
+	require.Equal(4, kv.puts)
+
+	// Writing the same values again should be a noop
+	require.NoError(codec.Put(kv, path, key, val))
+	require.Equal(4, kv.puts)
+}
diff --git a/client/state/noopdb.go b/client/state/noopdb.go
index 67f5f1760..7a31c461f 100644
--- a/client/state/noopdb.go
+++ b/client/state/noopdb.go
@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@ func (n noopDB) GetTaskRunnerState(allocID string, taskName string) (*state.Loca
 	return nil, nil, nil
 }
 
-func (n noopDB) PutTaskRunnerLocalState(allocID string, taskName string, buf []byte) error {
+func (n noopDB) PutTaskRunnerLocalState(allocID string, taskName string, val interface{}) error {
 	return nil
 }
 
diff --git a/client/state/state_database.go b/client/state/state_database.go
index 1828f62a2..8793d651e 100644
--- a/client/state/state_database.go
+++ b/client/state/state_database.go
@@ -1,14 +1,13 @@
 package state
 
 import (
-	"bytes"
 	"fmt"
 	"path/filepath"
+	"strings"
 
 	"github.com/boltdb/bolt"
 	trstate "github.com/hashicorp/nomad/client/allocrunnerv2/taskrunner/state"
 	"github.com/hashicorp/nomad/nomad/structs"
-	"github.com/ugorji/go/codec"
 )
 
 /*
@@ -40,6 +39,7 @@ var (
 	taskStateKey      = []byte("task_state")
 )
 
+//TODO delete from kvcodec
 // DeleteAllocationBucket is used to delete an allocation bucket if it exists.
 func DeleteAllocationBucket(tx *bolt.Tx, allocID string) error {
 	if !tx.Writable() {
@@ -61,6 +61,7 @@ func DeleteAllocationBucket(tx *bolt.Tx, allocID string) error {
 	return allocations.DeleteBucket(key)
 }
 
+//TODO delete from kvcodec
 // DeleteTaskBucket is used to delete a task bucket if it exists.
 func DeleteTaskBucket(tx *bolt.Tx, allocID, taskName string) error {
 	if !tx.Writable() {
@@ -88,13 +89,70 @@ func DeleteTaskBucket(tx *bolt.Tx, allocID, taskName string) error {
 	return alloc.DeleteBucket(key)
 }
 
-var ()
+// NewStateDBFunc creates a StateDB given a state directory.
+type NewStateDBFunc func(stateDir string) (StateDB, error)
 
+// GetStateDBFactory returns a func for creating a StateDB
+func GetStateDBFactory(devMode bool) NewStateDBFunc {
+	// Return a noop state db implementation when in debug mode
+	if devMode {
+		return func(string) (StateDB, error) {
+			return noopDB{}, nil
+		}
+	}
+
+	return NewBoltStateDB
+}
+
+// BoltStateDB persists and restores Nomad client state in a boltdb. All
+// methods are safe for concurrent access. Create via NewStateDB by setting
+// devMode=false.
+type BoltStateDB struct {
+	db    *bolt.DB
+	codec *keyValueCodec
+}
+
+func NewBoltStateDB(stateDir string) (StateDB, error) {
+	// Create or open the boltdb state database
+	db, err := bolt.Open(filepath.Join(stateDir, "state.db"), 0600, nil)
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, fmt.Errorf("failed to create state database: %v", err)
+	}
+
+	sdb := &BoltStateDB{
+		db:    db,
+		codec: newKeyValueCodec(),
+	}
+	return sdb, nil
+}
+
+// GetAllAllocations gets all allocations persisted by this client and returns
+// a map of alloc ids to errors for any allocations that could not be restored.
+//
+// If a fatal error was encountered it will be returned and the other two
+// values will be nil.
+func (s *BoltStateDB) GetAllAllocations() ([]*structs.Allocation, map[string]error, error) {
+	var allocs []*structs.Allocation
+	var errs map[string]error
+	err := s.db.View(func(tx *bolt.Tx) error {
+		allocs, errs = s.getAllAllocations(tx)
+		return nil
+	})
+
+	// db.View itself may return an error, so still check
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, nil, err
+	}
+
+	return allocs, errs, nil
+}
+
+// allocEntry wraps values in the Allocations buckets
 type allocEntry struct {
 	Alloc *structs.Allocation
 }
 
-func getAllAllocations(tx *bolt.Tx) ([]*structs.Allocation, map[string]error) {
+func (s *BoltStateDB) getAllAllocations(tx *bolt.Tx) ([]*structs.Allocation, map[string]error) {
 	allocationsBkt := tx.Bucket(allocationsBucket)
 	if allocationsBkt == nil {
 		// No allocs
@@ -117,7 +175,7 @@ func getAllAllocations(tx *bolt.Tx) ([]*structs.Allocation, map[string]error) {
 		}
 
 		var allocState allocEntry
-		if err := getObject(allocBkt, allocKey, &allocState); err != nil {
+		if err := s.codec.Get(allocBkt, allocKey, &allocState); err != nil {
 			errs[allocID] = fmt.Errorf("failed to decode alloc %v", err)
 			continue
 		}
@@ -128,52 +186,6 @@ func getAllAllocations(tx *bolt.Tx) ([]*structs.Allocation, map[string]error) {
 	return allocs, errs
 }
 
-// BoltStateDB persists and restores Nomad client state in a boltdb. All
-// methods are safe for concurrent access. Create via NewStateDB by setting
-// devMode=false.
-type BoltStateDB struct {
-	db *bolt.DB
-}
-
-func NewStateDB(stateDir string, devMode bool) (StateDB, error) {
-	// Return a noop state db implementation when in debug mode
-	if devMode {
-		return noopDB{}, nil
-	}
-
-	// Create or open the boltdb state database
-	db, err := bolt.Open(filepath.Join(stateDir, "state.db"), 0600, nil)
-	if err != nil {
-		return nil, fmt.Errorf("failed to create state database: %v", err)
-	}
-
-	sdb := &BoltStateDB{
-		db: db,
-	}
-	return sdb, nil
-}
-
-// GetAllAllocations gets all allocations persisted by this client and returns
-// a map of alloc ids to errors for any allocations that could not be restored.
-//
-// If a fatal error was encountered it will be returned and the other two
-// values will be nil.
-func (s *BoltStateDB) GetAllAllocations() ([]*structs.Allocation, map[string]error, error) {
-	var allocs []*structs.Allocation
-	var errs map[string]error
-	err := s.db.View(func(tx *bolt.Tx) error {
-		allocs, errs = getAllAllocations(tx)
-		return nil
-	})
-
-	// db.View itself may return an error, so still check
-	if err != nil {
-		return nil, nil, err
-	}
-
-	return allocs, errs, nil
-}
-
 // PutAllocation stores an allocation or returns an error.
 func (s *BoltStateDB) PutAllocation(alloc *structs.Allocation) error {
 	return s.db.Update(func(tx *bolt.Tx) error {
@@ -193,7 +205,7 @@ func (s *BoltStateDB) PutAllocation(alloc *structs.Allocation) error {
 		allocState := allocEntry{
 			Alloc: alloc,
 		}
-		return putObject(allocBkt, allocKey, &allocState)
+		return s.codec.Put(allocBkt, alloc.ID, allocKey, &allocState)
 	})
 }
 
@@ -211,12 +223,12 @@ func (s *BoltStateDB) GetTaskRunnerState(allocID, taskName string) (*trstate.Loc
 
 		// Restore Local State
 		//XXX set persisted hash to avoid immediate write on first use?
-		if err := getObject(bkt, taskLocalStateKey, &ls); err != nil {
+		if err := s.codec.Get(bkt, taskLocalStateKey, &ls); err != nil {
 			return fmt.Errorf("failed to read local task runner state: %v", err)
 		}
 
 		// Restore Task State
-		if err := getObject(bkt, taskStateKey, &ts); err != nil {
+		if err := s.codec.Get(bkt, taskStateKey, &ts); err != nil {
 			return fmt.Errorf("failed to read task state: %v", err)
 		}
 
@@ -237,14 +249,15 @@ func (s *BoltStateDB) GetTaskRunnerState(allocID, taskName string) (*trstate.Loc
 
 // PutTaskRunnerLocalState stores TaskRunner's LocalState or returns an error.
 // It is up to the caller to serialize the state to bytes.
-func (s *BoltStateDB) PutTaskRunnerLocalState(allocID, taskName string, buf []byte) error {
+func (s *BoltStateDB) PutTaskRunnerLocalState(allocID, taskName string, val interface{}) error {
 	return s.db.Update(func(tx *bolt.Tx) error {
 		taskBkt, err := getTaskBucket(tx, allocID, taskName)
 		if err != nil {
 			return fmt.Errorf("failed to retrieve allocation bucket: %v", err)
 		}
 
-		if err := putData(taskBkt, taskLocalStateKey, buf); err != nil {
+		path := strings.Join([]string{allocID, taskName, string(taskLocalStateKey)}, "-")
+		if err := s.codec.Put(taskBkt, path, taskLocalStateKey, val); err != nil {
 			return fmt.Errorf("failed to write task_runner state: %v", err)
 		}
 
@@ -260,7 +273,8 @@ func (s *BoltStateDB) PutTaskState(allocID, taskName string, state *structs.Task
 			return fmt.Errorf("failed to retrieve allocation bucket: %v", err)
 		}
 
-		return putObject(taskBkt, taskStateKey, state)
+		path := strings.Join([]string{allocID, taskName, string(taskStateKey)}, "-")
+		return s.codec.Put(taskBkt, path, taskStateKey, state)
 	})
 }
 
@@ -270,51 +284,6 @@ func (s *BoltStateDB) Close() error {
 	return s.db.Close()
 }
 
-func putObject(bkt *bolt.Bucket, key []byte, obj interface{}) error {
-	if !bkt.Writable() {
-		return fmt.Errorf("bucket must be writable")
-	}
-
-	// Serialize the object
-	var buf bytes.Buffer
-	if err := codec.NewEncoder(&buf, structs.MsgpackHandle).Encode(obj); err != nil {
-		return fmt.Errorf("failed to encode passed object: %v", err)
-	}
-
-	if err := bkt.Put(key, buf.Bytes()); err != nil {
-		return fmt.Errorf("failed to write data at key %v: %v", string(key), err)
-	}
-
-	return nil
-}
-
-func putData(bkt *bolt.Bucket, key, value []byte) error {
-	if !bkt.Writable() {
-		return fmt.Errorf("bucket must be writable")
-	}
-
-	if err := bkt.Put(key, value); err != nil {
-		return fmt.Errorf("failed to write data at key %v: %v", string(key), err)
-	}
-
-	return nil
-}
-
-func getObject(bkt *bolt.Bucket, key []byte, obj interface{}) error {
-	// Get the data
-	data := bkt.Get(key)
-	if data == nil {
-		return fmt.Errorf("no data at key %v", string(key))
-	}
-
-	// Deserialize the object
-	if err := codec.NewDecoderBytes(data, structs.MsgpackHandle).Decode(obj); err != nil {
-		return fmt.Errorf("failed to decode data into passed object: %v", err)
-	}
-
-	return nil
-}
-
 // getAllocationBucket returns the bucket used to persist state about a
 // particular allocation. If the root allocation bucket or the specific
 // allocation bucket doesn't exist, it will be created as long as the