diff --git a/doc/man1/flux-kvs.rst b/doc/man1/flux-kvs.rst
index ff8f8a0484ed..a90031d7ecfa 100644
--- a/doc/man1/flux-kvs.rst
+++ b/doc/man1/flux-kvs.rst
@@ -48,10 +48,12 @@ arguments are described below.
 COMMANDS
 ========
 
-**namespace create** [-o owner] *name* [*name* ...]
+**namespace create** [-o owner] [-r rootref] *name* [*name* ...]
    Create a new kvs namespace. User may specify an alternate userid of a
    user that owns the namespace via *-o*. Specifying an alternate owner
    would allow a non-instance owner to read/write to a namespace.
+   User may specify an initial root reference for the namespace via
+   *-r*.
 
 **namespace remove** *name* [*name...*]
    Remove a kvs namespace.
@@ -171,11 +173,11 @@ COMMANDS
    reads version, sends version to node B. Node B waits for version, gets
    value.
 
-**getroot** [-N ns] [-s \| -o]
+**getroot** [-N ns] [-s \| -o \| -b]
    Retrieve the current KVS root, displaying it as an RFC 11 dirref object.
    Specify an alternate namespace to retrieve from via *-N*. If *-o* is
    specified, display the namespace owner. If *-s* is specified, display
-   the root sequence number.
+   the root sequence number.  If *-b* is specified, display the root blobref.
 
 **eventlog get** [-N ns] [-W] [-w] [-c count] [-u] *key*
    Display the contents of an RFC 18 KVS eventlog referred to by *key*.
diff --git a/doc/man3/flux_kvs_namespace_create.rst b/doc/man3/flux_kvs_namespace_create.rst
index 9f048f33151b..e59b9be3cbea 100644
--- a/doc/man3/flux_kvs_namespace_create.rst
+++ b/doc/man3/flux_kvs_namespace_create.rst
@@ -17,6 +17,14 @@ SYNOPSIS
                                              uint32_t owner,
                                              int flags);
 
+::
+
+   flux_future_t *flux_kvs_namespace_create_with (flux_t *h,
+                                                  const char *namespace,
+                                                  const char *rootref,
+                                                  uint32_t owner,
+                                                  int flags);
+
 ::
 
    flux_future_t *flux_kvs_namespace_remove (flux_t *h,
@@ -32,6 +40,11 @@ other KVS namespaces. An owner of the namespace other than the
 instance owner can be chosen by setting *owner*. Otherwise, *owner*
 can be set to FLUX_USERID_UNKNOWN.
 
+``flux_kvs_namespace_create_with()`` is identical to
+``flux_kvs_namespace_create()`` but will initialize the namespace to
+the specified *rootref*.  This may be useful in several circumstances,
+such as initializing a namespace to an earlier checkpoint.
+
 ``flux_kvs_namespace_remove()`` removes a KVS namespace.
 
 
diff --git a/src/cmd/flux-kvs.c b/src/cmd/flux-kvs.c
index af1bc31b2d0d..5f1cb47f0fcf 100644
--- a/src/cmd/flux-kvs.c
+++ b/src/cmd/flux-kvs.c
@@ -205,6 +205,9 @@ static struct optparse_option getroot_opts[] =  {
     { .name = "owner", .key = 'o', .has_arg = 0,
       .usage = "Show owner",
     },
+    { .name = "blobref", .key = 'b', .has_arg = 0,
+      .usage = "Show blobref",
+    },
     OPTPARSE_TABLE_END
 };
 
@@ -355,7 +358,7 @@ static struct optparse_subcommand subcommands[] = {
       namespace_opt
     },
     { "getroot",
-      "[-N ns] [-s|-o]",
+      "[-N ns] [-s|-o|-b]",
       "Get KVS root treeobj",
       cmd_getroot,
       0,
@@ -436,6 +439,7 @@ int cmd_namespace_create (optparse_t *p, int argc, char **argv)
     int optindex, i;
     uint32_t owner = FLUX_USERID_UNKNOWN;
     const char *str;
+    const char *rootref;
 
     optindex = optparse_option_index (p);
     if ((optindex - argc) == 0) {
@@ -450,13 +454,19 @@ int cmd_namespace_create (optparse_t *p, int argc, char **argv)
             log_msg_exit ("--owner requires an unsigned integer argument");
     }
 
+    rootref = optparse_get_str (p, "rootref", NULL);
+
     if (!(h = flux_open (NULL, 0)))
         log_err_exit ("flux_open");
 
     for (i = optindex; i < argc; i++) {
         const char *name = argv[i];
         int flags = 0;
-        if (!(f = flux_kvs_namespace_create (h, name, owner, flags)))
+        if (rootref)
+            f = flux_kvs_namespace_create_with (h, name, rootref, owner, flags);
+        else
+            f = flux_kvs_namespace_create (h, name, owner, flags);
+        if (!f)
             log_err_exit ("%s", name);
         if (flux_future_get (f, NULL) < 0)
             log_msg_exit ("%s: %s", name, future_strerror (f, errno));
@@ -545,12 +555,15 @@ static struct optparse_option namespace_create_opts[] =  {
     { .name = "owner", .key = 'o', .has_arg = 1,
       .usage = "Specify alternate namespace owner via userid",
     },
+    { .name = "rootref", .key = 'r', .has_arg = 1,
+      .usage = "Initialize namespace with specific root reference",
+    },
     OPTPARSE_TABLE_END
 };
 
 static struct optparse_subcommand namespace_subcommands[] = {
     { "create",
-      "name [name...]",
+      "[-o owner] [-r rootref] name [name...]",
       "Create a KVS namespace",
       cmd_namespace_create,
       0,
@@ -1741,6 +1754,13 @@ void getroot_continuation (flux_future_t *f, void *arg)
             log_err_exit ("flux_kvs_getroot_get_sequence");
         printf ("%d\n", sequence);
     }
+    else if (optparse_hasopt (p, "blobref")) {
+        const char *blobref;
+
+        if (flux_kvs_getroot_get_blobref (f, &blobref) < 0)
+            log_err_exit ("flux_kvs_getroot_get_blobref");
+        printf ("%s\n", blobref);
+    }
     else {
         const char *treeobj;
 
diff --git a/src/common/libkvs/kvs.c b/src/common/libkvs/kvs.c
index d6d535ce7cfa..050a1cb756a7 100644
--- a/src/common/libkvs/kvs.c
+++ b/src/common/libkvs/kvs.c
@@ -16,20 +16,69 @@
 #include <jansson.h>
 #include <flux/core.h>
 
+#include "src/common/libutil/blobref.h"
+
+#include "treeobj.h"
 #include "kvs_util_private.h"
 
 flux_future_t *flux_kvs_namespace_create (flux_t *h, const char *ns,
                                           uint32_t owner, int flags)
 {
+    flux_future_t *rv = NULL;
+    const char *hash_name;
+    json_t *rootdir = NULL;
+    char rootref[BLOBREF_MAX_STRING_SIZE];
+    void *data = NULL;
+    int len;
+
     if (!ns || flags) {
         errno = EINVAL;
         return NULL;
     }
 
+    if (!(hash_name = flux_attr_get (h, "content.hash")))
+        goto cleanup;
+
+    if (!(rootdir = treeobj_create_dir ()))
+        goto cleanup;
+
+    if (!(data = treeobj_encode (rootdir)))
+        goto cleanup;
+    len = strlen (data);
+
+    /* N.B. blobref of empty treeobj dir guaranteed to be in content store
+     * b/c that is how the primary KVS is initialized.
+     */
+    if (blobref_hash (hash_name, data, len, rootref, sizeof (rootref)) < 0)
+        goto cleanup;
+
+    /* N.B. owner cast to int */
+    rv = flux_rpc_pack (h, "kvs.namespace-create", 0, 0,
+                           "{ s:s s:s s:i s:i }",
+                           "namespace", ns,
+                           "rootref", rootref,
+                           "owner", owner,
+                           "flags", flags);
+cleanup:
+    json_decref (rootdir);
+    free (data);
+    return rv;
+}
+
+flux_future_t *flux_kvs_namespace_create_with (flux_t *h, const char *ns,
+                                               const char *rootref,
+                                               uint32_t owner, int flags)
+{
+    if (!ns || !rootref || flags) {
+        errno = EINVAL;
+        return NULL;
+    }
+
     /* N.B. owner cast to int */
     return flux_rpc_pack (h, "kvs.namespace-create", 0, 0,
-                          "{ s:s s:i s:i }",
+                          "{ s:s s:s s:i s:i }",
                           "namespace", ns,
+                          "rootref", rootref,
                           "owner", owner,
                           "flags", flags);
 }
diff --git a/src/common/libkvs/kvs.h b/src/common/libkvs/kvs.h
index 423d1a7dc53b..a253242d4b1f 100644
--- a/src/common/libkvs/kvs.h
+++ b/src/common/libkvs/kvs.h
@@ -49,6 +49,9 @@ enum kvs_op {
  */
 flux_future_t *flux_kvs_namespace_create (flux_t *h, const char *ns,
                                           uint32_t owner, int flags);
+flux_future_t *flux_kvs_namespace_create_with (flux_t *h, const char *ns,
+                                               const char *rootref,
+                                               uint32_t owner, int flags);
 flux_future_t *flux_kvs_namespace_remove (flux_t *h, const char *ns);
 
 /* Synchronization:
diff --git a/src/common/libkvs/test/kvs.c b/src/common/libkvs/test/kvs.c
index a89d75722caa..7b4dea7661ec 100644
--- a/src/common/libkvs/test/kvs.c
+++ b/src/common/libkvs/test/kvs.c
@@ -27,6 +27,11 @@ void errors (void)
     ok (flux_kvs_namespace_create (NULL, NULL, 0, 5) == NULL && errno == EINVAL,
         "flux_kvs_namespace_create fails on bad input");
 
+    errno = 0;
+    ok (flux_kvs_namespace_create_with (NULL, NULL, NULL, 0, 5) == NULL
+        && errno == EINVAL,
+        "flux_kvs_namespace_create_with fails on bad input");
+
     errno = 0;
     ok (flux_kvs_namespace_remove (NULL, NULL) == NULL && errno == EINVAL,
         "flux_kvs_namespace_remove fails on bad input");
diff --git a/src/modules/kvs/kvs.c b/src/modules/kvs/kvs.c
index 65d840f34f3a..e79536c6eae5 100644
--- a/src/modules/kvs/kvs.c
+++ b/src/modules/kvs/kvs.c
@@ -2230,15 +2230,12 @@ static void stats_clear_request_cb (flux_t *h, flux_msg_handler_t *mh,
 }
 
 static int namespace_create (struct kvs_ctx *ctx, const char *ns,
-                             uint32_t owner, int flags, const char **errmsg)
+                             const char *rootref, uint32_t owner,
+                             int flags, const char **errmsg)
 {
     struct kvsroot *root;
-    json_t *rootdir = NULL;
-    char ref[BLOBREF_MAX_STRING_SIZE];
-    void *data = NULL;
     flux_msg_t *msg = NULL;
     char *topic = NULL;
-    int len;
     int rv = -1;
 
     /* If namespace already exists, return EEXIST.  Doesn't matter if
@@ -2262,23 +2259,7 @@ static int namespace_create (struct kvs_ctx *ctx, const char *ns,
         return -1;
     }
 
-    if (!(rootdir = treeobj_create_dir ())) {
-        flux_log_error (ctx->h, "%s: treeobj_create_dir", __FUNCTION__);
-        goto cleanup;
-    }
-
-    if (!(data = treeobj_encode (rootdir))) {
-        flux_log_error (ctx->h, "%s: treeobj_encode", __FUNCTION__);
-        goto cleanup;
-    }
-    len = strlen (data);
-
-    if (blobref_hash (ctx->hash_name, data, len, ref, sizeof (ref)) < 0) {
-        flux_log_error (ctx->h, "%s: blobref_hash", __FUNCTION__);
-        goto cleanup;
-    }
-
-    setroot (ctx, root, ref, 0);
+    setroot (ctx, root, rootref, 0);
 
     if (event_subscribe (ctx, ns) < 0) {
         flux_log_error (ctx->h, "%s: event_subscribe", __FUNCTION__);
@@ -2312,8 +2293,6 @@ static int namespace_create (struct kvs_ctx *ctx, const char *ns,
 cleanup:
     if (rv < 0)
         kvsroot_mgr_remove_root (ctx->krm, ns);
-    free (data);
-    json_decref (rootdir);
     free (topic);
     flux_msg_destroy (msg);
     return rv;
@@ -2325,14 +2304,16 @@ static void namespace_create_request_cb (flux_t *h, flux_msg_handler_t *mh,
     struct kvs_ctx *ctx = arg;
     const char *errmsg = NULL;
     const char *ns;
+    const char *rootref;
     uint32_t owner;
     int flags;
 
     assert (ctx->rank == 0);
 
     /* N.B. owner read into uint32_t */
-    if (flux_request_unpack (msg, NULL, "{ s:s s:i s:i }",
+    if (flux_request_unpack (msg, NULL, "{ s:s s:s s:i s:i }",
                              "namespace", &ns,
+                             "rootref", &rootref,
                              "owner", &owner,
                              "flags", &flags) < 0) {
         flux_log_error (h, "%s: flux_request_unpack", __FUNCTION__);
@@ -2342,7 +2323,7 @@ static void namespace_create_request_cb (flux_t *h, flux_msg_handler_t *mh,
     if (owner == FLUX_USERID_UNKNOWN)
         owner = getuid ();
 
-    if (namespace_create (ctx, ns, owner, flags, &errmsg) < 0)
+    if (namespace_create (ctx, ns, rootref, owner, flags, &errmsg) < 0)
         goto error;
 
     if (flux_respond (h, msg, NULL) < 0)
diff --git a/t/t1000-kvs.t b/t/t1000-kvs.t
index 158fa917ece6..3ed875c90dbd 100755
--- a/t/t1000-kvs.t
+++ b/t/t1000-kvs.t
@@ -1195,6 +1195,13 @@ test_expect_success 'flux kvs getroot --owner returns instance owner' '
 	test $OWNER -eq $(id -u)
 '
 
+test_expect_success 'flux kvs getroot --blobref returns changing blobrefs' '
+	BLOBREF1=$(flux kvs getroot --blobref) &&
+	flux kvs put test.c=barf &&
+	BLOBREF2=$(flux kvs getroot --blobref) &&
+	test $BLOBREF1 != $BLOBREF2
+'
+
 test_expect_success 'flux kvs getroot works on alt namespace' '
 	flux kvs namespace create testns1 &&
 	SEQ=$(flux kvs getroot --namespace=testns1 --sequence) &&
diff --git a/t/t1004-kvs-namespace.t b/t/t1004-kvs-namespace.t
index 2636dfcce6bc..b958fcbc6802 100755
--- a/t/t1004-kvs-namespace.t
+++ b/t/t1004-kvs-namespace.t
@@ -27,6 +27,7 @@ NAMESPACETEST=namespacetest
 NAMESPACETMP=namespacetmp
 NAMESPACERANK1=namespacerank1
 NAMESPACEORDER=namespaceorder
+NAMESPACEROOTREF=namespacerootref
 
 namespace_create_loop() {
         i=0
@@ -339,6 +340,39 @@ test_expect_success 'kvs: put - namespace specified in command line overrides en
         test_kvs_key_namespace $NAMESPACEORDER-2 $DIR.puttest 5
 '
 
+#
+# Namespace rootref initialization
+#
+
+test_expect_success HAVE_JQ 'kvs: namespace rootref setup' '
+	flux kvs namespace create $NAMESPACEROOTREF-1 &&
+        flux kvs put --namespace=$NAMESPACEROOTREF-1 $DIR.rootreftest=foobar &&
+        test_kvs_key_namespace $NAMESPACEROOTREF-1 $DIR.rootreftest foobar &&
+        flux kvs getroot --blobref --namespace=$NAMESPACEROOTREF-1 > rootref1
+'
+
+test_expect_success HAVE_JQ 'kvs: namespace create with init rootref' '
+	flux kvs namespace create --rootref=$(cat rootref1) $NAMESPACEROOTREF-2 &&
+        test_kvs_key_namespace $NAMESPACEROOTREF-1 $DIR.rootreftest foobar
+'
+
+test_expect_success HAVE_JQ 'kvs: namespaces dont clobber each other' '
+        flux kvs put --namespace=$NAMESPACEROOTREF-1 $DIR.val=42 &&
+        flux kvs put --namespace=$NAMESPACEROOTREF-2 $DIR.val=43 &&
+        test_kvs_key_namespace $NAMESPACEROOTREF-1 $DIR.val 42 &&
+        test_kvs_key_namespace $NAMESPACEROOTREF-2 $DIR.val 43
+'
+
+BADROOTREF="sha1-0123456789abcdef0123456789abcdef01234567"
+test_expect_success HAVE_JQ 'kvs: namespace create can take bad blobref' '
+	flux kvs namespace create --rootref=$BADROOTREF $NAMESPACEROOTREF-3 &&
+        flux kvs get --namespace=$NAMESPACEROOTREF-3 --treeobj .
+'
+
+test_expect_success HAVE_JQ 'kvs: namespace with bad rootref fails otherwise' '
+        test_must_fail flux kvs ls --namespace=$NAMESPACEROOTREF-3 .
+'
+
 #
 # Namespace corner case tests
 #