diff --git a/src/modules/kvs/kvs.c b/src/modules/kvs/kvs.c
index a872c3bc9988..e95945055415 100644
--- a/src/modules/kvs/kvs.c
+++ b/src/modules/kvs/kvs.c
@@ -775,10 +775,8 @@ static bool lookup (ctx_t *ctx, json_object *root, wait_t *wait,
     json_object *vp, *dirent, *val = NULL;
     int errnum = 0;
 
-    if (root == NULL) {
-        if (!load (ctx, ctx->rootdir, wait, &root))
-            goto stall;
-    }
+    assert (root != NULL);
+
     if (!strcmp (name, ".")) { /* special case root */
         if ((flags & KVS_PROTO_TREEOBJ)) {
             val = dirent_create ("DIRREF", ctx->rootdir);
@@ -874,6 +872,10 @@ static void get_request_cb (flux_t h, flux_msg_handler_t *w,
     int flags;
     const char *key;
     JSON val;
+    JSON root = NULL;
+    JSON root_dirent = NULL;
+    JSON tmp_dirent = NULL;
+    const char *root_ref = ctx->rootdir;
     wait_t *wait = NULL;
     int lookup_errnum = 0;
     int rc = -1;
@@ -884,11 +886,24 @@ static void get_request_cb (flux_t h, flux_msg_handler_t *w,
         errno = EPROTO;
         goto done;
     }
-    if (kp_tget_dec (in, &key, &flags) < 0)
+    if (kp_tget_dec (in, &root_dirent, &key, &flags) < 0)
         goto done;
     if (!(wait = wait_create_msg_handler (h, w, msg, get_request_cb, arg)))
         goto done;
-    if (!lookup (ctx, NULL, wait, flags, key, &val, &lookup_errnum))
+    /* If root dirent was specified, lookup corresponding 'root' directory.
+     * Otherwise, use the current root.
+     */
+    if (root_dirent) {
+        if (!Jget_str (root_dirent, "DIRREF", &root_ref)) {
+            errno = EINVAL;
+            goto done;
+        }
+    } else {
+        root_dirent = tmp_dirent = dirent_create ("DIRREF", ctx->rootdir);
+    }
+    if (!load (ctx, root_ref, wait, &root))
+        goto stall;
+    if (!lookup (ctx, root, wait, flags, key, &val, &lookup_errnum))
         goto stall;
     if (lookup_errnum != 0) {
         errno = lookup_errnum;
@@ -898,7 +913,7 @@ static void get_request_cb (flux_t h, flux_msg_handler_t *w,
         errno = ENOENT;
         goto done;
     }
-    if (!(out = kp_rget_enc (val)))
+    if (!(out = kp_rget_enc (root_dirent, val)))
         goto done;
     rc = 0;
 done:
@@ -909,6 +924,7 @@ static void get_request_cb (flux_t h, flux_msg_handler_t *w,
 stall:
     Jput (in);
     Jput (out);
+    Jput (tmp_dirent);
 }
 
 static bool compare_json (json_object *o1, json_object *o2)
@@ -928,6 +944,7 @@ static void watch_request_cb (flux_t h, flux_msg_handler_t *w,
     JSON in2 = NULL;
     JSON out = NULL;
     JSON oval, val = NULL;
+    JSON root = NULL;
     flux_msg_t *cpy = NULL;
     const char *key;
     int flags;
@@ -946,7 +963,9 @@ static void watch_request_cb (flux_t h, flux_msg_handler_t *w,
         goto done;
     if (!(wait = wait_create_msg_handler (h, w, msg, watch_request_cb, arg)))
         goto done;
-    if (!lookup (ctx, NULL, wait, flags, key, &val, &lookup_errnum))
+    if (!load (ctx, ctx->rootdir, wait, &root))
+        goto stall;
+    if (!lookup (ctx, root, wait, flags, key, &val, &lookup_errnum))
         goto stall;
     if (lookup_errnum) {
         errno = lookup_errnum;
diff --git a/src/modules/kvs/libkvs.c b/src/modules/kvs/libkvs.c
index 77d361b94e9c..14627a22211d 100644
--- a/src/modules/kvs/libkvs.c
+++ b/src/modules/kvs/libkvs.c
@@ -325,7 +325,8 @@ char *kvsdir_key_at (kvsdir_t *dir, const char *name)
  ** GET
  **/
 
-static int getobj (flux_t h, const char *key, int flags, json_object **val)
+static int getobj (flux_t h, json_object *rootdir, const char *key,
+                   int flags, json_object **val)
 {
     flux_rpc_t *rpc = NULL;
     const char *json_str;
@@ -341,7 +342,7 @@ static int getobj (flux_t h, const char *key, int flags, json_object **val)
         goto done;
     }
     k = pathcat (kvs_getcwd (h), key);
-    if (!(in = kp_tget_enc (k, flags)))
+    if (!(in = kp_tget_enc (rootdir, k, flags)))
         goto done;
     if (!(rpc = flux_rpc (h, "kvs.get", Jtostr (in), FLUX_NODEID_ANY, 0)))
         goto done;
@@ -351,7 +352,7 @@ static int getobj (flux_t h, const char *key, int flags, json_object **val)
         errno = EPROTO;
         goto done;
     }
-    if (kp_rget_dec (out, &v) < 0)
+    if (kp_rget_dec (out, NULL, &v) < 0)
         goto done;
     if (val)
         *val = Jget (v);
@@ -371,7 +372,7 @@ int kvs_get (flux_t h, const char *key, char **val)
 {
     JSON v;
 
-    if (getobj (h, key, 0, &v) < 0)
+    if (getobj (h, NULL, key, 0, &v) < 0)
         return -1;
     if (val)
         *val = xstrdup (Jtostr (v));
@@ -382,7 +383,7 @@ int kvs_get (flux_t h, const char *key, char **val)
 /* deprecated */
 int kvs_get_obj (flux_t h, const char *key, JSON *val)
 {
-    return getobj (h, key, 0, val);
+    return getobj (h, NULL, key, 0, val);
 }
 
 int kvs_get_dir (flux_t h, kvsdir_t **dir, const char *fmt, ...)
@@ -405,7 +406,7 @@ int kvs_get_dir (flux_t h, kvsdir_t **dir, const char *fmt, ...)
     key = xvasprintf (fmt, ap);
     va_end (ap);
     k = pathcat (kvs_getcwd (h), key);
-    if (!(in = kp_tget_enc (k, KVS_PROTO_READDIR)))
+    if (!(in = kp_tget_enc (NULL, k, KVS_PROTO_READDIR)))
         goto done;
     if (!(rpc = flux_rpc (h, "kvs.get", Jtostr (in), FLUX_NODEID_ANY, 0)))
         goto done;
@@ -435,7 +436,7 @@ int kvs_get_symlink (flux_t h, const char *key, char **val)
     JSON v = NULL;
     int rc = -1;
 
-    if (getobj (h, key, KVS_PROTO_READLINK, &v) < 0)
+    if (getobj (h, NULL, key, KVS_PROTO_READLINK, &v) < 0)
         goto done;
     if (json_object_get_type (v) != json_type_string) {
         errno = EPROTO;
@@ -455,7 +456,7 @@ int kvs_get_treeobj (flux_t h, const char *key, char **val)
     const char *s;
     int rc = -1;
 
-    if (getobj (h, key, KVS_PROTO_TREEOBJ, &v) < 0)
+    if (getobj (h, NULL, key, KVS_PROTO_TREEOBJ, &v) < 0)
         goto done;
     if (val) {
         s = json_object_to_json_string_ext (v, JSON_C_TO_STRING_PLAIN);
@@ -472,7 +473,7 @@ int kvs_get_string (flux_t h, const char *key, char **val)
     JSON v = NULL;
     int rc = -1;
 
-    if (getobj (h, key, 0, &v) < 0)
+    if (getobj (h, NULL, key, 0, &v) < 0)
         goto done;
     if (json_object_get_type (v) != json_type_string) {
         errno = EPROTO;
@@ -491,7 +492,7 @@ int kvs_get_int (flux_t h, const char *key, int *val)
     JSON v = NULL;
     int rc = -1;
 
-    if (getobj (h, key, 0, &v) < 0)
+    if (getobj (h, NULL, key, 0, &v) < 0)
         goto done;
     if (json_object_get_type (v) != json_type_int) {
         errno = EPROTO;
@@ -510,7 +511,7 @@ int kvs_get_int64 (flux_t h, const char *key, int64_t *val)
     JSON v = NULL;
     int rc = -1;
 
-    if (getobj (h, key, 0, &v) < 0)
+    if (getobj (h, NULL, key, 0, &v) < 0)
         goto done;
     if (json_object_get_type (v) != json_type_int) {
         errno = EPROTO;
@@ -529,7 +530,7 @@ int kvs_get_double (flux_t h, const char *key, double *val)
     JSON v = NULL;
     int rc = -1;
 
-    if (getobj (h, key, 0, &v) < 0)
+    if (getobj (h, NULL, key, 0, &v) < 0)
         goto done;
     if (json_object_get_type (v) != json_type_double) {
         errno = EPROTO;
@@ -548,7 +549,7 @@ int kvs_get_boolean (flux_t h, const char *key, bool *val)
     JSON v = NULL;
     int rc = -1;
 
-    if (getobj (h, key, 0, &v) < 0)
+    if (getobj (h, NULL, key, 0, &v) < 0)
         goto done;
     if (json_object_get_type (v) != json_type_boolean) {
         errno = EPROTO;
@@ -1651,7 +1652,7 @@ int kvsdir_unlink (kvsdir_t *dir, const char *name)
 int kvs_copy (flux_t h, const char *from, const char *to)
 {
     JSON dirent;
-    if (getobj (h, from, KVS_PROTO_TREEOBJ, &dirent) < 0)
+    if (getobj (h, NULL, from, KVS_PROTO_TREEOBJ, &dirent) < 0)
         return -1;
     if (kvs_put_dirent (h, to, dirent) < 0) {
         Jput (dirent);
diff --git a/src/modules/kvs/proto.c b/src/modules/kvs/proto.c
index 4bc9d1e69e57..075af10c19aa 100644
--- a/src/modules/kvs/proto.c
+++ b/src/modules/kvs/proto.c
@@ -44,7 +44,7 @@
 /* kvs.get
  */
 
-JSON kp_tget_enc (const char *key, int flags)
+JSON kp_tget_enc (JSON rootdir, const char *key, int flags)
 {
     JSON o = NULL;
 
@@ -53,13 +53,15 @@ JSON kp_tget_enc (const char *key, int flags)
         goto done;
     }
     o = Jnew ();
+    if (rootdir)
+        Jadd_obj (o, "rootdir", rootdir); /* takes a ref on rootdir */
     Jadd_str (o, "key", key);
     Jadd_int (o, "flags", flags);
 done:
     return o;
 }
 
-int kp_tget_dec (JSON o, const char **key, int *flags)
+int kp_tget_dec (JSON o, JSON *rootdir, const char **key, int *flags)
 {
     int rc = -1;
 
@@ -71,34 +73,36 @@ int kp_tget_dec (JSON o, const char **key, int *flags)
         errno = EPROTO;
         goto done;
     }
+    if (rootdir)
+        *rootdir = Jobj_get (o, "rootdir");
     rc = 0;
 done:
     return rc;
 }
 
-JSON kp_rget_enc (JSON val)
+JSON kp_rget_enc (JSON rootdir, JSON val)
 {
     JSON o = NULL;
 
     o = Jnew ();
+    json_object_object_add (o, "rootdir", rootdir);
     json_object_object_add (o, "val", val);
     return o;
 }
 
-int kp_rget_dec (JSON o, JSON *val)
+int kp_rget_dec (JSON o, JSON *rootdir, JSON *val)
 {
     int rc = -1;
-    JSON v = NULL;
+    JSON v, r;
 
-    if (!o || !val) {
+    if (!o || !(v = Jobj_get (o, "val")) || !(r = Jobj_get (o, "rootdir"))) {
         errno = EINVAL;
         goto done;
     }
-    if (!(v = Jobj_get (o, "val"))) {
-        errno = EPROTO;
-        goto done;
-    }
-    *val = v;
+    if (val)
+        *val = v;
+    if (rootdir)
+        *rootdir = r;
     rc = 0;
 done:
     return rc;
diff --git a/src/modules/kvs/proto.h b/src/modules/kvs/proto.h
index 03ab7f001d5e..8122ba68cdf9 100644
--- a/src/modules/kvs/proto.h
+++ b/src/modules/kvs/proto.h
@@ -12,11 +12,13 @@ enum {
 
 /* kvs.get
  */
-json_object *kp_tget_enc (const char *key, int flags);
-int kp_tget_dec (json_object *o, const char **key, int *flags);
+json_object *kp_tget_enc (json_object *rootdir,
+                          const char *key, int flags);
+int kp_tget_dec (json_object *o, json_object **rootdir,
+                 const char **key, int *flags);
 
-json_object *kp_rget_enc (json_object *val);
-int kp_rget_dec (json_object *o, json_object **val);
+json_object *kp_rget_enc (json_object *rootdir, json_object *val);
+int kp_rget_dec (json_object *o, json_object **rootdir, json_object **val);
 
 
 /* kvs.watch
diff --git a/src/modules/kvs/test/proto.c b/src/modules/kvs/test/proto.c
index e6c3acadcf41..7ba8d7840837 100644
--- a/src/modules/kvs/test/proto.c
+++ b/src/modules/kvs/test/proto.c
@@ -1,43 +1,64 @@
 #include <string.h>
 
 #include "src/common/libutil/shortjson.h"
-#include "src/modules/kvs/proto.h"
 #include "src/common/libtap/tap.h"
 #include "src/common/libutil/log.h"
 #include "src/common/libutil/shortjson.h"
 #include "src/common/libutil/xzmalloc.h"
 
+#include "src/modules/kvs/proto.h"
+#include "src/modules/kvs/json_dirent.h"
+
 void test_get (void)
 {
     JSON o;
     const char *key = NULL;
     JSON val = NULL;
+    JSON dirent = NULL;
+    JSON dirent2 = NULL;
     int i, flags;
 
-    o = kp_tget_enc ("foo", 42);
+    o = kp_tget_enc (NULL, "foo", 42);
     ok (o != NULL,
         "kp_tget_enc works");
     diag ("get request: %s", Jtostr (o));
     flags = 0;
-    ok (kp_tget_dec (o, &key, &flags) == 0 && flags == 42,
+    ok (kp_tget_dec (o, NULL, &key, &flags) == 0 && flags == 42,
         "kp_tget_dec works");
     like (key, "^foo$",
         "kp_tget_dec returned encoded key");
     Jput (o);
 
+    dirent = dirent_create ("DIRREF", "sha1-abcdefabcdef00000");
+    o = kp_tget_enc (dirent, "foo", 42);
+    ok (o != NULL,
+        "kp_tget_enc with optional dirent arg works");
+    diag ("get request: %s", Jtostr (o));
+    flags = 0;
+    ok (kp_tget_dec (o, &dirent2, &key, &flags) == 0 && flags == 42,
+        "kp_tget_dec works");
+    ok (dirent_validate (dirent2) && dirent_match (dirent, dirent2),
+        "kp_tget_dec returned dirent");
+    Jput (dirent);
+    Jput (o);
+
+
     val = Jnew ();
     Jadd_int (val, "i", 42);
-    o = kp_rget_enc (val);
+    dirent = dirent_create ("DIRREF", "sha1-abcdefabcdef00000");
+    o = kp_rget_enc (dirent, val);
     val = NULL; /* val now owned by o */
     ok (o != NULL,
         "kp_rget_enc works");
     diag ("get response: %s", Jtostr (o));
-    ok (kp_rget_dec (o, &val) == 0,
+    ok (kp_rget_dec (o, &dirent2, &val) == 0,
         "kp_rget_dec works");
     // get response: { "val": { "i": 42 } }
     i = 0;
     ok (val && Jget_int (val, "i", &i) && i == 42,
         "kp_rget_dec returned encoded object");
+    ok (dirent_validate (dirent2) && dirent_match (dirent, dirent2),
+        "kp_rget_dec returned rootref");
     Jput (o); /* owns val */
 }