diff --git a/src/js/ripple/blob.js b/src/js/ripple/blob.js
index 31faa699..64c1e30f 100644
--- a/src/js/ripple/blob.js
+++ b/src/js/ripple/blob.js
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@ var crypt   = require('./crypt').Crypt;
 var SignedRequest = require('./signedrequest').SignedRequest;
 var request = require('superagent');
 var extend  = require("extend");
+var async   = require("async");
 
 var BlobClient = {};
 
@@ -274,6 +275,10 @@ BlobObj.prototype.decryptBlobCrypt = function(secret) {
  */
 
 BlobObj.prototype.set = function(pointer, value, fn) {
+  if (pointer == "/" + identityRoot && this.data[identityRoot]) {
+    return fn(new Error('Cannot overwrite Identity Vault')); 
+  }
+    
   this.applyUpdate('set', pointer, [value]);
   this.postUpdate('set', pointer, [value], fn);
 };
@@ -283,6 +288,10 @@ BlobObj.prototype.set = function(pointer, value, fn) {
  */
 
 BlobObj.prototype.unset = function(pointer, fn) {
+  if (pointer == "/" + identityRoot) {
+    return fn(new Error('Cannot remove Identity Vault')); 
+  }
+  
   this.applyUpdate('unset', pointer, []);
   this.postUpdate('unset', pointer, [], fn);
 };
@@ -300,7 +309,7 @@ BlobObj.prototype.extend = function(pointer, value, fn) {
  * Prepend blob array
  */
 
-BlobObj.prototype.unshift = function(pointer, value, fn) {
+BlobObj.prototype.unshift = function(pointer, value, fn) {    
   this.applyUpdate('unshift', pointer, [value]);
   this.postUpdate('unshift', pointer, [value], fn);
 };
@@ -555,20 +564,9 @@ function normalizeSubcommands(subcommands, compress) {
  */
 
 var Identity = function (blob) {
-  var self  = this;
-  self.blob = blob;
-  
-  //make sure the identity setup is valid
-  self.validate = function(fn) {
-    if (!self.blob) return fn(new Error("Identity must be associated with a blob"));
-    else if (!self.blob.data) return fn(new Error("Invalid Blob"));  
-    else if (!self.blob.data[identityRoot]) {
-      self.blob.set(identityRoot, {}, function(err, res){
-        if (err) return fn(err);
-        else     return fn(null, true);
-      }); 
-    } else return fn(null, true);
-  };
+  this._getBlob = function() {
+    return blob;
+  }
 }; 
 
 /**
@@ -578,10 +576,11 @@ var Identity = function (blob) {
  */
 
 Identity.prototype.getFullAddress = function (key) {
-  if (!this.blob || 
-      !this.blob.data || 
-      !this.blob.data[identityRoot] ||
-      !this.blob.data[identityRoot].address) {
+  var blob = this._getBlob();
+  if (!blob || 
+      !blob.data || 
+      !blob.data[identityRoot] ||
+      !blob.data[identityRoot].address) {
     return "";
   }     
   
@@ -606,12 +605,12 @@ Identity.prototype.getFullAddress = function (key) {
  */
 
 Identity.prototype.getAll = function (key) {
-
-  if (!this.blob || !this.blob.data || !this.blob.data[identityRoot]) {
+  var blob = this._getBlob();
+  if (!blob || !blob.data || !blob.data[identityRoot]) {
     return {};
   }   
   
-  var result = {}, identity = this.blob.data[identityRoot];
+  var result = {}, identity = blob.data[identityRoot];
   for (var i in identity) {
     result[i] = this.get(i, key);
   }
@@ -627,11 +626,12 @@ Identity.prototype.getAll = function (key) {
  */
 
 Identity.prototype.get = function (pointer, key) {
-  if (!this.blob || !this.blob.data || !this.blob.data[identityRoot]) {
+  var blob = this._getBlob();
+  if (!blob || !blob.data || !blob.data[identityRoot]) {
     return null;
   }
   
-  var data = this.blob.data[identityRoot][pointer];
+  var data = blob.data[identityRoot][pointer];
   if (data && data.encrypted) {
     return decrypt(key, data);
     
@@ -674,7 +674,7 @@ Identity.prototype.get = function (pointer, key) {
  */
 
 Identity.prototype.set = function (pointer, key, value, fn) {
-  var self = this;
+  var self = this, blob = this._getBlob();
   
   if (!fn) fn = function(){ };
   
@@ -718,10 +718,24 @@ Identity.prototype.set = function (pointer, key, value, fn) {
       return fn(new Error("invalid entity type"));   
     }     
   }
-  
-  this.validate(function(err, res){
-    if (err) return fn(err);
+
+  async.waterfall([ validate, set ], fn);
     
+  //make sure the identity setup is valid
+  function validate (callback) {
+   
+    if (!blob) return fn(new Error("Identity must be associated with a blob"));
+    else if (!blob.data) return fn(new Error("Invalid Blob"));  
+    else if (!blob.data[identityRoot]) {
+      blob.set("/" + identityRoot, {}, function(err, res){
+        if (err) return callback (err);
+        else     return callback (null);
+      }); 
+    } else return callback (null);
+  };
+    
+  function set (callback) {
+
     //NOTE: currently we will overwrite if it already exists
     //the other option would be to require decrypting with the
     //existing key as a form of authorization
@@ -736,8 +750,8 @@ Identity.prototype.set = function (pointer, key, value, fn) {
       value     : key ? encrypt(key, value) : value  
     };
     
-    self.blob.extend("/" + identityRoot, data, fn);
-  });
+    self._getBlob().extend("/" + identityRoot, data, callback);
+  };
   
   function encrypt (key, value) {
     if (typeof value === 'object') value = JSON.stringify(value);
@@ -765,7 +779,7 @@ Identity.prototype.unset = function (pointer, key, fn) {
     return fn(data.error);
   }
   
-  this.blob.unset("/" + identityRoot+"/" + pointer, fn);
+  this._getBlob().unset("/" + identityRoot+"/" + pointer, fn);
 };
 
 /***** blob client methods ****/
diff --git a/src/js/ripple/crypt.js b/src/js/ripple/crypt.js
index 36535f34..9427ed83 100644
--- a/src/js/ripple/crypt.js
+++ b/src/js/ripple/crypt.js
@@ -245,7 +245,7 @@ Crypt.getAddress = function (masterkey) {
 Crypt.hashSha512 = function (data) {
   // XXX Should return a UInt512
   return sjcl.codec.hex.fromBits(sjcl.hash.sha512.hash(data)); 
-}
+};
 
 /**
  * Hash data using SHA-512 and return the first 256 bits.
diff --git a/src/js/ripple/vaultclient.js b/src/js/ripple/vaultclient.js
index 947d38a0..922aa7d3 100644
--- a/src/js/ripple/vaultclient.js
+++ b/src/js/ripple/vaultclient.js
@@ -340,7 +340,10 @@ VaultClient.prototype.register = function(options, fn) {
       if (err) {
         callback(err);
       } else {
-        callback(null, blob, keys, authInfo.username);
+        callback(null, {
+          blob     : blob, 
+          username : authInfo.username
+        });
       }
     });
   };