diff --git a/dagger.nim b/dagger.nim
index 25c4e1fa..edbf2b6f 100644
--- a/dagger.nim
+++ b/dagger.nim
@@ -57,7 +57,7 @@ when isMainModule:
           setupForeignThreadGc()
         except Exception as exc: raiseAssert exc.msg # shouldn't happen
       notice "Shutting down after having received SIGINT"
-      waitFor server.shutdown()
+      waitFor server.stop()
 
     try:
       setControlCHook(controlCHandler)
@@ -68,10 +68,10 @@ when isMainModule:
     when defined(posix):
       proc SIGTERMHandler(signal: cint) {.noconv.} =
         notice "Shutting down after having received SIGTERM"
-        waitFor server.shutdown()
+        waitFor server.stop()
 
       c_signal(SIGTERM, SIGTERMHandler)
 
-    waitFor server.run()
+    waitFor server.start()
   of StartUpCommand.initNode:
     discard
diff --git a/dagger/dagger.nim b/dagger/dagger.nim
index b46ba7f2..83a96307 100644
--- a/dagger/dagger.nim
+++ b/dagger/dagger.nim
@@ -26,6 +26,7 @@ import ./rest/api
 import ./stores
 import ./blockexchange
 import ./utils/fileutils
+import ./erasure
 
 type
   DaggerServer* = ref object
@@ -34,14 +35,14 @@ type
     restServer: RestServerRef
     daggerNode: DaggerNodeRef
 
-proc run*(s: DaggerServer) {.async.} =
+proc start*(s: DaggerServer) {.async.} =
   s.restServer.start()
   await s.daggerNode.start()
 
   s.runHandle = newFuture[void]()
   await s.runHandle
 
-proc shutdown*(s: DaggerServer) {.async.} =
+proc stop*(s: DaggerServer) {.async.} =
   await allFuturesThrowing(
     s.restServer.stop(), s.daggerNode.stop())
 
@@ -73,7 +74,8 @@ proc new*(T: type DaggerServer, config: DaggerConf): T =
     localStore = FSStore.new(config.dataDir / "repo", cache = cache)
     engine = BlockExcEngine.new(localStore, wallet, network)
     store = NetworkStore.new(engine, localStore)
-    daggerNode = DaggerNodeRef.new(switch, store, engine)
+    erasure = Erasure.new(store, leoEncoderProvider, leoDecoderProvider)
+    daggerNode = DaggerNodeRef.new(switch, store, engine, erasure)
     restServer = RestServerRef.new(
       daggerNode.initRestApi(),
       initTAddress("127.0.0.1" , config.apiPort),
diff --git a/dagger/erasure/erasure.nim b/dagger/erasure/erasure.nim
index a8535036..bb8970c4 100644
--- a/dagger/erasure/erasure.nim
+++ b/dagger/erasure/erasure.nim
@@ -106,6 +106,11 @@ proc encode*(
         dataBlocks = await allFinished(
           blockIdx.mapIt( self.store.getBlock(encoded[it]) ))
 
+      # TODO: this is a tight blocking loop so we sleep here to allow
+      # other events to be processed, this should be addressed
+      # by threading
+      await sleepAsync(10.millis)
+
       for j in 0..<blocks:
         let idx = blockIdx[j]
         if idx < manifest.len:
@@ -177,6 +182,11 @@ proc decode*(
             self.store.getBlock(encoded[it]) # Get the data blocks (first K)
         )
 
+      # TODO: this is a tight blocking loop so we sleep here to allow
+      # other events to be processed, this should be addressed
+      # by threading
+      await sleepAsync(10.millis)
+
       var
         data = newSeq[seq[byte]](encoded.K) # number of blocks to encode
         parityData = newSeq[seq[byte]](encoded.M)
diff --git a/dagger/manifest.nim b/dagger/manifest.nim
index 3cd9219e..cf33453a 100644
--- a/dagger/manifest.nim
+++ b/dagger/manifest.nim
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 import ./manifest/coders
 import ./manifest/manifest
+import ./manifest/types
 
-export manifest, coders
+export types, manifest, coders
diff --git a/dagger/manifest/coders.nim b/dagger/manifest/coders.nim
index d7ba0a2c..02b76c6f 100644
--- a/dagger/manifest/coders.nim
+++ b/dagger/manifest/coders.nim
@@ -21,19 +21,7 @@ import pkg/chronos
 
 import ./manifest
 import ../errors
-
-const
-  DagPBCodec* = multiCodec("dag-pb")
-
-type
-  ManifestCoderType*[codec: static MultiCodec] = object
-  DagPBCoder* = ManifestCoderType[multiCodec("dag-pb")]
-
-const
-  # TODO: move somewhere better?
-  ManifestContainers* = {
-    $DagPBCodec: DagPBCoder()
-  }.toTable
+import ./types
 
 func encode*(_: DagPBCoder, manifest: Manifest): ?!seq[byte] =
   ## Encode the manifest into a ``ManifestCodec``
diff --git a/dagger/manifest/manifest.nim b/dagger/manifest/manifest.nim
index 5903c52e..e797ef4b 100644
--- a/dagger/manifest/manifest.nim
+++ b/dagger/manifest/manifest.nim
@@ -19,23 +19,8 @@ import pkg/chronicles
 
 import ../errors
 import ../blocktype
-
-type
-  Manifest* = ref object of RootObj
-    rootHash*: ?Cid         # root (tree) hash of the contained data set
-    blockSize*: int         # size of each contained block (might not be needed if blocks are len-prefixed)
-    blocks*: seq[Cid]       # block Cid
-    version*: CidVersion    # Cid version
-    hcodec*: MultiCodec     # Multihash codec
-    codec*: MultiCodec      # Data set codec
-    case protected*: bool   # Protected datasets have erasure coded info
-    of true:
-      K*: int               # Number of blocks to encode
-      M*: int               # Number of resulting parity blocks
-      originalCid*: Cid     # The original Cid of the dataset being erasure coded
-      originalLen*: int     # The length of the original manifest
-    else:
-      discard
+import ./types
+import ./coders
 
 func len*(self: Manifest): int =
   self.blocks.len
@@ -189,5 +174,6 @@ proc new*(
 
 proc new*(
   T: type Manifest,
-  data: openArray[byte]): ?!T =
-  Manifest.decode(data)
+  data: openArray[byte],
+  decoder = ManifestContainers[$DagPBCodec]): ?!T =
+  Manifest.decode(data, decoder)
diff --git a/dagger/manifest/types.nim b/dagger/manifest/types.nim
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..b0b7ddec
--- /dev/null
+++ b/dagger/manifest/types.nim
@@ -0,0 +1,42 @@
+## Nim-Dagger
+## Copyright (c) 2022 Status Research & Development GmbH
+## Licensed under either of
+##  * Apache License, version 2.0, ([LICENSE-APACHE](LICENSE-APACHE))
+##  * MIT license ([LICENSE-MIT](LICENSE-MIT))
+## at your option.
+## This file may not be copied, modified, or distributed except according to
+## those terms.
+
+import std/tables
+import pkg/libp2p
+import pkg/questionable
+
+const
+  DagPBCodec* = multiCodec("dag-pb")
+
+type
+  ManifestCoderType*[codec: static MultiCodec] = object
+  DagPBCoder* = ManifestCoderType[multiCodec("dag-pb")]
+
+const
+  # TODO: move somewhere better?
+  ManifestContainers* = {
+    $DagPBCodec: DagPBCoder()
+  }.toTable
+
+type
+  Manifest* = ref object of RootObj
+    rootHash*: ?Cid         # root (tree) hash of the contained data set
+    blockSize*: int         # size of each contained block (might not be needed if blocks are len-prefixed)
+    blocks*: seq[Cid]       # block Cid
+    version*: CidVersion    # Cid version
+    hcodec*: MultiCodec     # Multihash codec
+    codec*: MultiCodec      # Data set codec
+    case protected*: bool   # Protected datasets have erasure coded info
+    of true:
+      K*: int               # Number of blocks to encode
+      M*: int               # Number of resulting parity blocks
+      originalCid*: Cid     # The original Cid of the dataset being erasure coded
+      originalLen*: int     # The length of the original manifest
+    else:
+      discard
diff --git a/dagger/node.nim b/dagger/node.nim
index a5d417ec..926bcf88 100644
--- a/dagger/node.nim
+++ b/dagger/node.nim
@@ -26,6 +26,7 @@ import ./manifest
 import ./stores/blockstore
 import ./blockexchange
 import ./streams
+import ./erasure
 
 logScope:
   topics = "dagger node"
@@ -38,21 +39,22 @@ type
     networkId*: PeerID
     blockStore*: BlockStore
     engine*: BlockExcEngine
+    erasure*: Erasure
 
 proc start*(node: DaggerNodeRef) {.async.} =
   await node.switch.start()
   await node.engine.start()
+  await node.erasure.start()
+
   node.networkId = node.switch.peerInfo.peerId
   notice "Started dagger node", id = $node.networkId, addrs = node.switch.peerInfo.addrs
 
 proc stop*(node: DaggerNodeRef) {.async.} =
   trace "Stopping node"
 
-  if not node.engine.isNil:
-    await node.engine.stop()
-
-  if not node.switch.isNil:
-    await node.switch.stop()
+  await node.engine.stop()
+  await node.switch.stop()
+  await node.erasure.stop()
 
 proc findPeer*(
   node: DaggerNodeRef,
@@ -85,6 +87,16 @@ proc retrieve*(
     without manifest =? Manifest.decode(blk.data, ManifestContainers[$mc]):
       return failure("Unable to construct manifest!")
 
+    if manifest.protected:
+      proc erasureJob(): Future[void] {.async.} =
+        try:
+          without res =? (await node.erasure.decode(manifest)), error: # spawn an erasure decoding job
+            trace "Unable to erasure decode manigest", cid, exc = error.msg
+        except CatchableError as exc:
+          trace "Exception decoding manifest", cid
+
+      asyncSpawn erasureJob()
+
     return LPStream(StoreStream.new(node.blockStore, manifest)).success
 
   let
@@ -158,12 +170,69 @@ proc store*(
 
   return manifest.cid.success
 
+proc requestStorage*(
+  self: DaggerNodeRef,
+  cid: Cid,
+  ppb: uint,
+  duration: Duration,
+  nodes: uint,
+  tolerance: uint,
+  autoRenew: bool = false): Future[?!Cid] {.async.} =
+  ## Initiate a request for storage sequence, this might
+  ## be a multistep procedure.
+  ##
+  ## Roughly the flow is as follows:
+  ## - Get the original cid from the store (should have already been uploaded)
+  ## - Erasure code it according to the nodes and tolerance parameters
+  ## - Run the PoR setup on the erasure dataset
+  ## - Call into the marketplace and purchasing contracts
+  ##
+  trace "Received a request for storage!", cid, ppb, duration, nodes, tolerance, autoRenew
+
+  without blk =? (await self.blockStore.getBlock(cid)), error:
+    trace "Unable to retrieve manifest block", cid
+    return failure(error)
+
+  without mc =? blk.cid.contentType():
+    trace "Couldn't identify Cid!", cid
+    return failure("Couldn't identify Cid! " & $cid)
+
+  # if we got a manifest, stream the blocks
+  if $mc notin ManifestContainers:
+    trace "Not a manifest type!", cid, mc
+    return failure("Not a manifest type!")
+
+  without var manifest =? Manifest.decode(blk.data), error:
+    trace "Unable to decode manifest from block", cid
+    return failure(error)
+
+  # Erasure code the dataset according to provided parameters
+  without encoded =? (await self.erasure.encode(manifest, nodes.int, tolerance.int)), error:
+    trace "Unable to erasure code dataset", cid
+    return failure(error)
+
+  without encodedData =? encoded.encode(), error:
+    trace "Unable to encode protected manifest"
+    return failure(error)
+
+  without encodedBlk =? bt.Block.new(data = encodedData, codec = DagPBCodec), error:
+    trace "Unable to create block from encoded manifest"
+    return failure(error)
+
+  if not (await self.blockStore.putBlock(encodedBlk)):
+    trace "Unable to store encoded manifest block", cid = encodedBlk.cid
+    return failure("Unable to store encoded manifest block")
+
+  return encodedBlk.cid.success
+
 proc new*(
   T: type DaggerNodeRef,
   switch: Switch,
   store: BlockStore,
-  engine: BlockExcEngine): T =
+  engine: BlockExcEngine,
+  erasure: Erasure): T =
   T(
     switch: switch,
     blockStore: store,
-    engine: engine)
+    engine: engine,
+    erasure: erasure)
diff --git a/dagger/rest/api.nim b/dagger/rest/api.nim
index c5a93d49..0d44cb7a 100644
--- a/dagger/rest/api.nim
+++ b/dagger/rest/api.nim
@@ -20,10 +20,12 @@ import pkg/chronicles
 import pkg/chronos
 import pkg/presto
 import pkg/libp2p
+import pkg/stew/base10
 
 import pkg/libp2p/routing_record
 
 import ../node
+import ../blocktype
 
 proc validate(
   pattern: string,
@@ -35,13 +37,14 @@ proc encodeString(cid: type Cid): Result[string, cstring] =
   ok($cid)
 
 proc decodeString(T: type Cid, value: string): Result[Cid, cstring] =
-  Cid.init(value)
-    .mapErr do(e: CidError) -> cstring:
-      case e
-      of CidError.Incorrect: "Incorrect Cid"
-      of CidError.Unsupported: "Unsupported Cid"
-      of CidError.Overrun: "Overrun Cid"
-      else: "Error parsing Cid"
+  Cid
+  .init(value)
+  .mapErr do(e: CidError) -> cstring:
+    case e
+    of CidError.Incorrect: "Incorrect Cid"
+    of CidError.Unsupported: "Unsupported Cid"
+    of CidError.Overrun: "Overrun Cid"
+    else: "Error parsing Cid"
 
 proc encodeString(peerId: PeerID): Result[string, cstring] =
   ok($peerId)
@@ -57,6 +60,29 @@ proc decodeString(T: type MultiAddress, value: string): Result[MultiAddress, cst
     .init(value)
     .mapErr do(e: string) -> cstring: cstring(e)
 
+proc decodeString(T: type SomeUnsignedInt, value: string): Result[T, cstring] =
+  Base10.decode(T, value)
+
+proc encodeString(value: SomeUnsignedInt): Result[string, cstring] =
+  ok(Base10.toString(value))
+
+proc decodeString(T: type Duration, value: string): Result[T, cstring] =
+  let v = ? Base10.decode(uint32, value)
+  ok(v.minutes)
+
+proc encodeString(value: Duration): Result[string, cstring] =
+  ok($value)
+
+proc decodeString(T: type bool, value: string): Result[T, cstring] =
+  try:
+    ok(value.parseBool())
+  except CatchableError as exc:
+    let s: cstring = exc.msg
+    err(s) # err(exc.msg) won't compile
+
+proc encodeString(value: bool): Result[string, cstring] =
+  ok($value)
+
 proc initRestApi*(node: DaggerNodeRef): RestRouter =
   var router = RestRouter.init(validate)
   router.api(
@@ -97,7 +123,6 @@ proc initRestApi*(node: DaggerNodeRef): RestRouter =
       except CatchableError as e:
         return RestApiResponse.error(Http400, "Unknown error dialling peer")
 
-
   router.api(
     MethodGet,
     "/api/dagger/v1/download/{id}") do (
@@ -116,18 +141,15 @@ proc initRestApi*(node: DaggerNodeRef): RestRouter =
 
       var bytes = 0
       try:
-        if (
-            let retr = await node.retrieve(id.get());
-            retr.isErr):
-            return RestApiResponse.error(Http404, retr.error.msg)
+        without stream =? (await node.retrieve(id.get())), error:
+          return RestApiResponse.error(Http404, error.msg)
 
         resp.addHeader("Content-Type", "application/octet-stream")
         await resp.prepareChunked()
 
-        stream = retr.get()
         while not stream.atEof:
           var
-            buff = newSeqUninitialized[byte](FileChunkSize)
+            buff = newSeqUninitialized[byte](BlockSize)
             len = await stream.readOnce(addr buff[0], buff.len)
 
           buff.setLen(len)
@@ -146,6 +168,91 @@ proc initRestApi*(node: DaggerNodeRef): RestRouter =
         if not stream.isNil:
           await stream.close()
 
+  router.api(
+    MethodPost,
+    "/api/dagger/v1/storage/request/{cid}") do (
+      cid: Cid,
+      ppb: Option[uint],
+      duration: Option[Duration],
+      nodes: Option[uint],
+      loss: Option[uint],
+      renew: Option[bool]) -> RestApiResponse:
+      ## Create a request for storage
+      ##
+      ## Cid            - the cid of the previously uploaded dataset
+      ## ppb            - the price per byte the client is willing to pay
+      ## duration       - the duration of the contract
+      ## nodeCount      - the total amount of the nodes storing the dataset, including `lossTolerance`
+      ## lossTolerance  - the number of nodes losses the user is willing to tolerate
+      ## autoRenew      - should the contract be autorenewed -
+      ##                  will fail unless the user has enough funds lockedup
+      ##
+
+      var
+        cid =
+          if cid.isErr:
+            return RestApiResponse.error(Http400, $cid.error())
+          else:
+            cid.get()
+
+        ppb =
+          if ppb.isNone:
+            return RestApiResponse.error(Http400, "Missing ppb")
+          else:
+            if ppb.get().isErr:
+              return RestApiResponse.error(Http500, $ppb.get().error)
+            else:
+              ppb.get().get()
+
+        duration =
+          if duration.isNone:
+            return RestApiResponse.error(Http400, "Missing duration")
+          else:
+            if duration.get().isErr:
+              return RestApiResponse.error(Http500, $duration.get().error)
+            else:
+              duration.get().get()
+
+        nodes =
+          if nodes.isNone:
+            return RestApiResponse.error(Http400, "Missing node count")
+          else:
+            if nodes.get().isErr:
+              return RestApiResponse.error(Http500, $nodes.get().error)
+            else:
+              nodes.get().get()
+
+        loss =
+          if loss.isNone:
+            return RestApiResponse.error(Http400, "Missing loss tolerance")
+          else:
+            if loss.get().isErr:
+              return RestApiResponse.error(Http500, $loss.get().error)
+            else:
+              loss.get().get()
+
+        renew = if renew.isNone:
+            false
+          else:
+            if renew.get().isErr:
+              return RestApiResponse.error(Http500, $renew.get().error)
+            else:
+              renew.get().get()
+
+      try:
+        without storageCid =? (await node.requestStorage(
+            cid,
+            ppb,
+            duration,
+            nodes,
+            loss,
+            renew)), error:
+          return RestApiResponse.error(Http500, error.msg)
+
+        return RestApiResponse.response($storageCid)
+      except CatchableError as exc:
+        return RestApiResponse.error(Http500, exc.msg)
+
   router.rawApi(
     MethodPost,
     "/api/dagger/v1/upload") do (
@@ -173,7 +280,7 @@ proc initRestApi*(node: DaggerNodeRef): RestRouter =
       try:
         while not reader.atEof:
           var
-            buff = newSeqUninitialized[byte](FileChunkSize)
+            buff = newSeqUninitialized[byte](BlockSize)
             len = await reader.readOnce(addr buff[0], buff.len)
 
           buff.setLen(len)
@@ -185,8 +292,8 @@ proc initRestApi*(node: DaggerNodeRef): RestRouter =
           bytes += len
 
         await stream.pushEof()
-        without cid =? (await storeFut):
-          return RestApiResponse.error(Http500)
+        without cid =? (await storeFut), error:
+          return RestApiResponse.error(Http500, error.msg)
 
         trace "Uploaded file", bytes, cid = $cid
         return RestApiResponse.response($cid)
diff --git a/tests/dagger/testnode.nim b/tests/dagger/testnode.nim
index 22e8197c..72603965 100644
--- a/tests/dagger/testnode.nim
+++ b/tests/dagger/testnode.nim
@@ -42,7 +42,7 @@ suite "Test Node":
     localStore = CacheStore.new()
     engine = BlockExcEngine.new(localStore, wallet, network)
     store = NetworkStore.new(engine, localStore)
-    node = DaggerNodeRef.new(switch, store, engine)
+    node = DaggerNodeRef.new(switch, store, engine, nil) # TODO: pass `Erasure`
 
     await node.start()