diff --git a/cmd/cmount/fs.go b/cmd/cmount/fs.go
index 0c827935e..01bfc0fcd 100644
--- a/cmd/cmount/fs.go
+++ b/cmd/cmount/fs.go
@@ -319,28 +319,14 @@ func (fsys *FS) Truncate(path string, size int64, fh uint64) (errc int) {
 	if errc != 0 {
 		return errc
 	}
-	// Read the size so far
-	var currentSize int64
+	var err error
 	if handle != nil {
-		fi, err := handle.Stat()
-		if err != nil {
-			return translateError(err)
-		}
-		currentSize = fi.Size()
+		err = handle.Truncate(size)
 	} else {
-		currentSize = node.Size()
+		err = node.Truncate(size)
 	}
-	fs.Debugf(path, "truncate to %d, currentSize %d", size, currentSize)
-	if currentSize != size {
-		var err error
-		if handle != nil {
-			err = handle.Truncate(size)
-		} else {
-			err = node.Truncate(size)
-		}
-		if err != nil {
-			return translateError(err)
-		}
+	if err != nil {
+		return translateError(err)
 	}
 	return 0
 }
diff --git a/vfs/file.go b/vfs/file.go
index c15992445..827614656 100644
--- a/vfs/file.go
+++ b/vfs/file.go
@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@ type File struct {
 	mu             sync.RWMutex // protects the following
 	o              fs.Object    // NB o may be nil if file is being written
 	leaf           string       // leaf name of the object
-	writers        int          // number of writers for this file
+	writers        []Handle     // writers for this file
 	pendingModTime time.Time    // will be applied once o becomes available, i.e. after file was written
 }
 
@@ -90,10 +90,28 @@ func (f *File) rename(d *Dir, o fs.Object) {
 	f.mu.Unlock()
 }
 
-// addWriters increments or decrements the writers
-func (f *File) addWriters(n int) {
+// addWriter adds a write handle to the file
+func (f *File) addWriter(h Handle) {
 	f.mu.Lock()
-	f.writers += n
+	f.writers = append(f.writers, h)
+	f.mu.Unlock()
+}
+
+// delWriter removes a write handle from the file
+func (f *File) delWriter(h Handle) {
+	f.mu.Lock()
+	var found = -1
+	for i := range f.writers {
+		if f.writers[i] == h {
+			found = i
+			break
+		}
+	}
+	if found >= 0 {
+		f.writers = append(f.writers[:found], f.writers[found+1:]...)
+	} else {
+		fs.Debugf(f.o, "File.delWriter couldn't find handle")
+	}
 	f.mu.Unlock()
 }
 
@@ -106,7 +124,7 @@ func (f *File) ModTime() (modTime time.Time) {
 
 	if !f.d.vfs.Opt.NoModTime {
 		// if o is nil it isn't valid yet or there are writers, so return the size so far
-		if f.o == nil || f.writers != 0 {
+		if f.o == nil || len(f.writers) != 0 {
 			if !f.pendingModTime.IsZero() {
 				return f.pendingModTime
 			}
@@ -124,7 +142,7 @@ func (f *File) Size() int64 {
 	defer f.mu.Unlock()
 
 	// if o is nil it isn't valid yet or there are writers, so return the size so far
-	if f.o == nil || f.writers != 0 {
+	if f.o == nil || len(f.writers) != 0 {
 		return atomic.LoadInt64(&f.size)
 	}
 	return f.o.Size()
@@ -188,6 +206,13 @@ func (f *File) setObject(o fs.Object) {
 	f.d.addObject(f)
 }
 
+// exists returns whether the file exists already
+func (f *File) exists() bool {
+	f.mu.Lock()
+	defer f.mu.Unlock()
+	return f.o != nil
+}
+
 // Wait for f.o to become non nil for a short time returning it or an
 // error.  Use when opening a read handle.
 //
@@ -196,12 +221,12 @@ func (f *File) waitForValidObject() (o fs.Object, err error) {
 	for i := 0; i < 50; i++ {
 		f.mu.Lock()
 		o = f.o
-		writers := f.writers
+		nwriters := len(f.writers)
 		f.mu.Unlock()
 		if o != nil {
 			return o, nil
 		}
-		if writers == 0 {
+		if nwriters == 0 {
 			return nil, errors.New("can't open file - writer failed")
 		}
 		time.Sleep(100 * time.Millisecond)
@@ -383,9 +408,40 @@ func (f *File) Open(flags int) (fd Handle, err error) {
 }
 
 // Truncate changes the size of the named file.
-func (f *File) Truncate(size int64) error {
-	if f.d.vfs.Opt.CacheMode >= CacheModeWrites {
+func (f *File) Truncate(size int64) (err error) {
+	// make a copy of fh.writers with the lock held then unlock so
+	// we can call other file methods.
+	f.mu.Lock()
+	writers := make([]Handle, len(f.writers))
+	copy(writers, f.writers)
+	f.mu.Unlock()
+
+	// If have writers then call truncate for each writer
+	if len(writers) != 0 {
+		fs.Debugf(f.o, "Truncating %d file handles", len(writers))
+		for _, h := range writers {
+			truncateErr := h.Truncate(size)
+			if truncateErr != nil {
+				err = truncateErr
+			}
+		}
+		return err
 	}
-	// FIXME
-	return ENOSYS
+	fs.Debugf(f.o, "Truncating file")
+
+	// Otherwise if no writers then truncate the file by opening
+	// the file and truncating it.
+	flags := os.O_WRONLY
+	if size == 0 {
+		flags |= os.O_TRUNC
+	}
+	fh, err := f.Open(flags)
+	if err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+	defer fs.CheckClose(fh, &err)
+	if size != 0 {
+		return fh.Truncate(size)
+	}
+	return nil
 }
diff --git a/vfs/read_write.go b/vfs/read_write.go
index ed7cfea7b..b8a0f2bab 100644
--- a/vfs/read_write.go
+++ b/vfs/read_write.go
@@ -52,6 +52,12 @@ func newRWFileHandle(d *Dir, f *File, remote string, flags int) (fh *RWFileHandl
 		flags:  flags,
 		osPath: osPath,
 	}
+
+	rdwrMode := fh.flags & accessModeMask
+	if rdwrMode != os.O_RDONLY {
+		fh.file.addWriter(fh)
+	}
+
 	return fh, nil
 }
 
@@ -63,8 +69,6 @@ func (fh *RWFileHandle) openPending(truncate bool) (err error) {
 		return nil
 	}
 
-	rdwrMode := fh.flags & accessModeMask
-
 	// if not truncating the file, need to read it first
 	if fh.flags&os.O_TRUNC == 0 && !truncate {
 		// Fetch the file if it hasn't changed
@@ -92,9 +96,6 @@ func (fh *RWFileHandle) openPending(truncate bool) (err error) {
 		fh.file.setSize(0)
 	}
 
-	if rdwrMode != os.O_RDONLY {
-		fh.file.addWriters(1)
-	}
 	fs.Debugf(fh.remote, "Opening cached copy with flags=%s", decodeOpenFlags(fh.flags))
 	fd, err := os.OpenFile(fh.osPath, fh.flags|os.O_CREATE, 0600)
 	if err != nil {
@@ -140,6 +141,9 @@ func (fh *RWFileHandle) close() (err error) {
 	}
 	fh.closed = true
 	rdwrMode := fh.flags & accessModeMask
+	if rdwrMode != os.O_RDONLY {
+		fh.file.delWriter(fh)
+	}
 	if !fh.opened {
 		// If read only then return
 		if rdwrMode == os.O_RDONLY {
@@ -157,7 +161,6 @@ func (fh *RWFileHandle) close() (err error) {
 		}
 	}
 	if rdwrMode != os.O_RDONLY {
-		fh.file.addWriters(-1)
 		fi, err := fh.File.Stat()
 		if err != nil {
 			fs.Errorf(fh.remote, "Failed to stat cache file: %v", err)
diff --git a/vfs/write.go b/vfs/write.go
index fd61fc856..84f61fb07 100644
--- a/vfs/write.go
+++ b/vfs/write.go
@@ -49,7 +49,7 @@ func newWriteFileHandle(d *Dir, f *File, remote string) (*WriteFileHandle, error
 		fh.o = o
 		fh.result <- err
 	}()
-	fh.file.addWriters(1)
+	fh.file.addWriter(fh)
 	fh.file.setSize(0)
 	return fh, nil
 }
@@ -129,6 +129,11 @@ func (fh *WriteFileHandle) Write(p []byte) (n int, err error) {
 	return fh.writeAt(p, fh.offset)
 }
 
+// WriteString a string to the file
+func (fh *WriteFileHandle) WriteString(s string) (n int, err error) {
+	return fh.Write([]byte(s))
+}
+
 // Offset returns the offset of the file pointer
 func (fh *WriteFileHandle) Offset() (offset int64) {
 	fh.mu.Lock()
@@ -145,7 +150,7 @@ func (fh *WriteFileHandle) close() error {
 		return ECLOSED
 	}
 	fh.closed = true
-	fh.file.addWriters(-1)
+	fh.file.delWriter(fh)
 	writeCloseErr := fh.pipeWriter.Close()
 	err := <-fh.result
 	if err == nil {
@@ -228,3 +233,18 @@ func (fh *WriteFileHandle) Stat() (os.FileInfo, error) {
 	defer fh.mu.Unlock()
 	return fh.file, nil
 }
+
+// Truncate file to given size
+func (fh *WriteFileHandle) Truncate(size int64) (err error) {
+	fh.mu.Lock()
+	defer fh.mu.Unlock()
+	if fh.closed {
+		return ECLOSED
+	}
+	if size != fh.offset {
+		fs.Errorf(fh.remote, "Truncate: Can't change size without cache")
+		return EPERM
+	}
+	// File is correct size
+	return nil
+}