diff --git a/bin/digd.js b/bin/digd.js
index c7baad0..8955f31 100755
--- a/bin/digd.js
+++ b/bin/digd.js
@@ -373,7 +373,7 @@ cli.main(function (args, cli) {
       return;
     }
 
-    require('../lib/dns-store').query(path.resolve(cli.input), query, function (err, resp) {
+    function respondWithResults(err, resp) {
 
       if (err) { console.log('[DEV] answer not found in local db, recursing'); console.error(err); recurse(); return; }
 
@@ -383,7 +383,16 @@ cli.main(function (args, cli) {
       if (!cli.norecurse && query.header.rd) { resp.header.ra = 1; }
 
       sendResponse(resp);
-    });
+    }
+
+    var engine;
+    try {
+      engine = require('../lib/store.json.js').create({ filepath: path.resolve(cli.input) });
+    } catch(e) {
+      respondWithResults(e);
+      return;
+    }
+    require('../lib/digd.js').query(engine, query, respondWithResults);
 
   };
 
diff --git a/lib/dns-store.js b/lib/digd.js
similarity index 71%
rename from lib/dns-store.js
rename to lib/digd.js
index 1462354..1ff359b 100644
--- a/lib/dns-store.js
+++ b/lib/digd.js
@@ -10,110 +10,102 @@ var NOERROR = 0;
 var NXDOMAIN = 3;
 var REFUSED = 5;
 
-function getRecords(db, qname, cb) {
+function getRecords(engine, qname, cb) {
   var delMe = {};
   var dns = require('dns');
   // SECURITY XXX TODO var dig = require('dig.js/dns-request');
   var count;
-  var myRecords = db.records.slice(0).filter(function (r) {
 
-    if ('string' !== typeof r.name) {
-      return false;
-    }
+  return engine.getRecords({ name: qname }, function (err, myRecords) {
+    if (err) { cb(err); return; }
 
-    // TODO use IN in masterquest (or implement OR)
-    // Only return single-level wildcard?
-    if (qname === r.name || ('*.' + qname.split('.').slice(1).join('.')) === r.name) {
-      return true;
-    }
-  });
+    function checkCount() {
+      var ready;
 
-  function checkCount() {
-    var ready;
+      count -= 1;
+      ready = count <= 0;
 
-    count -= 1;
-    ready = count <= 0;
-
-    if (!ready) {
-      return;
-    }
-
-    myRecords = myRecords.filter(function (r) {
-      return !delMe[r.id];
-    });
-
-    // There are a number of ways to interpret the wildcard rules
-    var hasWild = false;
-    var hasMatch = false;
-    myRecords.some(function (r) {
-      if (qname === r.name) {
-        hasMatch = true;
-        return true;
+      if (!ready) {
+        return;
       }
-      if ('*' === r.name[0]) {
-        hasWild = true;
-      }
-    });
 
-    if (hasMatch) {
       myRecords = myRecords.filter(function (r) {
-        if ('*' !== r.name[0]) { return true; }
+        return !delMe[r.id];
       });
-    }
-    /*
-    // no need to filter out records if wildcard is used
-    else {
-      records = records.filter(function (r) {
-        if ('*' === r.name[0]) { return true; }
+
+      // There are a number of ways to interpret the wildcard rules
+      var hasWild = false;
+      var hasMatch = false;
+      myRecords.some(function (r) {
+        if (qname === r.name) {
+          hasMatch = true;
+          return true;
+        }
+        if ('*' === r.name[0]) {
+          hasWild = true;
+        }
       });
-    }
-    */
 
-    cb(null, myRecords);
-  }
-
-  function getRecord(r) {
-    // TODO allow multiple records to be returned(?)
-    return function (err, addresses) {
-      if (err || !addresses.length) {
-        r.id = r.id || Math.random();
-        delMe[r.id] = true;
-      } else if (addresses.length > 1) {
-        r._address = addresses[Math.floor(Math.random() * addresses.length)];
-      } else {
-        r._address = addresses[0];
+      if (hasMatch) {
+        myRecords = myRecords.filter(function (r) {
+          if ('*' !== r.name[0]) { return true; }
+        });
       }
+      /*
+      // no need to filter out records if wildcard is used
+      else {
+        records = records.filter(function (r) {
+          if ('*' === r.name[0]) { return true; }
+        });
+      }
+      */
+
+      cb(null, myRecords);
+    }
+
+    function getRecord(r) {
+      // TODO allow multiple records to be returned(?)
+      return function (err, addresses) {
+        if (err || !addresses.length) {
+          r.id = r.id || Math.random();
+          delMe[r.id] = true;
+        } else if (addresses.length > 1) {
+          r._address = addresses[Math.floor(Math.random() * addresses.length)];
+        } else {
+          r._address = addresses[0];
+        }
+        checkCount();
+      };
+    }
+
+    count = myRecords.length;
+    myRecords.forEach(function (r) {
+      if (r.aname && !r.address) {
+        if ('A' === r.type) {
+          // SECURITY XXX TODO dig.resolveJson(query, opts);
+          dns.resolve4(r.aname, getRecord(r));
+          return;
+        }
+        if ('AAAA' === r.type) {
+          // SECURITY XXX TODO dig.resolveJson(query, opts);
+          dns.resolve6(r.aname, getRecord(r));
+          return;
+        }
+      }
+
       checkCount();
-    };
-  }
+    });
 
-  count = myRecords.length;
-  myRecords.forEach(function (r) {
-    if (r.aname && !r.address) {
-      if ('A' === r.type) {
-        // SECURITY XXX TODO dig.resolveJson(query, opts);
-        dns.resolve4(r.aname, getRecord(r));
-        return;
-      }
-      if ('AAAA' === r.type) {
-        // SECURITY XXX TODO dig.resolveJson(query, opts);
-        dns.resolve6(r.aname, getRecord(r));
-        return;
-      }
+    if (!myRecords.length) {
+      checkCount();
     }
-
-    checkCount();
   });
-
-  if (!myRecords.length) {
-    checkCount();
-  }
 }
 
 function dbToResourceRecord(r) {
   return {
     name: r.name
-  , typeName: r.type // NS
+  , typeName: r.typeName || r.type // NS
   , className: 'IN'
   , ttl: r.ttl || 300
 
@@ -147,7 +139,7 @@ function dbToResourceRecord(r) {
   };
 }
 
-function getNs(db, ds, results, cb) {
+function getNs(engine, ds, results, cb) {
   console.log('[DEV] getNs entered with domains', ds);
 
   var d = ds.shift();
@@ -161,7 +153,7 @@ function getNs(db, ds, results, cb) {
 
   var qn = d.id.toLowerCase();
 
-  return getRecords(db, qn, function (err, records) {
+  return getRecords(engine, qn, function (err, records) {
     if (err) { cb(err); return; }
 
     records.forEach(function (r) {
@@ -187,16 +179,16 @@ function getNs(db, ds, results, cb) {
     });
 
     if (!results.authority.length) {
-      return getNs(db, ds, results, cb);
+      return getNs(engine, ds, results, cb);
     }
 
     // d.vanityNs should only be vanity nameservers (pointing to this same server)
     if (d.vanityNs || results.authority.some(function (ns) {
       console.log('[debug] ns', ns);
-      return -1 !== db.primaryNameservers.indexOf(ns.data.toLowerCase());
+      return -1 !== engine.primaryNameservers.indexOf(ns.data.toLowerCase());
     })) {
       results.authority.length = 0;
-      results.authority.push(domainToSoa(db, d));
+      results.authority.push(domainToSoa(engine.primaryNameservers, d));
       results.header.rcode = NXDOMAIN;
     }
     cb(null, results);
@@ -204,8 +196,8 @@ function getNs(db, ds, results, cb) {
   });
 }
 
-function domainToSoa(db, domain) {
-  var nameservers = domain.vanityNs || db.primaryNameservers;
+function domainToSoa(primaryNameservers, domain) {
+  var nameservers = domain.vanityNs || primaryNameservers;
 
   var index = Math.floor(Math.random() * nameservers.length) % nameservers.length;
   var nameserver = nameservers[index];
@@ -245,20 +237,20 @@ function domainToSoa(db, domain) {
   };
 }
 
-function getSoa(db, domain, results, cb, answerSoa) {
+function getSoa(primaryNameservers, domain, results, cb, answerSoa) {
   console.log('[DEV] getSoa entered');
 
   if (!answerSoa) {
-    results.authority.push(domainToSoa(db, domain));
+    results.authority.push(domainToSoa(primaryNameservers, domain));
   } else {
-    results.answer.push(domainToSoa(db, domain));
+    results.answer.push(domainToSoa(primaryNameservers, domain));
   }
 
   cb(null, results);
   return;
 }
 
-module.exports.query = function (input, query, cb) {
+module.exports.query = function (engine, query, cb) {
   /*
   var fs = require('fs');
 
@@ -271,11 +263,7 @@ module.exports.query = function (input, query, cb) {
   });
   */
 
-  var db;
   var qname;
-  try {
-    db = require(input);
-  } catch(e) { cb(e); return; }
 
   if (!Array.isArray(query.question) || query.question.length < 1) {
     cb(new Error("query is missing question section"));
@@ -337,46 +325,48 @@ module.exports.query = function (input, query, cb) {
     console.log('[DEV] answerSoa?', answerSoa);
     console.log('[DEV] qnames');
     console.log(qnames);
-    var myDomains = db.domains.filter(function (d) {
-      return -1 !== qnames.indexOf(d.id.toLowerCase());
-    });
 
-    // this should result in a REFUSED status
-    if (!myDomains.length) {
-      // REFUSED will have no records, so we could still recursion, if enabled
-      results.header.rcode = REFUSED;
-      cb(null, results);
-      return;
-    }
+    return engine.getSoas({ names: qnames}, function (err, myDomains) {
+      console.log('[SOA] looking for', qnames, 'and proudly serving', err, myDomains);
+      if (err) { cb(err); return; }
 
-    myDomains.sort(function (d1, d2) {
-      if (d1.id.length > d2.id.length) {
-        return -1;
-      }
-      if (d1.id.length < d2.id.length) {
-        return 1;
-      }
-      return 0;
-    });
-    //console.log('sorted domains', myDomains);
-
-    if (!getNsAlso) {
-      return getSoa(db, myDomains[0], results, cb, answerSoa);
-    }
-
-    return getNs(db, /*myDomains.slice(0)*/qnames.map(function (qn) { return { id: qn }; }), results, function (err, results) {
-      //console.log('[DEV] getNs complete');
-
-      if (err) { cb(err, results); return; }
-
-      // has NS records (or SOA record if NS records match the server itself)
-      if (results.authority.length) {
-        console.log(results); cb(null, results); return;
+      // this should result in a REFUSED status
+      if (!myDomains.length) {
+        // REFUSED will have no records, so we could still recursion, if enabled
+        results.header.rcode = REFUSED;
+        cb(null, results);
+        return;
       }
 
-      // myDomains was sorted such that the longest was first
-      return getSoa(db, myDomains[0], results, cb);
+      myDomains.sort(function (d1, d2) {
+        if (d1.id.length > d2.id.length) {
+          return -1;
+        }
+        if (d1.id.length < d2.id.length) {
+          return 1;
+        }
+        return 0;
+      });
+      //console.log('sorted domains', myDomains);
 
+      if (!getNsAlso) {
+        return getSoa(engine.primaryNameservers, myDomains[0], results, cb, answerSoa);
+      }
+
+      return getNs(engine, /*myDomains.slice(0)*/qnames.map(function (qn) { return { id: qn }; }), results, function (err, results) {
+        //console.log('[DEV] getNs complete');
+
+        if (err) { cb(err, results); return; }
+
+        // has NS records (or SOA record if NS records match the server itself)
+        if (results.authority.length) {
+          console.log(results); cb(null, results); return;
+        }
+
+        // myDomains was sorted such that the longest was first
+        return getSoa(engine.primaryNameservers, myDomains[0], results, cb);
+
+      });
     });
   }
 
@@ -385,7 +375,7 @@ module.exports.query = function (input, query, cb) {
   }
 
   //console.log('[DEV] QUERY NAME', qname);
-  return getRecords(db, qname, function (err, someRecords) {
+  return getRecords(engine, qname, function (err, someRecords) {
     var myRecords;
     var nsRecords = [];
 
@@ -410,7 +400,7 @@ module.exports.query = function (input, query, cb) {
       // NOTE: I think that the issue here is EXTERNAL vs INTERNAL vanity NS
       // We _should_ reply for EXTERNAL vanity NS... but not when it's listed on the SOA internally?
       // It's surrounding the problem of what if I do sub domain delegation to the same server.
-      if (-1 === db.primaryNameservers.indexOf(r.data.toLowerCase())) {
+      if (-1 === engine.primaryNameservers.indexOf(r.data.toLowerCase())) {
         console.log("It's a vanity NS");
         return false;
       }
diff --git a/lib/store.json.js b/lib/store.json.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..55e766c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/lib/store.json.js
@@ -0,0 +1,37 @@
+'use strict';
+
+module.exports.create = function (opts) {
+  // opts = { filepath };
+  var engine = { db: null };
+
+  var db = require(opts.filepath);
+
+  engine.primaryNameservers = db.primaryNameservers;
+  engine.getSoas = function (query, cb) {
+    var myDomains = db.domains.filter(function (d) {
+      return -1 !== query.names.indexOf(d.id.toLowerCase());
+    });
+    process.nextTick(function () {
+      cb(null, myDomains);
+    });
+  };
+  engine.getRecords = function (query, cb) {
+    var myRecords = db.records.slice(0).filter(function (r) {
+
+      if ('string' !== typeof r.name) {
+        return false;
+      }
+
+      // TODO use IN in masterquest (or implement OR)
+      // Only return single-level wildcard?
+      if (query.name === r.name || ('*.' + query.name.split('.').slice(1).join('.')) === r.name) {
+        return true;
+      }
+    });
+    process.nextTick(function () {
+      cb(null, myRecords);
+    });
+  };
+
+  return engine;
+};