diff --git a/c_level_db.go b/c_level_db.go
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..6c87c2949
--- /dev/null
+++ b/c_level_db.go
@@ -0,0 +1,134 @@
+// +build gcc
+
+package db
+
+import (
+	"fmt"
+	"path"
+
+	"github.com/jmhodges/levigo"
+
+	. "github.com/tendermint/go-common"
+)
+
+func init() {
+	dbCreator := func(name string, dir string) (DB, error) {
+		return NewCLevelDB(name, dir)
+	}
+	registerDBCreator(LevelDBBackendStr, dbCreator, true)
+	registerDBCreator(CLevelDBBackendStr, dbCreator, false)
+}
+
+type CLevelDB struct {
+	db     *levigo.DB
+	ro     *levigo.ReadOptions
+	wo     *levigo.WriteOptions
+	woSync *levigo.WriteOptions
+}
+
+func NewCLevelDB(name string, dir string) (*CLevelDB, error) {
+	dbPath := path.Join(dir, name+".db")
+
+	opts := levigo.NewOptions()
+	opts.SetCache(levigo.NewLRUCache(1 << 30))
+	opts.SetCreateIfMissing(true)
+	db, err := levigo.Open(dbPath, opts)
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, err
+	}
+	ro := levigo.NewReadOptions()
+	wo := levigo.NewWriteOptions()
+	woSync := levigo.NewWriteOptions()
+	woSync.SetSync(true)
+	database := &CLevelDB{
+		db:     db,
+		ro:     ro,
+		wo:     wo,
+		woSync: woSync,
+	}
+	return database, nil
+}
+
+func (db *CLevelDB) Get(key []byte) []byte {
+	res, err := db.db.Get(db.ro, key)
+	if err != nil {
+		PanicCrisis(err)
+	}
+	return res
+}
+
+func (db *CLevelDB) Set(key []byte, value []byte) {
+	err := db.db.Put(db.wo, key, value)
+	if err != nil {
+		PanicCrisis(err)
+	}
+}
+
+func (db *CLevelDB) SetSync(key []byte, value []byte) {
+	err := db.db.Put(db.woSync, key, value)
+	if err != nil {
+		PanicCrisis(err)
+	}
+}
+
+func (db *CLevelDB) Delete(key []byte) {
+	err := db.db.Delete(db.wo, key)
+	if err != nil {
+		PanicCrisis(err)
+	}
+}
+
+func (db *CLevelDB) DeleteSync(key []byte) {
+	err := db.db.Delete(db.woSync, key)
+	if err != nil {
+		PanicCrisis(err)
+	}
+}
+
+func (db *CLevelDB) DB() *levigo.DB {
+	return db.db
+}
+
+func (db *CLevelDB) Close() {
+	db.db.Close()
+	db.ro.Close()
+	db.wo.Close()
+	db.woSync.Close()
+}
+
+func (db *CLevelDB) Print() {
+	iter := db.db.NewIterator(db.ro)
+	defer iter.Close()
+	for iter.Seek(nil); iter.Valid(); iter.Next() {
+		key := iter.Key()
+		value := iter.Value()
+		fmt.Printf("[%X]:\t[%X]\n", key, value)
+	}
+}
+
+func (db *CLevelDB) NewBatch() Batch {
+	batch := levigo.NewWriteBatch()
+	return &cLevelDBBatch{db, batch}
+}
+
+//--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+type cLevelDBBatch struct {
+	db    *CLevelDB
+	batch *levigo.WriteBatch
+}
+
+func (mBatch *cLevelDBBatch) Set(key, value []byte) {
+	mBatch.batch.Put(key, value)
+}
+
+func (mBatch *cLevelDBBatch) Delete(key []byte) {
+	mBatch.batch.Delete(key)
+}
+
+func (mBatch *cLevelDBBatch) Write() {
+	err := mBatch.db.db.Write(mBatch.db.wo, mBatch.batch)
+	if err != nil {
+		PanicCrisis(err)
+	}
+}
diff --git a/c_level_db_test.go b/c_level_db_test.go
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..3baa8ba4c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/c_level_db_test.go
@@ -0,0 +1,86 @@
+// +build gcc
+
+package db
+
+import (
+	"bytes"
+	"fmt"
+	"testing"
+
+	. "github.com/tendermint/go-common"
+)
+
+func BenchmarkRandomReadsWrites2(b *testing.B) {
+	b.StopTimer()
+
+	numItems := int64(1000000)
+	internal := map[int64]int64{}
+	for i := 0; i < int(numItems); i++ {
+		internal[int64(i)] = int64(0)
+	}
+	db, err := NewGoLevelDB(Fmt("test_%x", RandStr(12)), "")
+	if err != nil {
+		b.Fatal(err.Error())
+		return
+	}
+
+	fmt.Println("ok, starting")
+	b.StartTimer()
+
+	for i := 0; i < b.N; i++ {
+		// Write something
+		{
+			idx := (int64(RandInt()) % numItems)
+			internal[idx] += 1
+			val := internal[idx]
+			idxBytes := int642Bytes(int64(idx))
+			valBytes := int642Bytes(int64(val))
+			//fmt.Printf("Set %X -> %X\n", idxBytes, valBytes)
+			db.Set(
+				idxBytes,
+				valBytes,
+			)
+		}
+		// Read something
+		{
+			idx := (int64(RandInt()) % numItems)
+			val := internal[idx]
+			idxBytes := int642Bytes(int64(idx))
+			valBytes := db.Get(idxBytes)
+			//fmt.Printf("Get %X -> %X\n", idxBytes, valBytes)
+			if val == 0 {
+				if !bytes.Equal(valBytes, nil) {
+					b.Errorf("Expected %X for %v, got %X",
+						nil, idx, valBytes)
+					break
+				}
+			} else {
+				if len(valBytes) != 8 {
+					b.Errorf("Expected length 8 for %v, got %X",
+						idx, valBytes)
+					break
+				}
+				valGot := bytes2Int64(valBytes)
+				if val != valGot {
+					b.Errorf("Expected %v for %v, got %v",
+						val, idx, valGot)
+					break
+				}
+			}
+		}
+	}
+
+	db.Close()
+}
+
+/*
+func int642Bytes(i int64) []byte {
+	buf := make([]byte, 8)
+	binary.BigEndian.PutUint64(buf, uint64(i))
+	return buf
+}
+
+func bytes2Int64(buf []byte) int64 {
+	return int64(binary.BigEndian.Uint64(buf))
+}
+*/
diff --git a/db.go b/db.go
index 6bb1efae7..8ab1c43be 100644
--- a/db.go
+++ b/db.go
@@ -1,10 +1,6 @@
 package db
 
-import (
-	"path"
-
-	. "github.com/tendermint/go-common"
-)
+import . "github.com/tendermint/go-common"
 
 type DB interface {
 	Get([]byte) []byte
@@ -13,30 +9,43 @@ type DB interface {
 	Delete([]byte)
 	DeleteSync([]byte)
 	Close()
+	NewBatch() Batch
 
 	// For debugging
 	Print()
 }
 
+type Batch interface {
+	Set(key, value []byte)
+	Delete(key []byte)
+	Write()
+}
+
 //-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
-// Database types
-const DBBackendMemDB = "memdb"
-const DBBackendLevelDB = "leveldb"
+const (
+	LevelDBBackendStr   = "leveldb" // legacy, defaults to goleveldb.
+	CLevelDBBackendStr  = "cleveldb"
+	GoLevelDBBackendStr = "goleveldb"
+	MemDBBackendStr     = "memdb"
+)
+
+type dbCreator func(name string, dir string) (DB, error)
+
+var backends = map[string]dbCreator{}
+
+func registerDBCreator(backend string, creator dbCreator, force bool) {
+	_, ok := backends[backend]
+	if !force && ok {
+		return
+	}
+	backends[backend] = creator
+}
 
 func NewDB(name string, backend string, dir string) DB {
-	switch backend {
-	case DBBackendMemDB:
-		db := NewMemDB()
-		return db
-	case DBBackendLevelDB:
-		db, err := NewLevelDB(path.Join(dir, name+".db"))
-		if err != nil {
-			PanicCrisis(err)
-		}
-		return db
-	default:
-		PanicSanity(Fmt("Unknown DB backend: %v", backend))
+	db, err := backends[backend](name, dir)
+	if err != nil {
+		PanicSanity(Fmt("Error initializing DB: %v", err))
 	}
-	return nil
+	return db
 }
diff --git a/go_level_db.go b/go_level_db.go
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..a16c5d9e0
--- /dev/null
+++ b/go_level_db.go
@@ -0,0 +1,118 @@
+package db
+
+import (
+	"fmt"
+	"path"
+
+	"github.com/syndtr/goleveldb/leveldb"
+	"github.com/syndtr/goleveldb/leveldb/errors"
+	"github.com/syndtr/goleveldb/leveldb/opt"
+
+	. "github.com/tendermint/go-common"
+)
+
+func init() {
+	dbCreator := func(name string, dir string) (DB, error) {
+		return NewGoLevelDB(name, dir)
+	}
+	registerDBCreator(LevelDBBackendStr, dbCreator, false)
+	registerDBCreator(GoLevelDBBackendStr, dbCreator, false)
+}
+
+type GoLevelDB struct {
+	db *leveldb.DB
+}
+
+func NewGoLevelDB(name string, dir string) (*GoLevelDB, error) {
+	dbPath := path.Join(dir, name+".db")
+	db, err := leveldb.OpenFile(dbPath, nil)
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, err
+	}
+	database := &GoLevelDB{db: db}
+	return database, nil
+}
+
+func (db *GoLevelDB) Get(key []byte) []byte {
+	res, err := db.db.Get(key, nil)
+	if err != nil {
+		if err == errors.ErrNotFound {
+			return nil
+		} else {
+			PanicCrisis(err)
+		}
+	}
+	return res
+}
+
+func (db *GoLevelDB) Set(key []byte, value []byte) {
+	err := db.db.Put(key, value, nil)
+	if err != nil {
+		PanicCrisis(err)
+	}
+}
+
+func (db *GoLevelDB) SetSync(key []byte, value []byte) {
+	err := db.db.Put(key, value, &opt.WriteOptions{Sync: true})
+	if err != nil {
+		PanicCrisis(err)
+	}
+}
+
+func (db *GoLevelDB) Delete(key []byte) {
+	err := db.db.Delete(key, nil)
+	if err != nil {
+		PanicCrisis(err)
+	}
+}
+
+func (db *GoLevelDB) DeleteSync(key []byte) {
+	err := db.db.Delete(key, &opt.WriteOptions{Sync: true})
+	if err != nil {
+		PanicCrisis(err)
+	}
+}
+
+func (db *GoLevelDB) DB() *leveldb.DB {
+	return db.db
+}
+
+func (db *GoLevelDB) Close() {
+	db.db.Close()
+}
+
+func (db *GoLevelDB) Print() {
+	iter := db.db.NewIterator(nil, nil)
+	for iter.Next() {
+		key := iter.Key()
+		value := iter.Value()
+		fmt.Printf("[%X]:\t[%X]\n", key, value)
+	}
+}
+
+func (db *GoLevelDB) NewBatch() Batch {
+	batch := new(leveldb.Batch)
+	return &goLevelDBBatch{db, batch}
+}
+
+//--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+type goLevelDBBatch struct {
+	db    *GoLevelDB
+	batch *leveldb.Batch
+}
+
+func (mBatch *goLevelDBBatch) Set(key, value []byte) {
+	mBatch.batch.Put(key, value)
+}
+
+func (mBatch *goLevelDBBatch) Delete(key []byte) {
+	mBatch.batch.Delete(key)
+}
+
+func (mBatch *goLevelDBBatch) Write() {
+	err := mBatch.db.db.Write(mBatch.batch, nil)
+	if err != nil {
+		PanicCrisis(err)
+	}
+}
diff --git a/level_db_test.go b/go_level_db_test.go
similarity index 96%
rename from level_db_test.go
rename to go_level_db_test.go
index 2a8e9ac1e..b5dad1163 100644
--- a/level_db_test.go
+++ b/go_level_db_test.go
@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@ func BenchmarkRandomReadsWrites(b *testing.B) {
 	for i := 0; i < int(numItems); i++ {
 		internal[int64(i)] = int64(0)
 	}
-	db, err := NewLevelDB(Fmt("test_%x", RandStr(12)))
+	db, err := NewCLevelDB(Fmt("test_%x", RandStr(12)), "")
 	if err != nil {
 		b.Fatal(err.Error())
 		return
diff --git a/level_db.go b/level_db.go
deleted file mode 100644
index dee57a321..000000000
--- a/level_db.go
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,83 +0,0 @@
-package db
-
-import (
-	"fmt"
-	"path"
-
-	"github.com/syndtr/goleveldb/leveldb"
-	"github.com/syndtr/goleveldb/leveldb/errors"
-	"github.com/syndtr/goleveldb/leveldb/opt"
-
-	. "github.com/tendermint/go-common"
-)
-
-type LevelDB struct {
-	db *leveldb.DB
-}
-
-func NewLevelDB(name string) (*LevelDB, error) {
-	dbPath := path.Join(name)
-	db, err := leveldb.OpenFile(dbPath, nil)
-	if err != nil {
-		return nil, err
-	}
-	database := &LevelDB{db: db}
-	return database, nil
-}
-
-func (db *LevelDB) Get(key []byte) []byte {
-	res, err := db.db.Get(key, nil)
-	if err != nil {
-		if err == errors.ErrNotFound {
-			return nil
-		} else {
-			PanicCrisis(err)
-		}
-	}
-	return res
-}
-
-func (db *LevelDB) Set(key []byte, value []byte) {
-	err := db.db.Put(key, value, nil)
-	if err != nil {
-		PanicCrisis(err)
-	}
-}
-
-func (db *LevelDB) SetSync(key []byte, value []byte) {
-	err := db.db.Put(key, value, &opt.WriteOptions{Sync: true})
-	if err != nil {
-		PanicCrisis(err)
-	}
-}
-
-func (db *LevelDB) Delete(key []byte) {
-	err := db.db.Delete(key, nil)
-	if err != nil {
-		PanicCrisis(err)
-	}
-}
-
-func (db *LevelDB) DeleteSync(key []byte) {
-	err := db.db.Delete(key, &opt.WriteOptions{Sync: true})
-	if err != nil {
-		PanicCrisis(err)
-	}
-}
-
-func (db *LevelDB) DB() *leveldb.DB {
-	return db.db
-}
-
-func (db *LevelDB) Close() {
-	db.db.Close()
-}
-
-func (db *LevelDB) Print() {
-	iter := db.db.NewIterator(nil, nil)
-	for iter.Next() {
-		key := iter.Key()
-		value := iter.Value()
-		fmt.Printf("[%X]:\t[%X]\n", key, value)
-	}
-}
diff --git a/mem_db.go b/mem_db.go
index b7d8918d4..eb1e54b56 100644
--- a/mem_db.go
+++ b/mem_db.go
@@ -2,10 +2,18 @@ package db
 
 import (
 	"fmt"
+	"sync"
 )
 
+func init() {
+	registerDBCreator(MemDBBackendStr, func(name string, dir string) (DB, error) {
+		return NewMemDB(), nil
+	}, false)
+}
+
 type MemDB struct {
-	db map[string][]byte
+	mtx sync.Mutex
+	db  map[string][]byte
 }
 
 func NewMemDB() *MemDB {
@@ -14,31 +22,91 @@ func NewMemDB() *MemDB {
 }
 
 func (db *MemDB) Get(key []byte) []byte {
+	db.mtx.Lock()
+	defer db.mtx.Unlock()
 	return db.db[string(key)]
 }
 
 func (db *MemDB) Set(key []byte, value []byte) {
+	db.mtx.Lock()
+	defer db.mtx.Unlock()
 	db.db[string(key)] = value
 }
 
 func (db *MemDB) SetSync(key []byte, value []byte) {
+	db.mtx.Lock()
+	defer db.mtx.Unlock()
 	db.db[string(key)] = value
 }
 
 func (db *MemDB) Delete(key []byte) {
+	db.mtx.Lock()
+	defer db.mtx.Unlock()
 	delete(db.db, string(key))
 }
 
 func (db *MemDB) DeleteSync(key []byte) {
+	db.mtx.Lock()
+	defer db.mtx.Unlock()
 	delete(db.db, string(key))
 }
 
 func (db *MemDB) Close() {
+	db.mtx.Lock()
+	defer db.mtx.Unlock()
 	db = nil
 }
 
 func (db *MemDB) Print() {
+	db.mtx.Lock()
+	defer db.mtx.Unlock()
 	for key, value := range db.db {
 		fmt.Printf("[%X]:\t[%X]\n", []byte(key), value)
 	}
 }
+
+func (db *MemDB) NewBatch() Batch {
+	return &memDBBatch{db, nil}
+}
+
+//--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+type memDBBatch struct {
+	db  *MemDB
+	ops []operation
+}
+
+type opType int
+
+const (
+	opTypeSet    = 1
+	opTypeDelete = 2
+)
+
+type operation struct {
+	opType
+	key   []byte
+	value []byte
+}
+
+func (mBatch *memDBBatch) Set(key, value []byte) {
+	mBatch.ops = append(mBatch.ops, operation{opTypeSet, key, value})
+}
+
+func (mBatch *memDBBatch) Delete(key []byte) {
+	mBatch.ops = append(mBatch.ops, operation{opTypeDelete, key, nil})
+}
+
+func (mBatch *memDBBatch) Write() {
+	mBatch.db.mtx.Lock()
+	defer mBatch.db.mtx.Unlock()
+
+	for _, op := range mBatch.ops {
+		if op.opType == opTypeSet {
+			mBatch.db.db[string(op.key)] = op.value
+		} else if op.opType == opTypeDelete {
+			delete(mBatch.db.db, string(op.key))
+		}
+	}
+
+}