diff --git a/blockstore/lib/nameset/virtualchain_hooks.py b/blockstore/lib/nameset/virtualchain_hooks.py
index 61dfa9599..8c46fc752 100644
--- a/blockstore/lib/nameset/virtualchain_hooks.py
+++ b/blockstore/lib/nameset/virtualchain_hooks.py
@@ -30,12 +30,14 @@ import time
 import pybitcoin 
 import traceback
 
-from .namedb import BlockstoreDB, BlockstoreDBIterator
+from .namedb import BlockstoreDB
 
 from ..config import *
 from ..operations import parse_preorder, parse_registration, parse_update, parse_transfer, parse_revoke, \
     parse_name_import, parse_namespace_preorder, parse_namespace_reveal, parse_namespace_ready, \
-    get_transfer_recipient_from_outputs, get_import_update_hash_from_outputs, get_registration_recipient_from_outputs
+    get_transfer_recipient_from_outputs, get_import_update_hash_from_outputs, get_registration_recipient_from_outputs, \
+    serialize_namespace_preorder, serialize_namespace_reveal, serialize_namespace_ready, serialize_preorder, serialize_registration, \
+    serialize_update, serialize_transfer, serialize_revoke, serialize_name_import
 
 import virtualchain
 
@@ -437,8 +439,6 @@ def db_commit( block_id, opcode, op, db_state=None ):
       db = db_state
       
       if opcode is not None:
-          
-        have_changed = False
 
         # committing an operation
         if opcode not in OPCODES:
@@ -449,97 +449,104 @@ def db_commit( block_id, opcode, op, db_state=None ):
             
         if opcode == NAME_PREORDER:
             db.commit_preorder( op, block_id )
-            have_changed = True
 
         elif opcode == NAME_REGISTRATION:
             db.commit_registration( op, block_id )
-            have_changed = True
 
         elif opcode == NAME_UPDATE:
             db.commit_update( op, block_id )
-            have_changed = True
 
         elif opcode == NAME_TRANSFER:
             db.commit_transfer( op, block_id )
-            have_changed = True
 
         elif opcode == NAME_REVOKE:
             db.commit_revoke( op, block_id )
-            have_changed = True
             
         elif opcode == NAME_IMPORT:
             db.commit_name_import( op, block_id )
-            have_changed = True
             
         elif opcode == NAMESPACE_PREORDER:
             db.commit_namespace_preorder( op, block_id )
-            have_changed = True
             
         elif opcode == NAMESPACE_REVEAL:
             db.commit_namespace_reveal( op, block_id )
-            have_changed = True
 
         elif opcode == NAMESPACE_READY:
             db.commit_namespace_ready( op, block_id )
-            have_changed = True
-            
-        return have_changed
-    
+      
       else:
 
-        have_changed = False 
-        
         # last commit before save
         # do expirations
         log.debug("Clear all expired names at %s" % block_id )
-        rc = db.commit_name_expire_all( block_id )
-        if rc:
-            have_changed = True
-
+        db.commit_name_expire_all( block_id )
+        
         log.debug("Clear all expired preorders at %s" % block_id )
-        rc = db.commit_preorder_expire_all( block_id )
-        if rc:
-            have_changed = True
-
+        db.commit_preorder_expire_all( block_id )
+        
         log.debug("Clear all expired namespace preorders at %s" % block_id )
-        rc = db.commit_namespace_preorder_expire_all( block_id )
-        if rc:
-            have_changed = True
-
+        db.commit_namespace_preorder_expire_all( block_id )
+        
         log.debug("Clear all expired partial namespace imports at %s" % block_id )
-        rc = db.commit_namespace_reveal_expire_all( block_id )
-        if rc:
-            have_changed = True 
-            
-        return have_changed
-   
+        db.commit_namespace_reveal_expire_all( block_id )
+        
    else:
       log.error("No state engine defined")
       return False
+  
+   return True
 
 
-def db_iterable( block_id, db_state=None ):
+def db_serialize( op, nameop, db_state=None ):
    """
    (required by virtualchain state engine)
    
-   Return an iterable that, when iterated upon, will 
-   walk through all currently-valid (non-expired) name records 
-   and namespace metadata, in order.
+   Serialize a given name operation
    """
    
    if db_state is not None:
          
-      db = db_state 
-      db_iterator = BlockstoreDBIterator( db )
+      sr = None
       
-      return db_iterator
+      if op == NAMESPACE_PREORDER:
+          sr = serialize_namespace_preorder( nameop )
+      
+      elif op == NAMESPACE_REVEAL:
+          sr = serialize_namespace_reveal( nameop )
+      
+      elif op == NAMESPACE_READY:
+          sr = serialize_namespace_ready( nameop )
+      
+      elif op == NAME_PREORDER:
+          sr = serialize_preorder( nameop )
+      
+      elif op == NAME_REGISTRATION:
+          sr = serialize_registration( nameop )
+      
+      elif op == NAME_UPDATE:
+          sr = serialize_update( nameop )
+      
+      elif op == NAME_TRANSFER:
+          sr = serialize_transfer( nameop )
+      
+      elif op == NAME_REVOKE:
+          sr = serialize_revoke( nameop )
+      
+      elif op == NAME_IMPORT:
+          sr = serialize_name_import( nameop )
+      
+      else:
+          log.error("Unrecognized opcode '%s'" % op)
+          return None 
+      
+      return sr
    
    else:
       log.error("No state engine defined")
       return []
 
 
-def db_save( block_id, filename, db_state=None ):
+def db_save( block_id, consensus_hash, pending_ops, filename, db_state=None ):
    """
    (required by virtualchain state engine)
    
@@ -556,7 +563,16 @@ def db_save( block_id, filename, db_state=None ):
    # remove expired names before saving
    if db is not None:
       
-      return db.save_db( filename )
+      # see if anything actually changed 
+      if len(pending_ops) > 0:
+          
+          # state has changed 
+          return db.save_db( filename )
+      
+      else:
+          
+          # all good 
+          return True
    
    else:
       log.error("No state engine defined")