diff --git a/src/fragment_store/fragment_store.cpp b/src/fragment_store/fragment_store.cpp
index d8fe80d..fc2b0e3 100644
--- a/src/fragment_store/fragment_store.cpp
+++ b/src/fragment_store/fragment_store.cpp
@@ -13,8 +13,6 @@
 
 #include "./file2_stack.hpp"
 
-#include <zstd.h>
-
 #include <cstdint>
 #include <fstream>
 #include <filesystem>
@@ -281,44 +279,44 @@ bool FragmentStore::syncToStorage(FragmentID fid, std::function<write_to_storage
 		}
 
 		if (meta_type == MetaFileType::BINARY_MSGPACK) { // binary metadata file
-			const std::vector<uint8_t> meta_data = nlohmann::json::to_msgpack(meta_data_j);
-			std::vector<uint8_t> meta_data_compressed; // empty if none
-			//std::vector<uint8_t> meta_data_encrypted; // empty if none
+			std::vector<uint8_t> binary_meta_data;
+			{
+				std::stack<std::unique_ptr<File2I>> binary_writer_stack;
+				binary_writer_stack.push(std::make_unique<File2MemW>(binary_meta_data));
 
-			if (meta_comp == Compression::ZSTD) {
-				meta_data_compressed.resize(ZSTD_compressBound(meta_data.size()));
-
-				size_t const cSize = ZSTD_compress(meta_data_compressed.data(), meta_data_compressed.size(), meta_data.data(), meta_data.size(), 0); // 0 is default is probably 3
-				if (ZSTD_isError(cSize)) {
-					std::cerr << "FS error: compressing meta failed\n";
-					meta_data_compressed.clear();
-					meta_comp = Compression::NONE;
-				} else {
-					meta_data_compressed.resize(cSize);
+				if (!buildStackWrite(binary_writer_stack, meta_enc, meta_comp)) {
+					while (!meta_file_stack.empty()) { meta_file_stack.pop(); }
+					std::filesystem::remove(meta_tmp_path);
+					while (!data_file_stack.empty()) { data_file_stack.pop(); }
+					std::filesystem::remove(data_tmp_path);
+					std::cerr << "FS error: binary writer creation failed '" << _reg.get<FragComp::Ephemeral::FilePath>(fid).path << "'\n";
+					return false;
+				}
+
+				{
+					const std::vector<uint8_t> meta_data = nlohmann::json::to_msgpack(meta_data_j);
+					if (!binary_writer_stack.top()->write(ByteSpan{meta_data})) {
+						// i feel like exceptions or refactoring would be nice here
+						while (!meta_file_stack.empty()) { meta_file_stack.pop(); }
+						std::filesystem::remove(meta_tmp_path);
+						while (!data_file_stack.empty()) { data_file_stack.pop(); }
+						std::filesystem::remove(data_tmp_path);
+						std::cerr << "FS error: binary writer failed '" << _reg.get<FragComp::Ephemeral::FilePath>(fid).path << "'\n";
+						return false;
+					}
 				}
-			} else if (meta_comp == Compression::NONE) {
-				// do nothing
-			} else {
-				assert(false && "implement me");
 			}
 
-			// TODO: encryption
-
-			// the meta file is itself msgpack data
+			//// the meta file is itself msgpack data
 			nlohmann::json meta_header_j = nlohmann::json::array();
 			meta_header_j.emplace_back() = "SOLMET";
 			meta_header_j.push_back(meta_enc);
 			meta_header_j.push_back(meta_comp);
 
-			if (false) { // TODO: encryption
-			} else if (!meta_data_compressed.empty()) {
-				meta_header_j.push_back(nlohmann::json::binary(meta_data_compressed));
-			} else {
-				meta_header_j.push_back(nlohmann::json::binary(meta_data));
-			}
+			// with a custom msgpack impl like cmp, we can be smarter here and dont need an extra buffer
+			meta_header_j.push_back(nlohmann::json::binary(binary_meta_data));
 
 			const auto meta_header_data = nlohmann::json::to_msgpack(meta_header_j);
-			//meta_file.write(reinterpret_cast<const char*>(meta_header_data.data()), meta_header_data.size());
 			meta_file_stack.top()->write({meta_header_data.data(), meta_header_data.size()});
 		} else if (meta_type == MetaFileType::TEXT_JSON) {
 			// cant be compressed or encrypted
@@ -337,6 +335,7 @@ bool FragmentStore::syncToStorage(FragmentID fid, std::function<write_to_storage
 
 	// now data
 	// for zstd compression, chunk size is frame size. (no cross frame referencing)
+	// TODO: add buffering steam layer
 	static constexpr int64_t chunk_size{1024*1024}; // 1MiB should be enough
 	std::vector<uint8_t> buffer(chunk_size);
 	uint64_t buffer_actual_size {0};