diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
index da388019..1898a58d 100644
--- a/.gitignore
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -38,7 +38,7 @@
 /src/datapagemap.h
 /src/logging.h
 /src/receivelog.c
-/src/receivelog.h
+/src/receivelog.hщщ
 /src/streamutil.c
 /src/streamutil.h
 /src/xlogreader.c
diff --git a/src/backup.c b/src/backup.c
index 9ef93fb9..9593e6ab 100644
--- a/src/backup.c
+++ b/src/backup.c
@@ -943,6 +943,16 @@ do_backup(time_t start_time)
 	//elog(LOG, "Backup completed. Total bytes : " INT64_FORMAT "",
 	//		current.data_bytes);
 
+	if (is_remote_agent)
+		fio_transfer(&current.start_time,current.start_time);
+	else
+		complete_backup();
+
+	return 0;
+}
+
+void complete_backup(void)
+{
 	pgBackupValidate(&current);
 
 	elog(INFO, "Backup %s completed", base36enc(current.start_time));
@@ -953,8 +963,6 @@ do_backup(time_t start_time)
 	 */
 	if (delete_expired || delete_wal)
 		do_retention_purge();
-
-	return 0;
 }
 
 /*
@@ -1529,13 +1537,13 @@ wait_wal_lsn(XLogRecPtr lsn, bool is_start_lsn, bool wait_prev_segment)
 	{
 		if (!file_exists)
 		{
-			file_exists = fileExists(wal_segment_path);
+			file_exists = fileExists(wal_segment_path, is_start_lsn ? FIO_DB_HOST : FIO_BACKUP_HOST);
 
 			/* Try to find compressed WAL file */
 			if (!file_exists)
 			{
 #ifdef HAVE_LIBZ
-				file_exists = fileExists(gz_wal_segment_path);
+				file_exists = fileExists(gz_wal_segment_path, is_start_lsn ? FIO_DB_HOST : FIO_BACKUP_HOST);
 				if (file_exists)
 					elog(LOG, "Found compressed WAL segment: %s", wal_segment_path);
 #endif
@@ -1822,7 +1830,6 @@ pg_stop_backup(pgBackup *backup)
 						 PQerrorMessage(conn), stop_backup_query);
 			}
 			elog(INFO, "pg_stop backup() successfully executed");
-			sleep(20);
 		}
 
 		backup_in_progress = false;
@@ -2155,7 +2162,7 @@ backup_files(void *arg)
 						skip = true; /* ...skip copying file. */
 				}
 				if (skip ||
-					!copy_file(arguments->from_root, arguments->to_root, file))
+					!copy_file(arguments->from_root, arguments->to_root, file, FIO_BACKUP_HOST))
 				{
 					file->write_size = BYTES_INVALID;
 					elog(VERBOSE, "File \"%s\" was not copied to backup",
diff --git a/src/data.c b/src/data.c
index 87db7047..eb2230b6 100644
--- a/src/data.c
+++ b/src/data.c
@@ -769,13 +769,8 @@ restore_data_file(const char *to_path, pgFile *file, bool allow_truncate,
 	 */
 	if (allow_truncate && file->n_blocks != BLOCKNUM_INVALID && !need_truncate)
 	{
-		size_t		file_size = 0;
-
-		/* get file current size */
-		fio_fseek(out, 0);
-		file_size = ftell(out);
-
-		if (file_size > file->n_blocks * BLCKSZ)
+		struct stat st;
+		if (fio_ffstat(out, &st) == 0 && st.st_size > file->n_blocks * BLCKSZ)
 		{
 			truncate_from = file->n_blocks;
 			need_truncate = true;
@@ -824,7 +819,7 @@ restore_data_file(const char *to_path, pgFile *file, bool allow_truncate,
  * it is either small control file or already compressed cfs file.
  */
 bool
-copy_file(const char *from_root, const char *to_root, pgFile *file)
+copy_file(const char *from_root, const char *to_root, pgFile *file, fio_location location)
 {
 	char		to_path[MAXPGPATH];
 	FILE	   *in;
@@ -858,7 +853,7 @@ copy_file(const char *from_root, const char *to_root, pgFile *file)
 
 	/* open backup file for write  */
 	join_path_components(to_path, to_root, file->path + strlen(from_root) + 1);
-	out = fio_fopen(to_path, PG_BINARY_W, FIO_BACKUP_HOST);
+	out = fio_fopen(to_path, PG_BINARY_W, location);
 	if (out == NULL)
 	{
 		int errno_tmp = errno;
@@ -932,7 +927,7 @@ copy_file(const char *from_root, const char *to_root, pgFile *file)
 	file->crc = crc;
 
 	/* update file permission */
-	if (fio_chmod(to_path, st.st_mode, FIO_BACKUP_HOST) == -1)
+	if (fio_chmod(to_path, st.st_mode, location) == -1)
 	{
 		errno_tmp = errno;
 		fclose(in);
@@ -1039,7 +1034,7 @@ push_wal_file(const char *from_path, const char *to_path, bool is_compress,
 	{
 		snprintf(gz_to_path, sizeof(gz_to_path), "%s.gz", to_path);
 
-		if (!overwrite && fileExists(gz_to_path))
+		if (!overwrite && fileExists(gz_to_path, FIO_BACKUP_HOST))
 			elog(ERROR, "WAL segment \"%s\" already exists.", gz_to_path);
 
 		snprintf(to_path_temp, sizeof(to_path_temp), "%s.partial", gz_to_path);
@@ -1054,7 +1049,7 @@ push_wal_file(const char *from_path, const char *to_path, bool is_compress,
 	else
 #endif
 	{
-		if (!overwrite && fileExists(to_path))
+		if (!overwrite && fileExists(to_path, FIO_BACKUP_HOST))
 			elog(ERROR, "WAL segment \"%s\" already exists.", to_path);
 
 		snprintf(to_path_temp, sizeof(to_path_temp), "%s.partial", to_path);
@@ -1335,9 +1330,8 @@ get_wal_file(const char *from_path, const char *to_path)
 bool
 calc_file_checksum(pgFile *file)
 {
-	FILE	   *in;
+	int	        in;
 	size_t		read_len = 0;
-	int			errno_tmp;
 	char		buf[BLCKSZ];
 	struct stat	st;
 	pg_crc32	crc;
@@ -1350,8 +1344,8 @@ calc_file_checksum(pgFile *file)
 	file->write_size = 0;
 
 	/* open backup mode file for read */
-	in = fopen(file->path, PG_BINARY_R);
-	if (in == NULL)
+	in = fio_open(file->path, O_RDONLY|PG_BINARY, FIO_BACKUP_HOST);
+	if (in <  0)
 	{
 		FIN_TRADITIONAL_CRC32(crc);
 		file->crc = crc;
@@ -1365,16 +1359,16 @@ calc_file_checksum(pgFile *file)
 	}
 
 	/* stat source file to change mode of destination file */
-	if (fstat(fileno(in), &st) == -1)
+	if (fio_fstat(in, &st) == -1)
 	{
-		fclose(in);
+		fio_close(in);
 		elog(ERROR, "cannot stat \"%s\": %s", file->path,
 			 strerror(errno));
 	}
 
 	for (;;)
 	{
-		read_len = fread(buf, 1, sizeof(buf), in);
+		read_len = fio_read(in, buf, sizeof(buf));
 
 		if(read_len == 0)
 			break;
@@ -1386,19 +1380,11 @@ calc_file_checksum(pgFile *file)
 		file->read_size += read_len;
 	}
 
-	errno_tmp = errno;
-	if (!feof(in))
-	{
-		fclose(in);
-		elog(ERROR, "cannot read backup mode file \"%s\": %s",
-			 file->path, strerror(errno_tmp));
-	}
-
 	/* finish CRC calculation and store into pgFile */
 	FIN_TRADITIONAL_CRC32(crc);
 	file->crc = crc;
 
-	fclose(in);
+	fio_close(in);
 
 	return true;
 }
diff --git a/src/dir.c b/src/dir.c
index ac4d096e..bf5ec27f 100644
--- a/src/dir.c
+++ b/src/dir.c
@@ -162,8 +162,8 @@ pgFileNew(const char *path, bool omit_symlink)
 	struct stat		st;
 	pgFile		   *file;
 
-	/* stat the file */
-	if ((omit_symlink ? stat(path, &st) : lstat(path, &st)) == -1)
+    /* stat the file */
+    if (fio_stat(path, &st, omit_symlink, FIO_BACKUP_HOST) < 0)
 	{
 		/* file not found is not an error case */
 		if (errno == ENOENT)
@@ -403,7 +403,7 @@ dir_list_file(parray *files, const char *root, bool exclude, bool omit_symlink,
 
 	join_path_components(path, backup_instance_path, PG_BLACK_LIST);
 	/* List files with black list */
-	if (root && pgdata && strcmp(root, pgdata) == 0 && fileExists(path))
+	if (root && pgdata && strcmp(root, pgdata) == 0 && fileExists(path, FIO_LOCAL_HOST))
 	{
 		FILE	   *black_list_file = NULL;
 		char		buf[MAXPGPATH * 2];
@@ -935,7 +935,7 @@ create_data_directories(const char *data_dir, const char *backup_dir,
 	size_t		i;
 	char		backup_database_dir[MAXPGPATH],
 				to_path[MAXPGPATH];
-
+	sleep(30);
 	dirs = parray_new();
 	if (extract_tablespaces)
 	{
@@ -1088,7 +1088,7 @@ read_tablespace_map(parray *files, const char *backup_dir)
 	join_path_components(map_path, db_path, PG_TABLESPACE_MAP_FILE);
 
 	/* Exit if database/tablespace_map doesn't exist */
-	if (!fileExists(map_path))
+	if (!fileExists(map_path, FIO_LOCAL_HOST))
 	{
 		elog(LOG, "there is no file tablespace_map");
 		return;
@@ -1490,11 +1490,11 @@ dir_is_empty(const char *path)
  * Return true if the path is a existing regular file.
  */
 bool
-fileExists(const char *path)
+fileExists(const char *path, fio_location location)
 {
 	struct stat buf;
 
-	if (stat(path, &buf) == -1 && errno == ENOENT)
+	if (fio_stat(path, &buf, true, location) == -1 && errno == ENOENT)
 		return false;
 	else if (!S_ISREG(buf.st_mode))
 		return false;
diff --git a/src/fetch.c b/src/fetch.c
index 56194611..72ab2cbc 100644
--- a/src/fetch.c
+++ b/src/fetch.c
@@ -43,7 +43,7 @@ slurpFile(const char *datadir, const char *path, size_t *filesize, bool safe)
 					fullpath, strerror(errno));
 	}
 
-	if (fio_stat(fd, &statbuf) < 0)
+	if (fio_fstat(fd, &statbuf) < 0)
 	{
 		if (safe)
 			return NULL;
diff --git a/src/merge.c b/src/merge.c
index 2873eb5c..8ea5481c 100644
--- a/src/merge.c
+++ b/src/merge.c
@@ -448,7 +448,7 @@ merge_files(void *arg)
 				/*
 				 * We need to decompress target file only if it exists.
 				 */
-				if (fileExists(to_path_tmp))
+				if (fileExists(to_path_tmp, FIO_LOCAL_HOST))
 				{
 					/*
 					 * file->path points to the file in from_root directory. But we
diff --git a/src/parsexlog.c b/src/parsexlog.c
index 29b98d86..0eb4d1fb 100644
--- a/src/parsexlog.c
+++ b/src/parsexlog.c
@@ -86,22 +86,22 @@ static bool getRecordTimestamp(XLogReaderState *record, TimestampTz *recordXtime
 
 typedef struct XLogPageReadPrivate
 {
-	int 		thread_num;
-	const char *archivedir;
-	TimeLineID	tli;
-	uint32		xlog_seg_size;
+	int 		 thread_num;
+	const char  *archivedir;
+	TimeLineID	 tli;
+	uint32		 xlog_seg_size;
 
-	bool		manual_switch;
-	bool		need_switch;
-
-	int			xlogfile;
-	XLogSegNo	xlogsegno;
-	char		xlogpath[MAXPGPATH];
-	bool		xlogexists;
+	bool		 manual_switch;
+	bool		 need_switch;
 
+	int			 xlogfile;
+	XLogSegNo	 xlogsegno;
+	char		 xlogpath[MAXPGPATH];
+	bool		 xlogexists;
+	fio_location location;
 #ifdef HAVE_LIBZ
-	gzFile		gz_xlogfile;
-	char		gz_xlogpath[MAXPGPATH];
+	gzFile		 gz_xlogfile;
+	char		 gz_xlogpath[MAXPGPATH];
 #endif
 } XLogPageReadPrivate;
 
@@ -853,7 +853,7 @@ SimpleXLogPageRead(XLogReaderState *xlogreader, XLogRecPtr targetPagePtr,
 		snprintf(private_data->xlogpath, MAXPGPATH, "%s/%s",
 				 private_data->archivedir, xlogfname);
 
-		if (fileExists(private_data->xlogpath))
+		if (fileExists(private_data->xlogpath, private_data->location))
 		{
 			elog(LOG, "Thread [%d]: Opening WAL segment \"%s\"",
 				 private_data->thread_num,
@@ -861,7 +861,7 @@ SimpleXLogPageRead(XLogReaderState *xlogreader, XLogRecPtr targetPagePtr,
 
 			private_data->xlogexists = true;
 			private_data->xlogfile = fio_open(private_data->xlogpath,
-											  O_RDONLY | PG_BINARY, FIO_DB_HOST);
+											  O_RDONLY | PG_BINARY, private_data->location);
 
 			if (private_data->xlogfile < 0)
 			{
@@ -879,7 +879,7 @@ SimpleXLogPageRead(XLogReaderState *xlogreader, XLogRecPtr targetPagePtr,
 			snprintf(private_data->gz_xlogpath,
 					 sizeof(private_data->gz_xlogpath), "%s.gz",
 					 private_data->xlogpath);
-			if (fileExists(private_data->gz_xlogpath))
+			if (fileExists(private_data->gz_xlogpath, private_data->location))
 			{
 				elog(LOG, "Thread [%d]: Opening compressed WAL segment \"%s\"",
 					 private_data->thread_num, private_data->gz_xlogpath);
@@ -965,6 +965,7 @@ InitXLogPageRead(XLogPageReadPrivate *private_data, const char *archivedir,
 	private_data->tli = tli;
 	private_data->xlog_seg_size = xlog_seg_size;
 	private_data->xlogfile = -1;
+	private_data->location = FIO_BACKUP_HOST;
 
 	if (allocate_reader)
 	{
diff --git a/src/pg_probackup.c b/src/pg_probackup.c
index 124625c7..e0e1955b 100644
--- a/src/pg_probackup.c
+++ b/src/pg_probackup.c
@@ -389,7 +389,11 @@ main(int argc, char *argv[])
 			fio_redirect(STDIN_FILENO, STDOUT_FILENO);
 		} else {
 			/* Execute remote probackup */
-			remote_execute(argc, argv, backup_subcmd == BACKUP_CMD);
+			int status = remote_execute(argc, argv, backup_subcmd == BACKUP_CMD);
+			if (status != 0)
+			{
+				return status;
+			}
 		}
 	}
 
@@ -537,13 +541,22 @@ main(int argc, char *argv[])
 		case INIT_CMD:
 			return do_init();
 		case BACKUP_CMD:
+		    current.stream = stream_wal;
+		    if (ssh_host && !is_remote_agent)
+			{
+				current.status = BACKUP_STATUS_DONE;
+				StrNCpy(current.program_version, PROGRAM_VERSION,
+						sizeof(current.program_version));
+				complete_backup();
+				return 0;
+			}
+			else
 			{
 				const char *backup_mode;
 				time_t		start_time;
 
 				start_time = time(NULL);
 				backup_mode = deparse_backup_mode(current.backup_mode);
-				current.stream = stream_wal;
 
 				elog(INFO, "Backup start, pg_probackup version: %s, backup ID: %s, backup mode: %s, instance: %s, stream: %s, remote: %s",
 						  PROGRAM_VERSION, base36enc(start_time), backup_mode, instance_name,
diff --git a/src/pg_probackup.h b/src/pg_probackup.h
index a3e76b95..b4bd8edf 100644
--- a/src/pg_probackup.h
+++ b/src/pg_probackup.h
@@ -378,6 +378,7 @@ extern const char *pgdata_exclude_dir[];
 
 /* in backup.c */
 extern int do_backup(time_t start_time);
+extern void complete_backup(void);
 extern BackupMode parse_backup_mode(const char *value);
 extern const char *deparse_backup_mode(BackupMode mode);
 extern void process_block_change(ForkNumber forknum, RelFileNode rnode,
@@ -475,7 +476,7 @@ extern pgBackup* find_parent_full_backup(pgBackup *current_backup);
 extern int scan_parent_chain(pgBackup *current_backup, pgBackup **result_backup);
 extern bool is_parent(time_t parent_backup_time, pgBackup *child_backup, bool inclusive);
 extern int get_backup_index_number(parray *backup_list, pgBackup *backup);
-extern void remote_execute(int argc, char *argv[], bool do_backup);
+extern int remote_execute(int argc, char *argv[], bool do_backup);
 
 #define COMPRESS_ALG_DEFAULT NOT_DEFINED_COMPRESS
 #define COMPRESS_LEVEL_DEFAULT 1
@@ -501,7 +502,7 @@ extern parray *dir_read_file_list(const char *root, const char *file_txt);
 extern int dir_create_dir(const char *path, mode_t mode);
 extern bool dir_is_empty(const char *path);
 
-extern bool fileExists(const char *path);
+extern bool fileExists(const char *path,  fio_location location);
 extern size_t pgFileSize(const char *path);
 
 extern pgFile *pgFileNew(const char *path, bool omit_symlink);
@@ -523,7 +524,7 @@ extern bool backup_data_file(backup_files_arg* arguments,
 extern void restore_data_file(const char *to_path,
 							  pgFile *file, bool allow_truncate,
 							  bool write_header);
-extern bool copy_file(const char *from_root, const char *to_root, pgFile *file);
+extern bool copy_file(const char *from_root, const char *to_root, pgFile *file, fio_location location);
 extern void move_file(const char *from_root, const char *to_root, pgFile *file);
 extern void push_wal_file(const char *from_path, const char *to_path,
 						  bool is_compress, bool overwrite);
diff --git a/src/restore.c b/src/restore.c
index f798675b..2cf291d8 100644
--- a/src/restore.c
+++ b/src/restore.c
@@ -587,14 +587,14 @@ restore_files(void *arg)
 			(arguments->backup->backup_mode == BACKUP_MODE_DIFF_PAGE
 			|| arguments->backup->backup_mode == BACKUP_MODE_DIFF_PTRACK))
 		{
-			elog(VERBOSE, "The file didn`t change. Skip restore: %s", file->path);
+			elog(INFO, "The file didn`t change. Skip restore: %s", file->path);
 			continue;
 		}
 
 		/* Directories were created before */
 		if (S_ISDIR(file->mode))
 		{
-			elog(VERBOSE, "directory, skip");
+			elog(INFO, "directory, skip");
 			continue;
 		}
 
@@ -611,7 +611,7 @@ restore_files(void *arg)
 		 * block and have BackupPageHeader meta information, so we cannot just
 		 * copy the file from backup.
 		 */
-		elog(VERBOSE, "Restoring file %s, is_datafile %i, is_cfs %i",
+		elog(INFO, "Restoring file %s, is_datafile %i, is_cfs %i",
 			 file->path, file->is_datafile?1:0, file->is_cfs?1:0);
 		if (file->is_datafile && !file->is_cfs)
 		{
@@ -624,7 +624,7 @@ restore_files(void *arg)
 							  false);
 		}
 		else
-			copy_file(from_root, pgdata, file);
+			copy_file(from_root, pgdata, file, FIO_DB_HOST);
 
 		/* print size of restored file */
 		if (file->write_size != BYTES_INVALID)
diff --git a/src/utils/file.c b/src/utils/file.c
index b562fc13..cbbd0aa3 100644
--- a/src/utils/file.c
+++ b/src/utils/file.c
@@ -377,13 +377,20 @@ ssize_t fio_read(int fd, void* buf, size_t size)
 	}
 }
 
-int fio_stat(int fd, struct stat* st)
+int fio_ffstat(FILE* f, struct stat* st)
+{
+	return fio_is_remote_file(f)
+		? fio_fstat(fio_fileno(f), st)
+		: fio_fstat(fileno(f), st);
+}
+
+int fio_fstat(int fd, struct stat* st)
 {
 	if (fio_is_remote_fd(fd))
 	{
 		fio_header hdr;
 
-		hdr.cop = FIO_STAT;
+		hdr.cop = FIO_FSTAT;
 		hdr.handle = fd & ~FIO_PIPE_MARKER;
 		hdr.size = 0;
 
@@ -394,6 +401,40 @@ int fio_stat(int fd, struct stat* st)
 
 		SYS_CHECK(pthread_mutex_unlock(&fio_write_mutex));
 
+		IO_CHECK(fio_read_all(fio_stdin, &hdr, sizeof(hdr)), sizeof(hdr));
+		Assert(hdr.cop == FIO_FSTAT);
+		IO_CHECK(fio_read_all(fio_stdin, st, sizeof(*st)), sizeof(*st));
+
+		SYS_CHECK(pthread_mutex_unlock(&fio_read_mutex));
+
+		return hdr.arg;
+	}
+	else
+	{
+		return fstat(fd, st);
+	}
+}
+
+int fio_stat(char const* path, struct stat* st, bool follow_symlinks, fio_location location)
+{
+	if (fio_is_remote(location))
+	{
+		fio_header hdr;
+		size_t path_len = strlen(path) + 1;
+
+		hdr.cop = FIO_STAT;
+		hdr.handle = -1;
+		hdr.arg = follow_symlinks;
+		hdr.size = path_len;
+
+		SYS_CHECK(pthread_mutex_lock(&fio_read_mutex));
+		SYS_CHECK(pthread_mutex_lock(&fio_write_mutex));
+
+		IO_CHECK(fio_write_all(fio_stdout, &hdr, sizeof(hdr)), sizeof(hdr));
+		IO_CHECK(fio_write_all(fio_stdout, path, path_len), path_len);
+
+		SYS_CHECK(pthread_mutex_unlock(&fio_write_mutex));
+
 		IO_CHECK(fio_read_all(fio_stdin, &hdr, sizeof(hdr)), sizeof(hdr));
 		Assert(hdr.cop == FIO_STAT);
 		IO_CHECK(fio_read_all(fio_stdin, st, sizeof(*st)), sizeof(*st));
@@ -404,7 +445,7 @@ int fio_stat(int fd, struct stat* st)
 	}
 	else
 	{
-		return fstat(fd, st);
+		return follow_symlinks ? stat(path, st) : lstat(path,  st);
 	}
 }
 
@@ -566,12 +607,32 @@ static void fio_send_file(int out, char const* path)
 	}
 }
 
+void fio_transfer(void* addr, size_t value)
+{
+	struct {
+		fio_header  hdr;
+		fio_binding bind;
+	} msg;
+
+	msg.hdr.cop = FIO_TRANSFER;
+	msg.hdr.size = sizeof(fio_binding);
+	msg.bind.address = (size_t*)addr;
+	msg.bind.value = value;
+
+	SYS_CHECK(pthread_mutex_lock(&fio_write_mutex));
+
+	IO_CHECK(fio_write_all(fio_stdout, &msg, sizeof(msg)), sizeof(msg));
+
+	SYS_CHECK(pthread_mutex_unlock(&fio_write_mutex));
+}
+
 void fio_communicate(int in, int out)
 {
 	int fd[FIO_FDMAX];
 	size_t buf_size = 128*1024;
 	char* buf = (char*)malloc(buf_size);
 	fio_header hdr;
+	struct stat st;
 	int rc;
 
 	while ((rc = fio_read_all(in, &hdr, sizeof hdr)) == sizeof(hdr)) {
@@ -606,15 +667,18 @@ void fio_communicate(int in, int out)
 			IO_CHECK(fio_write_all(out, &hdr, sizeof(hdr)),  sizeof(hdr));
 			IO_CHECK(fio_write_all(out, buf, rc),  rc);
 			break;
+		  case FIO_FSTAT:
+			hdr.size = sizeof(st);
+			hdr.arg = fstat(fd[hdr.handle], &st);
+			IO_CHECK(fio_write_all(out, &hdr, sizeof(hdr)), sizeof(hdr));
+			IO_CHECK(fio_write_all(out, &st, sizeof(st)), sizeof(st));
+			break;
 		  case FIO_STAT:
-		  {
-			  struct stat st;
-			  hdr.size = sizeof(st);
-			  hdr.arg = fstat(fd[hdr.handle], &st);
-			  IO_CHECK(fio_write_all(out, &hdr, sizeof(hdr)), sizeof(hdr));
-			  IO_CHECK(fio_write_all(out, &st, sizeof(st)), sizeof(st));
-			  break;
-		  }
+			hdr.size = sizeof(st);
+			hdr.arg = hdr.arg ? stat(buf, &st) : lstat(buf, &st);
+			IO_CHECK(fio_write_all(out, &hdr, sizeof(hdr)), sizeof(hdr));
+			IO_CHECK(fio_write_all(out, &st, sizeof(st)), sizeof(st));
+			break;
 		  case FIO_ACCESS:
 			hdr.size = 0;
 			hdr.arg = access(buf, hdr.arg);
@@ -638,6 +702,9 @@ void fio_communicate(int in, int out)
 		  case FIO_TRUNCATE:
 			SYS_CHECK(ftruncate(fd[hdr.handle], hdr.arg));
 			break;
+		  case FIO_TRANSFER:
+			*((fio_binding*)buf)->address = ((fio_binding*)buf)->value;
+			break;
 		  default:
 			Assert(false);
 		}
diff --git a/src/utils/file.h b/src/utils/file.h
index 3b7cc112..123167a7 100644
--- a/src/utils/file.h
+++ b/src/utils/file.h
@@ -17,12 +17,15 @@ typedef enum
 	FIO_READ,
 	FIO_LOAD,
 	FIO_STAT,
+	FIO_FSTAT,
 	FIO_SEND,
-	FIO_ACCESS
+	FIO_ACCESS,
+	FIO_TRANSFER
 } fio_operations;
 
 typedef enum
 {
+	FIO_LOCAL_HOST,
 	FIO_DB_HOST,
 	FIO_BACKUP_HOST
 } fio_location;
@@ -33,13 +36,20 @@ typedef enum
 #define SYS_CHECK(cmd) do if ((cmd) < 0) { perror(#cmd); exit(EXIT_FAILURE); } while (0)
 #define IO_CHECK(cmd, size) do { int _rc = (cmd); if (_rc != (size)) { fprintf(stderr, "%s:%d: proceeds %d bytes instead of %d\n", __FILE__, __LINE__, _rc, (int)(size)); exit(EXIT_FAILURE); } } while (0)
 
-typedef struct {
+typedef struct
+{
 	unsigned cop    : 4;
 	unsigned handle : 8;
 	unsigned size   : 20;
 	unsigned arg;
 } fio_header;
 
+typedef struct
+{
+	size_t* address;
+	size_t  value;
+} fio_binding;
+
 extern void    fio_redirect(int in, int out);
 extern void    fio_communicate(int in, int out);
 
@@ -51,13 +61,14 @@ extern int     fio_fflush(FILE* f);
 extern int     fio_fseek(FILE* f, off_t offs);
 extern int     fio_ftruncate(FILE* f, off_t size);
 extern int     fio_fclose(FILE* f);
+extern int     fio_ffstat(FILE* f, struct stat* st);
 
 extern int     fio_open(char const* name, int mode, fio_location location);
 extern ssize_t fio_write(int fd, void const* buf, size_t size);
 extern ssize_t fio_read(int fd, void* buf, size_t size);
 extern int     fio_flush(int fd);
 extern int     fio_seek(int fd, off_t offs);
-extern int     fio_stat(int fd, struct stat* st);
+extern int     fio_fstat(int fd, struct stat* st);
 extern int     fio_truncate(int fd, off_t size);
 extern int     fio_close(int fd);
 
@@ -66,9 +77,12 @@ extern int     fio_unlink(char const* path, fio_location location);
 extern int     fio_mkdir(char const* path, int mode, fio_location location);
 extern int     fio_chmod(char const* path, int mode, fio_location location);
 extern int     fio_access(char const* path, int mode, fio_location location);
+extern int     fio_stat(char const* path, struct stat* st, bool follow_symlinks, fio_location location);
 
-extern FILE*  fio_open_stream(char const* name, fio_location location);
-extern int    fio_close_stream(FILE* f);
+extern FILE*   fio_open_stream(char const* name, fio_location location);
+extern int     fio_close_stream(FILE* f);
+
+extern void    fio_transfer(void* addr, size_t value);
 
 #endif
 
diff --git a/src/utils/remote.c b/src/utils/remote.c
index f7b3f4c5..2dd6cfe1 100644
--- a/src/utils/remote.c
+++ b/src/utils/remote.c
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@ static int append_option(char* buf, size_t buf_size, size_t dst, char const* src
 	return dst + len + 1;
 }
 
-void remote_execute(int argc, char* argv[], bool listen)
+int remote_execute(int argc, char* argv[], bool listen)
 {
 	char cmd[MAX_CMDLINE_LENGTH];
 	size_t dst = 0;
@@ -66,6 +66,7 @@ void remote_execute(int argc, char* argv[], bool listen)
 		SYS_CHECK(close(outfd[1]));
 
 		SYS_CHECK(execvp(ssh_argv[0], ssh_argv));
+		return -1;
 	} else {
 		SYS_CHECK(close(outfd[0])); /* These are being used by the child */
 		SYS_CHECK(close(infd[1]));
@@ -74,9 +75,10 @@ void remote_execute(int argc, char* argv[], bool listen)
 			int status;
 			fio_communicate(infd[0], outfd[1]);
 			SYS_CHECK(wait(&status));
-			exit(status);
+			return status;
 		} else {
 			fio_redirect(infd[0], outfd[1]); /* write to stdout */
+			return 0;
 		}
 	}
 }
diff --git a/src/walmethods.c b/src/walmethods.c
index d384b99f..a179945f 100644
--- a/src/walmethods.c
+++ b/src/walmethods.c
@@ -305,23 +305,14 @@ dir_get_file_size(const char *pathname)
 {
 	struct stat statbuf;
 	static char tmppath[MAXPGPATH];
-	int fd;
 
 	snprintf(tmppath, sizeof(tmppath), "%s/%s",
 			 dir_data->basedir, pathname);
 
-	fd = fio_open(tmppath, O_RDONLY|PG_BINARY, FIO_BACKUP_HOST);
-	if (fd >= 0)
-	{
-		if (fio_stat(fd, &statbuf) != 0)
-		{
-			fio_close(fd);
-			return -1;
-		}
-		fio_close(fd);
-		return statbuf.st_size;
-	}
-	return -1;
+	if (fio_stat(tmppath, &statbuf, true, FIO_BACKUP_HOST) != 0)
+		return -1;
+
+	return statbuf.st_size;
 }
 
 static bool