diff --git a/Backend.hs b/Backend.hs
index 47e42b8229..f419831d28 100644
--- a/Backend.hs
+++ b/Backend.hs
@@ -78,17 +78,9 @@ retrieveKeyFile backend key dest = (B.retrieveKeyFile backend) key dest
 removeKey :: Backend -> Key -> Annex Bool
 removeKey backend key = (B.removeKey backend)  key
 
-{- Checks if any backend has a key. -}
+{- Checks if a backend has its key. -}
 hasKey :: Key -> Annex Bool
-hasKey key = do
-	b <- backendList
-	hasKey' b key
-hasKey' [] key = return False
-hasKey' (b:bs) key = do
-	has <- (B.hasKey b) key
-	if (has)
-		then return True
-		else hasKey' bs key
+hasKey key = (B.hasKey (lookupBackendName $ backendName key)) key
 
 {- Looks up the key and backend corresponding to an annexed file,
  - by examining what the file symlinks to. -}
@@ -101,6 +93,8 @@ lookupFile file = do
 	where 
 		lookup = do
 			l <- readSymbolicLink file
-			return $ Just (k l, b l)
-		k l = fileKey $ takeFileName $ l
-		b l = lookupBackendName $ takeFileName $ parentDir $ l
+			return $ Just $ pair $ takeFileName l
+		pair file = (k, b)
+			where
+				k = fileKey file
+				b = lookupBackendName $ backendName k
diff --git a/Backend/Url.hs b/Backend/Url.hs
index 325a7e217a..e237672084 100644
--- a/Backend/Url.hs
+++ b/Backend/Url.hs
@@ -3,7 +3,8 @@
 
 module Backend.Url (backend) where
 
-import Control.Monad.State
+import Control.Monad.State (liftIO)
+import Data.String.Utils
 import System.Cmd
 import System.Exit
 import BackendTypes
@@ -30,9 +31,11 @@ dummyOk :: Key -> Annex Bool
 dummyOk url = return True
 
 downloadUrl :: Key -> FilePath -> Annex Bool
-downloadUrl url file = do
-	liftIO $ putStrLn $ "download: " ++ (show url)
-	result <- liftIO $ rawSystem "curl" ["-#", "-o", file, (show url)]
+downloadUrl key file = do
+	liftIO $ putStrLn $ "download: " ++ url
+	result <- liftIO $ rawSystem "curl" ["-#", "-o", file, url]
 	if (result == ExitSuccess)
 		then return True
 		else return False
+	where
+		url = join ":" $ drop 1 $ split ":" $ show key 
diff --git a/BackendList.hs b/BackendList.hs
index e9f926ce2a..b66110905a 100644
--- a/BackendList.hs
+++ b/BackendList.hs
@@ -28,7 +28,7 @@ parseBackendList s =
 		then supportedBackends
 		else map (lookupBackendName) $ words s
 
-{- Looks up a supported backed by name. -}
+{- Looks up a supported backend by name. -}
 lookupBackendName :: String -> Backend
 lookupBackendName s =
 	if ((length matches) /= 1)
diff --git a/BackendTypes.hs b/BackendTypes.hs
index e0f5f73738..41ff7e506f 100644
--- a/BackendTypes.hs
+++ b/BackendTypes.hs
@@ -36,6 +36,14 @@ instance Read Key where
 			b = l !! 0
 			k = join ":" $ drop 1 l
 
+-- pulls the backend name out
+backendName :: Key -> BackendName
+backendName (Key (b,k)) = b
+
+-- pulls the key fragment out
+keyFrag :: Key -> KeyFrag
+keyFrag (Key (b,k)) = k
+
 -- this structure represents a key/value backend
 data Backend = Backend {
 	-- name of this backend
diff --git a/TODO b/TODO
index 70ace863ea..c4ce74e198 100644
--- a/TODO
+++ b/TODO
@@ -1,9 +1,6 @@
 * bug when annexing files while in a subdir of a git repo
 * bug when specifying absolute path to files when annexing
 
-* need to include backend name as part of the key, because currently
-  if two backends have overlapping key spaces, it can confuse things
-
 * --push/--pull/--want
 
 * how to handle git mv file?
diff --git a/Types.hs b/Types.hs
index 4262ed567d..a0f120db0b 100644
--- a/Types.hs
+++ b/Types.hs
@@ -3,8 +3,10 @@
 module Types (
 	Annex,
 	AnnexState,
+	Backend,
 	Key,
-	Backend
+	backendName,
+	keyFrag
 ) where
 
 import BackendTypes