diff --git a/CmdLine/Seek.hs b/CmdLine/Seek.hs
index 2262a9b3ad..542f1cfecd 100644
--- a/CmdLine/Seek.hs
+++ b/CmdLine/Seek.hs
@@ -29,25 +29,35 @@ import Logs.Transfer
 import Remote.List
 import qualified Remote
 import Annex.CatFile
-import Git.CatFile (catObjectStream)
+import Git.CatFile
 import Annex.CurrentBranch
 import Annex.Content
+import Annex.Link
 import Annex.InodeSentinal
+import Annex.Concurrent
 import qualified Annex.Branch
 import qualified Annex.BranchState
 import qualified Database.Keys
 import qualified Utility.RawFilePath as R
+import Utility.Tuple
+
+import Control.Concurrent.Async
+import System.Posix.Types
 
 withFilesInGit :: WarnUnmatchWhen -> (RawFilePath -> CommandSeek) -> [WorkTreeItem] -> CommandSeek
-withFilesInGit ww a l = seekActions $ prepFiltered a $
-	seekHelper ww LsFiles.inRepo l
+withFilesInGit ww a l = seekFiltered a $
+	seekHelper id ww LsFiles.inRepo l
+
+withFilesInGitAnnex :: WarnUnmatchWhen -> (RawFilePath -> Key -> CommandSeek) -> [WorkTreeItem] -> CommandSeek
+withFilesInGitAnnex ww a l = seekFiltered' a $
+	seekHelper fst3 ww LsFiles.inRepoDetails l
 
 withFilesInGitNonRecursive :: WarnUnmatchWhen -> String -> (RawFilePath -> CommandSeek) -> [WorkTreeItem] -> CommandSeek
 withFilesInGitNonRecursive ww needforce a l = ifM (Annex.getState Annex.force)
 	( withFilesInGit ww a l
 	, if null l
 		then giveup needforce
-		else seekActions $ prepFiltered a (getfiles [] l)
+		else seekFiltered a (getfiles [] l)
 	)
   where
 	getfiles c [] = return (reverse c)
@@ -71,8 +81,8 @@ withFilesNotInGit  a l = go =<< seek
 		g <- gitRepo
 		liftIO $ Git.Command.leaveZombie
 			<$> LsFiles.notInRepo [] force (map (\(WorkTreeItem f) -> toRawFilePath f) l) g
-	go fs = seekActions $ prepFiltered a $
-		return $ concat $ segmentPaths (map (\(WorkTreeItem f) -> toRawFilePath f) l) fs
+	go fs = seekFiltered a $
+		return $ concat $ segmentPaths id (map (\(WorkTreeItem f) -> toRawFilePath f) l) fs
 
 withPathContents :: ((FilePath, FilePath) -> CommandSeek) -> CmdParams -> CommandSeek
 withPathContents a params = do
@@ -94,21 +104,21 @@ withPathContents a params = do
 		}
 
 withWords :: ([String] -> CommandSeek) -> CmdParams -> CommandSeek
-withWords a params = seekActions $ return [a params]
+withWords a params = a params
 
 withStrings :: (String -> CommandSeek) -> CmdParams -> CommandSeek
-withStrings a params = seekActions $ return $ map a params
+withStrings a params = sequence_ $ map a params
 
 withPairs :: ((String, String) -> CommandSeek) -> CmdParams -> CommandSeek
-withPairs a params = seekActions $ return $ map a $ pairs [] params
+withPairs a params = sequence_ $ map a $ pairs [] params
   where
 	pairs c [] = reverse c
 	pairs c (x:y:xs) = pairs ((x,y):c) xs
 	pairs _ _ = giveup "expected pairs"
 
 withFilesToBeCommitted :: (RawFilePath -> CommandSeek) -> [WorkTreeItem] -> CommandSeek
-withFilesToBeCommitted a l = seekActions $ prepFiltered a $
-	seekHelper WarnUnmatchWorkTreeItems (const LsFiles.stagedNotDeleted) l
+withFilesToBeCommitted a l = seekFiltered a $
+	seekHelper id WarnUnmatchWorkTreeItems (const LsFiles.stagedNotDeleted) l
 
 isOldUnlocked :: RawFilePath -> Annex Bool
 isOldUnlocked f = liftIO (notSymlink f) <&&> 
@@ -117,11 +127,10 @@ isOldUnlocked f = liftIO (notSymlink f) <&&>
 {- unlocked pointer files that are staged, and whose content has not been
  - modified-}
 withUnmodifiedUnlockedPointers :: WarnUnmatchWhen -> (RawFilePath -> CommandSeek) -> [WorkTreeItem] -> CommandSeek
-withUnmodifiedUnlockedPointers ww a l = seekActions $
-	prepFiltered a unlockedfiles
+withUnmodifiedUnlockedPointers ww a l = seekFiltered a unlockedfiles
   where
 	unlockedfiles = filterM isUnmodifiedUnlocked 
-		=<< seekHelper ww (const LsFiles.typeChangedStaged) l
+		=<< seekHelper id ww (const LsFiles.typeChangedStaged) l
 
 isUnmodifiedUnlocked :: RawFilePath -> Annex Bool
 isUnmodifiedUnlocked f = catKeyFile f >>= \case
@@ -130,11 +139,11 @@ isUnmodifiedUnlocked f = catKeyFile f >>= \case
 
 {- Finds files that may be modified. -}
 withFilesMaybeModified :: WarnUnmatchWhen -> (RawFilePath -> CommandSeek) -> [WorkTreeItem] -> CommandSeek
-withFilesMaybeModified ww a params = seekActions $
-	prepFiltered a $ seekHelper ww LsFiles.modified params
+withFilesMaybeModified ww a params = seekFiltered a $
+	seekHelper id ww LsFiles.modified params
 
 withKeys :: (Key -> CommandSeek) -> CmdParams -> CommandSeek
-withKeys a l = seekActions $ return $ map (a . parse) l
+withKeys a l = sequence_ $ map (a . parse) l
   where
 	parse p = fromMaybe (giveup "bad key") $ deserializeKey p
 
@@ -251,23 +260,51 @@ withKeyOptions' ko auto mkkeyaction fallbackaction params = do
 		forM_ ts $ \(t, i) ->
 			keyaction (transferKey t, mkActionItem (t, i))
 
-prepFiltered :: (RawFilePath -> CommandSeek) -> Annex [RawFilePath] -> Annex [CommandSeek]
-prepFiltered a fs = do
+seekFiltered :: (RawFilePath -> CommandSeek) -> Annex [RawFilePath] -> Annex ()
+seekFiltered a fs = do
 	matcher <- Limit.getMatcher
-	map (process matcher) <$> fs
+	sequence_ =<< (map (process matcher) <$> fs)
   where
 	process matcher f =
 		whenM (matcher $ MatchingFile $ FileInfo f f) $ a f
 
-seekActions :: Annex [CommandSeek] -> Annex ()
-seekActions gen = sequence_ =<< gen
+seekFiltered' :: (RawFilePath -> Key -> CommandSeek) -> Annex [(RawFilePath, Git.Sha, FileMode)] -> Annex ()
+seekFiltered' a fs = do
+	g <- Annex.gitRepo
+	catObjectStream' g $ \feeder closer reader -> do
+		tid <- liftIO . async =<< forkState (gofeed feeder closer)
+		goread reader
+		join (liftIO (wait tid))
+  where
+	gofeed feeder closer = do
+		matcher <- Limit.getMatcher
+		l <- fs
+		forM_ l $ process matcher feeder
+		liftIO closer
+	
+	process matcher feeder (f, sha, mode) =
+		-- TODO handle non-symlink separately to avoid
+		-- catting large files
+		-- If the matcher needs to look up a key, it should be run
+		-- in goread, not here, and the key passed in. OTOH, if
+		-- the matcher does not need to look up a key, it's more
+		-- efficient to put it here, to avoid catting files that
+		-- will not be matched.
+		whenM (matcher $ MatchingFile $ FileInfo f f) $
+			liftIO $ feeder (f, sha)
 
-seekHelper :: WarnUnmatchWhen -> ([LsFiles.Options] -> [RawFilePath] -> Git.Repo -> IO ([RawFilePath], IO Bool)) -> [WorkTreeItem] -> Annex [RawFilePath]
-seekHelper ww a l = do
+	goread reader = liftIO reader >>= \case
+		Just (f, content) -> do
+			maybe noop (a f) (parseLinkTargetOrPointerLazy =<< content)
+			goread reader
+		_ -> return ()
+
+seekHelper :: (a -> RawFilePath) -> WarnUnmatchWhen -> ([LsFiles.Options] -> [RawFilePath] -> Git.Repo -> IO ([a], IO Bool)) -> [WorkTreeItem] -> Annex [a]
+seekHelper c ww a l = do
 	os <- seekOptions ww
 	inRepo $ \g ->
 		concat . concat <$> forM (segmentXargsOrdered l')
-			(runSegmentPaths (\fs -> Git.Command.leaveZombie <$> a os fs g) . map toRawFilePath)
+			(runSegmentPaths c (\fs -> Git.Command.leaveZombie <$> a os fs g) . map toRawFilePath)
   where
 	l' = map (\(WorkTreeItem f) -> f) l
 
diff --git a/Command/Export.hs b/Command/Export.hs
index eba9532a76..d1fde25d1e 100644
--- a/Command/Export.hs
+++ b/Command/Export.hs
@@ -200,7 +200,7 @@ changeExport r db (PreferredFiltered new) = do
 	mapdiff a oldtreesha newtreesha = do
 		(diff, cleanup) <- inRepo $
 			Git.DiffTree.diffTreeRecursive oldtreesha newtreesha
-		seekActions $ pure $ map a diff
+		sequence_ $ map a diff
 		void $ liftIO cleanup
 
 -- Map of old and new filenames for each changed ExportKey in a diff.
diff --git a/Command/Get.hs b/Command/Get.hs
index b4cd4d62e4..36156a49b4 100644
--- a/Command/Get.hs
+++ b/Command/Get.hs
@@ -40,12 +40,13 @@ optParser desc = GetOptions
 seek :: GetOptions -> CommandSeek
 seek o = startConcurrency downloadStages $ do
 	from <- maybe (pure Nothing) (Just <$$> getParsed) (getFrom o)
-	let go = whenAnnexed $ start o from
+	let go = start o from
 	case batchOption o of
-		Batch fmt -> batchFilesMatching fmt (go . toRawFilePath)
+		Batch fmt -> batchFilesMatching fmt
+			(whenAnnexed go . toRawFilePath)
 		NoBatch -> withKeyOptions (keyOptions o) (autoMode o)
 			(commandAction . startKeys from)
-			(withFilesInGit ww (commandAction . go))
+			(withFilesInGitAnnex ww (\f k -> commandAction (go f k)))
 			=<< workTreeItems ww (getFiles o)
   where
 	ww = WarnUnmatchLsFiles
diff --git a/Command/Multicast.hs b/Command/Multicast.hs
index 9dcded33db..5cd688601d 100644
--- a/Command/Multicast.hs
+++ b/Command/Multicast.hs
@@ -130,7 +130,7 @@ send ups fs = do
 	starting "sending files" (ActionItemOther Nothing) $
 		withTmpFile "send" $ \t h -> do
 			let ww = WarnUnmatchLsFiles
-			fs' <- seekHelper ww LsFiles.inRepo
+			fs' <- seekHelper id ww LsFiles.inRepo
 				=<< workTreeItems ww fs
 			matcher <- Limit.getMatcher
 			let addlist f o = whenM (matcher $ MatchingFile $ FileInfo f f) $
diff --git a/Command/Sync.hs b/Command/Sync.hs
index 4e4940fafd..ff977795c8 100644
--- a/Command/Sync.hs
+++ b/Command/Sync.hs
@@ -652,11 +652,11 @@ seekSyncContent o rs currbranch = do
 	liftIO $ not <$> isEmptyMVar mvar
   where
 	seekworktree mvar l bloomfeeder = 
-		seekHelper ww LsFiles.inRepo l
+		seekHelper id ww LsFiles.inRepo l
 			>>= gofiles bloomfeeder mvar
 
 	seekincludinghidden origbranch mvar l bloomfeeder = 
-		seekHelper ww (LsFiles.inRepoOrBranch origbranch) l 
+		seekHelper id ww (LsFiles.inRepoOrBranch origbranch) l 
 			>>= gofiles bloomfeeder mvar
 
 	ww = WarnUnmatchLsFiles
diff --git a/Utility/Path.hs b/Utility/Path.hs
index 4228e200c6..56eed759ab 100644
--- a/Utility/Path.hs
+++ b/Utility/Path.hs
@@ -214,22 +214,23 @@ prop_relPathDirToFile_regressionTest = same_dir_shortcurcuits_at_difference
  - we stop preserving ordering at that point. Presumably a user passing
  - that many paths in doesn't care too much about order of the later ones.
  -}
-segmentPaths :: [RawFilePath] -> [RawFilePath] -> [[RawFilePath]]
-segmentPaths [] new = [new]
-segmentPaths [_] new = [new] -- optimisation
-segmentPaths (l:ls) new = found : segmentPaths ls rest
+segmentPaths :: (a -> RawFilePath) -> [RawFilePath] -> [a] -> [[a]]
+segmentPaths _ [] new = [new]
+segmentPaths _ [_] new = [new] -- optimisation
+segmentPaths c (l:ls) new = found : segmentPaths c ls rest
   where
 	(found, rest) = if length ls < 100
 		then partition inl new
 		else break (not . inl) new
-	inl f = fromRawFilePath l `dirContains` fromRawFilePath f
+	inl f = l' `dirContains` fromRawFilePath (c f)
+	l' = fromRawFilePath l
 
 {- This assumes that it's cheaper to call segmentPaths on the result,
  - than it would be to run the action separately with each path. In
  - the case of git file list commands, that assumption tends to hold.
  -}
-runSegmentPaths :: ([RawFilePath] -> IO [RawFilePath]) -> [RawFilePath] -> IO [[RawFilePath]]
-runSegmentPaths a paths = segmentPaths paths <$> a paths
+runSegmentPaths :: (a -> RawFilePath) -> ([RawFilePath] -> IO [a]) -> [RawFilePath] -> IO [[a]]
+runSegmentPaths c a paths = segmentPaths c paths <$> a paths
 
 {- Converts paths in the home directory to use ~/ -}
 relHome :: FilePath -> IO String