diff --git a/daemon/daemon.go b/daemon/daemon.go
index 15d6e3db71..af0f9b5df5 100644
--- a/daemon/daemon.go
+++ b/daemon/daemon.go
@@ -783,9 +783,11 @@ func NewDaemon(config *Config, registryService *registry.Service) (daemon *Daemo
 		return nil, fmt.Errorf("Couldn't restore custom images: %s", err)
 	}
 
+	migrationStart := time.Now()
 	if err := v1.Migrate(config.Root, graphDriver, d.layerStore, d.imageStore, referenceStore, distributionMetadataStore); err != nil {
 		return nil, err
 	}
+	logrus.Infof("Graph migration to content-addressability took %.2f seconds", time.Since(migrationStart).Seconds())
 
 	// Discovery is only enabled when the daemon is launched with an address to advertise.  When
 	// initialized, the daemon is registered and we can store the discovery backend as its read-only
diff --git a/daemon/graphdriver/aufs/aufs.go b/daemon/graphdriver/aufs/aufs.go
index aa24185ff4..b01cb147da 100644
--- a/daemon/graphdriver/aufs/aufs.go
+++ b/daemon/graphdriver/aufs/aufs.go
@@ -367,6 +367,12 @@ func (a *Driver) Diff(id, parent string) (archive.Archive, error) {
 	})
 }
 
+// DiffPath returns path to the directory that contains files for the layer
+// differences. Used for direct access for tar-split.
+func (a *Driver) DiffPath(id string) (string, func() error, error) {
+	return path.Join(a.rootPath(), "diff", id), func() error { return nil }, nil
+}
+
 func (a *Driver) applyDiff(id string, diff archive.Reader) error {
 	dir := path.Join(a.rootPath(), "diff", id)
 	if err := chrootarchive.UntarUncompressed(diff, dir, &archive.TarOptions{
diff --git a/layer/filestore.go b/layer/filestore.go
index 02ed32653f..236c9ba5ad 100644
--- a/layer/filestore.go
+++ b/layer/filestore.go
@@ -97,16 +97,20 @@ func (fm *fileMetadataTransaction) SetCacheID(cacheID string) error {
 	return ioutil.WriteFile(filepath.Join(fm.root, "cache-id"), []byte(cacheID), 0644)
 }
 
-func (fm *fileMetadataTransaction) TarSplitWriter() (io.WriteCloser, error) {
+func (fm *fileMetadataTransaction) TarSplitWriter(compressInput bool) (io.WriteCloser, error) {
 	f, err := os.OpenFile(filepath.Join(fm.root, "tar-split.json.gz"), os.O_TRUNC|os.O_CREATE|os.O_WRONLY, 0644)
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, err
 	}
+	var wc io.WriteCloser
+	if compressInput {
+		wc = gzip.NewWriter(f)
+	} else {
+		wc = f
+	}
 
-	fz := gzip.NewWriter(f)
-
-	return ioutils.NewWriteCloserWrapper(fz, func() error {
-		fz.Close()
+	return ioutils.NewWriteCloserWrapper(wc, func() error {
+		wc.Close()
 		return f.Close()
 	}), nil
 }
diff --git a/layer/layer.go b/layer/layer.go
index 6c4785385d..0c6d60c575 100644
--- a/layer/layer.go
+++ b/layer/layer.go
@@ -183,7 +183,7 @@ type MetadataTransaction interface {
 	SetParent(parent ChainID) error
 	SetDiffID(DiffID) error
 	SetCacheID(string) error
-	TarSplitWriter() (io.WriteCloser, error)
+	TarSplitWriter(compressInput bool) (io.WriteCloser, error)
 
 	Commit(ChainID) error
 	Cancel() error
diff --git a/layer/layer_store.go b/layer/layer_store.go
index 6afdde4de8..495841f498 100644
--- a/layer/layer_store.go
+++ b/layer/layer_store.go
@@ -196,7 +196,7 @@ func (ls *layerStore) applyTar(tx MetadataTransaction, ts io.Reader, parent stri
 	digester := digest.Canonical.New()
 	tr := io.TeeReader(ts, digester.Hash())
 
-	tsw, err := tx.TarSplitWriter()
+	tsw, err := tx.TarSplitWriter(true)
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
@@ -572,7 +572,7 @@ func (ls *layerStore) initMount(graphID, parent, mountLabel string, initFunc Mou
 	return initID, nil
 }
 
-func (ls *layerStore) assembleTar(graphID string, metadata io.ReadCloser, size *int64) (io.ReadCloser, error) {
+func (ls *layerStore) assembleTarTo(graphID string, metadata io.ReadCloser, size *int64, w io.Writer) error {
 	type diffPathDriver interface {
 		DiffPath(string) (string, func() error, error)
 	}
@@ -582,34 +582,20 @@ func (ls *layerStore) assembleTar(graphID string, metadata io.ReadCloser, size *
 		diffDriver = &naiveDiffPathDriver{ls.driver}
 	}
 
+	defer metadata.Close()
+
 	// get our relative path to the container
 	fsPath, releasePath, err := diffDriver.DiffPath(graphID)
 	if err != nil {
-		metadata.Close()
-		return nil, err
+		return err
 	}
+	defer releasePath()
 
-	pR, pW := io.Pipe()
-	// this will need to be in a goroutine, as we are returning the stream of a
-	// tar archive, but can not close the metadata reader early (when this
-	// function returns)...
-	go func() {
-		defer releasePath()
-		defer metadata.Close()
-
-		metaUnpacker := storage.NewJSONUnpacker(metadata)
-		upackerCounter := &unpackSizeCounter{metaUnpacker, size}
-		fileGetter := storage.NewPathFileGetter(fsPath)
-		logrus.Debugf("Assembling tar data for %s from %s", graphID, fsPath)
-		ots := asm.NewOutputTarStream(fileGetter, upackerCounter)
-		defer ots.Close()
-		if _, err := io.Copy(pW, ots); err != nil {
-			pW.CloseWithError(err)
-			return
-		}
-		pW.Close()
-	}()
-	return pR, nil
+	metaUnpacker := storage.NewJSONUnpacker(metadata)
+	upackerCounter := &unpackSizeCounter{metaUnpacker, size}
+	fileGetter := storage.NewPathFileGetter(fsPath)
+	logrus.Debugf("Assembling tar data for %s from %s", graphID, fsPath)
+	return asm.WriteOutputTarStream(fileGetter, upackerCounter, w)
 }
 
 func (ls *layerStore) Cleanup() error {
diff --git a/layer/migration.go b/layer/migration.go
index 50dbcaec80..9779ab7984 100644
--- a/layer/migration.go
+++ b/layer/migration.go
@@ -9,7 +9,6 @@ import (
 
 	"github.com/Sirupsen/logrus"
 	"github.com/docker/distribution/digest"
-	"github.com/docker/docker/pkg/ioutils"
 	"github.com/vbatts/tar-split/tar/asm"
 	"github.com/vbatts/tar-split/tar/storage"
 )
@@ -76,79 +75,75 @@ func (ls *layerStore) CreateRWLayerByGraphID(name string, graphID string, parent
 	return nil
 }
 
-func (ls *layerStore) migrateLayer(tx MetadataTransaction, tarDataFile string, layer *roLayer) error {
-	var ar io.Reader
-	var tdf *os.File
-	var err error
-	if tarDataFile != "" {
-		tdf, err = os.Open(tarDataFile)
+func (ls *layerStore) ChecksumForGraphID(id, parent, oldTarDataPath, newTarDataPath string) (diffID DiffID, size int64, err error) {
+	defer func() {
 		if err != nil {
-			if !os.IsNotExist(err) {
-				return err
-			}
-			tdf = nil
-		}
-		defer tdf.Close()
-	}
-	if tdf != nil {
-		tsw, err := tx.TarSplitWriter()
-		if err != nil {
-			return err
+			logrus.Debugf("could not get checksum for %q with tar-split: %q", id, err)
+			diffID, size, err = ls.checksumForGraphIDNoTarsplit(id, parent, newTarDataPath)
 		}
+	}()
 
-		defer tsw.Close()
-
-		uncompressed, err := gzip.NewReader(tdf)
-		if err != nil {
-			return err
-		}
-		defer uncompressed.Close()
-
-		tr := io.TeeReader(uncompressed, tsw)
-		trc := ioutils.NewReadCloserWrapper(tr, uncompressed.Close)
-
-		ar, err = ls.assembleTar(layer.cacheID, trc, &layer.size)
-		if err != nil {
-			return err
-		}
-
-	} else {
-		var graphParent string
-		if layer.parent != nil {
-			graphParent = layer.parent.cacheID
-		}
-		archiver, err := ls.driver.Diff(layer.cacheID, graphParent)
-		if err != nil {
-			return err
-		}
-		defer archiver.Close()
-
-		tsw, err := tx.TarSplitWriter()
-		if err != nil {
-			return err
-		}
-		metaPacker := storage.NewJSONPacker(tsw)
-		packerCounter := &packSizeCounter{metaPacker, &layer.size}
-		defer tsw.Close()
-
-		ar, err = asm.NewInputTarStream(archiver, packerCounter, nil)
-		if err != nil {
-			return err
-		}
+	if oldTarDataPath == "" {
+		err = errors.New("no tar-split file")
+		return
 	}
 
-	digester := digest.Canonical.New()
-	_, err = io.Copy(digester.Hash(), ar)
+	tarDataFile, err := os.Open(oldTarDataPath)
 	if err != nil {
-		return err
+		return
+	}
+	defer tarDataFile.Close()
+	uncompressed, err := gzip.NewReader(tarDataFile)
+	if err != nil {
+		return
 	}
 
-	layer.diffID = DiffID(digester.Digest())
+	dgst := digest.Canonical.New()
+	err = ls.assembleTarTo(id, uncompressed, &size, dgst.Hash())
+	if err != nil {
+		return
+	}
 
-	return nil
+	diffID = DiffID(dgst.Digest())
+	err = os.RemoveAll(newTarDataPath)
+	if err != nil {
+		return
+	}
+	err = os.Link(oldTarDataPath, newTarDataPath)
+
+	return
 }
 
-func (ls *layerStore) RegisterByGraphID(graphID string, parent ChainID, tarDataFile string) (Layer, error) {
+func (ls *layerStore) checksumForGraphIDNoTarsplit(id, parent, newTarDataPath string) (diffID DiffID, size int64, err error) {
+	rawarchive, err := ls.driver.Diff(id, parent)
+	if err != nil {
+		return
+	}
+	defer rawarchive.Close()
+
+	f, err := os.Create(newTarDataPath)
+	if err != nil {
+		return
+	}
+	defer f.Close()
+	mfz := gzip.NewWriter(f)
+	metaPacker := storage.NewJSONPacker(mfz)
+
+	packerCounter := &packSizeCounter{metaPacker, &size}
+
+	archive, err := asm.NewInputTarStream(rawarchive, packerCounter, nil)
+	if err != nil {
+		return
+	}
+	dgst, err := digest.FromReader(archive)
+	if err != nil {
+		return
+	}
+	diffID = DiffID(dgst)
+	return
+}
+
+func (ls *layerStore) RegisterByGraphID(graphID string, parent ChainID, diffID DiffID, tarDataFile string, size int64) (Layer, error) {
 	// err is used to hold the error which will always trigger
 	// cleanup of creates sources but may not be an error returned
 	// to the caller (already exists).
@@ -177,6 +172,18 @@ func (ls *layerStore) RegisterByGraphID(graphID string, parent ChainID, tarDataF
 		referenceCount: 1,
 		layerStore:     ls,
 		references:     map[Layer]struct{}{},
+		diffID:         diffID,
+		size:           size,
+		chainID:        createChainIDFromParent(parent, diffID),
+	}
+
+	ls.layerL.Lock()
+	defer ls.layerL.Unlock()
+
+	if existingLayer := ls.getWithoutLock(layer.chainID); existingLayer != nil {
+		// Set error for cleanup, but do not return
+		err = errors.New("layer already exists")
+		return existingLayer.getReference(), nil
 	}
 
 	tx, err := ls.store.StartTransaction()
@@ -193,25 +200,25 @@ func (ls *layerStore) RegisterByGraphID(graphID string, parent ChainID, tarDataF
 		}
 	}()
 
-	if err = ls.migrateLayer(tx, tarDataFile, layer); err != nil {
+	tsw, err := tx.TarSplitWriter(false)
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, err
+	}
+	defer tsw.Close()
+	tdf, err := os.Open(tarDataFile)
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, err
+	}
+	defer tdf.Close()
+	_, err = io.Copy(tsw, tdf)
+	if err != nil {
 		return nil, err
 	}
-
-	layer.chainID = createChainIDFromParent(parent, layer.diffID)
 
 	if err = storeLayer(tx, layer); err != nil {
 		return nil, err
 	}
 
-	ls.layerL.Lock()
-	defer ls.layerL.Unlock()
-
-	if existingLayer := ls.getWithoutLock(layer.chainID); existingLayer != nil {
-		// Set error for cleanup, but do not return
-		err = errors.New("layer already exists")
-		return existingLayer.getReference(), nil
-	}
-
 	if err = tx.Commit(layer.chainID); err != nil {
 		return nil, err
 	}
diff --git a/layer/migration_test.go b/layer/migration_test.go
index 2079bb6e79..cd7ffc6e06 100644
--- a/layer/migration_test.go
+++ b/layer/migration_test.go
@@ -94,7 +94,13 @@ func TestLayerMigration(t *testing.T) {
 		t.Fatal(err)
 	}
 
-	layer1a, err := ls.(*layerStore).RegisterByGraphID(graphID1, "", tf1)
+	newTarDataPath := filepath.Join(td, ".migration-tardata")
+	diffID, size, err := ls.(*layerStore).ChecksumForGraphID(graphID1, "", tf1, newTarDataPath)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+
+	layer1a, err := ls.(*layerStore).RegisterByGraphID(graphID1, "", diffID, newTarDataPath, size)
 	if err != nil {
 		t.Fatal(err)
 	}
@@ -105,7 +111,6 @@ func TestLayerMigration(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 
 	assertReferences(t, layer1a, layer1b)
-
 	// Attempt register, should be same
 	layer2a, err := ls.Register(bytes.NewReader(tar2), layer1a.ChainID())
 	if err != nil {
@@ -124,12 +129,15 @@ func TestLayerMigration(t *testing.T) {
 	if err := writeTarSplitFile(tf2, tar2); err != nil {
 		t.Fatal(err)
 	}
-
-	layer2b, err := ls.(*layerStore).RegisterByGraphID(graphID2, layer1a.ChainID(), tf2)
+	diffID, size, err = ls.(*layerStore).ChecksumForGraphID(graphID2, graphID1, tf2, newTarDataPath)
 	if err != nil {
 		t.Fatal(err)
 	}
 
+	layer2b, err := ls.(*layerStore).RegisterByGraphID(graphID2, layer1a.ChainID(), diffID, tf2, size)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
 	assertReferences(t, layer2a, layer2b)
 
 	if metadata, err := ls.Release(layer2a); err != nil {
@@ -210,7 +218,13 @@ func TestLayerMigrationNoTarsplit(t *testing.T) {
 		t.Fatal(err)
 	}
 
-	layer1a, err := ls.(*layerStore).RegisterByGraphID(graphID1, "", "")
+	newTarDataPath := filepath.Join(td, ".migration-tardata")
+	diffID, size, err := ls.(*layerStore).ChecksumForGraphID(graphID1, "", "", newTarDataPath)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+
+	layer1a, err := ls.(*layerStore).RegisterByGraphID(graphID1, "", diffID, newTarDataPath, size)
 	if err != nil {
 		t.Fatal(err)
 	}
@@ -228,11 +242,15 @@ func TestLayerMigrationNoTarsplit(t *testing.T) {
 		t.Fatal(err)
 	}
 
-	layer2b, err := ls.(*layerStore).RegisterByGraphID(graphID2, layer1a.ChainID(), "")
+	diffID, size, err = ls.(*layerStore).ChecksumForGraphID(graphID2, graphID1, "", newTarDataPath)
 	if err != nil {
 		t.Fatal(err)
 	}
 
+	layer2b, err := ls.(*layerStore).RegisterByGraphID(graphID2, layer1a.ChainID(), diffID, newTarDataPath, size)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
 	assertReferences(t, layer2a, layer2b)
 
 	if metadata, err := ls.Release(layer2a); err != nil {
diff --git a/layer/ro_layer.go b/layer/ro_layer.go
index 93525c1bbb..51e0921dd1 100644
--- a/layer/ro_layer.go
+++ b/layer/ro_layer.go
@@ -20,7 +20,16 @@ func (rl *roLayer) TarStream() (io.ReadCloser, error) {
 		return nil, err
 	}
 
-	return rl.layerStore.assembleTar(rl.cacheID, r, nil)
+	pr, pw := io.Pipe()
+	go func() {
+		err := rl.layerStore.assembleTarTo(rl.cacheID, r, nil, pw)
+		if err != nil {
+			pw.CloseWithError(err)
+		} else {
+			pw.Close()
+		}
+	}()
+	return pr, nil
 }
 
 func (rl *roLayer) ChainID() ChainID {
diff --git a/migrate/v1/migratev1.go b/migrate/v1/migratev1.go
index c92c0f2107..d28287a1c2 100644
--- a/migrate/v1/migratev1.go
+++ b/migrate/v1/migratev1.go
@@ -6,6 +6,10 @@ import (
 	"io/ioutil"
 	"os"
 	"path/filepath"
+	"runtime"
+	"strconv"
+	"sync"
+	"time"
 
 	"encoding/json"
 
@@ -19,7 +23,7 @@ import (
 )
 
 type graphIDRegistrar interface {
-	RegisterByGraphID(string, layer.ChainID, string) (layer.Layer, error)
+	RegisterByGraphID(string, layer.ChainID, layer.DiffID, string, int64) (layer.Layer, error)
 	Release(layer.Layer) ([]layer.Metadata, error)
 }
 
@@ -27,11 +31,18 @@ type graphIDMounter interface {
 	CreateRWLayerByGraphID(string, string, layer.ChainID) error
 }
 
+type checksumCalculator interface {
+	ChecksumForGraphID(id, parent, oldTarDataPath, newTarDataPath string) (diffID layer.DiffID, size int64, err error)
+}
+
 const (
 	graphDirName                 = "graph"
 	tarDataFileName              = "tar-data.json.gz"
 	migrationFileName            = ".migration-v1-images.json"
 	migrationTagsFileName        = ".migration-v1-tags"
+	migrationDiffIDFileName      = ".migration-diffid"
+	migrationSizeFileName        = ".migration-size"
+	migrationTarDataFileName     = ".migration-tardata"
 	containersDirName            = "containers"
 	configFileNameLegacy         = "config.json"
 	configFileName               = "config.v2.json"
@@ -45,7 +56,19 @@ var (
 // Migrate takes an old graph directory and transforms the metadata into the
 // new format.
 func Migrate(root, driverName string, ls layer.Store, is image.Store, rs reference.Store, ms metadata.Store) error {
-	mappings := make(map[string]image.ID)
+	graphDir := filepath.Join(root, graphDirName)
+	if _, err := os.Lstat(graphDir); os.IsNotExist(err) {
+		return nil
+	}
+
+	mappings, err := restoreMappings(root)
+	if err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+
+	if cc, ok := ls.(checksumCalculator); ok {
+		CalculateLayerChecksums(root, cc, mappings)
+	}
 
 	if registrar, ok := ls.(graphIDRegistrar); !ok {
 		return errUnsupported
@@ -53,6 +76,11 @@ func Migrate(root, driverName string, ls layer.Store, is image.Store, rs referen
 		return err
 	}
 
+	err = saveMappings(root, mappings)
+	if err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+
 	if mounter, ok := ls.(graphIDMounter); !ok {
 		return errUnsupported
 	} else if err := migrateContainers(root, mounter, is, mappings); err != nil {
@@ -66,28 +94,115 @@ func Migrate(root, driverName string, ls layer.Store, is image.Store, rs referen
 	return nil
 }
 
-func migrateImages(root string, ls graphIDRegistrar, is image.Store, ms metadata.Store, mappings map[string]image.ID) error {
+// CalculateLayerChecksums walks an old graph directory and calculates checksums
+// for each layer. These checksums are later used for migration.
+func CalculateLayerChecksums(root string, ls checksumCalculator, mappings map[string]image.ID) {
 	graphDir := filepath.Join(root, graphDirName)
-	if _, err := os.Lstat(graphDir); err != nil {
-		if os.IsNotExist(err) {
-			return nil
+	// spawn some extra workers also for maximum performance because the process is bounded by both cpu and io
+	workers := runtime.NumCPU() * 3
+	workQueue := make(chan string, workers)
+
+	wg := sync.WaitGroup{}
+
+	for i := 0; i < workers; i++ {
+		wg.Add(1)
+		go func() {
+			for id := range workQueue {
+				start := time.Now()
+				if err := calculateLayerChecksum(graphDir, id, ls); err != nil {
+					logrus.Errorf("could not calculate checksum for %q, %q", id, err)
+				}
+				elapsed := time.Since(start)
+				logrus.Debugf("layer %s took %.2f seconds", id, elapsed.Seconds())
+			}
+			wg.Done()
+		}()
+	}
+
+	dir, err := ioutil.ReadDir(graphDir)
+	if err != nil {
+		logrus.Errorf("could not read directory %q", graphDir)
+		return
+	}
+	for _, v := range dir {
+		v1ID := v.Name()
+		if err := imagev1.ValidateID(v1ID); err != nil {
+			continue
 		}
+		if _, ok := mappings[v1ID]; ok { // support old migrations without helper files
+			continue
+		}
+		workQueue <- v1ID
+	}
+	close(workQueue)
+	wg.Wait()
+}
+
+func calculateLayerChecksum(graphDir, id string, ls checksumCalculator) error {
+	diffIDFile := filepath.Join(graphDir, id, migrationDiffIDFileName)
+	if _, err := os.Lstat(diffIDFile); err == nil {
+		return nil
+	} else if !os.IsNotExist(err) {
 		return err
 	}
 
+	parent, err := getParent(filepath.Join(graphDir, id))
+	if err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+
+	diffID, size, err := ls.ChecksumForGraphID(id, parent, filepath.Join(graphDir, id, tarDataFileName), filepath.Join(graphDir, id, migrationTarDataFileName))
+	if err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+
+	if err := ioutil.WriteFile(filepath.Join(graphDir, id, migrationSizeFileName), []byte(strconv.Itoa(int(size))), 0600); err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+
+	if err := ioutil.WriteFile(filepath.Join(graphDir, id, migrationDiffIDFileName), []byte(diffID), 0600); err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+
+	logrus.Infof("calculated checksum for layer %s: %s", id, diffID)
+	return nil
+}
+
+func restoreMappings(root string) (map[string]image.ID, error) {
+	mappings := make(map[string]image.ID)
+
 	mfile := filepath.Join(root, migrationFileName)
 	f, err := os.Open(mfile)
 	if err != nil && !os.IsNotExist(err) {
-		return err
+		return nil, err
 	} else if err == nil {
 		err := json.NewDecoder(f).Decode(&mappings)
 		if err != nil {
 			f.Close()
-			return err
+			return nil, err
 		}
 		f.Close()
 	}
 
+	return mappings, nil
+}
+
+func saveMappings(root string, mappings map[string]image.ID) error {
+	mfile := filepath.Join(root, migrationFileName)
+	f, err := os.OpenFile(mfile, os.O_WRONLY|os.O_CREATE|os.O_TRUNC, 0600)
+	if err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+	defer f.Close()
+	if err := json.NewEncoder(f).Encode(mappings); err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+	return nil
+}
+
+func migrateImages(root string, ls graphIDRegistrar, is image.Store, ms metadata.Store, mappings map[string]image.ID) error {
+	graphDir := filepath.Join(root, graphDirName)
+
 	dir, err := ioutil.ReadDir(graphDir)
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
@@ -105,15 +220,6 @@ func migrateImages(root string, ls graphIDRegistrar, is image.Store, ms metadata
 		}
 	}
 
-	f, err = os.OpenFile(mfile, os.O_WRONLY|os.O_CREATE|os.O_TRUNC, 0600)
-	if err != nil {
-		return err
-	}
-	defer f.Close()
-	if err := json.NewEncoder(f).Encode(mappings); err != nil {
-		return err
-	}
-
 	return nil
 }
 
@@ -251,6 +357,30 @@ func migrateRefs(root, driverName string, rs refAdder, mappings map[string]image
 	return nil
 }
 
+func getParent(confDir string) (string, error) {
+	jsonFile := filepath.Join(confDir, "json")
+	imageJSON, err := ioutil.ReadFile(jsonFile)
+	if err != nil {
+		return "", err
+	}
+	var parent struct {
+		Parent   string
+		ParentID digest.Digest `json:"parent_id"`
+	}
+	if err := json.Unmarshal(imageJSON, &parent); err != nil {
+		return "", err
+	}
+	if parent.Parent == "" && parent.ParentID != "" { // v1.9
+		parent.Parent = parent.ParentID.Hex()
+	}
+	// compatibilityID for parent
+	parentCompatibilityID, err := ioutil.ReadFile(filepath.Join(confDir, "parent"))
+	if err == nil && len(parentCompatibilityID) > 0 {
+		parent.Parent = string(parentCompatibilityID)
+	}
+	return parent.Parent, nil
+}
+
 func migrateImage(id, root string, ls graphIDRegistrar, is image.Store, ms metadata.Store, mappings map[string]image.ID) (err error) {
 	defer func() {
 		if err != nil {
@@ -258,36 +388,20 @@ func migrateImage(id, root string, ls graphIDRegistrar, is image.Store, ms metad
 		}
 	}()
 
-	jsonFile := filepath.Join(root, graphDirName, id, "json")
-	imageJSON, err := ioutil.ReadFile(jsonFile)
+	parent, err := getParent(filepath.Join(root, graphDirName, id))
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
-	var parent struct {
-		Parent   string
-		ParentID digest.Digest `json:"parent_id"`
-	}
-	if err := json.Unmarshal(imageJSON, &parent); err != nil {
-		return err
-	}
-	if parent.Parent == "" && parent.ParentID != "" { // v1.9
-		parent.Parent = parent.ParentID.Hex()
-	}
-	// compatibilityID for parent
-	parentCompatibilityID, err := ioutil.ReadFile(filepath.Join(root, graphDirName, id, "parent"))
-	if err == nil && len(parentCompatibilityID) > 0 {
-		parent.Parent = string(parentCompatibilityID)
-	}
 
 	var parentID image.ID
-	if parent.Parent != "" {
+	if parent != "" {
 		var exists bool
-		if parentID, exists = mappings[parent.Parent]; !exists {
-			if err := migrateImage(parent.Parent, root, ls, is, ms, mappings); err != nil {
+		if parentID, exists = mappings[parent]; !exists {
+			if err := migrateImage(parent, root, ls, is, ms, mappings); err != nil {
 				// todo: fail or allow broken chains?
 				return err
 			}
-			parentID = mappings[parent.Parent]
+			parentID = mappings[parent]
 		}
 	}
 
@@ -304,12 +418,32 @@ func migrateImage(id, root string, ls graphIDRegistrar, is image.Store, ms metad
 		history = parentImg.History
 	}
 
-	layer, err := ls.RegisterByGraphID(id, rootFS.ChainID(), filepath.Join(filepath.Join(root, graphDirName, id, tarDataFileName)))
+	diffID, err := ioutil.ReadFile(filepath.Join(root, graphDirName, id, migrationDiffIDFileName))
+	if err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+
+	sizeStr, err := ioutil.ReadFile(filepath.Join(root, graphDirName, id, migrationSizeFileName))
+	if err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+	size, err := strconv.ParseInt(string(sizeStr), 10, 64)
+	if err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+
+	layer, err := ls.RegisterByGraphID(id, rootFS.ChainID(), layer.DiffID(diffID), filepath.Join(root, graphDirName, id, migrationTarDataFileName), size)
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
 	logrus.Infof("migrated layer %s to %s", id, layer.DiffID())
 
+	jsonFile := filepath.Join(root, graphDirName, id, "json")
+	imageJSON, err := ioutil.ReadFile(jsonFile)
+	if err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+
 	h, err := imagev1.HistoryFromConfig(imageJSON, false)
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
diff --git a/migrate/v1/migratev1_test.go b/migrate/v1/migratev1_test.go
index 5ee8206fdf..5fe26637e0 100644
--- a/migrate/v1/migratev1_test.go
+++ b/migrate/v1/migratev1_test.go
@@ -234,12 +234,30 @@ func TestMigrateUnsupported(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 	defer os.RemoveAll(tmpdir)
 
+	err = os.MkdirAll(filepath.Join(tmpdir, "graph"), 0700)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+
 	err = Migrate(tmpdir, "generic", nil, nil, nil, nil)
 	if err != errUnsupported {
 		t.Fatalf("expected unsupported error, got %q", err)
 	}
 }
 
+func TestMigrateEmptyDir(t *testing.T) {
+	tmpdir, err := ioutil.TempDir("", "migrate-empty")
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+	defer os.RemoveAll(tmpdir)
+
+	err = Migrate(tmpdir, "generic", nil, nil, nil, nil)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+}
+
 func addImage(dest, jsonConfig, parent, checksum string) (string, error) {
 	var config struct{ ID string }
 	if err := json.Unmarshal([]byte(jsonConfig), &config); err != nil {
@@ -257,6 +275,17 @@ func addImage(dest, jsonConfig, parent, checksum string) (string, error) {
 	if err := ioutil.WriteFile(filepath.Join(contDir, "json"), []byte(jsonConfig), 0600); err != nil {
 		return "", err
 	}
+	if checksum != "" {
+		if err := ioutil.WriteFile(filepath.Join(contDir, "checksum"), []byte(checksum), 0600); err != nil {
+			return "", err
+		}
+	}
+	if err := ioutil.WriteFile(filepath.Join(contDir, ".migration-diffid"), []byte(layer.EmptyLayer.DiffID()), 0600); err != nil {
+		return "", err
+	}
+	if err := ioutil.WriteFile(filepath.Join(contDir, ".migration-size"), []byte("0"), 0600); err != nil {
+		return "", err
+	}
 	if parent != "" {
 		if err := ioutil.WriteFile(filepath.Join(contDir, "parent"), []byte(parent), 0600); err != nil {
 			return "", err
@@ -305,7 +334,7 @@ type mockRegistrar struct {
 	count  int
 }
 
-func (r *mockRegistrar) RegisterByGraphID(graphID string, parent layer.ChainID, tarDataFile string) (layer.Layer, error) {
+func (r *mockRegistrar) RegisterByGraphID(graphID string, parent layer.ChainID, diffID layer.DiffID, tarDataFile string, size int64) (layer.Layer, error) {
 	r.count++
 	l := &mockLayer{}
 	if parent != "" {
@@ -316,7 +345,7 @@ func (r *mockRegistrar) RegisterByGraphID(graphID string, parent layer.ChainID,
 		l.parent = p
 		l.diffIDs = append(l.diffIDs, p.diffIDs...)
 	}
-	l.diffIDs = append(l.diffIDs, layer.EmptyLayer.DiffID())
+	l.diffIDs = append(l.diffIDs, diffID)
 	if r.layers == nil {
 		r.layers = make(map[layer.ChainID]*mockLayer)
 	}