diff --git a/go/operation/lookup_volume_id.go b/go/operation/lookup_volume_id.go
index 2e488353b..7e4f5dd08 100644
--- a/go/operation/lookup_volume_id.go
+++ b/go/operation/lookup_volume_id.go
@@ -11,12 +11,13 @@ import (
 )
 
 type Location struct {
-	Url       string `json:"url"`
-	PublicUrl string `json:"publicUrl"`
+	Url       string `json:"url,omitempty"`
+	PublicUrl string `json:"publicUrl,omitempty"`
 }
 type LookupResult struct {
-	Locations []Location `json:"locations"`
-	Error     string     `json:"error"`
+	VolumeId  string     `json:"volumeId,omitempty"`
+	Locations []Location `json:"locations,omitempty"`
+	Error     string     `json:"error,omitempty"`
 }
 
 func Lookup(server string, vid string) (*LookupResult, error) {
@@ -51,3 +52,20 @@ func LookupFileId(server string, fileId string) (fullUrl string, err error) {
 	}
 	return "http://" + lookup.Locations[rand.Intn(len(lookup.Locations))].PublicUrl + "/" + fileId, nil
 }
+
+func LookupVolumeIds(server string, vids []string) ([]LookupResult, error) {
+	values := make(url.Values)
+	for _, vid := range vids {
+		values.Add("volumeId", vid)
+	}
+	jsonBlob, err := util.Post("http://"+server+"/vol/lookup", values)
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, err
+	}
+	var ret []LookupResult
+	err = json.Unmarshal(jsonBlob, &ret)
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, err
+	}
+	return ret, nil
+}
diff --git a/go/weed/weed_server/master_server_handlers.go b/go/weed/weed_server/master_server_handlers.go
index b1705560b..f1ceeedcb 100644
--- a/go/weed/weed_server/master_server_handlers.go
+++ b/go/weed/weed_server/master_server_handlers.go
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 package weed_server
 
 import (
+	"code.google.com/p/weed-fs/go/operation"
 	"code.google.com/p/weed-fs/go/stats"
 	"code.google.com/p/weed-fs/go/storage"
 	"code.google.com/p/weed-fs/go/topology"
@@ -12,18 +13,8 @@ import (
 	"strings"
 )
 
-type LookupResultLocation struct {
-	Url       string `json:"url,omitempty"`
-	PublicUrl string `json:"publicUrl,omitempty"`
-}
-type LookupResult struct {
-	VolumeId  string                 `json:"volumeId,omitempty"`
-	Locations []LookupResultLocation `json:"locations,omitempty"`
-	Error     string                 `json:"error,omitempty"`
-}
-
-func (ms *MasterServer) lookupVolumeId(vids []string, collection string) (volumeLocations map[string]LookupResult) {
-	volumeLocations = make(map[string]LookupResult)
+func (ms *MasterServer) lookupVolumeId(vids []string, collection string) (volumeLocations map[string]operation.LookupResult) {
+	volumeLocations = make(map[string]operation.LookupResult)
 	for _, vid := range vids {
 		commaSep := strings.Index(vid, ",")
 		if commaSep > 0 {
@@ -36,16 +27,16 @@ func (ms *MasterServer) lookupVolumeId(vids []string, collection string) (volume
 		if err == nil {
 			machines := ms.Topo.Lookup(collection, volumeId)
 			if machines != nil {
-				var ret []LookupResultLocation
+				var ret []operation.Location
 				for _, dn := range machines {
-					ret = append(ret, LookupResultLocation{Url: dn.Url(), PublicUrl: dn.PublicUrl})
+					ret = append(ret, operation.Location{Url: dn.Url(), PublicUrl: dn.PublicUrl})
 				}
-				volumeLocations[vid] = LookupResult{VolumeId: vid, Locations: ret}
+				volumeLocations[vid] = operation.LookupResult{VolumeId: vid, Locations: ret}
 			} else {
-				volumeLocations[vid] = LookupResult{VolumeId: vid, Error: "volumeId not found."}
+				volumeLocations[vid] = operation.LookupResult{VolumeId: vid, Error: "volumeId not found."}
 			}
 		} else {
-			volumeLocations[vid] = LookupResult{VolumeId: vid, Error: "Unknown volumeId format."}
+			volumeLocations[vid] = operation.LookupResult{VolumeId: vid, Error: "Unknown volumeId format."}
 		}
 	}
 	return
@@ -74,7 +65,7 @@ func (ms *MasterServer) volumeLookupHandler(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Reque
 	vids := r.Form["volumeId"]
 	collection := r.FormValue("collection") //optional, but can be faster if too many collections
 	volumeLocations := ms.lookupVolumeId(vids, collection)
-	var ret []LookupResult
+	var ret []operation.LookupResult
 	for _, volumeLocation := range volumeLocations {
 		ret = append(ret, volumeLocation)
 	}