diff --git a/pkg/registry/etcd_registry.go b/pkg/registry/etcd_registry.go
index 0372aa3da2f..b9cee2cc3b8 100644
--- a/pkg/registry/etcd_registry.go
+++ b/pkg/registry/etcd_registry.go
@@ -17,7 +17,6 @@ limitations under the License.
 package registry
 
 import (
-	"encoding/json"
 	"fmt"
 
 	"github.com/GoogleCloudPlatform/kubernetes/pkg/api"
@@ -90,56 +89,35 @@ func makeContainerKey(machine string) string {
 	return "/registry/hosts/" + machine + "/kubelet"
 }
 
-func (registry *EtcdRegistry) loadManifests(machine string) (manifests []api.ContainerManifest, index uint64, err error) {
-	index, err = registry.helper().ExtractObj(makeContainerKey(machine), &manifests, true)
-	return manifests, index, err
-}
-
-func (registry *EtcdRegistry) updateManifests(machine string, manifests []api.ContainerManifest, index uint64) error {
-	if index != 0 {
-		return registry.helper().CompareAndSwapObj(makeContainerKey(machine), manifests, index)
-	} else {
-		return registry.helper().SetObj(makeContainerKey(machine), manifests)
-	}
-}
-
 func (registry *EtcdRegistry) CreatePod(machineIn string, pod api.Pod) error {
 	podOut, machine, err := registry.findPod(pod.ID)
 	if err == nil {
+		// TODO: this error message looks racy.
 		return fmt.Errorf("a pod named %s already exists on %s (%#v)", pod.ID, machine, podOut)
 	}
 	return registry.runPod(pod, machineIn)
 }
 
 func (registry *EtcdRegistry) runPod(pod api.Pod, machine string) error {
-	manifests, index, err := registry.loadManifests(machine)
-	if err != nil {
-		return err
-	}
-
-	key := makePodKey(machine, pod.ID)
-	data, err := json.Marshal(pod)
-	if err != nil {
-		return err
-	}
-	_, err = registry.etcdClient.Create(key, string(data), 0)
+	podKey := makePodKey(machine, pod.ID)
+	err := registry.helper().SetObj(podKey, pod)
 
 	manifest, err := registry.manifestFactory.MakeManifest(machine, pod)
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
-	for {
-		manifests = append(manifests, manifest)
-		err = registry.updateManifests(machine, manifests, index)
-		if util.IsEtcdConflict(err) {
-			manifests, index, err = registry.loadManifests(machine)
-			if err != nil {
-				return err
-			}
-			continue
-		}
+
+	contKey := makeContainerKey(machine)
+	var manifests []api.ContainerManifest
+	err = registry.helper().AtomicUpdate(contKey, &manifests, func() (interface{}, error) {
+		return append(manifests, manifest), nil
+	})
+	if err != nil {
+		// Don't strand stuff.
+		registry.etcdClient.Delete(podKey, false)
 		return err
 	}
+	return nil
 }
 
 func (registry *EtcdRegistry) UpdatePod(pod api.Pod) error {
@@ -155,12 +133,19 @@ func (registry *EtcdRegistry) DeletePod(podID string) error {
 }
 
 func (registry *EtcdRegistry) deletePodFromMachine(machine, podID string) error {
-	for {
-		manifests, index, err := registry.loadManifests(machine)
-		if err != nil {
-			return err
-		}
-		newManifests := make([]api.ContainerManifest, 0)
+	// First delete the pod, so a scheduler doesn't notice it getting removed from the
+	// machine and attempt to put it somewhere.
+	podKey := makePodKey(machine, podID)
+	_, err := registry.etcdClient.Delete(podKey, true)
+	if err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+
+	// Next, remove the pod from the machine atomically.
+	contKey := makeContainerKey(machine)
+	var manifests []api.ContainerManifest
+	return registry.helper().AtomicUpdate(contKey, &manifests, func() (interface{}, error) {
+		newManifests := make([]api.ContainerManifest, 0, len(manifests))
 		found := false
 		for _, manifest := range manifests {
 			if manifest.Id != podID {
@@ -175,22 +160,13 @@ func (registry *EtcdRegistry) deletePodFromMachine(machine, podID string) error
 			// However it is "deleted" so log it and move on
 			glog.Infof("Couldn't find: %s in %#v", podID, manifests)
 		}
-		if err = registry.updateManifests(machine, newManifests, index); err != nil {
-			if util.IsEtcdConflict(err) {
-				continue
-			}
-			return err
-		}
-		break
-	}
-	key := makePodKey(machine, podID)
-	_, err := registry.etcdClient.Delete(key, true)
-	return err
+		return newManifests, nil
+	})
 }
 
 func (registry *EtcdRegistry) getPodForMachine(machine, podID string) (pod api.Pod, err error) {
 	key := makePodKey(machine, podID)
-	_, err = registry.helper().ExtractObj(key, &pod, false)
+	err = registry.helper().ExtractObj(key, &pod, false)
 	if err != nil {
 		return
 	}
@@ -225,7 +201,7 @@ func makeControllerKey(id string) string {
 func (registry *EtcdRegistry) GetController(controllerID string) (*api.ReplicationController, error) {
 	var controller api.ReplicationController
 	key := makeControllerKey(controllerID)
-	_, err := registry.helper().ExtractObj(key, &controller, false)
+	err := registry.helper().ExtractObj(key, &controller, false)
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, err
 	}
@@ -264,7 +240,7 @@ func (registry *EtcdRegistry) CreateService(svc api.Service) error {
 func (registry *EtcdRegistry) GetService(name string) (*api.Service, error) {
 	key := makeServiceKey(name)
 	var svc api.Service
-	_, err := registry.helper().ExtractObj(key, &svc, false)
+	err := registry.helper().ExtractObj(key, &svc, false)
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, err
 	}
diff --git a/pkg/registry/etcd_registry_test.go b/pkg/registry/etcd_registry_test.go
index e48475334b9..2fe21a79b59 100644
--- a/pkg/registry/etcd_registry_test.go
+++ b/pkg/registry/etcd_registry_test.go
@@ -267,8 +267,7 @@ func TestEtcdDeletePod(t *testing.T) {
 	expectNoError(t, err)
 	if len(fakeClient.DeletedKeys) != 1 {
 		t.Errorf("Expected 1 delete, found %#v", fakeClient.DeletedKeys)
-	}
-	if fakeClient.DeletedKeys[0] != key {
+	} else if fakeClient.DeletedKeys[0] != key {
 		t.Errorf("Unexpected key: %s, expected %s", fakeClient.DeletedKeys[0], key)
 	}
 	response, _ := fakeClient.Get("/registry/hosts/machine/kubelet", false, false)
diff --git a/pkg/util/etcd_tools.go b/pkg/util/etcd_tools.go
index aeb2d45bc06..912147ab55d 100644
--- a/pkg/util/etcd_tools.go
+++ b/pkg/util/etcd_tools.go
@@ -116,27 +116,10 @@ func (h *EtcdHelper) ExtractList(key string, slicePtr interface{}) error {
 // Unmarshals json found at key into objPtr. On a not found error, will either return
 // a zero object of the requested type, or an error, depending on ignoreNotFound. Treats
 // empty responses and nil response nodes exactly like a not found error.
-func (h *EtcdHelper) ExtractObj(key string, objPtr interface{}, ignoreNotFound bool) (modifiedIndex uint64, err error) {
-	_, modifiedIndex, err = h.bodyAndExtractObj(key, objPtr, ignoreNotFound)
-	return modifiedIndex, err
-}
-
-// CompareAndSwapObj marshals obj via json, and stores under key so long as index matches
-// the previous modified index.
-func (h *EtcdHelper) CompareAndSwapObj(key string, obj interface{}, index uint64) error {
-	data, err := json.Marshal(obj)
-	if err != nil {
-		return err
-	}
-	_, err = h.Client.CompareAndSwap(key, string(data), 0, "", index)
-	return err
-}
-
-/*
 func (h *EtcdHelper) ExtractObj(key string, objPtr interface{}, ignoreNotFound bool) error {
 	_, _, err := h.bodyAndExtractObj(key, objPtr, ignoreNotFound)
 	return err
-}*/
+}
 
 func (h *EtcdHelper) bodyAndExtractObj(key string, objPtr interface{}, ignoreNotFound bool) (body string, modifiedIndex uint64, err error) {
 	response, err := h.Client.Get(key, false, false)
@@ -202,11 +185,19 @@ func (h *EtcdHelper) AtomicUpdate(key string, objPtr interface{}, tryUpdate Etcd
 			return err
 		}
 
+		// First time this key has been used, just set.
+		if index == 0 {
+			//return h.SetObj(key, ret)
+		}
+
 		data, err := json.Marshal(ret)
 		if err != nil {
 			return err
 		}
 		_, err = h.Client.CompareAndSwap(key, string(data), 0, origBody, index)
+		if IsEtcdConflict(err) {
+			continue
+		}
 		return err
 	}
 }
diff --git a/pkg/util/etcd_tools_test.go b/pkg/util/etcd_tools_test.go
index 4355dcd66b9..30c4c6243b9 100644
--- a/pkg/util/etcd_tools_test.go
+++ b/pkg/util/etcd_tools_test.go
@@ -86,7 +86,7 @@ func TestExtractObj(t *testing.T) {
 	fakeClient.Set("/some/key", MakeJSONString(expect), 0)
 	helper := EtcdHelper{fakeClient}
 	var got testMarshalType
-	_, err := helper.ExtractObj("/some/key", &got, false)
+	err := helper.ExtractObj("/some/key", &got, false)
 	if err != nil {
 		t.Errorf("Unexpected error %#v", err)
 	}
@@ -120,11 +120,11 @@ func TestExtractObjNotFoundErr(t *testing.T) {
 	helper := EtcdHelper{fakeClient}
 	try := func(key string) {
 		var got testMarshalType
-		_, err := helper.ExtractObj(key, &got, false)
+		err := helper.ExtractObj(key, &got, false)
 		if err == nil {
 			t.Errorf("%s: wanted error but didn't get one", key)
 		}
-		_, err = helper.ExtractObj(key, &got, true)
+		err = helper.ExtractObj(key, &got, true)
 		if err != nil {
 			t.Errorf("%s: didn't want error but got %#v", key, err)
 		}
diff --git a/pkg/util/fake_etcd_client.go b/pkg/util/fake_etcd_client.go
index 918af95064c..9fddd076695 100644
--- a/pkg/util/fake_etcd_client.go
+++ b/pkg/util/fake_etcd_client.go
@@ -61,6 +61,7 @@ func (f *FakeEtcdClient) Get(key string, sort, recursive bool) (*etcd.Response,
 		f.t.Errorf("Unexpected get for %s", key)
 		return &etcd.Response{}, &etcd.EtcdError{ErrorCode: 100} // Key not found
 	}
+	f.t.Logf("returning %v: %v %#v", key, result.R, result.E)
 	return result.R, result.E
 }
 
@@ -85,6 +86,13 @@ func (f *FakeEtcdClient) Create(key, value string, ttl uint64) (*etcd.Response,
 	return f.Set(key, value, ttl)
 }
 func (f *FakeEtcdClient) Delete(key string, recursive bool) (*etcd.Response, error) {
+	f.Data[key] = EtcdResponseWithError{
+		R: &etcd.Response{
+			Node: nil,
+		},
+		E: &etcd.EtcdError{ErrorCode: 100},
+	}
+
 	f.DeletedKeys = append(f.DeletedKeys, key)
 	return &etcd.Response{}, f.Err
 }