diff --git a/src/packages/nats/sync/eventually-consistent-kv.ts b/src/packages/nats/sync/eventually-consistent-kv.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..adcb606b7f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/packages/nats/sync/eventually-consistent-kv.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,98 @@
+/*
+Eventually Consistent Distributed Key:Value Store
+
+DEVELOPMENT:
+
+~/cocalc/src/packages/server$ node
+Welcome to Node.js v18.17.1.
+Type ".help" for more information.
+> env = await require("@cocalc/backend/nats/env").getEnv(); a = require("@cocalc/nats/sync/eventually-consistent-kv"); s = new a.EventuallyConsistentKV({name:'test',env,filter:['foo.>'],merge:({parent,local,remote})=>local}); await s.init();
+*/
+
+import { EventEmitter } from "events";
+import { KV } from "./kv";
+import { reuseInFlight } from "@cocalc/util/reuse-in-flight";
+import { type NatsEnv } from "@cocalc/nats/types";
+
+const TOMBSTONE = Symbol("tombstone");
+
+export class EventuallyConsistentKV extends EventEmitter {
+  private kv: KV;
+  private local: { [key: string]: any } = {};
+  private merge: (opts: { parent; local; remote }) => any;
+
+  constructor({
+    name,
+    env,
+    filter,
+    merge,
+    options,
+  }: {
+    name: string;
+    env: NatsEnv;
+    // conflict resolution
+    merge: (opts: { parent; local; remote }) => any;
+    // filter: optionally restrict to subset of named kv store matching these subjects.
+    // NOTE: any key name that you *set or delete* should match one of these
+    filter?: string | string[];
+    options?;
+  }) {
+    super();
+    this.merge = merge;
+    this.kv = new KV({ name, env, filter, options });
+    return new Proxy(this, {
+      set(target, prop, value) {
+        if (!target.kv.isValidKey(String(prop))) {
+          throw Error(`set: key (=${String(prop)}) must match the filter`);
+        }
+        target.set(prop, value);
+        return true;
+      },
+      get(target, prop) {
+        const x =
+          target[prop] ?? target.local[String(prop)] ?? target.kv.get(prop);
+        return x === TOMBSTONE ? undefined : x;
+      },
+    });
+  }
+
+  init = reuseInFlight(async () => {
+    await this.kv.init();
+  });
+
+  get = () => {
+    const x = { ...this.kv.get(), ...this.local };
+    for (const key in this.local) {
+      if (this.local[key] === TOMBSTONE) {
+        delete x[key];
+      }
+    }
+    return x;
+  };
+
+  set = (...args) => {
+    if (args.length == 2) {
+      this.local[args[0]] = args[1] ?? TOMBSTONE;
+      return;
+    }
+    const obj = args[0];
+    for (const key in obj) {
+      this.local[key] = obj[key] ?? TOMBSTONE;
+    }
+  };
+
+  save = async () => {
+    const obj = { ...this.local };
+    for (const key in obj) {
+      if (obj[key] === TOMBSTONE) {
+        obj[key] = undefined;
+      }
+    }
+    await this.kv.set(obj);
+    for (const key in obj) {
+      if (obj[key] === this.local[key]) {
+        delete this.local[key];
+      }
+    }
+  };
+}
diff --git a/src/packages/nats/sync/kv.ts b/src/packages/nats/sync/kv.ts
index 6b154870a4..d83fb16a6b 100644
--- a/src/packages/nats/sync/kv.ts
+++ b/src/packages/nats/sync/kv.ts
@@ -198,7 +198,8 @@ export class KV extends EventEmitter {
       return this.times?.[key];
     }
   };
-  private matches = (key: string) => {
+
+  isValidKey = (key: string) => {
     if (this.filter == null) {
       return true;
     }
@@ -211,7 +212,7 @@ export class KV extends EventEmitter {
   };
 
   delete = async (key, revision?) => {
-    if (!this.matches(key)) {
+    if (!this.isValidKey(key)) {
       throw Error(
         `delete: key (=${key}) must match the filter: ${JSON.stringify(this.filter)}`,
       );
@@ -289,7 +290,7 @@ export class KV extends EventEmitter {
   };
 
   private setOne = async (key, value) => {
-    if (!this.matches(key)) {
+    if (!this.isValidKey(key)) {
       throw Error(
         `set: key (=${key}) must match the filter: ${JSON.stringify(this.filter)}`,
       );