diff --git a/NEWS b/NEWS
index 7e7d1f47..bd6cbf84 100644
--- a/NEWS
+++ b/NEWS
@@ -1,3 +1,6 @@
+* Support moving of data files written to the datastore using standard Activity
+  write_file() API (dcbw)
+
 Snapshot c8700feccf
 
 * Removing activity from donut when not the active and the last one (erikos)
diff --git a/sugar/activity/activity.py b/sugar/activity/activity.py
index b0196271..a5661cd8 100644
--- a/sugar/activity/activity.py
+++ b/sugar/activity/activity.py
@@ -487,6 +487,7 @@ class Activity(Window, gtk.Container):
             pass
         self._updating_jobject = True
         datastore.write(self._jobject,
+                transfer_ownership=True,
                 reply_handler=self._internal_save_cb,
                 error_handler=self._internal_save_error_cb)
 
diff --git a/sugar/datastore/datastore.py b/sugar/datastore/datastore.py
index 6409a8a6..0be6a2fa 100644
--- a/sugar/datastore/datastore.py
+++ b/sugar/datastore/datastore.py
@@ -186,7 +186,7 @@ def create():
     metadata['mtime'] = metadata['ctime']
     return DSObject(object_id=None, metadata=metadata, file_path=None)
 
-def write(ds_object, update_mtime=True, reply_handler=None, error_handler=None, timeout=-1):
+def write(ds_object, update_mtime=True, transfer_ownership=False, reply_handler=None, error_handler=None, timeout=-1):
     logging.debug('datastore.write')
 
     properties = ds_object.metadata.get_dictionary().copy()
@@ -198,12 +198,14 @@ def write(ds_object, update_mtime=True, reply_handler=None, error_handler=None,
         dbus_helpers.update(ds_object.object_id,
                             properties,
                             ds_object.file_path,
+                            transfer_ownership,
                             reply_handler=reply_handler,
                             error_handler=error_handler,
                             timeout=timeout)
     else:
         ds_object.object_id = dbus_helpers.create(properties,
-                                                  ds_object.file_path)
+                                                  ds_object.file_path,
+                                                  transfer_ownership)
         # TODO: register the object for updates
     logging.debug('Written object %s to the datastore.' % ds_object.object_id)
 
diff --git a/sugar/datastore/dbus_helpers.py b/sugar/datastore/dbus_helpers.py
index 6625d22a..88dfb6d2 100644
--- a/sugar/datastore/dbus_helpers.py
+++ b/sugar/datastore/dbus_helpers.py
@@ -40,20 +40,26 @@ def _get_data_store():
                                      DS_DBUS_INTERFACE)
     return _data_store
 
-def create(properties, filename):
-    object_id = _get_data_store().create(dbus.Dictionary(properties), filename)
+def create(properties, filename, transfer_ownership=False):
+    object_id = _get_data_store().create(dbus.Dictionary(properties), filename,
+                    transfer_ownership)
     logging.debug('dbus_helpers.create: ' + object_id)
     return object_id
 
-def update(uid, properties, filename, reply_handler=None, error_handler=None, timeout=-1):
-    logging.debug('dbus_helpers.update: %s, %s, %s' % (uid, filename, properties))
+def update(uid, properties, filename, transfer_ownership=False,
+        reply_handler=None, error_handler=None, timeout=-1):
+    debug_props = properties.copy()
+    if debug_props.has_key("preview"):
+        debug_props["preview"] = "<omitted>"
+    logging.debug('dbus_helpers.update: %s, %s, %s, %s' % (uid, filename, debug_props, transfer_ownership))
     if reply_handler and error_handler:
         _get_data_store().update(uid, dbus.Dictionary(properties), filename,
+                transfer_ownership,
                 reply_handler=reply_handler,
                 error_handler=error_handler,
                 timeout=timeout)
     else:
-        _get_data_store().update(uid, dbus.Dictionary(properties), filename)
+        _get_data_store().update(uid, dbus.Dictionary(properties), filename, transfer_ownership)
 
 def delete(uid):
     logging.debug('dbus_helpers.delete: %r' % uid)