diff --git a/etcdserver/snapshot_store.go b/etcdserver/snapshot_store.go
index ac8ae5364..8f0e752b6 100644
--- a/etcdserver/snapshot_store.go
+++ b/etcdserver/snapshot_store.go
@@ -28,16 +28,17 @@ import (
 )
 
 type snapshot struct {
-	r raftpb.Snapshot
+	r  raftpb.Snapshot
+	kv dstorage.Snapshot
 }
 
 func (s *snapshot) raft() raftpb.Snapshot { return s.r }
 
-func (s *snapshot) size() uint64 { return 0 }
+func (s *snapshot) size() int64 { return s.kv.Size() }
 
-func (s *snapshot) writeTo(w io.Writer) (n int64, err error) { return 0, nil }
+func (s *snapshot) writeTo(w io.Writer) (n int64, err error) { return s.kv.WriteTo(w) }
 
-func (s *snapshot) close() {}
+func (s *snapshot) close() error { return s.kv.Close() }
 
 type snapshotStore struct {
 	// dir to save snapshot data
@@ -72,10 +73,12 @@ func (ss *snapshotStore) getSnap() (*snapshot, error) {
 
 	// ask to generate v2 snapshot
 	ss.reqsnapc <- struct{}{}
-	// TODO: generate v3 snapshot at here
+	// generate KV snapshot
+	kvsnap := ss.kv.Snapshot()
 	raftsnap := <-ss.raftsnapc
 	ss.snap = &snapshot{
-		r: raftsnap,
+		r:  raftsnap,
+		kv: kvsnap,
 	}
 	return ss.snap, nil
 }
diff --git a/storage/backend/backend.go b/storage/backend/backend.go
index 1ce9907af..d4f054b32 100644
--- a/storage/backend/backend.go
+++ b/storage/backend/backend.go
@@ -26,12 +26,21 @@ import (
 
 type Backend interface {
 	BatchTx() BatchTx
-	Snapshot(w io.Writer) (n int64, err error)
+	Snapshot() Snapshot
 	Hash() (uint32, error)
 	ForceCommit()
 	Close() error
 }
 
+type Snapshot interface {
+	// Size gets the size of the snapshot.
+	Size() int64
+	// WriteTo writes the snapshot into the given writter.
+	WriteTo(w io.Writer) (n int64, err error)
+	// Close closes the snapshot.
+	Close() error
+}
+
 type backend struct {
 	db *bolt.DB
 
@@ -79,12 +88,12 @@ func (b *backend) ForceCommit() {
 	b.batchTx.Commit()
 }
 
-func (b *backend) Snapshot(w io.Writer) (n int64, err error) {
-	b.db.View(func(tx *bolt.Tx) error {
-		n, err = tx.WriteTo(w)
-		return nil
-	})
-	return n, err
+func (b *backend) Snapshot() Snapshot {
+	tx, err := b.db.Begin(false)
+	if err != nil {
+		log.Fatalf("storage: cannot begin tx (%s)", err)
+	}
+	return &snapshot{tx}
 }
 
 func (b *backend) Hash() (uint32, error) {
@@ -133,3 +142,9 @@ func (b *backend) Close() error {
 	<-b.donec
 	return b.db.Close()
 }
+
+type snapshot struct {
+	*bolt.Tx
+}
+
+func (s *snapshot) Close() error { return s.Tx.Rollback() }
diff --git a/storage/backend/backend_test.go b/storage/backend/backend_test.go
index 96ed973a1..9a3fcb112 100644
--- a/storage/backend/backend_test.go
+++ b/storage/backend/backend_test.go
@@ -72,8 +72,9 @@ func TestBackendSnapshot(t *testing.T) {
 	if err != nil {
 		t.Fatal(err)
 	}
-	_, err = b.Snapshot(f)
-	if err != nil {
+	snap := b.Snapshot()
+	defer snap.Close()
+	if _, err := snap.WriteTo(f); err != nil {
 		t.Fatal(err)
 	}
 	f.Close()
diff --git a/storage/kv.go b/storage/kv.go
index 3e026251b..e8250f081 100644
--- a/storage/kv.go
+++ b/storage/kv.go
@@ -15,8 +15,7 @@
 package storage
 
 import (
-	"io"
-
+	"github.com/coreos/etcd/storage/backend"
 	"github.com/coreos/etcd/storage/storagepb"
 )
 
@@ -24,6 +23,8 @@ import (
 // wait for the work to stop.
 type CancelFunc func()
 
+type Snapshot backend.Snapshot
+
 type KV interface {
 	// Rev returns the current revision of the KV.
 	Rev() int64
@@ -65,8 +66,8 @@ type KV interface {
 	// This method is designed for consistency checking purpose.
 	Hash() (uint32, error)
 
-	// Write a snapshot to the given io writer
-	Snapshot(w io.Writer) (int64, error)
+	// Snapshot snapshots the full KV store.
+	Snapshot() Snapshot
 
 	Restore() error
 	Close() error
diff --git a/storage/kv_test.go b/storage/kv_test.go
index bc7e12a91..cfb4bb6e8 100644
--- a/storage/kv_test.go
+++ b/storage/kv_test.go
@@ -706,7 +706,9 @@ func TestKVSnapshot(t *testing.T) {
 	if err != nil {
 		t.Fatal(err)
 	}
-	_, err = s.Snapshot(f)
+	snap := s.Snapshot()
+	defer snap.Close()
+	_, err = snap.WriteTo(f)
 	if err != nil {
 		t.Fatal(err)
 	}
diff --git a/storage/kvstore.go b/storage/kvstore.go
index 8e2a530d4..628348801 100644
--- a/storage/kvstore.go
+++ b/storage/kvstore.go
@@ -16,7 +16,6 @@ package storage
 
 import (
 	"errors"
-	"io"
 	"log"
 	"math"
 	"math/rand"
@@ -292,9 +291,9 @@ func (s *store) Hash() (uint32, error) {
 	return s.b.Hash()
 }
 
-func (s *store) Snapshot(w io.Writer) (int64, error) {
+func (s *store) Snapshot() Snapshot {
 	s.b.ForceCommit()
-	return s.b.Snapshot(w)
+	return s.b.Snapshot()
 }
 
 func (s *store) Restore() error {
diff --git a/storage/kvstore_test.go b/storage/kvstore_test.go
index e74a5c2b8..c1bc0d195 100644
--- a/storage/kvstore_test.go
+++ b/storage/kvstore_test.go
@@ -17,8 +17,6 @@ package storage
 import (
 	"crypto/rand"
 	"encoding/binary"
-	"errors"
-	"io"
 	"math"
 	"os"
 	"reflect"
@@ -721,11 +719,11 @@ type fakeBackend struct {
 	tx *fakeBatchTx
 }
 
-func (b *fakeBackend) BatchTx() backend.BatchTx                  { return b.tx }
-func (b *fakeBackend) Hash() (uint32, error)                     { return 0, nil }
-func (b *fakeBackend) Snapshot(w io.Writer) (n int64, err error) { return 0, errors.New("unsupported") }
-func (b *fakeBackend) ForceCommit()                              {}
-func (b *fakeBackend) Close() error                              { return nil }
+func (b *fakeBackend) BatchTx() backend.BatchTx   { return b.tx }
+func (b *fakeBackend) Hash() (uint32, error)      { return 0, nil }
+func (b *fakeBackend) Snapshot() backend.Snapshot { return nil }
+func (b *fakeBackend) ForceCommit()               {}
+func (b *fakeBackend) Close() error               { return nil }
 
 type indexGetResp struct {
 	rev     revision