diff --git a/diskimage_builder/block_device/blockdevice.py b/diskimage_builder/block_device/blockdevice.py
index 661cd47ec..f869cb25a 100644
--- a/diskimage_builder/block_device/blockdevice.py
+++ b/diskimage_builder/block_device/blockdevice.py
@@ -17,6 +17,7 @@ import collections
 import json
 import logging
 import os
+import pickle
 import pprint
 import shutil
 import sys
@@ -217,6 +218,8 @@ class BlockDevice(object):
             = os.path.join(self.state_dir, "state.json")
         self.config_json_file_name \
             = os.path.join(self.state_dir, "config.json")
+        self.node_pickle_file_name \
+            = os.path.join(self.state_dir, "nodes.pickle")
 
         self.config = _load_json(self.config_json_file_name)
 
@@ -379,7 +382,12 @@ class BlockDevice(object):
                 rollback_cb()
             sys.exit(1)
 
+        # dump state and nodes, in order
+        # XXX: we only dump the call_order (i.e. nodes) not the whole
+        #      graph here, because later calls do not need the graph
+        #      at this stage.  might they?
         state.save_state(self.state_json_file_name)
+        pickle.dump(call_order, open(self.node_pickle_file_name, 'wb'))
 
         logger.info("create() finished")
         return 0
@@ -397,11 +405,9 @@ class BlockDevice(object):
             return 0
 
         # Deleting must be done in reverse order
-        dg, call_order = create_graph(self.config, self.params)
+        call_order = pickle.load(open(self.node_pickle_file_name, 'rb'))
         reverse_order = reversed(call_order)
 
-        if dg is None:
-            return 0
         for node in reverse_order:
             node.umount(state)
 
@@ -414,7 +420,7 @@ class BlockDevice(object):
         state = BlockDeviceState(self.state_json_file_name)
 
         # Deleting must be done in reverse order
-        dg, call_order = create_graph(self.config, self.params)
+        call_order = pickle.load(open(self.node_pickle_file_name, 'rb'))
         reverse_order = reversed(call_order)
 
         for node in reverse_order:
@@ -432,7 +438,7 @@ class BlockDevice(object):
         state = BlockDeviceState(self.state_json_file_name)
 
         # Deleting must be done in reverse order
-        dg, call_order = create_graph(self.config, self.params)
+        call_order = pickle.load(open(self.node_pickle_file_name, 'rb'))
         reverse_order = reversed(call_order)
 
         for node in reverse_order:
diff --git a/diskimage_builder/block_device/tests/plugin/test_a.py b/diskimage_builder/block_device/tests/plugin/test_a.py
index 4075e8333..0890bbd62 100644
--- a/diskimage_builder/block_device/tests/plugin/test_a.py
+++ b/diskimage_builder/block_device/tests/plugin/test_a.py
@@ -38,6 +38,10 @@ class TestANode(NodeBase):
         state['test_a']['value2'] = 'bar'
         return
 
+    def umount(self, state):
+        # Umount is run in reverse.  This key should exist from test_b
+        state['umount'].append('test_a')
+
 
 class TestA(PluginBase):
 
diff --git a/diskimage_builder/block_device/tests/plugin/test_b.py b/diskimage_builder/block_device/tests/plugin/test_b.py
index bfcc226f2..da1307b6f 100644
--- a/diskimage_builder/block_device/tests/plugin/test_b.py
+++ b/diskimage_builder/block_device/tests/plugin/test_b.py
@@ -35,6 +35,12 @@ class TestBNode(NodeBase):
         state['test_b']['value'] = 'baz'
         return
 
+    def umount(self, state):
+        # umount run in reverse.  this should run before test_a
+        assert 'umount' not in state
+        state['umount'] = []
+        state['umount'].append('test_b')
+
 
 class TestB(PluginBase):
 
diff --git a/diskimage_builder/block_device/tests/test_state.py b/diskimage_builder/block_device/tests/test_state.py
index 92a67a3dc..c855b6bba 100644
--- a/diskimage_builder/block_device/tests/test_state.py
+++ b/diskimage_builder/block_device/tests/test_state.py
@@ -62,9 +62,7 @@ class TestState(TestStateBase):
         bd_obj.cmd_create()
 
         # cmd_create should have persisted this to disk
-        state_file = os.path.join(self.build_dir.path,
-                                  'states', 'block-device',
-                                  'state.json')
+        state_file = bd_obj.state_json_file_name
         self.assertThat(state_file, FileExists())
 
         # ensure we see the values put in by the test extensions
@@ -76,6 +74,14 @@ class TestState(TestStateBase):
                                          'value2': 'bar'},
                               'test_b': {'value': 'baz'}})
 
+        pickle_file = bd_obj.node_pickle_file_name
+        self.assertThat(pickle_file, FileExists())
+
+        # run umount, which should load the picked nodes and run in
+        # reverse.  This will create some state in "test_b" that it
+        # added to by "test_a" ... ensuring it was run backwards.
+        bd_obj.cmd_umount()
+
     # Test state going missing between phases
     def test_missing_state(self):
         params = {