diff --git a/examples/kv_backend.config b/examples/kv_backend.config
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..f730a88b8
--- /dev/null
+++ b/examples/kv_backend.config
@@ -0,0 +1,30 @@
+{mode, max}.
+
+{duration, 1}.
+{report_interval, 1}.
+
+{concurrent, 16}.
+
+{driver, basho_bench_driver_kv_backend}.
+{code_paths, [
+	"/Users/fritchie/b/src/riak_kv/ebin",
+	"/Users/fritchie/b/src/riak_core/ebin"
+	]}.
+
+{key_generator, {int_to_bin, {uniform_int, 5000}}}.
+{disable_sequential_int_progress_report, true}.
+{value_generator, {fixed_bin, 102480}}.
+
+%{be_disable_uses_r_object, true}.
+{be_backend_mod, riak_kv_yessir_backend}.
+{be_config, [
+             {yessir_return_same_r_obj, true},  % fastest & dumbest method
+             {yessir_default_size, 102480}	% coordinate with value_generator!
+            ]}.
+
+%{be_backend_mod, riak_kv_memory_backend}.
+%{be_config, [ ]}.
+
+%{operations, [{get, 10}]}.
+{operations, [{get, 10}, {put, 10}]}.
+%{operations, [{put, 10}]}.
diff --git a/src/basho_bench_driver_kv_backend.erl b/src/basho_bench_driver_kv_backend.erl
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..d9feeafdc
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/basho_bench_driver_kv_backend.erl
@@ -0,0 +1,87 @@
+%% -------------------------------------------------------------------
+%%
+%% basho_bench: Benchmarking Suite
+%%
+%% Copyright (c) 2009-2010 Basho Techonologies
+%%
+%% This file is provided to you under the Apache License,
+%% Version 2.0 (the "License"); you may not use this file
+%% except in compliance with the License.  You may obtain
+%% a copy of the License at
+%%
+%%   http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+%%
+%% Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing,
+%% software distributed under the License is distributed on an
+%% "AS IS" BASIS, WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY
+%% KIND, either express or implied.  See the License for the
+%% specific language governing permissions and limitations
+%% under the License.
+%%
+%% -------------------------------------------------------------------
+-module(basho_bench_driver_kv_backend).
+
+-export([new/1,
+         run/4]).
+
+-include("basho_bench.hrl").
+
+-record(state, {
+          backend :: atom(),
+          bucket :: binary(),
+          uses_r_object :: boolean(),
+          be_state :: term()
+         }).
+
+%% ====================================================================
+%% API
+%% ====================================================================
+
+%% @doc new
+%%
+%% Config items:
+%%   - be_backend_mod :: atom()
+%%   - be_disable_uses_r_object :: boolean()
+%%   - be_config :: proplist(), passed to start/2
+
+new(_Id) ->
+    Backend = basho_bench_config:get(be_backend_mod, riak_kv_yessir_backend),
+    io:format("DBG ~p\n", [Backend]),
+    Bucket = <<"Oh, shouldn't matter much">>,
+    {ok, Caps} = Backend:capabilities(x),
+    UsesRObj = proplists:get_value(uses_r_object, Caps, false),
+    RObjDisabled = basho_bench_config:get(be_disable_uses_r_object, false),
+    Use = UsesRObj andalso not RObjDisabled,
+    {ok, BE} = Backend:start(0, basho_bench_config:get(be_config, [])),
+
+    {ok, #state{backend=Backend, bucket=Bucket, uses_r_object=Use,
+                be_state=BE}}.
+
+run(get, KeyGen, _ValueGen,
+    #state{backend=Backend, bucket=Bucket, uses_r_object=RObjP,
+           be_state=BE} = State) ->
+    Key = KeyGen(),
+    if RObjP ->
+            {_ok_err, _, NewBE} = Backend:get_object(Bucket, Key, false, BE),
+            {ok, State#state{be_state = NewBE}};
+       true ->
+            {_ok_err, _, NewBE} = Backend:get(Bucket, Key, BE),
+            {ok, State#state{be_state = NewBE}}
+       end;
+run(put, KeyGen, ValueGen,
+    #state{backend=Backend, bucket=Bucket, be_state=BE} = State) ->
+    Key = KeyGen(),
+    Val = ValueGen(),
+    {ok, NewBE} = Backend:put(Bucket, Key, [], Val, BE),
+    {ok, State#state{be_state = NewBE}};
+run(do_something_else, KeyGen, ValueGen, State) ->
+    _Key = KeyGen(),
+    ValueGen(),
+    {ok, State};
+run(an_error, KeyGen, _ValueGen, State) ->
+    _Key = KeyGen(),
+    {error, went_wrong, State};
+run(another_error, KeyGen, _ValueGen, State) ->
+    _Key = KeyGen(),
+    {error, {bad, things, happened}, State}.
+