diff --git a/src/cryfs/impl/filesystem/CryDevice.cpp b/src/cryfs/impl/filesystem/CryDevice.cpp
index e58c5828..a8dee3d8 100644
--- a/src/cryfs/impl/filesystem/CryDevice.cpp
+++ b/src/cryfs/impl/filesystem/CryDevice.cpp
@@ -191,17 +191,15 @@ optional<unique_ref<fspp::Node>> CryDevice::Load(const bf::path &path) {
 
   if (path.parent_path().empty()) {
     //We are asked to load the base directory '/'.
-    return optional<unique_ref<fspp::Node>>(make_unique_ref<CryDir>(this, none, none, _rootBlobId, std::vector<BlockId>()));
+    return optional<unique_ref<fspp::Node>>(make_unique_ref<CryDir>(this, none, none, _rootBlobId));
   }
 
-  auto parentWithAncestors = LoadDirBlobWithAncestors(path.parent_path());
+  auto parentWithAncestors = LoadDirBlobWithAncestors(path.parent_path(), none);
   if (parentWithAncestors == none) {
     return none;
   }
   auto parent = std::move(parentWithAncestors->blob);
   auto grandparent = std::move(parentWithAncestors->parent);
-  auto ancestors = std::move(parentWithAncestors->ancestors);
-  ancestors.push_back(parent->blockId()); // parent's ancestors don't contain parent yet, but parent is our ancestor
 
   auto optEntry = parent->GetChild(path.filename().string());
   if (optEntry == boost::none) {
@@ -211,17 +209,17 @@ optional<unique_ref<fspp::Node>> CryDevice::Load(const bf::path &path) {
 
   switch(entry.type()) {
     case fspp::Dir::EntryType::DIR:
-      return optional<unique_ref<fspp::Node>>(make_unique_ref<CryDir>(this, std::move(parent), std::move(grandparent), entry.blockId(), std::move(ancestors)));
+      return optional<unique_ref<fspp::Node>>(make_unique_ref<CryDir>(this, std::move(parent), std::move(grandparent), entry.blockId()));
     case fspp::Dir::EntryType::FILE:
-      return optional<unique_ref<fspp::Node>>(make_unique_ref<CryFile>(this, std::move(parent), std::move(grandparent), entry.blockId(), std::move(ancestors)));
+      return optional<unique_ref<fspp::Node>>(make_unique_ref<CryFile>(this, std::move(parent), std::move(grandparent), entry.blockId()));
     case  fspp::Dir::EntryType::SYMLINK:
-	  return optional<unique_ref<fspp::Node>>(make_unique_ref<CrySymlink>(this, std::move(parent), std::move(grandparent), entry.blockId(), std::move(ancestors)));
+	  return optional<unique_ref<fspp::Node>>(make_unique_ref<CrySymlink>(this, std::move(parent), std::move(grandparent), entry.blockId()));
   }
   ASSERT(false, "Switch/case not exhaustive");
 }
 
-optional<CryDevice::DirBlobWithAncestors> CryDevice::LoadDirBlobWithAncestors(const bf::path &path) {
-  auto blob = LoadBlobWithAncestors(path);
+optional<CryDevice::DirBlobWithAncestors> CryDevice::LoadDirBlobWithAncestors(const bf::path &path, boost::optional<std::vector<BlockId>*> append_ancestors_to) {
+  auto blob = LoadBlobWithAncestors(path, std::move(append_ancestors_to));
   if (blob == none) {
     return none;
   }
@@ -229,11 +227,10 @@ optional<CryDevice::DirBlobWithAncestors> CryDevice::LoadDirBlobWithAncestors(co
   if (dir == none) {
     throw FuseErrnoException(ENOTDIR); // Loaded blob is not a directory
   }
-  return DirBlobWithAncestors{std::move(*dir), std::move(blob->parent), std::move(blob->ancestors)};
+  return DirBlobWithAncestors{std::move(*dir), std::move(blob->parent)};
 }
 
-optional<CryDevice::BlobWithAncestors> CryDevice::LoadBlobWithAncestors(const bf::path &path) {
-  std::vector<blockstore::BlockId> ancestors;
+optional<CryDevice::BlobWithAncestors> CryDevice::LoadBlobWithAncestors(const bf::path &path, boost::optional<std::vector<BlockId>*> append_ancestors_to) {
   optional<unique_ref<DirBlobRef>> parentBlob = none;
   optional<unique_ref<FsBlobRef>> currentBlobOpt = _fsBlobStore->load(_rootBlobId);
   if (currentBlobOpt == none) {
@@ -244,7 +241,9 @@ optional<CryDevice::BlobWithAncestors> CryDevice::LoadBlobWithAncestors(const bf
   ASSERT(currentBlob->parentPointer() == BlockId::Null(), "Root Blob should have a nullptr as parent");
 
   for (const bf::path &component : path.relative_path()) {
-    ancestors.push_back(currentBlob->blockId());
+    if (append_ancestors_to != boost::none) {
+      (*append_ancestors_to)->push_back(currentBlob->blockId());
+    }
     auto currentDir = dynamic_pointer_move<DirBlobRef>(currentBlob);
     if (currentDir == none) {
       throw FuseErrnoException(ENOTDIR); // Path component is not a dir
@@ -265,7 +264,7 @@ optional<CryDevice::BlobWithAncestors> CryDevice::LoadBlobWithAncestors(const bf
     ASSERT(currentBlob->parentPointer() == (*parentBlob)->blockId(), "Blob has wrong parent pointer");
   }
 
-  return BlobWithAncestors{std::move(currentBlob), std::move(parentBlob), std::move(ancestors)};
+  return BlobWithAncestors{std::move(currentBlob), std::move(parentBlob)};
 
   //TODO (I think this is resolved, but I should test it)
   //     Running the python script, waiting for "Create files in sequential order...", then going into dir ~/tmp/cryfs-mount-.../Bonnie.../ and calling "ls"
diff --git a/src/cryfs/impl/filesystem/CryDevice.h b/src/cryfs/impl/filesystem/CryDevice.h
index 734d7d4c..53dd2e44 100644
--- a/src/cryfs/impl/filesystem/CryDevice.h
+++ b/src/cryfs/impl/filesystem/CryDevice.h
@@ -31,9 +31,8 @@ public:
   struct DirBlobWithAncestors {
       cpputils::unique_ref<parallelaccessfsblobstore::DirBlobRef> blob;
       boost::optional<cpputils::unique_ref<parallelaccessfsblobstore::DirBlobRef>> parent;
-      std::vector<blockstore::BlockId> ancestors;
   };
-  boost::optional<DirBlobWithAncestors> LoadDirBlobWithAncestors(const boost::filesystem::path &path);
+  boost::optional<DirBlobWithAncestors> LoadDirBlobWithAncestors(const boost::filesystem::path &path, boost::optional<std::vector<blockstore::BlockId>*> append_ancestors_to);
   void RemoveBlob(const blockstore::BlockId &blockId);
 
   void onFsAction(std::function<void()> callback);
@@ -69,9 +68,8 @@ private:
   struct BlobWithAncestors {
       cpputils::unique_ref<parallelaccessfsblobstore::FsBlobRef> blob;
       boost::optional<cpputils::unique_ref<parallelaccessfsblobstore::DirBlobRef>> parent;
-      std::vector<blockstore::BlockId> ancestors;
   };
-  boost::optional<BlobWithAncestors> LoadBlobWithAncestors(const boost::filesystem::path &path);
+  boost::optional<BlobWithAncestors> LoadBlobWithAncestors(const boost::filesystem::path &path, boost::optional<std::vector<blockstore::BlockId>*> append_ancestors_to);
 
   DISALLOW_COPY_AND_ASSIGN(CryDevice);
 };
diff --git a/src/cryfs/impl/filesystem/CryDir.cpp b/src/cryfs/impl/filesystem/CryDir.cpp
index 5150a340..9dff77f2 100644
--- a/src/cryfs/impl/filesystem/CryDir.cpp
+++ b/src/cryfs/impl/filesystem/CryDir.cpp
@@ -28,8 +28,8 @@ using cryfs::parallelaccessfsblobstore::DirBlobRef;
 
 namespace cryfs {
 
-CryDir::CryDir(CryDevice *device, optional<unique_ref<DirBlobRef>> parent, optional<unique_ref<DirBlobRef>> grandparent, const BlockId &blockId, std::vector<BlockId> ancestors)
-: CryNode(device, std::move(parent), std::move(grandparent), blockId, std::move(ancestors)) {
+CryDir::CryDir(CryDevice *device, optional<unique_ref<DirBlobRef>> parent, optional<unique_ref<DirBlobRef>> grandparent, const BlockId &blockId)
+: CryNode(device, std::move(parent), std::move(grandparent), blockId) {
 }
 
 CryDir::~CryDir() {
diff --git a/src/cryfs/impl/filesystem/CryDir.h b/src/cryfs/impl/filesystem/CryDir.h
index 5e4b15ce..74343774 100644
--- a/src/cryfs/impl/filesystem/CryDir.h
+++ b/src/cryfs/impl/filesystem/CryDir.h
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@ namespace cryfs {
 
 class CryDir final: public fspp::Dir, public CryNode {
 public:
-  CryDir(CryDevice *device, boost::optional<cpputils::unique_ref<parallelaccessfsblobstore::DirBlobRef>> parent, boost::optional<cpputils::unique_ref<parallelaccessfsblobstore::DirBlobRef>> grandparent, const blockstore::BlockId &blockId, std::vector<blockstore::BlockId> ancestors);
+  CryDir(CryDevice *device, boost::optional<cpputils::unique_ref<parallelaccessfsblobstore::DirBlobRef>> parent, boost::optional<cpputils::unique_ref<parallelaccessfsblobstore::DirBlobRef>> grandparent, const blockstore::BlockId &blockId);
   ~CryDir();
 
   //TODO return type variance to CryFile/CryDir?
diff --git a/src/cryfs/impl/filesystem/CryFile.cpp b/src/cryfs/impl/filesystem/CryFile.cpp
index 9a83c553..b598b04c 100644
--- a/src/cryfs/impl/filesystem/CryFile.cpp
+++ b/src/cryfs/impl/filesystem/CryFile.cpp
@@ -18,8 +18,8 @@ using cryfs::parallelaccessfsblobstore::FileBlobRef;
 
 namespace cryfs {
 
-CryFile::CryFile(CryDevice *device, unique_ref<DirBlobRef> parent, optional<unique_ref<DirBlobRef>> grandparent, const BlockId &blockId, std::vector<BlockId> ancestors)
-: CryNode(device, std::move(parent), std::move(grandparent), blockId, std::move(ancestors)) {
+CryFile::CryFile(CryDevice *device, unique_ref<DirBlobRef> parent, optional<unique_ref<DirBlobRef>> grandparent, const BlockId &blockId)
+: CryNode(device, std::move(parent), std::move(grandparent), blockId) {
 }
 
 CryFile::~CryFile() {
diff --git a/src/cryfs/impl/filesystem/CryFile.h b/src/cryfs/impl/filesystem/CryFile.h
index 1e429332..4e66e1ca 100644
--- a/src/cryfs/impl/filesystem/CryFile.h
+++ b/src/cryfs/impl/filesystem/CryFile.h
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@ namespace cryfs {
 
 class CryFile final: public fspp::File, public CryNode {
 public:
-  CryFile(CryDevice *device, cpputils::unique_ref<parallelaccessfsblobstore::DirBlobRef> parent, boost::optional<cpputils::unique_ref<parallelaccessfsblobstore::DirBlobRef>> grandparent, const blockstore::BlockId &blockId, std::vector<blockstore::BlockId> ancestors);
+  CryFile(CryDevice *device, cpputils::unique_ref<parallelaccessfsblobstore::DirBlobRef> parent, boost::optional<cpputils::unique_ref<parallelaccessfsblobstore::DirBlobRef>> grandparent, const blockstore::BlockId &blockId);
   ~CryFile();
 
   cpputils::unique_ref<fspp::OpenFile> open(fspp::openflags_t flags) override;
diff --git a/src/cryfs/impl/filesystem/CryNode.cpp b/src/cryfs/impl/filesystem/CryNode.cpp
index 0ad7c1ba..59ba2502 100644
--- a/src/cryfs/impl/filesystem/CryNode.cpp
+++ b/src/cryfs/impl/filesystem/CryNode.cpp
@@ -18,6 +18,7 @@ using cpputils::dynamic_pointer_move;
 using boost::optional;
 using boost::none;
 using std::shared_ptr;
+using std::vector;
 using cryfs::parallelaccessfsblobstore::FsBlobRef;
 using cryfs::parallelaccessfsblobstore::DirBlobRef;
 using namespace cpputils::logging;
@@ -27,11 +28,10 @@ using fspp::fuse::FuseErrnoException;
 
 namespace cryfs {
 
-CryNode::CryNode(CryDevice *device, optional<unique_ref<DirBlobRef>> parent, optional<unique_ref<DirBlobRef>> grandparent, const BlockId &blockId, std::vector<BlockId> ancestors)
+CryNode::CryNode(CryDevice *device, optional<unique_ref<DirBlobRef>> parent, optional<unique_ref<DirBlobRef>> grandparent, const BlockId &blockId)
 : _device(device),
   _parent(none),
   _grandparent(none),
-  _ancestors(std::move(ancestors)),
   _blockId(blockId) {
 
   ASSERT(parent != none || grandparent == none, "Grandparent can only be set when parent is not none");
@@ -88,15 +88,15 @@ void CryNode::rename(const bf::path &to) {
     throw FuseErrnoException(EBUSY);
   }
 
-  auto targetParentAndAncestors = _device->LoadDirBlobWithAncestors(to.parent_path());
+  vector<BlockId> targetAncestors;
+  auto targetParentAndAncestors = _device->LoadDirBlobWithAncestors(to.parent_path(), &targetAncestors);
   if (targetParentAndAncestors == none) {
     // Target parent directory doesn't exist
     throw FuseErrnoException(ENOENT);
   }
   auto targetParent = std::move(targetParentAndAncestors->blob);
   auto targetGrandparent = std::move(targetParentAndAncestors->parent);
-  auto targetAncestors = std::move(targetParentAndAncestors->ancestors);
-  targetAncestors.push_back(targetParent->blockId()); // targetParent is not an ancestor of the targetParent, but it's a target ancestor
+  targetAncestors.push_back(targetParent->blockId()); // targetParent is not an ancestor of the targetParent, so it wasn't filled in, but it's a target ancestor
 
   if (std::find(targetAncestors.begin(), targetAncestors.end(), _blockId) != targetAncestors.end()) {
     // We are trying to move a node into one of its subdirectories. This is not allowed.
diff --git a/src/cryfs/impl/filesystem/CryNode.h b/src/cryfs/impl/filesystem/CryNode.h
index a3e31443..c613ebb9 100644
--- a/src/cryfs/impl/filesystem/CryNode.h
+++ b/src/cryfs/impl/filesystem/CryNode.h
@@ -15,7 +15,7 @@ public:
   virtual ~CryNode();
 
   // TODO grandparent is only needed to set the timestamps of the parent directory on rename and remove. Delete grandparent parameter once we store timestamps in the blob itself instead of in the directory listing.
-  CryNode(CryDevice *device, boost::optional<cpputils::unique_ref<parallelaccessfsblobstore::DirBlobRef>> parent, boost::optional<cpputils::unique_ref<parallelaccessfsblobstore::DirBlobRef>> grandparent, const blockstore::BlockId &blockId, std::vector<blockstore::BlockId> ancestors);
+  CryNode(CryDevice *device, boost::optional<cpputils::unique_ref<parallelaccessfsblobstore::DirBlobRef>> parent, boost::optional<cpputils::unique_ref<parallelaccessfsblobstore::DirBlobRef>> grandparent, const blockstore::BlockId &blockId);
 
   void access(int mask) const override;
   stat_info stat() const override;
@@ -51,7 +51,6 @@ private:
   CryDevice *_device;
   boost::optional<std::shared_ptr<parallelaccessfsblobstore::DirBlobRef>> _parent;
   boost::optional<cpputils::unique_ref<parallelaccessfsblobstore::DirBlobRef>> _grandparent;
-  std::vector<blockstore::BlockId> _ancestors; // [n-1] is the parent, [n-2] is the grandparent, ..., [0] is the file system root,
   blockstore::BlockId _blockId;
 
   DISALLOW_COPY_AND_ASSIGN(CryNode);
diff --git a/src/cryfs/impl/filesystem/CrySymlink.cpp b/src/cryfs/impl/filesystem/CrySymlink.cpp
index 3e21836e..5b99ba79 100644
--- a/src/cryfs/impl/filesystem/CrySymlink.cpp
+++ b/src/cryfs/impl/filesystem/CrySymlink.cpp
@@ -21,8 +21,8 @@ using cryfs::parallelaccessfsblobstore::DirBlobRef;
 
 namespace cryfs {
 
-CrySymlink::CrySymlink(CryDevice *device, unique_ref<DirBlobRef> parent, optional<unique_ref<DirBlobRef>> grandparent, const BlockId &blockId, std::vector<blockstore::BlockId> ancestors)
-: CryNode(device, std::move(parent), std::move(grandparent), blockId, std::move(ancestors)) {
+CrySymlink::CrySymlink(CryDevice *device, unique_ref<DirBlobRef> parent, optional<unique_ref<DirBlobRef>> grandparent, const BlockId &blockId)
+: CryNode(device, std::move(parent), std::move(grandparent), blockId) {
 }
 
 CrySymlink::~CrySymlink() {
diff --git a/src/cryfs/impl/filesystem/CrySymlink.h b/src/cryfs/impl/filesystem/CrySymlink.h
index a906a9b4..ed8acea5 100644
--- a/src/cryfs/impl/filesystem/CrySymlink.h
+++ b/src/cryfs/impl/filesystem/CrySymlink.h
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@ namespace cryfs {
 
 class CrySymlink final: public fspp::Symlink, public CryNode {
 public:
-  CrySymlink(CryDevice *device, cpputils::unique_ref<parallelaccessfsblobstore::DirBlobRef> parent, boost::optional<cpputils::unique_ref<parallelaccessfsblobstore::DirBlobRef>> grandparent, const blockstore::BlockId &blockId, std::vector<blockstore::BlockId> ancestors);
+  CrySymlink(CryDevice *device, cpputils::unique_ref<parallelaccessfsblobstore::DirBlobRef> parent, boost::optional<cpputils::unique_ref<parallelaccessfsblobstore::DirBlobRef>> grandparent, const blockstore::BlockId &blockId);
   ~CrySymlink();
 
   boost::filesystem::path target() override;