diff --git a/cmd/cammount/cammount.go b/cmd/cammount/cammount.go
index 433b7e0ff..ba912f6fb 100644
--- a/cmd/cammount/cammount.go
+++ b/cmd/cammount/cammount.go
@@ -36,6 +36,7 @@ import (
 	"camlistore.org/pkg/cacher"
 	"camlistore.org/pkg/client"
 	"camlistore.org/pkg/fs"
+	"camlistore.org/pkg/search"
 	"camlistore.org/third_party/code.google.com/p/rsc/fuse"
 )
 
@@ -46,7 +47,7 @@ var (
 )
 
 func usage() {
-	fmt.Fprint(os.Stderr, "usage: cammount [opts] [<mountpoint> [<root-blobref>|<share URL>]]\n")
+	fmt.Fprint(os.Stderr, "usage: cammount [opts] [<mountpoint> [<root-blobref>|<share URL>|<root-name>]]\n")
 	flag.PrintDefaults()
 	os.Exit(2)
 }
@@ -101,12 +102,26 @@ func main() {
 			}
 		} else {
 			cl = client.NewOrFail() // automatic from flags
+			cl.SetHTTPClient(&http.Client{Transport: cl.TransportForConfig(nil)})
+
 			var ok bool
 			root, ok = blob.Parse(rootArg)
+
 			if !ok {
-				log.Fatalf("Error parsing root blobref: %q\n", rootArg)
+				// not a blobref, check for root name instead
+				req := &search.WithAttrRequest{N: 1, Attr: "camliRoot", Value: rootArg}
+				wres, err := cl.GetPermanodesWithAttr(req)
+
+				if err != nil {
+					log.Fatal("could not query search")
+				}
+
+				if wres.WithAttr != nil {
+					root = wres.WithAttr[0].Permanode
+				} else {
+					log.Fatalf("root specified is not a blobref or name of a root: %q\n", rootArg)
+				}
 			}
-			cl.SetHTTPClient(&http.Client{Transport: cl.TransportForConfig(nil)})
 		}
 	} else {
 		cl = client.NewOrFail() // automatic from flags
@@ -120,12 +135,12 @@ func main() {
 	defer diskCacheFetcher.Clean()
 	if root.Valid() {
 		var err error
-		camfs, err = fs.NewRootedCamliFileSystem(diskCacheFetcher, root)
+		camfs, err = fs.NewRootedCamliFileSystem(cl, diskCacheFetcher, root)
 		if err != nil {
 			log.Fatalf("Error creating root with %v: %v", root, err)
 		}
 	} else {
-		camfs = fs.NewCamliFileSystem(cl, diskCacheFetcher)
+		camfs = fs.NewDefaultCamliFileSystem(cl, diskCacheFetcher)
 	}
 
 	if *debug {
diff --git a/pkg/fs/fs.go b/pkg/fs/fs.go
index a116f26d2..7f5c83cc7 100644
--- a/pkg/fs/fs.go
+++ b/pkg/fs/fs.go
@@ -67,9 +67,9 @@ func newCamliFileSystem(fetcher blob.SeekFetcher) *CamliFileSystem {
 	}
 }
 
-// NewCamliFileSystem returns a filesystem with a generic base, from which users
-// can navigate by blobref, tag, date, etc.
-func NewCamliFileSystem(client *client.Client, fetcher blob.SeekFetcher) *CamliFileSystem {
+// NewDefaultCamliFileSystem returns a filesystem with a generic base, from which
+// users can navigate by blobref, tag, date, etc.
+func NewDefaultCamliFileSystem(client *client.Client, fetcher blob.SeekFetcher) *CamliFileSystem {
 	if client == nil || fetcher == nil {
 		panic("nil argument")
 	}
@@ -79,21 +79,20 @@ func NewCamliFileSystem(client *client.Client, fetcher blob.SeekFetcher) *CamliF
 	return fs
 }
 
-// NewRootedCamliFileSystem returns a CamliFileSystem with root as its
-// base.
-func NewRootedCamliFileSystem(fetcher blob.SeekFetcher, root blob.Ref) (*CamliFileSystem, error) {
+// NewRootedCamliFileSystem returns a CamliFileSystem with a node based on a blobref
+// as its base.
+func NewRootedCamliFileSystem(cli *client.Client, fetcher blob.SeekFetcher, root blob.Ref) (*CamliFileSystem, error) {
 	fs := newCamliFileSystem(fetcher)
+	fs.client = cli
+
+	n, err := fs.newNodeFromBlobRef(root)
 
-	blob, err := fs.fetchSchemaMeta(root)
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, err
 	}
-	if blob.Type() != "directory" {
-		return nil, fmt.Errorf("Blobref must be of a directory, got a %v", blob.Type())
-	}
-	n := &node{fs: fs, blobref: root, meta: blob}
-	n.populateAttr()
+
 	fs.root = n
+
 	return fs, nil
 }
 
@@ -347,6 +346,27 @@ func (fs *CamliFileSystem) fetchSchemaMeta(br blob.Ref) (*schema.Blob, error) {
 	return blob, nil
 }
 
+// consolated logic for determining a node to mount based on an arbitrary blobref
+func (fs *CamliFileSystem) newNodeFromBlobRef(root blob.Ref) (fuse.Node, error) {
+	blob, err := fs.fetchSchemaMeta(root)
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, err
+	}
+
+	switch blob.Type() {
+	case "directory":
+		n := &node{fs: fs, blobref: root, meta: blob}
+		n.populateAttr()
+		return n, nil
+
+	case "permanode":
+		// other mutDirs listed in the default fileystem have names and are displayed
+		return &mutDir{fs: fs, permanode: root, name: "-"}, nil
+	}
+
+	return nil, fmt.Errorf("Blobref must be of a directory or permanode got a %v", blob.Type())
+}
+
 type notImplementDirNode struct{ noXattr }
 
 func (notImplementDirNode) Attr() fuse.Attr {