diff --git a/pkg/sorted/sqlkv/sqlkv.go b/pkg/sorted/sqlkv/sqlkv.go
index e9896f179..b4edd4567 100644
--- a/pkg/sorted/sqlkv/sqlkv.go
+++ b/pkg/sorted/sqlkv/sqlkv.go
@@ -23,6 +23,7 @@ import (
 	"fmt"
 	"log"
 	"regexp"
+	"strings"
 	"sync"
 
 	"camlistore.org/pkg/leak"
@@ -49,14 +50,20 @@ type KeyValue struct {
 	// concurrency in most cases.
 	Serial bool
 
+	// TablePrefix optionally provides a prefix for SQL table
+	// names. This is typically "dbname.", ending in a period.
+	TablePrefix string
+
 	mu sync.Mutex // the mutex used, if Serial is set
 }
 
 func (kv *KeyValue) sql(v string) string {
+	// TODO(bradfitz): all this string manipulation is redundant at runtime.
+	// We should do it once at the beginning and keep the strings around.
 	if f := kv.PlaceHolderFunc; f != nil {
-		return f(v)
+		v = f(v)
 	}
-	return v
+	return strings.Replace(v, "/*TPRE*/", kv.TablePrefix, -1)
 }
 
 type batchTx struct {
@@ -86,14 +93,14 @@ func (b *batchTx) Set(key, value string) {
 		b.err = b.SetFunc(b.tx, key, value)
 		return
 	}
-	_, b.err = b.tx.Exec(b.sql("REPLACE INTO rows (k, v) VALUES (?, ?)"), key, value)
+	_, b.err = b.tx.Exec(b.sql("REPLACE INTO /*TPRE*/rows (k, v) VALUES (?, ?)"), key, value)
 }
 
 func (b *batchTx) Delete(key string) {
 	if b.err != nil {
 		return
 	}
-	_, b.err = b.tx.Exec(b.sql("DELETE FROM rows WHERE k=?"), key)
+	_, b.err = b.tx.Exec(b.sql("DELETE FROM /*TPRE*/rows WHERE k=?"), key)
 }
 
 func (kv *KeyValue) BeginBatch() sorted.BatchMutation {
@@ -128,7 +135,7 @@ func (kv *KeyValue) Get(key string) (value string, err error) {
 		kv.mu.Lock()
 		defer kv.mu.Unlock()
 	}
-	err = kv.DB.QueryRow(kv.sql("SELECT v FROM rows WHERE k=?"), key).Scan(&value)
+	err = kv.DB.QueryRow(kv.sql("SELECT v FROM /*TPRE*/rows WHERE k=?"), key).Scan(&value)
 	if err == sql.ErrNoRows {
 		err = sorted.ErrNotFound
 	}
@@ -143,7 +150,7 @@ func (kv *KeyValue) Set(key, value string) error {
 	if kv.SetFunc != nil {
 		return kv.SetFunc(kv.DB, key, value)
 	}
-	_, err := kv.DB.Exec(kv.sql("REPLACE INTO rows (k, v) VALUES (?, ?)"), key, value)
+	_, err := kv.DB.Exec(kv.sql("REPLACE INTO /*TPRE*/rows (k, v) VALUES (?, ?)"), key, value)
 	return err
 }
 
@@ -152,7 +159,7 @@ func (kv *KeyValue) Delete(key string) error {
 		kv.mu.Lock()
 		defer kv.mu.Unlock()
 	}
-	_, err := kv.DB.Exec(kv.sql("DELETE FROM rows WHERE k=?"), key)
+	_, err := kv.DB.Exec(kv.sql("DELETE FROM /*TPRE*/rows WHERE k=?"), key)
 	return err
 }
 
@@ -161,7 +168,7 @@ func (kv *KeyValue) Wipe() error {
 		kv.mu.Lock()
 		defer kv.mu.Unlock()
 	}
-	_, err := kv.DB.Exec(kv.sql("DELETE FROM rows"))
+	_, err := kv.DB.Exec(kv.sql("DELETE FROM /*TPRE*/rows"))
 	return err
 }
 
@@ -175,9 +182,9 @@ func (kv *KeyValue) Find(start, end string) sorted.Iterator {
 	var rows *sql.Rows
 	var err error
 	if end == "" {
-		rows, err = kv.DB.Query(kv.sql("SELECT k, v FROM rows WHERE k >= ? ORDER BY k "), start)
+		rows, err = kv.DB.Query(kv.sql("SELECT k, v FROM /*TPRE*/rows WHERE k >= ? ORDER BY k "), start)
 	} else {
-		rows, err = kv.DB.Query(kv.sql("SELECT k, v FROM rows WHERE k >= ? AND k < ? ORDER BY k "), start, end)
+		rows, err = kv.DB.Query(kv.sql("SELECT k, v FROM /*TPRE*/rows WHERE k >= ? AND k < ? ORDER BY k "), start, end)
 	}
 	if err != nil {
 		log.Printf("unexpected query error: %v", err)