diff --git a/src/model/k2v/rpc.rs b/src/model/k2v/rpc.rs
index f016cb8c..efe052a8 100644
--- a/src/model/k2v/rpc.rs
+++ b/src/model/k2v/rpc.rs
@@ -245,12 +245,42 @@ impl K2VRpcHandler {
 	// ---- internal handlers ----
 
 	async fn handle_insert(&self, item: &InsertedItem) -> Result<K2VRpc, Error> {
+		let new = self.local_insert(item)?;
+
+		// Propagate to rest of network
+		if let Some(updated) = new {
+			self.item_table.insert(&updated).await?;
+		}
+
+		Ok(K2VRpc::Ok)
+	}
+
+	async fn handle_insert_many(&self, items: &[InsertedItem]) -> Result<K2VRpc, Error> {
+		let mut updated_vec = vec![];
+
+		for item in items {
+			let new = self.local_insert(item)?;
+
+			if let Some(updated) = new {
+				updated_vec.push(updated);
+			}
+		}
+
+		// Propagate to rest of network
+		if !updated_vec.is_empty() {
+			self.item_table.insert_many(&updated_vec).await?;
+		}
+
+		Ok(K2VRpc::Ok)
+	}
+
+	fn local_insert(&self, item: &InsertedItem) -> Result<Option<K2VItem>, Error> {
 		let tree_key = self
 			.item_table
 			.data
 			.tree_key(&item.partition, &item.sort_key);
-		let new = self
-			.item_table
+
+		self.item_table
 			.data
 			.update_entry_with(&tree_key[..], |ent| {
 				let mut ent = ent.unwrap_or_else(|| {
@@ -262,21 +292,7 @@ impl K2VRpcHandler {
 				});
 				ent.update(self.system.id, &item.causal_context, item.value.clone());
 				ent
-			})?;
-
-		// Propagate to rest of network
-		if let Some(updated) = new {
-			self.item_table.insert(&updated).await?;
-		}
-
-		Ok(K2VRpc::Ok)
-	}
-
-	async fn handle_insert_many(&self, items: &[InsertedItem]) -> Result<K2VRpc, Error> {
-		for i in items.iter() {
-			self.handle_insert(i).await?;
-		}
-		Ok(K2VRpc::Ok)
+			})
 	}
 
 	async fn handle_poll(&self, key: &PollKey, ct: &str) -> Result<K2VItem, Error> {