diff --git a/dist/idbfs.js b/dist/idbfs.js
index 21f3d75..ac8cde8 100644
--- a/dist/idbfs.js
+++ b/dist/idbfs.js
@@ -6206,7 +6206,7 @@ define('src/file-system',['require','lodash','when','src/path','src/path','src/p
             callback(new ENoEntry('O_CREATE and O_EXCLUSIVE are set, and the named file exists'))
           } else {
             directoryEntry = directoryData[name];
-            if(directoryEntry.type == MODE_DIRECTORY) {
+            if(directoryEntry.type == MODE_DIRECTORY && _(flags).contains(O_WRITE)) {
               callback(new EIsDirectory('the named file is a directory and O_WRITE is set'))
             } else {
               read_object(objectStore, directoryEntry.id, set_file_node);
@@ -6446,36 +6446,49 @@ define('src/file-system',['require','lodash','when','src/path','src/path','src/p
   };
   FileSystem.prototype.open = function open(path, flags, callback) {
     var that = this;
-    var deferred = when.defer();
-    var transaction = this.db.transaction([FILE_STORE_NAME], IDB_RW);
-    var files = transaction.objectStore(FILE_STORE_NAME);
+    this.promise.then(
+      function() {
+        var deferred = when.defer();
+        var transaction = that.db.transaction([FILE_STORE_NAME], IDB_RW);
+        var files = transaction.objectStore(FILE_STORE_NAME);
 
-    function check_result(error, fileNode) {
-      if(error) {
-        // if(transaction.error) transaction.abort();
-        deferred.reject(error);
-      } else {
-        var position;
-        if(_(flags).contains(O_APPEND)) {
-          position = fileNode.size;
+        function check_result(error, fileNode) {
+          if(error) {
+            // if(transaction.error) transaction.abort();
+            deferred.reject(error);
+          } else {
+            var position;
+            if(_(flags).contains(O_APPEND)) {
+              position = fileNode.size;
+            } else {
+              position = 0;
+            }
+            var openFileDescription = new  OpenFileDescription(fileNode.id, flags, position);
+            var fd = that._allocate_descriptor(openFileDescription);
+            deferred.resolve(fd);
+          }
+        };
+
+        if(!_(O_FLAGS).has(flags)) {
+          deferred.reject(new EInvalid('flags is not valid'));
         } else {
-          position = 0;
+          flags = O_FLAGS[flags];
         }
-        var openFileDescription = new  OpenFileDescription(fileNode.id, flags, position);
-        var fd = that._allocate_descriptor(openFileDescription);
-        deferred.resolve(fd);
+
+        open_file(this, files, path, flags, check_result);
+        deferred.promise.then(
+          function(result) {
+            callback(undefined, result);
+          },
+          function(error) {
+            callback(error);
+          }
+        );
+      },
+      function() {
+        callback(new EFileSystemError('unknown error'));
       }
-    };
-
-    if(!_(O_FLAGS).has(flags)) {
-      deferred.reject(new EInvalid('flags is not valid'));
-    } else {
-      flags = O_FLAGS[flags];
-    }
-
-
-    open_file(this, files, path, flags, check_result);
-    deferred.then(callback);
+    );
   };
   FileSystem.prototype.close = function close(fd, callback) {
     var deferred = when.defer();
diff --git a/examples/refactoring-test.html b/examples/refactoring-test.html
index ee7a8e2..4f1c45d 100644
--- a/examples/refactoring-test.html
+++ b/examples/refactoring-test.html
@@ -21,10 +21,8 @@ var flags = 'FORMAT';
 //var flags;
 
 var fs = new IDBFS.FileSystem('local', flags);
-fs.mkdir('/tmp', function(error) {
-  /*fs.rmdir('/tmp', function(error) {
-    console.log('!');
-  });*/
+fs.open('/', 'r', function(error, result) {
+  console.log('1', error, result);
 });
 
 /*
diff --git a/src/file-system.js b/src/file-system.js
index 1ec9e51..dfadce6 100644
--- a/src/file-system.js
+++ b/src/file-system.js
@@ -385,7 +385,15 @@ define(function(require) {
     var fileNode;
     var fileData;
 
-    find_node(objectStore, parentPath, read_directory_data);
+    if(ROOT_DIRECTORY_NAME == name) {
+      if(_(flags).contains(O_WRITE)) {
+        callback(new EIsDirectory('the named file is a directory and O_WRITE is set'))
+      } else {
+        find_node(objectStore, path, set_file_node);
+      }
+    } else {
+      find_node(objectStore, parentPath, read_directory_data);
+    }
 
     function read_directory_data(error, result) {
       if(error) {
@@ -406,7 +414,7 @@ define(function(require) {
             callback(new ENoEntry('O_CREATE and O_EXCLUSIVE are set, and the named file exists'))
           } else {
             directoryEntry = directoryData[name];
-            if(directoryEntry.type == MODE_DIRECTORY) {
+            if(directoryEntry.type == MODE_DIRECTORY && _(flags).contains(O_WRITE)) {
               callback(new EIsDirectory('the named file is a directory and O_WRITE is set'))
             } else {
               read_object(objectStore, directoryEntry.id, set_file_node);
@@ -646,36 +654,49 @@ define(function(require) {
   };
   FileSystem.prototype.open = function open(path, flags, callback) {
     var that = this;
-    var deferred = when.defer();
-    var transaction = this.db.transaction([FILE_STORE_NAME], IDB_RW);
-    var files = transaction.objectStore(FILE_STORE_NAME);
+    this.promise.then(
+      function() {
+        var deferred = when.defer();
+        var transaction = that.db.transaction([FILE_STORE_NAME], IDB_RW);
+        var files = transaction.objectStore(FILE_STORE_NAME);
 
-    function check_result(error, fileNode) {
-      if(error) {
-        // if(transaction.error) transaction.abort();
-        deferred.reject(error);
-      } else {
-        var position;
-        if(_(flags).contains(O_APPEND)) {
-          position = fileNode.size;
+        function check_result(error, fileNode) {
+          if(error) {
+            // if(transaction.error) transaction.abort();
+            deferred.reject(error);
+          } else {
+            var position;
+            if(_(flags).contains(O_APPEND)) {
+              position = fileNode.size;
+            } else {
+              position = 0;
+            }
+            var openFileDescription = new  OpenFileDescription(fileNode.id, flags, position);
+            var fd = that._allocate_descriptor(openFileDescription);
+            deferred.resolve(fd);
+          }
+        };
+
+        if(!_(O_FLAGS).has(flags)) {
+          deferred.reject(new EInvalid('flags is not valid'));
         } else {
-          position = 0;
+          flags = O_FLAGS[flags];
         }
-        var openFileDescription = new  OpenFileDescription(fileNode.id, flags, position);
-        var fd = that._allocate_descriptor(openFileDescription);
-        deferred.resolve(fd);
+
+        open_file(this, files, path, flags, check_result);
+        deferred.promise.then(
+          function(result) {
+            callback(undefined, result);
+          },
+          function(error) {
+            callback(error);
+          }
+        );
+      },
+      function() {
+        callback(new EFileSystemError('unknown error'));
       }
-    };
-
-    if(!_(O_FLAGS).has(flags)) {
-      deferred.reject(new EInvalid('flags is not valid'));
-    } else {
-      flags = O_FLAGS[flags];
-    }
-
-
-    open_file(this, files, path, flags, check_result);
-    deferred.then(callback);
+    );
   };
   FileSystem.prototype.close = function close(fd, callback) {
     var deferred = when.defer();
diff --git a/tests/spec/idbfs.spec.js b/tests/spec/idbfs.spec.js
index 28ef2e1..820dabb 100644
--- a/tests/spec/idbfs.spec.js
+++ b/tests/spec/idbfs.spec.js
@@ -61,7 +61,7 @@ describe("fs", function() {
 
     waitsFor(function() {
       return complete;
-    }, 'stat to complete', DEFAULT_TIMEOUT);
+    }, 'test to complete', DEFAULT_TIMEOUT);
 
     runs(function() {
       expect(_result).toBeDefined();
@@ -97,7 +97,7 @@ describe('fs.stat', function() {
 
     waitsFor(function() {
       return complete;
-    }, 'stat to complete', DEFAULT_TIMEOUT);
+    }, 'test to complete', DEFAULT_TIMEOUT);
 
     runs(function() {
       expect(_error).toBeDefined();
@@ -119,7 +119,7 @@ describe('fs.stat', function() {
 
     waitsFor(function() {
       return complete;
-    }, 'stat to complete', DEFAULT_TIMEOUT);
+    }, 'test to complete', DEFAULT_TIMEOUT);
 
     runs(function() {
       expect(_result).toBeDefined();
@@ -181,7 +181,7 @@ describe('fs.mkdir', function() {
 
     waitsFor(function() {
       return complete;
-    }, 'stat to complete', DEFAULT_TIMEOUT);
+    }, 'test to complete', DEFAULT_TIMEOUT);
 
     runs(function() {
       expect(_error).toBeDefined();
@@ -206,7 +206,7 @@ describe('fs.mkdir', function() {
 
     waitsFor(function() {
       return complete;
-    }, 'stat to complete', DEFAULT_TIMEOUT);
+    }, 'test to complete', DEFAULT_TIMEOUT);
 
     runs(function() {
       expect(_error).not.toBeDefined();
@@ -231,7 +231,7 @@ describe('fs.rmdir', function() {
     expect(typeof this.fs.rmdir).toEqual('function');
   });
 
-  it('should return an error if part of the path does not exist', function() {
+  it('should return an error if the path does not exist', function() {
     var complete = false;
     var _error;
     var that = this;
@@ -244,7 +244,7 @@ describe('fs.rmdir', function() {
 
     waitsFor(function() {
       return complete;
-    }, 'rmdir to complete', DEFAULT_TIMEOUT);
+    }, 'test to complete', DEFAULT_TIMEOUT);
 
     runs(function() {
       expect(_error).toBeDefined();
@@ -264,7 +264,7 @@ describe('fs.rmdir', function() {
 
     waitsFor(function() {
       return complete;
-    }, 'rmdir to complete', DEFAULT_TIMEOUT);
+    }, 'test to complete', DEFAULT_TIMEOUT);
 
     runs(function() {
       expect(_error).toBeDefined();
@@ -288,7 +288,7 @@ describe('fs.rmdir', function() {
 
     waitsFor(function() {
       return complete;
-    }, 'rmdir to complete', DEFAULT_TIMEOUT);
+    }, 'test to complete', DEFAULT_TIMEOUT);
 
     runs(function() {
       expect(_error).toBeDefined();
@@ -313,11 +313,126 @@ describe('fs.rmdir', function() {
 
     waitsFor(function() {
       return complete;
-    }, 'rmdir to complete', DEFAULT_TIMEOUT);
+    }, 'test to complete', DEFAULT_TIMEOUT);
 
     runs(function() {
       expect(_error).not.toBeDefined();
       expect(_stat).not.toBeDefined();
     });
   });
+});
+
+describe('fs.open', function() {
+  beforeEach(function() {
+    this.db_name = mk_db_name();
+    this.fs = new IDBFS.FileSystem(this.db_name, 'FORMAT');
+  });
+
+  afterEach(function() {
+    indexedDB.deleteDatabase(this.db_name);
+    delete this.fs;
+  });
+
+  it('should be a function', function() {
+    expect(typeof this.fs.open).toEqual('function');
+  });
+
+  it('should return an error if the parent path does not exist', function() {
+    var complete = false;
+    var _error, _result;
+    var that = this;
+
+    that.fs.open('/tmp/myfile', 'w+', function(error, result) {
+      _error = error;
+      _result = result;
+
+      complete = true;
+    });
+
+    waitsFor(function() {
+      return complete;
+    }, 'test to complete', DEFAULT_TIMEOUT);
+
+    runs(function() {
+      expect(_error).toBeDefined();
+      expect(_result).not.toBeDefined();
+    });
+  });
+
+  it('should return an error when flagged for read and the path does not exist', function() {
+    var complete = false;
+    var _error, _result;
+    var that = this;
+
+    that.fs.open('/myfile', 'r+', function(error, result) {
+      _error = error;
+      _result = result;
+
+      complete = true;
+    });
+
+    waitsFor(function() {
+      return complete;
+    }, 'test to complete', DEFAULT_TIMEOUT);
+
+    runs(function() {
+      expect(_error).toBeDefined();
+      expect(_result).not.toBeDefined();
+    });
+  });
+
+
+  it('should return an error when flagged for write and the path is a directory', function() {
+    var complete = false;
+    var _error, _result;
+    var that = this;
+
+    that.fs.mkdir('/tmp', function(error) {
+      if(error) throw error;
+      that.fs.open('/tmp', 'w', function(error, result) {
+        _error = error;
+        _result = result;
+
+        complete = true;
+      });
+    });
+
+    waitsFor(function() {
+      return complete;
+    }, 'test to complete', DEFAULT_TIMEOUT);
+
+    runs(function() {
+      expect(_error).toBeDefined();
+      expect(_result).not.toBeDefined();
+    });
+  });
+
+  it('should return an error when flagged for append and the path is a directory', function() {
+    var complete = false;
+    var _error, _result;
+    var that = this;
+
+    that.fs.mkdir('/tmp', function(error) {
+      if(error) throw error;
+      that.fs.open('/tmp', 'a', function(error, result) {
+        _error = error;
+        _result = result;
+
+        complete = true;
+      });
+    });
+
+    waitsFor(function() {
+      return complete;
+    }, 'test to complete', DEFAULT_TIMEOUT);
+
+    runs(function() {
+      expect(_error).toBeDefined();
+      expect(_result).not.toBeDefined();
+    });
+  });
+/*
+  it('should return a unique file descriptor', function() {
+  });
+*/
 });
\ No newline at end of file