diff --git a/include/leveled.hrl b/include/leveled.hrl
index 0e62cf3..25216f6 100644
--- a/include/leveled.hrl
+++ b/include/leveled.hrl
@@ -64,7 +64,8 @@
                         {root_path :: string(),
                         max_inmemory_tablesize :: integer(),
                         start_snapshot = false :: boolean(),
-                        source_penciller :: pid()}).
+                        source_penciller :: pid(),
+                        levelzero_cointoss = false :: boolean}).
 
 -record(iclerk_options,
                         {inker :: pid(),
diff --git a/src/leveled_bookie.erl b/src/leveled_bookie.erl
index 891d6a4..ce444fb 100644
--- a/src/leveled_bookie.erl
+++ b/src/leveled_bookie.erl
@@ -146,7 +146,7 @@
 -define(SNAPSHOT_TIMEOUT, 300000).
 -define(CHECKJOURNAL_PROB, 0.2).
 -define(CACHE_SIZE_JITTER, 25).
--define(JOURNAL_SIZE_JITTER, 10).
+-define(JOURNAL_SIZE_JITTER, 20).
 
 -record(state, {inker :: pid(),
                 penciller :: pid(),
@@ -692,7 +692,8 @@ set_options(Opts) ->
                                                     binary_mode=true,
                                                     sync_strategy=SyncStrat}},
         #penciller_options{root_path = LedgerFP,
-                            max_inmemory_tablesize = PCLL0CacheSize}}.
+                            max_inmemory_tablesize = PCLL0CacheSize,
+                            levelzero_cointoss = true}}.
 
 startup(InkerOpts, PencillerOpts) ->
     {ok, Inker} = leveled_inker:ink_start(InkerOpts),
diff --git a/src/leveled_penciller.erl b/src/leveled_penciller.erl
index 94bac54..be62cf9 100644
--- a/src/leveled_penciller.erl
+++ b/src/leveled_penciller.erl
@@ -198,7 +198,7 @@
 -define(MAX_TABLESIZE, 32000).
 -define(PROMPT_WAIT_ONL0, 5).
 -define(WORKQUEUE_BACKLOG_TOLERANCE, 4).
-
+-define(COIN_SIDECOUNT, 4).
 
 -record(state, {manifest = [] :: list(),
 				manifest_sqn = 0 :: integer(),
@@ -217,6 +217,7 @@
                 % is an array - but cannot specif due to OTP compatability 
                 levelzero_size = 0 :: integer(),
                 levelzero_maxcachesize :: integer(),
+                levelzero_cointoss = false :: boolean(),
                 
                 is_snapshot = false :: boolean(),
                 snapshot_fully_loaded = false :: boolean(),
@@ -537,10 +538,17 @@ start_from_file(PCLopts) ->
                     end,
     
     {ok, MergeClerk} = leveled_pclerk:clerk_new(self()),
+    
+    CoinToss = PCLopts#penciller_options.levelzero_cointoss,
+    % Used to randomly defer the writing of L0 file.  Intended to help with
+    % vnode syncronisation issues (e.g. stop them all by default merging to
+    % level zero concurrently)
+    
     InitState = #state{clerk=MergeClerk,
                         root_path=RootPath,
                         levelzero_index = leveled_pmem:new_index(),
-                        levelzero_maxcachesize=MaxTableSize},
+                        levelzero_maxcachesize=MaxTableSize,
+                        levelzero_cointoss=CoinToss},
     
     %% Open manifest
     ManifestPath = InitState#state.root_path ++ "/" ++ ?MANIFEST_FP ++ "/",
@@ -629,8 +637,20 @@ update_levelzero(L0Index, L0Size, PushedTree, LedgerSQN, L0Cache, State) ->
                                     ledger_sqn=MaxSQN},
             CacheTooBig = NewL0Size > State#state.levelzero_maxcachesize,
             Level0Free = length(get_item(0, State#state.manifest, [])) == 0,
-            case {CacheTooBig, Level0Free} of
-                {true, true}  ->
+            RandomFactor =
+                case State#state.levelzero_cointoss of
+                    true ->
+                        case random:uniform(?COIN_SIDECOUNT) of
+                            1 ->
+                                true;
+                            _ ->
+                                false
+                        end;
+                    false ->
+                        true
+                end,
+            case {CacheTooBig, Level0Free, RandomFactor} of
+                {true, true, true}  ->
                     L0Constructor = roll_memory(UpdState, false),        
                     UpdState#state{levelzero_pending=true,
                                     levelzero_constructor=L0Constructor};
diff --git a/src/leveled_sft.erl b/src/leveled_sft.erl
index 70b0b0f..9c67721 100644
--- a/src/leveled_sft.erl
+++ b/src/leveled_sft.erl
@@ -192,6 +192,8 @@
 -define(DELETE_TIMEOUT, 10000).
 -define(MAX_KEYS, ?SLOT_COUNT * ?BLOCK_COUNT * ?BLOCK_SIZE).
 -define(DISCARD_EXT, ".discarded").
+-define(WRITE_OPS, [binary, raw, read, write, delayed_write]).
+-define(READ_OPS, [binary, raw, read]).
 
 -record(state, {version = ?CURRENT_VERSION :: tuple(),
                 slot_index :: list(),
@@ -469,7 +471,7 @@ generate_filenames(RootFilename) ->
 create_file(FileName) when is_list(FileName) ->
     leveled_log:log("SFT01", [FileName]),
     ok = filelib:ensure_dir(FileName),
-    {ok, Handle} = file:open(FileName, [binary, raw, read, write]),
+    {ok, Handle} = file:open(FileName, ?WRITE_OPS),
     Header = create_header(initial),
     {ok, _} = file:position(Handle, bof),
     ok = file:write(Handle, Header),