diff --git a/packages/encrypted-blockstore/src/loader.ts b/packages/encrypted-blockstore/src/loader.ts
index 7387ecfb..83303941 100644
--- a/packages/encrypted-blockstore/src/loader.ts
+++ b/packages/encrypted-blockstore/src/loader.ts
@@ -331,7 +331,7 @@ export class Loader implements Loadable {
     let splitcount = Math.ceil(size / threshold)
     let splitpercount = Math.floor(count / splitcount)
     let newcount = 0
-    let clonedt = new CarTransaction(t.parent)
+    let clonedt = new CarTransaction(t.parent, { add: false })
     for (const { cid, bytes } of t.entries()) {
       newcount++
       clonedt.putSync(cid, bytes)
@@ -339,15 +339,15 @@ export class Loader implements Loadable {
         const carFile =
           theKey && this.ebOpts.crypto
             ? await encryptedEncodeCarFile(
-                this.ebOpts.crypto,
-                theKey,
-                roots[0],
-                clonedt
-              )
+              this.ebOpts.crypto,
+              theKey,
+              roots[0],
+              clonedt
+            )
             : await encodeCarFile([roots[0]], clonedt)
         carFiles.push(carFile)
-        clonedt = new CarTransaction(t.parent)
-        newcount=0
+        clonedt = new CarTransaction(t.parent, { add: false })
+        newcount = 0
       }
     }
     return carFiles
diff --git a/packages/encrypted-blockstore/src/transaction.ts b/packages/encrypted-blockstore/src/transaction.ts
index 0e272647..4d412c13 100644
--- a/packages/encrypted-blockstore/src/transaction.ts
+++ b/packages/encrypted-blockstore/src/transaction.ts
@@ -23,9 +23,11 @@ export type TransactionMeta = TM
 
 export class CarTransaction extends MemoryBlockstore implements CarMakeable {
   parent: EncryptedBlockstore
-  constructor(parent: EncryptedBlockstore) {
+  constructor(parent: EncryptedBlockstore, opts = { add: true }) {
     super()
-    parent.transactions.add(this)
+    if (opts.add) {
+      parent.transactions.add(this)
+    }
     this.parent = parent
   }