diff --git a/archive/indexer.go b/archive/indexer.go
index 37e187ca9d..e33cc9b49a 100644
--- a/archive/indexer.go
+++ b/archive/indexer.go
@@ -3,8 +3,8 @@ package archive
 import (
 	"errors"
 	"fmt"
-	"os"
 
+	"github.com/brimsec/zq/pkg/fs"
 	"github.com/brimsec/zq/zbuf"
 	"github.com/brimsec/zq/zdx"
 	"github.com/brimsec/zq/zio/zngio"
@@ -67,7 +67,7 @@ func run(zardir string, rules []Rule, progress chan<- string) error {
 			progress <- fmt.Sprintf("%s: creating index %s", logPath, indexer.Path())
 		}
 	}
-	file, err := os.Open(logPath)
+	file, err := fs.Open(logPath)
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
diff --git a/cmd/pcap/cut/command.go b/cmd/pcap/cut/command.go
index f5214d910e..44bb39ab34 100644
--- a/cmd/pcap/cut/command.go
+++ b/cmd/pcap/cut/command.go
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@ import (
 
 	"github.com/brimsec/zq/cmd/pcap/root"
 	"github.com/brimsec/zq/pcap/pcapio"
+	"github.com/brimsec/zq/pkg/fs"
 	"github.com/mccanne/charm"
 )
 
@@ -115,7 +116,7 @@ func (c *Command) Run(args []string) error {
 	in := os.Stdin
 	if c.inputFile != "-" {
 		var err error
-		in, err = os.Open(c.inputFile)
+		in, err = fs.Open(c.inputFile)
 		if err != nil {
 			return err
 		}
@@ -124,7 +125,7 @@ func (c *Command) Run(args []string) error {
 
 	out := io.Writer(os.Stdout)
 	if c.outputFile != "-" {
-		f, err := os.OpenFile(c.outputFile, os.O_WRONLY|os.O_CREATE|os.O_TRUNC, 0644)
+		f, err := fs.OpenFile(c.outputFile, os.O_WRONLY|os.O_CREATE|os.O_TRUNC, 0644)
 		if err != nil {
 			return err
 		}
diff --git a/cmd/pcap/index/command.go b/cmd/pcap/index/command.go
index 582adc6e65..292738b18b 100644
--- a/cmd/pcap/index/command.go
+++ b/cmd/pcap/index/command.go
@@ -6,10 +6,10 @@ import (
 	"flag"
 	"fmt"
 	"io/ioutil"
-	"os"
 
 	"github.com/brimsec/zq/cmd/pcap/root"
 	"github.com/brimsec/zq/pcap"
+	"github.com/brimsec/zq/pkg/fs"
 	"github.com/mccanne/charm"
 )
 
@@ -61,7 +61,7 @@ func (c *Command) Run(args []string) error {
 	if len(args) != 0 || c.inputFile == "" {
 		return errors.New("pcap index: must be provide single pcap file as -r argument")
 	}
-	f, err := os.Open(c.inputFile)
+	f, err := fs.Open(c.inputFile)
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
diff --git a/cmd/pcap/slice/command.go b/cmd/pcap/slice/command.go
index 13eab7b420..181a6fc46e 100644
--- a/cmd/pcap/slice/command.go
+++ b/cmd/pcap/slice/command.go
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@ import (
 	"github.com/brimsec/zq/cmd/pcap/root"
 	"github.com/brimsec/zq/pcap"
 	"github.com/brimsec/zq/pcap/pcapio"
+	"github.com/brimsec/zq/pkg/fs"
 	"github.com/brimsec/zq/pkg/nano"
 	"github.com/mccanne/charm"
 )
@@ -117,7 +118,7 @@ func (c *Command) Run(args []string) error {
 	}
 	in := os.Stdin
 	if c.inputFile != "-" {
-		in, err = os.Open(c.inputFile)
+		in, err = fs.Open(c.inputFile)
 		if err != nil {
 			return err
 		}
@@ -141,7 +142,7 @@ func (c *Command) Run(args []string) error {
 	}
 	out := io.Writer(os.Stdout)
 	if c.outputFile != "-" {
-		f, err := os.OpenFile(c.outputFile, os.O_WRONLY|os.O_CREATE|os.O_TRUNC, 0644)
+		f, err := fs.OpenFile(c.outputFile, os.O_WRONLY|os.O_CREATE|os.O_TRUNC, 0644)
 		if err != nil {
 			return err
 		}
diff --git a/cmd/pcap/ts/command.go b/cmd/pcap/ts/command.go
index bc5c069fa3..f2b23bef06 100644
--- a/cmd/pcap/ts/command.go
+++ b/cmd/pcap/ts/command.go
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@ import (
 
 	"github.com/brimsec/zq/cmd/pcap/root"
 	"github.com/brimsec/zq/pcap/pcapio"
+	"github.com/brimsec/zq/pkg/fs"
 	"github.com/mccanne/charm"
 )
 
@@ -47,7 +48,7 @@ func (c *Command) Run(args []string) error {
 	in := os.Stdin
 	if c.inputFile != "-" {
 		var err error
-		in, err = os.Open(c.inputFile)
+		in, err = fs.Open(c.inputFile)
 		if err != nil {
 			return err
 		}
@@ -60,7 +61,7 @@ func (c *Command) Run(args []string) error {
 	out := os.Stdout
 	if c.outputFile != "-" {
 		var err error
-		out, err = os.OpenFile(c.outputFile, os.O_WRONLY|os.O_CREATE|os.O_TRUNC, 0644)
+		out, err = fs.OpenFile(c.outputFile, os.O_WRONLY|os.O_CREATE|os.O_TRUNC, 0644)
 		if err != nil {
 			return err
 		}
diff --git a/cmd/zar/chop/command.go b/cmd/zar/chop/command.go
index d483b1f86a..1b2e2823d4 100644
--- a/cmd/zar/chop/command.go
+++ b/cmd/zar/chop/command.go
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@ import (
 
 	"github.com/brimsec/zq/cmd/zar/root"
 	"github.com/brimsec/zq/pkg/bufwriter"
+	"github.com/brimsec/zq/pkg/fs"
 	"github.com/brimsec/zq/pkg/nano"
 	"github.com/brimsec/zq/zbuf"
 	"github.com/brimsec/zq/zio"
@@ -106,7 +107,7 @@ func (c *Command) Run(args []string) error {
 			path := filepath.Join(dir, ts.StringFloat()+".zng")
 			//XXX for now just truncate any existing file.
 			// a future PR will do a split/merge.
-			out, err := os.OpenFile(path, os.O_TRUNC|os.O_WRONLY|os.O_CREATE, 0644)
+			out, err := fs.OpenFile(path, os.O_TRUNC|os.O_WRONLY|os.O_CREATE, 0644)
 			if err != nil {
 				return err
 			}
diff --git a/cmd/zqd/logger/file.go b/cmd/zqd/logger/file.go
index 38c6c26d14..57968a955a 100644
--- a/cmd/zqd/logger/file.go
+++ b/cmd/zqd/logger/file.go
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@ import (
 	"os"
 	"path/filepath"
 
+	"github.com/brimsec/zq/pkg/fs"
 	"go.uber.org/zap/zapcore"
 	"gopkg.in/natefinch/lumberjack.v2"
 	"gopkg.in/yaml.v3"
@@ -51,9 +52,9 @@ func OpenFile(path string, mode FileMode) (zapcore.WriteSyncer, error) {
 	case FileModeRotate:
 		return logrotate(path, mode)
 	case FileModeTruncate:
-		return os.OpenFile(path, os.O_WRONLY|os.O_TRUNC|os.O_CREATE, 0644)
+		return fs.OpenFile(path, os.O_WRONLY|os.O_TRUNC|os.O_CREATE, 0644)
 	default: // FileModeAppend
-		return os.OpenFile(path, os.O_WRONLY|os.O_APPEND|os.O_CREATE, 0644)
+		return fs.OpenFile(path, os.O_WRONLY|os.O_APPEND|os.O_CREATE, 0644)
 	}
 }
 
diff --git a/emitter/file.go b/emitter/file.go
index a19fd12f59..7a6f840307 100644
--- a/emitter/file.go
+++ b/emitter/file.go
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@ import (
 	"os"
 
 	"github.com/brimsec/zq/pkg/bufwriter"
+	"github.com/brimsec/zq/pkg/fs"
 	"github.com/brimsec/zq/zio"
 	"github.com/brimsec/zq/zio/detector"
 )
@@ -26,7 +27,7 @@ func NewFile(path string, flags *zio.WriterFlags) (*zio.Writer, error) {
 	} else {
 		var err error
 		flags := os.O_WRONLY | os.O_CREATE | os.O_TRUNC
-		file, err := os.OpenFile(path, flags, 0600)
+		file, err := fs.OpenFile(path, flags, 0600)
 		if err != nil {
 			return nil, err
 		}
diff --git a/emitter/types.go b/emitter/types.go
index ff0ee3362e..038c28d99c 100644
--- a/emitter/types.go
+++ b/emitter/types.go
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@ import (
 	"strconv"
 
 	"github.com/brimsec/zq/pkg/bufwriter"
+	"github.com/brimsec/zq/pkg/fs"
 	"github.com/brimsec/zq/zng"
 )
 
@@ -24,7 +25,7 @@ func NewTypeLogger(path string, verbose bool) (*TypeLogger, error) {
 	} else {
 		var err error
 		flags := os.O_WRONLY | os.O_CREATE | os.O_TRUNC
-		file, err := os.OpenFile(path, flags, 0600)
+		file, err := fs.OpenFile(path, flags, 0600)
 		if err != nil {
 			return nil, err
 		}
diff --git a/pcap/pcapio/read.go b/pcap/pcapio/read.go
index f508e9a497..89e33e12d0 100644
--- a/pcap/pcapio/read.go
+++ b/pcap/pcapio/read.go
@@ -69,7 +69,7 @@ const (
 // If the file format is not supported an error is returned.
 //
 //  // Create new reader:
-//  f, _ := os.Open("/tmp/file.pcap")
+//  f, _ := fs.Open("/tmp/file.pcap")
 //  defer f.Close()
 //  r, err := NewReader(f)
 //  data, info, err := r.Read()
diff --git a/pkg/fs/open.go b/pkg/fs/open.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..eba54b3526
--- /dev/null
+++ b/pkg/fs/open.go
@@ -0,0 +1,17 @@
+// +build !windows
+
+package fs
+
+import "os"
+
+func OpenFile(name string, flag int, perm os.FileMode) (*os.File, error) {
+	return os.OpenFile(name, flag, perm)
+}
+
+func Open(name string) (*os.File, error) {
+	return OpenFile(name, os.O_RDONLY, 0)
+}
+
+func Create(name string) (*os.File, error) {
+	return OpenFile(name, os.O_RDWR|os.O_CREATE|os.O_TRUNC, 0666)
+}
diff --git a/pkg/fs/open_windows.go b/pkg/fs/open_windows.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..a9cb4b45ae
--- /dev/null
+++ b/pkg/fs/open_windows.go
@@ -0,0 +1,272 @@
+// This file contains code from these Go 1.13.8 source files:
+// - os/file.go
+// - os/file_windows.go
+// - syscall/syscall_windows.go
+// - os/path_windows.go
+//
+// That code is covered by the following copyright notice,
+// and the license file mentioned is available at:
+// https://github.com/golang/go/blob/go1.13.8/LICENSE
+//
+// Copyright 2009 The Go Authors. All rights reserved.
+// Use of this source code is governed by a BSD-style
+// license that can be found in the LICENSE file.
+
+package fs
+
+import (
+	"os"
+	"syscall"
+	"unsafe"
+)
+
+// OpenFile mimics the os.OpenFile call, but always uses the FILE_SHARE_DELETE flag.
+// Differences from os.OpenFile:
+// - It's not possible to support the testlog package connection for tests since
+// testlog is an internal package.
+// - This will not try to open directories if there's a failure to open a file with
+// the given name.
+// - WriteAt will not return an error if the file is opened in append mode, as the
+// required variable to do so is not exported from package os.
+func OpenFile(name string, flag int, perm os.FileMode) (*os.File, error) {
+	if name == "" {
+		return nil, &os.PathError{"open", name, syscall.ENOENT}
+	}
+	h, e := syscallOpen(fixLongPath(name), flag|syscall.O_CLOEXEC, syscallMode(perm))
+	if e != nil {
+		return nil, e
+	}
+	return os.NewFile(uintptr(h), name), nil
+}
+
+func Open(name string) (*os.File, error) {
+	return OpenFile(name, os.O_RDONLY, 0)
+}
+
+func Create(name string) (*os.File, error) {
+	return OpenFile(name, os.O_RDWR|os.O_CREATE|os.O_TRUNC, 0666)
+}
+
+// syscallMode returns the syscall-specific mode bits from Go's portable mode bits.
+func syscallMode(i os.FileMode) (o uint32) {
+	o |= uint32(i.Perm())
+	if i&os.ModeSetuid != 0 {
+		o |= syscall.S_ISUID
+	}
+	if i&os.ModeSetgid != 0 {
+		o |= syscall.S_ISGID
+	}
+	if i&os.ModeSticky != 0 {
+		o |= syscall.S_ISVTX
+	}
+	// No mapping for Go's ModeTemporary (plan9 only).
+	return
+}
+
+// basename removes trailing slashes and the leading
+// directory name and drive letter from path name.
+func basename(name string) string {
+	// Remove drive letter
+	if len(name) == 2 && name[1] == ':' {
+		name = "."
+	} else if len(name) > 2 && name[1] == ':' {
+		name = name[2:]
+	}
+	i := len(name) - 1
+	// Remove trailing slashes
+	for ; i > 0 && (name[i] == '/' || name[i] == '\\'); i-- {
+		name = name[:i]
+	}
+	// Remove leading directory name
+	for i--; i >= 0; i-- {
+		if name[i] == '/' || name[i] == '\\' {
+			name = name[i+1:]
+			break
+		}
+	}
+	return name
+}
+
+func isAbs(path string) (b bool) {
+	v := volumeName(path)
+	if v == "" {
+		return false
+	}
+	path = path[len(v):]
+	if path == "" {
+		return false
+	}
+	return os.IsPathSeparator(path[0])
+}
+
+func volumeName(path string) (v string) {
+	if len(path) < 2 {
+		return ""
+	}
+	// with drive letter
+	c := path[0]
+	if path[1] == ':' &&
+		('0' <= c && c <= '9' || 'a' <= c && c <= 'z' ||
+			'A' <= c && c <= 'Z') {
+		return path[:2]
+	}
+	// is it UNC
+	if l := len(path); l >= 5 && os.IsPathSeparator(path[0]) && os.IsPathSeparator(path[1]) &&
+		!os.IsPathSeparator(path[2]) && path[2] != '.' {
+		// first, leading `\\` and next shouldn't be `\`. its server name.
+		for n := 3; n < l-1; n++ {
+			// second, next '\' shouldn't be repeated.
+			if os.IsPathSeparator(path[n]) {
+				n++
+				// third, following something characters. its share name.
+				if !os.IsPathSeparator(path[n]) {
+					if path[n] == '.' {
+						break
+					}
+					for ; n < l; n++ {
+						if os.IsPathSeparator(path[n]) {
+							break
+						}
+					}
+					return path[:n]
+				}
+				break
+			}
+		}
+	}
+	return ""
+}
+
+// fixLongPath returns the extended-length (\\?\-prefixed) form of
+// path when needed, in order to avoid the default 260 character file
+// path limit imposed by Windows. If path is not easily converted to
+// the extended-length form (for example, if path is a relative path
+// or contains .. elements), or is short enough, fixLongPath returns
+// path unmodified.
+//
+// See https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/windows/desktop/aa365247(v=vs.85).aspx#maxpath
+func fixLongPath(path string) string {
+	// Do nothing (and don't allocate) if the path is "short".
+	// Empirically (at least on the Windows Server 2013 builder),
+	// the kernel is arbitrarily okay with < 248 bytes. That
+	// matches what the docs above say:
+	// "When using an API to create a directory, the specified
+	// path cannot be so long that you cannot append an 8.3 file
+	// name (that is, the directory name cannot exceed MAX_PATH
+	// minus 12)." Since MAX_PATH is 260, 260 - 12 = 248.
+	//
+	// The MSDN docs appear to say that a normal path that is 248 bytes long
+	// will work; empirically the path must be less then 248 bytes long.
+	if len(path) < 248 {
+		// Don't fix. (This is how Go 1.7 and earlier worked,
+		// not automatically generating the \\?\ form)
+		return path
+	}
+
+	// The extended form begins with \\?\, as in
+	// \\?\c:\windows\foo.txt or \\?\UNC\server\share\foo.txt.
+	// The extended form disables evaluation of . and .. path
+	// elements and disables the interpretation of / as equivalent
+	// to \. The conversion here rewrites / to \ and elides
+	// . elements as well as trailing or duplicate separators. For
+	// simplicity it avoids the conversion entirely for relative
+	// paths or paths containing .. elements. For now,
+	// \\server\share paths are not converted to
+	// \\?\UNC\server\share paths because the rules for doing so
+	// are less well-specified.
+	if len(path) >= 2 && path[:2] == `\\` {
+		// Don't canonicalize UNC paths.
+		return path
+	}
+	if !isAbs(path) {
+		// Relative path
+		return path
+	}
+
+	const prefix = `\\?`
+
+	pathbuf := make([]byte, len(prefix)+len(path)+len(`\`))
+	copy(pathbuf, prefix)
+	n := len(path)
+	r, w := 0, len(prefix)
+	for r < n {
+		switch {
+		case os.IsPathSeparator(path[r]):
+			// empty block
+			r++
+		case path[r] == '.' && (r+1 == n || os.IsPathSeparator(path[r+1])):
+			// /./
+			r++
+		case r+1 < n && path[r] == '.' && path[r+1] == '.' && (r+2 == n || os.IsPathSeparator(path[r+2])):
+			// /../ is currently unhandled
+			return path
+		default:
+			pathbuf[w] = '\\'
+			w++
+			for ; r < n && !os.IsPathSeparator(path[r]); r++ {
+				pathbuf[w] = path[r]
+				w++
+			}
+		}
+	}
+	// A drive's root directory needs a trailing \
+	if w == len(`\\?\c:`) {
+		pathbuf[w] = '\\'
+		w++
+	}
+	return string(pathbuf[:w])
+}
+func makeInheritSa() *syscall.SecurityAttributes {
+	var sa syscall.SecurityAttributes
+	sa.Length = uint32(unsafe.Sizeof(sa))
+	sa.InheritHandle = 1
+	return &sa
+}
+
+// syscallOpen is a copy of syscall.Open, modified to always use the
+// FILE_SHARE_DELETE flag.
+func syscallOpen(path string, mode int, perm uint32) (fd syscall.Handle, err error) {
+	if len(path) == 0 {
+		return syscall.InvalidHandle, syscall.ERROR_FILE_NOT_FOUND
+	}
+	pathp, err := syscall.UTF16PtrFromString(path)
+	if err != nil {
+		return syscall.InvalidHandle, err
+	}
+	var access uint32
+	switch mode & (syscall.O_RDONLY | syscall.O_WRONLY | syscall.O_RDWR) {
+	case syscall.O_RDONLY:
+		access = syscall.GENERIC_READ
+	case syscall.O_WRONLY:
+		access = syscall.GENERIC_WRITE
+	case syscall.O_RDWR:
+		access = syscall.GENERIC_READ | syscall.GENERIC_WRITE
+	}
+	if mode&syscall.O_CREAT != 0 {
+		access |= syscall.GENERIC_WRITE
+	}
+	if mode&syscall.O_APPEND != 0 {
+		access &^= syscall.GENERIC_WRITE
+		access |= syscall.FILE_APPEND_DATA
+	}
+	sharemode := uint32(syscall.FILE_SHARE_READ | syscall.FILE_SHARE_WRITE | syscall.FILE_SHARE_DELETE)
+	var sa *syscall.SecurityAttributes
+	if mode&syscall.O_CLOEXEC == 0 {
+		sa = makeInheritSa()
+	}
+	var createmode uint32
+	switch {
+	case mode&(syscall.O_CREAT|syscall.O_EXCL) == (syscall.O_CREAT | syscall.O_EXCL):
+		createmode = syscall.CREATE_NEW
+	case mode&(syscall.O_CREAT|syscall.O_TRUNC) == (syscall.O_CREAT | syscall.O_TRUNC):
+		createmode = syscall.CREATE_ALWAYS
+	case mode&syscall.O_CREAT == syscall.O_CREAT:
+		createmode = syscall.OPEN_ALWAYS
+	case mode&syscall.O_TRUNC == syscall.O_TRUNC:
+		createmode = syscall.TRUNCATE_EXISTING
+	default:
+		createmode = syscall.OPEN_EXISTING
+	}
+	h, e := syscall.CreateFile(pathp, access, sharemode, sa, createmode, syscall.FILE_ATTRIBUTE_NORMAL, 0)
+	return h, e
+}
diff --git a/proc/sort.go b/proc/sort.go
index f9f69e7c9b..2357967a14 100644
--- a/proc/sort.go
+++ b/proc/sort.go
@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@ import (
 
 	"github.com/brimsec/zq/ast"
 	"github.com/brimsec/zq/expr"
+	"github.com/brimsec/zq/pkg/fs"
 	"github.com/brimsec/zq/pkg/nano"
 	"github.com/brimsec/zq/zbuf"
 	"github.com/brimsec/zq/zio"
@@ -331,7 +332,7 @@ type runFile struct {
 // newRunFile writes sorted to filename and returns a runFile that reads the
 // file using zctx.
 func newRunFile(filename string, sorted []*zng.Record, zctx *resolver.Context) (*runFile, error) {
-	f, err := os.Create(filename)
+	f, err := fs.Create(filename)
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, err
 	}
diff --git a/zdx/reader.go b/zdx/reader.go
index 9cc4db8f8f..772fc4dfc0 100644
--- a/zdx/reader.go
+++ b/zdx/reader.go
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@ package zdx
 import (
 	"os"
 
+	"github.com/brimsec/zq/pkg/fs"
 	"github.com/brimsec/zq/zio/zngio"
 	"github.com/brimsec/zq/zng/resolver"
 )
@@ -27,7 +28,7 @@ func NewReader(path string) (*Reader, error) {
 }
 
 func newReader(path string, level int) (*Reader, error) {
-	f, err := os.Open(filename(path, level))
+	f, err := fs.Open(filename(path, level))
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, err
 	}
diff --git a/zdx/writer.go b/zdx/writer.go
index a2bf7a1167..59df9cf05a 100644
--- a/zdx/writer.go
+++ b/zdx/writer.go
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@ import (
 	"os"
 
 	"github.com/brimsec/zq/pkg/bufwriter"
+	"github.com/brimsec/zq/pkg/fs"
 	"github.com/brimsec/zq/zio"
 	"github.com/brimsec/zq/zio/zngio"
 	"github.com/brimsec/zq/zng"
@@ -60,7 +61,7 @@ func newWriter(path string, framesize, level int) (*Writer, error) {
 		panic("something wrong")
 	}
 	name := filename(path, level)
-	f, err := os.OpenFile(name, os.O_WRONLY|os.O_CREATE|os.O_TRUNC, 0600)
+	f, err := fs.OpenFile(name, os.O_WRONLY|os.O_CREATE|os.O_TRUNC, 0600)
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, err
 	}
diff --git a/zio/detector/file.go b/zio/detector/file.go
index f1d0fd43ef..58b9e5c999 100644
--- a/zio/detector/file.go
+++ b/zio/detector/file.go
@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@ import (
 	"github.com/aws/aws-sdk-go/aws/session"
 	"github.com/aws/aws-sdk-go/service/s3"
 	"github.com/aws/aws-sdk-go/service/s3/s3manager"
+	"github.com/brimsec/zq/pkg/fs"
 	"github.com/brimsec/zq/zbuf"
 	"github.com/brimsec/zq/zio/ndjsonio"
 	"github.com/brimsec/zq/zio/parquetio"
@@ -59,7 +60,7 @@ func OpenFile(zctx *resolver.Context, path string, cfg OpenConfig) (*zbuf.File,
 		if info.IsDir() {
 			return nil, errors.New("is a directory")
 		}
-		f, err = os.Open(path)
+		f, err = fs.Open(path)
 		if err != nil {
 			return nil, err
 		}
diff --git a/zio/zngio/index_test.go b/zio/zngio/index_test.go
index a5bb290f55..2de26d3e3d 100644
--- a/zio/zngio/index_test.go
+++ b/zio/zngio/index_test.go
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@ import (
 	"strings"
 	"testing"
 
+	"github.com/brimsec/zq/pkg/fs"
 	"github.com/brimsec/zq/pkg/nano"
 	"github.com/brimsec/zq/zbuf"
 	"github.com/brimsec/zq/zio"
@@ -107,7 +108,7 @@ func TestZngIndex(t *testing.T) {
 		// First time we read the file we don't have an index, but a
 		// search with a time span should still only return results
 		// from the span.
-		fp, err = os.Open(fname)
+		fp, err = fs.Open(fname)
 		require.NoError(t, err)
 		ireader, err := index.NewReader(fp, resolver.NewContext(), span)
 		require.NoError(t, err)
@@ -118,7 +119,7 @@ func TestZngIndex(t *testing.T) {
 
 		// Second time through, should get the same results, this time
 		// verify that we didn't read the whole file.
-		fp, err = os.Open(fname)
+		fp, err = fs.Open(fname)
 		require.NoError(t, err)
 		ireader, err = index.NewReader(fp, resolver.NewContext(), span)
 		require.NoError(t, err)
diff --git a/zio/zngio/types.go b/zio/zngio/types.go
index c767788d2f..e1a5e811fa 100644
--- a/zio/zngio/types.go
+++ b/zio/zngio/types.go
@@ -19,6 +19,7 @@ import (
 	"path/filepath"
 	"sync"
 
+	"github.com/brimsec/zq/pkg/fs"
 	"github.com/brimsec/zq/zng/resolver"
 )
 
@@ -40,7 +41,7 @@ func NewTypeFile(path string) (*TypeFile, error) {
 	zctx := resolver.NewContext()
 	info, err := os.Stat(path)
 	if os.IsNotExist(err) {
-		f, err := os.Create(path)
+		f, err := fs.Create(path)
 		if err != nil {
 			return nil, err
 		}
@@ -51,7 +52,7 @@ func NewTypeFile(path string) (*TypeFile, error) {
 		if info.IsDir() {
 			return nil, fmt.Errorf("type file cannot be a directory: %s", path)
 		}
-		file, err := os.Open(path)
+		file, err := fs.Open(path)
 		if err != nil {
 			return nil, err
 		}
diff --git a/zqd/handlers_test.go b/zqd/handlers_test.go
index 7f1816c55f..5a02d7255e 100644
--- a/zqd/handlers_test.go
+++ b/zqd/handlers_test.go
@@ -17,6 +17,7 @@ import (
 	"sync"
 	"testing"
 
+	"github.com/brimsec/zq/pkg/fs"
 	"github.com/brimsec/zq/pkg/nano"
 	"github.com/brimsec/zq/pkg/test"
 	"github.com/brimsec/zq/zbuf"
@@ -799,7 +800,7 @@ func (p *testZeekProcess) Wait() error {
 func writeLogsFn(logs []string) procFn {
 	return func(t *testZeekProcess) error {
 		for _, log := range logs {
-			r, err := os.Open(log)
+			r, err := fs.Open(log)
 			if err != nil {
 				return err
 			}
diff --git a/zqd/ingest/log.go b/zqd/ingest/log.go
index 5f8c4b1bde..606ea2f50f 100644
--- a/zqd/ingest/log.go
+++ b/zqd/ingest/log.go
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@ import (
 	"time"
 
 	"github.com/brimsec/zq/driver"
+	"github.com/brimsec/zq/pkg/fs"
 	"github.com/brimsec/zq/pkg/nano"
 	"github.com/brimsec/zq/zbuf"
 	"github.com/brimsec/zq/zio"
@@ -87,7 +88,7 @@ func openIncomingLog(path string) (*readCounter, int64, error) {
 	if info.IsDir() {
 		return nil, 0, zqe.E(zqe.Invalid, "path is a directory")
 	}
-	f, err := os.Open(path)
+	f, err := fs.Open(path)
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, 0, err
 	}
diff --git a/zqd/ingest/pcap.go b/zqd/ingest/pcap.go
index 90483eaefe..8a78f2d188 100644
--- a/zqd/ingest/pcap.go
+++ b/zqd/ingest/pcap.go
@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@ import (
 
 	"github.com/brimsec/zq/driver"
 	"github.com/brimsec/zq/pcap"
+	"github.com/brimsec/zq/pkg/fs"
 	"github.com/brimsec/zq/pkg/nano"
 	"github.com/brimsec/zq/zbuf"
 	"github.com/brimsec/zq/zio"
@@ -144,7 +145,7 @@ outer:
 }
 
 func (p *Process) indexPcap() error {
-	pcapfile, err := os.Open(p.pcapPath)
+	pcapfile, err := fs.Open(p.pcapPath)
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
@@ -155,7 +156,7 @@ func (p *Process) indexPcap() error {
 	}
 	idxpath := p.space.DataPath(space.PcapIndexFile)
 	tmppath := idxpath + ".tmp"
-	f, err := os.Create(tmppath)
+	f, err := fs.Create(tmppath)
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
@@ -173,7 +174,7 @@ func (p *Process) indexPcap() error {
 }
 
 func (p *Process) runZeek(ctx context.Context) error {
-	pcapfile, err := os.Open(p.pcapPath)
+	pcapfile, err := fs.Open(p.pcapPath)
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
diff --git a/zqd/space/space.go b/zqd/space/space.go
index 623cb65385..6780020bc4 100644
--- a/zqd/space/space.go
+++ b/zqd/space/space.go
@@ -285,7 +285,7 @@ func (s *Space) PcapSearch(ctx context.Context, req api.PcapSearch) (*SearchRead
 	default:
 		return nil, fmt.Errorf("unsupported proto type: %s", req.Proto)
 	}
-	f, err := os.Open(s.PcapPath())
+	f, err := fs.Open(s.PcapPath())
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, err
 	}
@@ -345,7 +345,7 @@ func (s *Space) DataPath(elem ...string) string {
 func (s *Space) OpenZng(span nano.Span) (zbuf.ReadCloser, error) {
 	zctx := resolver.NewContext()
 
-	f, err := os.Open(s.DataPath(AllZngFile))
+	f, err := fs.Open(s.DataPath(AllZngFile))
 	if err != nil {
 		if !os.IsNotExist(err) {
 			return nil, err
@@ -353,7 +353,7 @@ func (s *Space) OpenZng(span nano.Span) (zbuf.ReadCloser, error) {
 
 		// Couldn't read all.zng, check for an old space with all.bzng
 		bzngFile := strings.TrimSuffix(AllZngFile, filepath.Ext(AllZngFile)) + ".bzng"
-		f, err = os.Open(s.DataPath(bzngFile))
+		f, err = fs.Open(s.DataPath(bzngFile))
 		if err != nil {
 			if !os.IsNotExist(err) {
 				return nil, err
@@ -367,7 +367,7 @@ func (s *Space) OpenZng(span nano.Span) (zbuf.ReadCloser, error) {
 }
 
 func (s *Space) CreateFile(file string) (*os.File, error) {
-	return os.Create(s.DataPath(file))
+	return fs.Create(s.DataPath(file))
 }
 
 func (s *Space) HasFile(file string) bool {
@@ -477,7 +477,7 @@ func loadConfig(spacePath string) (config, error) {
 func (c config) save(spacePath string) error {
 	path := filepath.Join(spacePath, configFile)
 	tmppath := path + ".tmp"
-	f, err := os.Create(tmppath)
+	f, err := fs.Create(tmppath)
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
@@ -508,7 +508,7 @@ func loadInfoFile(path string) (info, error) {
 func (i info) save(path string) error {
 	path = filepath.Join(path, infoFile)
 	tmppath := path + ".tmp"
-	f, err := os.Create(tmppath)
+	f, err := fs.Create(tmppath)
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
diff --git a/zql/zql_test.go b/zql/zql_test.go
index 7249bca0e7..d6e407113f 100644
--- a/zql/zql_test.go
+++ b/zql/zql_test.go
@@ -3,16 +3,16 @@ package zql
 import (
 	"bufio"
 	"fmt"
-	"os"
 	"testing"
 
 	"github.com/brimsec/zq/ast"
+	"github.com/brimsec/zq/pkg/fs"
 	"github.com/stretchr/testify/assert"
 	"github.com/stretchr/testify/require"
 )
 
 func TestValid(t *testing.T) {
-	file, err := os.Open("valid.zql")
+	file, err := fs.Open("valid.zql")
 	require.NoError(t, err)
 	scanner := bufio.NewScanner(file)
 	for scanner.Scan() {
@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@ func TestValid(t *testing.T) {
 }
 
 func TestInvalid(t *testing.T) {
-	file, err := os.Open("invalid.zql")
+	file, err := fs.Open("invalid.zql")
 	require.NoError(t, err)
 	scanner := bufio.NewScanner(file)
 	for scanner.Scan() {