diff --git a/server.go b/server.go
index eaa42d155..17839c554 100644
--- a/server.go
+++ b/server.go
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@ import (
 	"errors"
 	"fmt"
 	"io"
+	"sync"
 
 	"github.com/restic/restic/backend"
 	"github.com/restic/restic/debug"
@@ -277,6 +278,12 @@ func (s Server) SaveFrom(t backend.Type, id backend.ID, length uint, rd io.Reade
 	return blob, nil
 }
 
+var zWriterPool = sync.Pool{
+	New: func() interface{} {
+		return zlib.NewWriter(nil)
+	},
+}
+
 // SaveJSON serialises item as JSON and encrypts and saves it in the backend as
 // type t.
 func (s Server) SaveJSON(t backend.Type, item interface{}) (Blob, error) {
@@ -286,7 +293,9 @@ func (s Server) SaveJSON(t backend.Type, item interface{}) (Blob, error) {
 	}
 
 	encWr := s.key.EncryptTo(backendBlob)
-	wr := zlib.NewWriter(encWr)
+	wr := zWriterPool.Get().(*zlib.Writer)
+	defer zWriterPool.Put(wr)
+	wr.Reset(encWr)
 	if err != nil {
 		return Blob{}, fmt.Errorf("zlib.NewWriter: %v", err)
 	}
diff --git a/server_test.go b/server_test.go
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..9272fa24a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/server_test.go
@@ -0,0 +1,68 @@
+package restic_test
+
+import (
+	"bytes"
+	"crypto/sha256"
+	"encoding/json"
+	"testing"
+
+	"github.com/restic/restic"
+	"github.com/restic/restic/backend"
+)
+
+type testJSONStruct struct {
+	Foo uint32
+	Bar string
+	Baz []byte
+}
+
+var serverTests = []testJSONStruct{
+	testJSONStruct{Foo: 23, Bar: "Teststring", Baz: []byte("xx")},
+}
+
+func TestSaveJSON(t *testing.T) {
+	be := setupBackend(t)
+	defer teardownBackend(t, be)
+	key := setupKey(t, be, "geheim")
+	server := restic.NewServerWithKey(be, key)
+
+	for _, obj := range serverTests {
+		data, err := json.Marshal(obj)
+		ok(t, err)
+		data = append(data, '\n')
+		h := sha256.Sum256(data)
+
+		blob, err := server.SaveJSON(backend.Tree, obj)
+		ok(t, err)
+
+		assert(t, bytes.Equal(h[:], blob.ID),
+			"TestSaveJSON: wrong plaintext ID: expected %02x, got %02x",
+			h, blob.ID)
+	}
+}
+
+func BenchmarkSaveJSON(t *testing.B) {
+	be := setupBackend(t)
+	defer teardownBackend(t, be)
+	key := setupKey(t, be, "geheim")
+	server := restic.NewServerWithKey(be, key)
+
+	t.ResetTimer()
+	//t.SetBytes(int64(size))
+
+	obj := serverTests[0]
+
+	data, err := json.Marshal(obj)
+	ok(t, err)
+	data = append(data, '\n')
+	h := sha256.Sum256(data)
+
+	for i := 0; i < t.N; i++ {
+		blob, err := server.SaveJSON(backend.Tree, obj)
+		ok(t, err)
+
+		assert(t, bytes.Equal(h[:], blob.ID),
+			"TestSaveJSON: wrong plaintext ID: expected %02x, got %02x",
+			h, blob.ID)
+	}
+}