diff --git a/src/cmds/restic/cmd_init.go b/src/cmds/restic/cmd_init.go
index 069977cb6..887d34166 100644
--- a/src/cmds/restic/cmd_init.go
+++ b/src/cmds/restic/cmd_init.go
@@ -26,10 +26,7 @@ func (cmd CmdInit) Execute(args []string) error {
 			"enter password again: ")
 	}
 
-	s, err := repository.New(be)
-	if err != nil {
-		return err
-	}
+	s := repository.New(be)
 
 	err = s.Init(cmd.global.password)
 	if err != nil {
diff --git a/src/cmds/restic/global.go b/src/cmds/restic/global.go
index 1de0bfe76..49a2ace30 100644
--- a/src/cmds/restic/global.go
+++ b/src/cmds/restic/global.go
@@ -208,10 +208,7 @@ func (o GlobalOptions) OpenRepository() (*repository.Repository, error) {
 		return nil, err
 	}
 
-	s, err := repository.New(be)
-	if err != nil {
-		return nil, err
-	}
+	s := repository.New(be)
 
 	if o.password == "" {
 		o.password = o.ReadPassword("enter password for repository: ")
diff --git a/src/restic/archiver_duplication_test.go b/src/restic/archiver_duplication_test.go
index 564cdca00..ffcbacee4 100644
--- a/src/restic/archiver_duplication_test.go
+++ b/src/restic/archiver_duplication_test.go
@@ -78,10 +78,7 @@ func testArchiverDuplication(t *testing.T) {
 		t.Fatal(err)
 	}
 
-	repo, err := repository.New(forgetfulBackend())
-	if err != nil {
-		t.Fatal(err)
-	}
+	repo := repository.New(forgetfulBackend())
 
 	err = repo.Init("foo")
 	if err != nil {
diff --git a/src/restic/checker/checker_test.go b/src/restic/checker/checker_test.go
index 5db7d945e..85135a98c 100644
--- a/src/restic/checker/checker_test.go
+++ b/src/restic/checker/checker_test.go
@@ -239,8 +239,7 @@ func induceError(data []byte) {
 func TestCheckerModifiedData(t *testing.T) {
 	be := mem.New()
 
-	repo, err := repository.New(be)
-	OK(t, err)
+	repo := repository.New(be)
 	OK(t, repo.Init(TestPassword))
 
 	arch := restic.NewArchiver(repo)
@@ -249,8 +248,7 @@ func TestCheckerModifiedData(t *testing.T) {
 	t.Logf("archived as %v", id.Str())
 
 	beError := &errorBackend{Backend: be}
-	checkRepo, err := repository.New(beError)
-	OK(t, err)
+	checkRepo := repository.New(beError)
 	OK(t, checkRepo.SearchKey(TestPassword))
 
 	chkr := checker.New(checkRepo)
diff --git a/src/restic/repository/packer_manager.go b/src/restic/repository/packer_manager.go
index bb1c62d93..9622ebb9a 100644
--- a/src/restic/repository/packer_manager.go
+++ b/src/restic/repository/packer_manager.go
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@ type packerManager struct {
 	pm    sync.Mutex
 	packs []*pack.Packer
 
-	tempdir string
+	pool sync.Pool
 }
 
 const minPackSize = 4 * 1024 * 1024
@@ -34,23 +34,21 @@ const maxPackers = 200
 
 // NewPackerManager returns an new packer manager which writes temporary files
 // to a temporary directory
-func NewPackerManager(be Saver, key *crypto.Key) (pm *packerManager, err error) {
-	pm = &packerManager{
+func NewPackerManager(be Saver, key *crypto.Key) *packerManager {
+	return &packerManager{
 		be:  be,
 		key: key,
+		pool: sync.Pool{
+			New: func() interface{} {
+				return make([]byte, (minPackSize+maxPackSize)/2)
+			},
+		},
 	}
-
-	pm.tempdir, err = ioutil.TempDir("", fmt.Sprintf("restic-packs-%d-", os.Getpid()))
-	if err != nil {
-		return nil, err
-	}
-
-	return pm, nil
 }
 
 // findPacker returns a packer for a new blob of size bytes. Either a new one is
 // created or one is returned that already has some blobs.
-func (r *packerManager) findPacker(size uint) (*pack.Packer, error) {
+func (r *packerManager) findPacker(size uint) (packer *pack.Packer, err error) {
 	r.pm.Lock()
 	defer r.pm.Unlock()
 
@@ -69,7 +67,7 @@ func (r *packerManager) findPacker(size uint) (*pack.Packer, error) {
 
 	// no suitable packer found, return new
 	debug.Log("Repo.findPacker", "create new pack for %d bytes", size)
-	tmpfile, err := ioutil.TempFile(r.tempdir, "restic-pack-")
+	tmpfile, err := ioutil.TempFile("", "restic-temp-pack-")
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, err
 	}
@@ -122,6 +120,11 @@ func (r *Repository) savePacker(p *pack.Packer) error {
 
 	debug.Log("Repo.savePacker", "saved as %v", h)
 
+	err = os.Remove(tmpfile.Name())
+	if err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+
 	// update blobs in the index
 	for _, b := range p.Blobs() {
 		debug.Log("Repo.savePacker", "  updating blob %v to pack %v", b.ID.Str(), id.Str())
@@ -144,10 +147,3 @@ func (r *packerManager) countPacker() int {
 
 	return len(r.packs)
 }
-
-// removeTempdir deletes the temporary directory.
-func (r *packerManager) removeTempdir() error {
-	err := os.RemoveAll(r.tempdir)
-	r.tempdir = ""
-	return err
-}
diff --git a/src/restic/repository/packer_manager_test.go b/src/restic/repository/packer_manager_test.go
index 79a7d9904..53129a7fe 100644
--- a/src/restic/repository/packer_manager_test.go
+++ b/src/restic/repository/packer_manager_test.go
@@ -120,10 +120,7 @@ func TestPackerManager(t *testing.T) {
 	rnd := rand.New(rand.NewSource(23))
 
 	be := mem.New()
-	pm, err := NewPackerManager(be, crypto.NewRandomKey())
-	if err != nil {
-		t.Fatal(err)
-	}
+	pm := NewPackerManager(be, crypto.NewRandomKey())
 
 	blobBuf := make([]byte, maxBlobSize)
 
@@ -131,20 +128,13 @@ func TestPackerManager(t *testing.T) {
 	bytes += flushRemainingPacks(t, rnd, be, pm)
 
 	t.Logf("saved %d bytes", bytes)
-	err = pm.removeTempdir()
-	if err != nil {
-		t.Fatal(err)
-	}
 }
 
 func BenchmarkPackerManager(t *testing.B) {
 	rnd := rand.New(rand.NewSource(23))
 
 	be := &fakeBackend{}
-	pm, err := NewPackerManager(be, crypto.NewRandomKey())
-	if err != nil {
-		t.Fatal(err)
-	}
+	pm := NewPackerManager(be, crypto.NewRandomKey())
 	blobBuf := make([]byte, maxBlobSize)
 
 	t.ResetTimer()
@@ -156,9 +146,4 @@ func BenchmarkPackerManager(t *testing.B) {
 
 	bytes += flushRemainingPacks(t, rnd, be, pm)
 	t.Logf("saved %d bytes", bytes)
-
-	err = pm.removeTempdir()
-	if err != nil {
-		t.Fatal(err)
-	}
 }
diff --git a/src/restic/repository/repository.go b/src/restic/repository/repository.go
index eb86902b6..5d28ee4a7 100644
--- a/src/restic/repository/repository.go
+++ b/src/restic/repository/repository.go
@@ -27,19 +27,14 @@ type Repository struct {
 }
 
 // New returns a new repository with backend be.
-func New(be backend.Backend) (*Repository, error) {
-	pm, err := NewPackerManager(be, nil)
-	if err != nil {
-		return nil, err
-	}
-
+func New(be backend.Backend) *Repository {
 	repo := &Repository{
 		be:            be,
 		idx:           NewMasterIndex(),
-		packerManager: pm,
+		packerManager: NewPackerManager(be, nil),
 	}
 
-	return repo, nil
+	return repo
 }
 
 // Find loads the list of all blobs of type t and searches for names which start
@@ -304,7 +299,6 @@ func (r *Repository) Flush() error {
 		}
 	}
 	r.packs = r.packs[:0]
-
 	return nil
 }
 
diff --git a/src/restic/test/backend.go b/src/restic/test/backend.go
index 4d9ca6a44..5516cecdf 100644
--- a/src/restic/test/backend.go
+++ b/src/restic/test/backend.go
@@ -61,10 +61,7 @@ func SetupRepo() *repository.Repository {
 		panic(err)
 	}
 
-	repo, err := repository.New(b)
-	if err != nil {
-		panic(err)
-	}
+	repo := repository.New(b)
 	err = repo.Init(TestPassword)
 	if err != nil {
 		panic(err)
diff --git a/src/restic/test/helpers.go b/src/restic/test/helpers.go
index c43e15b70..4c3280fba 100644
--- a/src/restic/test/helpers.go
+++ b/src/restic/test/helpers.go
@@ -213,10 +213,7 @@ func OpenLocalRepo(t testing.TB, dir string) *repository.Repository {
 	be, err := local.Open(dir)
 	OK(t, err)
 
-	repo, err := repository.New(be)
-	if err != nil {
-		t.Fatal(err)
-	}
+	repo := repository.New(be)
 	err = repo.SearchKey(TestPassword)
 	OK(t, err)