diff --git a/lib/Makefile.in b/lib/Makefile.in
index b71579d46..60f06318f 100644
--- a/lib/Makefile.in
+++ b/lib/Makefile.in
@@ -28,6 +28,7 @@ SOURCES=\
 	format1/layout.c \
 	format1/vg_number.c \
 	log/log.c \
+	metadata/lv_manip.c \
 	metadata/metadata.c \
 	metadata/pv_map.c \
 	mm/dbg_malloc.c \
diff --git a/lib/metadata/lv_manip.c b/lib/metadata/lv_manip.c
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..3af0d5cfe
--- /dev/null
+++ b/lib/metadata/lv_manip.c
@@ -0,0 +1,188 @@
+/*
+ * Copyright (C) 2001 Sistina Software
+ *
+ * This file is released under the LGPL.
+ */
+
+#include "metadata.h"
+#include "pv_map.h"
+#include "log.h"
+
+/*
+ * The heart of the allocation code.  This
+ * function takes a pv_area and allocates it to
+ * the lv.  If the lv doesn't need the complete
+ * area then the area is split, otherwise the area
+ * is unlinked from the pv_map.
+ */
+static int _alloc_area(struct logical_volume *lv, uint32_t index,
+		       struct physical_volume *pv, struct pv_area *pva)
+{
+	uint32_t count, remaining, i, start;
+
+	start = pva->start;
+
+	count = pva->count;
+	remaining = lv->le_count - index;
+
+	if (remaining < count) {
+		/* split the area */
+		count = remaining;
+		pva->start += count;
+		pva->count -= count;
+
+	} else {
+		/* unlink the area */
+		list_del(&pva->list);
+	}
+
+	for (i = 0; i < count; i++) {
+		lv->map[i + index].pv = pv;
+		lv->map[i + index].pe = start + i;
+	}
+
+	return count;
+}
+
+static int _alloc_striped(struct logical_volume *lv, struct list *pvms)
+{
+	log_err("striped allocation not implemented yet.");
+	return 0;
+}
+
+static int _alloc_contiguous(struct logical_volume *lv, struct list *pvms)
+{
+	log_err("contiguous allocation not implemented yet.");
+	return 0;
+}
+
+static int _alloc_simple(struct logical_volume *lv, struct list *pvms)
+{
+	struct list *tmp1, *tmp2;
+	struct pv_map *pvm;
+	struct pv_area *pva;
+	uint32_t allocated = 0;
+
+	list_iterate (tmp1, pvms) {
+		pvm = list_item(tmp1, struct pv_map);
+
+		list_iterate (tmp2, &pvm->areas) {
+			pva = list_item(tmp2, struct pv_area);
+			allocated += _alloc_area(lv, allocated, pvm->pv, pva);
+
+			if (allocated == lv->le_count)
+				break;
+		}
+
+		if (allocated == lv->le_count) /* FIXME: yuck, repeated test */
+			break;
+	}
+
+	if (allocated != lv->le_count) {
+		log_err("insufficient free extents to "
+			"allocate logical volume");
+		return 0;
+	}
+
+	return 1;
+}
+
+struct logical_volume *lv_create(struct io_space *ios,
+				 const char *name,
+				 uint32_t status,
+				 uint32_t stripes,
+				 uint32_t stripe_size,
+				 uint32_t extents,
+				 struct volume_group *vg,
+				 struct pv_list *acceptable_pvs)
+{
+	struct lv_list *ll = NULL;
+	struct logical_volume *lv;
+	struct list *pvms;
+	struct pool *scratch;
+	int r;
+
+	if (!(scratch = pool_create(1024))) {
+		stack;
+		return NULL;
+	}
+
+	if (!extents) {
+		log_err("Attempt to create an lv with zero extents");
+		return NULL;
+	}
+
+	if (vg->free_count < extents) {
+		log_err("Insufficient free extents in volume group");
+		goto bad;
+	}
+
+	if (vg->max_lv == vg->lv_count) {
+		log_err("Maximum logical volumes already reached "
+			"for this volume group.");
+		goto bad;
+	}
+
+	if (!(ll = pool_zalloc(ios->mem, sizeof(*ll)))) {
+		stack;
+		return NULL;
+	}
+
+	lv = &ll->lv;
+
+	strcpy(lv->id.uuid, "");
+
+	if (!(lv->name = pool_strdup(ios->mem, name))) {
+		stack;
+		goto bad;
+	}
+
+	lv->vg = vg;
+	lv->status = status;
+	lv->read_ahead = 0;
+	lv->stripes = stripes;
+	lv->size = extents * vg->extent_size;
+	lv->le_count = extents;
+
+	if (!(lv->map = pool_zalloc(ios->mem, sizeof(*lv->map) * extents))) {
+		stack;
+		goto bad;
+	}
+
+	/*
+	 * Build the sets of available areas on
+	 * the pv's.
+	 */
+	if (!(pvms = create_pv_maps(scratch, vg))) {
+		log_err("couldn't create extent mappings");
+		goto bad;
+	}
+
+	if (stripes > 1)
+		r = _alloc_striped(lv, pvms);
+
+	else if (status & ALLOC_CONTIGUOUS)
+		r = _alloc_contiguous(lv, pvms);
+
+	else
+		r = _alloc_simple(lv, pvms);
+
+	if (!r) {
+		log_err("Extent allocation failed.");
+		goto bad;
+	}
+
+	list_add(&ll->list, &vg->lvs);
+	vg->lv_count++;
+	vg->free_count -= extents;
+
+	pool_destroy(scratch);
+	return lv;
+
+ bad:
+	if (ll)
+		pool_free(ios->mem, ll);
+
+	pool_destroy(scratch);
+	return NULL;
+}
diff --git a/lib/metadata/metadata.h b/lib/metadata/metadata.h
index 6e741f4e1..7eb557997 100644
--- a/lib/metadata/metadata.h
+++ b/lib/metadata/metadata.h
@@ -217,7 +217,7 @@ struct logical_volume *lv_create(struct io_space *ios,
 				 uint32_t status,
 				 uint32_t stripes,
 				 uint32_t stripe_size,
-				 uint64_t extents,
+				 uint32_t extents,
 				 struct volume_group *vg,
 				 struct pv_list *acceptable_pvs);
 
diff --git a/lib/metadata/pv_map.c b/lib/metadata/pv_map.c
index 0e4244d28..0ff7a81d0 100644
--- a/lib/metadata/pv_map.c
+++ b/lib/metadata/pv_map.c
@@ -103,6 +103,7 @@ static int _create_single_area(struct pool *mem, struct pv_map *pvm,
 	pva->start = b;
 	pva->count = e - b;
 	list_add(&pvm->areas, &pva->list);
+	*extent = e;
 
 	return 1;
 }