diff --git a/crates/crdb/src/crdb.rs b/crates/crdb/src/crdb.rs
index c8af454935..9f63489804 100644
--- a/crates/crdb/src/crdb.rs
+++ b/crates/crdb/src/crdb.rs
@@ -251,7 +251,7 @@ impl<E: Executor, N: ClientNetwork> Checkout<E, N> {
 
         let operations = self
             .repo
-            .operations_since(&(&response.max_operation_ids).into());
+            .read(|snapshot| snapshot.operations_since(&(&response.max_operation_ids).into()));
 
         for chunk in operations.chunks(CHUNK_SIZE) {
             client
@@ -368,16 +368,8 @@ impl<E: Executor, N: ClientNetwork> Client<E, N> {
     }
 
     fn handle_remote_operation(self, repo_id: RepoId, operation: Operation) {
-        let update = self
-            .db
-            .snapshot
-            .lock()
-            .repos
-            .update(&repo_id, |repo| repo.apply_operation(operation));
-        assert!(
-            update.is_some(),
-            "received an operation for an unknown repo"
-        );
+        let repo = self.db.repo(repo_id).expect("repo must exist");
+        repo.apply_operations([operation]);
     }
 
     fn request<R: Request>(&self, request: R) -> BoxFuture<Result<R::Response>> {
@@ -430,6 +422,7 @@ impl<N: ServerNetwork> Server<N> {
         this.handle_requests(Self::handle_publish_repo);
         this.handle_requests(Self::handle_clone_repo);
         this.handle_requests(Self::handle_sync_repo);
+        this.handle_requests(Self::handle_publish_operations);
         let request_handlers = this.request_handlers.clone();
 
         network.handle_requests(move |user, request_bytes| {
@@ -531,18 +524,29 @@ impl<N: ServerNetwork> Server<N> {
     ) -> Result<messages::SyncRepoResponse> {
         let repo = self
             .db
-            .snapshot
-            .lock()
-            .repos
-            .get(&request.id)
-            .ok_or_else(|| anyhow!("repo not found"))?
-            .clone();
+            .repo(request.id)
+            .ok_or_else(|| anyhow!("repo not found"))?;
 
-        Ok(messages::SyncRepoResponse {
-            operations: repo.operations_since(&(&request.max_operation_ids).into()),
-            max_operation_ids: (&repo.max_operation_ids).into(),
+        repo.read(|snapshot| {
+            Ok(messages::SyncRepoResponse {
+                operations: snapshot.operations_since(&(&request.max_operation_ids).into()),
+                max_operation_ids: (&snapshot.max_operation_ids).into(),
+            })
         })
     }
+
+    async fn handle_publish_operations(
+        self,
+        _user: User,
+        request: messages::PublishOperations,
+    ) -> Result<()> {
+        let repo = self
+            .db
+            .repo(request.repo_id)
+            .ok_or_else(|| anyhow!("repo not found"))?;
+        repo.apply_operations(request.operations);
+        Ok(())
+    }
 }
 
 #[derive(Clone)]
@@ -593,10 +597,6 @@ impl Repo {
         }
     }
 
-    fn operations_since(&self, version: &TreeMap<ReplicaId, OperationCount>) -> Vec<Operation> {
-        self.read(|repo| repo.operations_since(version))
-    }
-
     fn read<F, T>(&self, f: F) -> T
     where
         F: FnOnce(&RepoSnapshot) -> T,
@@ -626,10 +626,19 @@ impl Repo {
                 if let Some(local_operation_created) = self.db.local_operation_created.as_ref() {
                     local_operation_created(self.id, operation);
                 }
+
                 result
             })
             .expect("repo must exist")
     }
+
+    fn apply_operations(&self, operations: impl IntoIterator<Item = Operation>) {
+        self.db
+            .snapshot
+            .lock()
+            .repos
+            .update(&self.id, |repo| todo!());
+    }
 }
 
 #[derive(Clone)]
@@ -1280,10 +1289,6 @@ impl RepoSnapshot {
         (operation, branch_id)
     }
 
-    fn apply_operation(&mut self, operation: Operation) {
-        todo!()
-    }
-
     fn operations_since(&self, version: &TreeMap<ReplicaId, OperationCount>) -> Vec<Operation> {
         let mut new_operations = Vec::new();
         for (replica_id, end_op_count) in self.max_operation_ids.iter() {
@@ -1364,7 +1369,7 @@ mod tests {
         where
             F: 'static + Send + Future<Output = ()>,
         {
-            todo!()
+            Background::spawn(self, future).detach();
         }
     }
 }