diff --git a/mercurial/peer.py b/mercurial/peer.py
--- a/mercurial/peer.py
+++ b/mercurial/peer.py
@@ -8,9 +8,85 @@
 
 from i18n import _
 import error
+import util
+
+# abstract batching support
+
+class future(object):
+    '''placeholder for a value to be set later'''
+    def set(self, value):
+        if util.safehasattr(self, 'value'):
+            raise error.RepoError("future is already set")
+        self.value = value
+
+class batcher(object):
+    '''base class for batches of commands submittable in a single request
+
+    All methods invoked on instances of this class are simply queued and
+    return a a future for the result. Once you call submit(), all the queued
+    calls are performed and the results set in their respective futures.
+    '''
+    def __init__(self):
+        self.calls = []
+    def __getattr__(self, name):
+        def call(*args, **opts):
+            resref = future()
+            self.calls.append((name, args, opts, resref,))
+            return resref
+        return call
+    def submit(self):
+        pass
+
+class localbatch(batcher):
+    '''performs the queued calls directly'''
+    def __init__(self, local):
+        batcher.__init__(self)
+        self.local = local
+    def submit(self):
+        for name, args, opts, resref in self.calls:
+            resref.set(getattr(self.local, name)(*args, **opts))
+
+def batchable(f):
+    '''annotation for batchable methods
+
+    Such methods must implement a coroutine as follows:
+
+    @batchable
+    def sample(self, one, two=None):
+        # Handle locally computable results first:
+        if not one:
+            yield "a local result", None
+        # Build list of encoded arguments suitable for your wire protocol:
+        encargs = [('one', encode(one),), ('two', encode(two),)]
+        # Create future for injection of encoded result:
+        encresref = future()
+        # Return encoded arguments and future:
+        yield encargs, encresref
+        # Assuming the future to be filled with the result from the batched
+        # request now. Decode it:
+        yield decode(encresref.value)
+
+    The decorator returns a function which wraps this coroutine as a plain
+    method, but adds the original method as an attribute called "batchable",
+    which is used by remotebatch to split the call into separate encoding and
+    decoding phases.
+    '''
+    def plain(*args, **opts):
+        batchable = f(*args, **opts)
+        encargsorres, encresref = batchable.next()
+        if not encresref:
+            return encargsorres # a local result in this case
+        self = args[0]
+        encresref.set(self._submitone(f.func_name, encargsorres))
+        return batchable.next()
+    setattr(plain, 'batchable', f)
+    return plain
 
 class peerrepository(object):
 
+    def batch(self):
+        return localbatch(self)
+
     def capable(self, name):
         '''tell whether repo supports named capability.
         return False if not supported.
diff --git a/mercurial/wireproto.py b/mercurial/wireproto.py
--- a/mercurial/wireproto.py
+++ b/mercurial/wireproto.py
@@ -58,48 +58,12 @@ class abstractserverproto(object):
         Some protocols may have compressed the contents."""
         raise NotImplementedError()
 
-# abstract batching support
-
-class future(object):
-    '''placeholder for a value to be set later'''
-    def set(self, value):
-        if util.safehasattr(self, 'value'):
-            raise error.RepoError("future is already set")
-        self.value = value
-
-class batcher(object):
-    '''base class for batches of commands submittable in a single request
-
-    All methods invoked on instances of this class are simply queued and
-    return a a future for the result. Once you call submit(), all the queued
-    calls are performed and the results set in their respective futures.
-    '''
-    def __init__(self):
-        self.calls = []
-    def __getattr__(self, name):
-        def call(*args, **opts):
-            resref = future()
-            self.calls.append((name, args, opts, resref,))
-            return resref
-        return call
-    def submit(self):
-        pass
-
-class localbatch(batcher):
-    '''performs the queued calls directly'''
-    def __init__(self, local):
-        batcher.__init__(self)
-        self.local = local
-    def submit(self):
-        for name, args, opts, resref in self.calls:
-            resref.set(getattr(self.local, name)(*args, **opts))
-
-class remotebatch(batcher):
+class remotebatch(peer.batcher):
     '''batches the queued calls; uses as few roundtrips as possible'''
     def __init__(self, remote):
         '''remote must support _submitbatch(encbatch) and
         _submitone(op, encargs)'''
-        batcher.__init__(self)
+        peer.batcher.__init__(self)
         self.remote = remote
     def submit(self):
         req, rsp = [], []
@@ -128,41 +92,10 @@ class remotebatch(batcher):
             encresref.set(encres)
             resref.set(batchable.next())
 
-def batchable(f):
-    '''annotation for batchable methods
-
-    Such methods must implement a coroutine as follows:
-
-    @batchable
-    def sample(self, one, two=None):
-        # Handle locally computable results first:
-        if not one:
-            yield "a local result", None
-        # Build list of encoded arguments suitable for your wire protocol:
-        encargs = [('one', encode(one),), ('two', encode(two),)]
-        # Create future for injection of encoded result:
-        encresref = future()
-        # Return encoded arguments and future:
-        yield encargs, encresref
-        # Assuming the future to be filled with the result from the batched
-        # request now. Decode it:
-        yield decode(encresref.value)
-
-    The decorator returns a function which wraps this coroutine as a plain
-    method, but adds the original method as an attribute called "batchable",
-    which is used by remotebatch to split the call into separate encoding and
-    decoding phases.
-    '''
-    def plain(*args, **opts):
-        batchable = f(*args, **opts)
-        encargsorres, encresref = batchable.next()
-        if not encresref:
-            return encargsorres # a local result in this case
-        self = args[0]
-        encresref.set(self._submitone(f.func_name, encargsorres))
-        return batchable.next()
-    setattr(plain, 'batchable', f)
-    return plain
+# Forward a couple of names from peer to make wireproto interactions
+# slightly more sensible.
+batchable = peer.batchable
+future = peer.future
 
 # list of nodes encoding / decoding
 
diff --git a/tests/test-batching.py b/tests/test-batching.py
--- a/tests/test-batching.py
+++ b/tests/test-batching.py
@@ -5,7 +5,8 @@
 # This software may be used and distributed according to the terms of the
 # GNU General Public License version 2 or any later version.
 
-from mercurial.wireproto import localbatch, remotebatch, batchable, future
+from mercurial.peer import localbatch, batchable, future
+from mercurial.wireproto import remotebatch
 
 # equivalent of repo.repository
 class thing(object):
diff --git a/tests/test-wireproto.py b/tests/test-wireproto.py
--- a/tests/test-wireproto.py
+++ b/tests/test-wireproto.py
@@ -12,6 +12,10 @@ class proto(object):
 class clientpeer(wireproto.wirepeer):
     def __init__(self, serverrepo):
         self.serverrepo = serverrepo
+
+    def _capabilities(self):
+        return ['batch']
+
     def _call(self, cmd, **args):
         return wireproto.dispatch(self.serverrepo, proto(args), cmd)