diff --git a/include/tpax/tpax.h b/include/tpax/tpax.h
index 6a43415..8822ee1 100644
--- a/include/tpax/tpax.h
+++ b/include/tpax/tpax.h
@@ -155,6 +155,8 @@ tpax_api int  tpax_archive_append           (const struct tpax_driver_ctx *, con
 
 tpax_api int  tpax_archive_write            (const struct tpax_driver_ctx *);
 
+tpax_api int  tpax_archive_reset            (const struct tpax_driver_ctx *);
+
 tpax_api int  tpax_archive_seal             (const struct tpax_driver_ctx *);
 
 /* utility helper interfaces */
diff --git a/project/common.mk b/project/common.mk
index a23c2ef..5ae4ea2 100644
--- a/project/common.mk
+++ b/project/common.mk
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@ API_SRCS = \
 	src/io/tpax_create_memory_snapshot.c \
 	src/io/tpax_create_tmpfs_snapshot.c \
 	src/logic/tpax_archive_append.c \
+	src/logic/tpax_archive_reset.c \
 	src/logic/tpax_archive_write.c \
 	src/logic/tpax_queue_vector.c \
 	src/meta/tpax_init_ustar_header.c \
diff --git a/src/logic/tpax_archive_reset.c b/src/logic/tpax_archive_reset.c
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..52a9008
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/logic/tpax_archive_reset.c
@@ -0,0 +1,59 @@
+/**************************************************************/
+/*  tpax: a topological pax implementation                    */
+/*  Copyright (C) 2020--2024  SysDeer Technologies, LLC       */
+/*  Released under GPLv2 and GPLv3; see COPYING.TPAX.         */
+/**************************************************************/
+
+#include <stdint.h>
+#include <stdlib.h>
+#include <sys/mman.h>
+
+#include <tpax/tpax.h>
+#include "tpax_driver_impl.h"
+
+/**********************************************/
+/* release and reset the following objects:   */
+/*                                            */
+/* - item queue                               */
+/* - queue vector                             */
+/* - cached prefixes                          */
+/* - prefix vector                            */
+/*                                            */
+/**********************************************/
+
+int tpax_archive_reset(const struct tpax_driver_ctx * dctx)
+{
+	struct tpax_driver_ctx_impl *   ictx;
+	void *                          next;
+	size_t                          size;
+	char **                         ppref;
+
+	ictx = tpax_get_driver_ictx(dctx);
+
+	for (; ictx->dirents; ) {
+		next = ictx->dirents->next;
+		size = ictx->dirents->size;
+
+		munmap(ictx->dirents,size);
+		ictx->dirents = (struct tpax_dirent_buffer *)next;
+	}
+
+	for (ppref=ictx->prefixv; *ppref; ppref++)
+		free(*ppref);
+
+	for (ppref=ictx->prefptr; ppref<ictx->prefcap; ppref++)
+		*ppref = 0;
+
+	if (ictx->prefixv != ictx->prefptr)
+		free(ictx->prefixv);
+
+	if (ictx->direntv)
+		free(ictx->direntv);
+
+	ictx->nqueued = 0;
+	ictx->dirents = 0;
+	ictx->direntv = 0;
+	ictx->prefixv = ictx->prefptr;
+
+	return 0;
+}