A method begins by a dispersed storage network (DSN) access module encoding a data segment to produce slices and sending temporary write requests to DSN storage modules, wherein the temporary write requests includes slices. In response to one of the temporary write requests, the method continues with a DSN storage module temporarily storing a slice to produce a temporarily stored slice and sending an indication of temporary storage of the slice. When a write threshold number of indications of temporary storage has been received by the DSN access module, the method continues with the DSN access module sending permanent write requests to DSN storage modules. In response to one of the permanent write requests, the method continues with the DSN storage module storing the temporarily stored slice in permanent memory and sending an indication of permanent storage of the slice.