diff --git a/hadoop-hdfs-project/hadoop-hdfs/CHANGES.txt b/hadoop-hdfs-project/hadoop-hdfs/CHANGES.txt
index 2358e09c22c..0706240a498 100644
--- a/hadoop-hdfs-project/hadoop-hdfs/CHANGES.txt
+++ b/hadoop-hdfs-project/hadoop-hdfs/CHANGES.txt
@@ -92,6 +92,9 @@ Release 2.0.3-alpha - Unreleased
     HDFS-3573. Supply NamespaceInfo when instantiating JournalManagers. 
     (todd and ivank via umamahesh)
 
+    HDFS-3695. Genericize format() to non-file JournalManagers. 
+    (todd via umamahesh)
+
   OPTIMIZATIONS
 
   BUG FIXES 
diff --git a/hadoop-hdfs-project/hadoop-hdfs/src/contrib/bkjournal/src/main/java/org/apache/hadoop/contrib/bkjournal/BookKeeperJournalManager.java b/hadoop-hdfs-project/hadoop-hdfs/src/contrib/bkjournal/src/main/java/org/apache/hadoop/contrib/bkjournal/BookKeeperJournalManager.java
index 6d83c96c941..8636fb72466 100644
--- a/hadoop-hdfs-project/hadoop-hdfs/src/contrib/bkjournal/src/main/java/org/apache/hadoop/contrib/bkjournal/BookKeeperJournalManager.java
+++ b/hadoop-hdfs-project/hadoop-hdfs/src/contrib/bkjournal/src/main/java/org/apache/hadoop/contrib/bkjournal/BookKeeperJournalManager.java
@@ -271,6 +271,23 @@ public class BookKeeperJournalManager implements JournalManager {
     }
   }
 
+  @Override
+  public void format(NamespaceInfo ns) {
+    // Currently, BKJM automatically formats itself when first accessed.
+    // TODO: change over to explicit formatting so that the admin can
+    // clear out the BK storage when reformatting a cluster.
+    LOG.info("Not formatting " + this + " - BKJM does not currently " +
+        "support reformatting. If it has not been used before, it will" +
+        "be formatted automatically upon first use.");
+  }
+  
+  @Override
+  public boolean hasSomeData() throws IOException {
+    // Don't confirm format on BKJM, since format() is currently a
+    // no-op anyway
+    return false;
+  }
+
   /**
    * Start a new log segment in a BookKeeper ledger.
    * First ensure that we have the write lock for this journal.
diff --git a/hadoop-hdfs-project/hadoop-hdfs/src/main/java/org/apache/hadoop/hdfs/server/common/Storage.java b/hadoop-hdfs-project/hadoop-hdfs/src/main/java/org/apache/hadoop/hdfs/server/common/Storage.java
index e224830d212..be1c154cd70 100644
--- a/hadoop-hdfs-project/hadoop-hdfs/src/main/java/org/apache/hadoop/hdfs/server/common/Storage.java
+++ b/hadoop-hdfs-project/hadoop-hdfs/src/main/java/org/apache/hadoop/hdfs/server/common/Storage.java
@@ -39,6 +39,7 @@ import org.apache.hadoop.hdfs.protocol.LayoutVersion.Feature;
 import org.apache.hadoop.hdfs.server.common.HdfsServerConstants.NodeType;
 import org.apache.hadoop.hdfs.server.common.HdfsServerConstants.StartupOption;
 import org.apache.hadoop.fs.FileUtil;
+import org.apache.hadoop.util.ToolRunner;
 import org.apache.hadoop.util.VersionInfo;
 
 
@@ -225,7 +226,7 @@ public abstract class Storage extends StorageInfo {
    * One of the storage directories.
    */
   @InterfaceAudience.Private
-  public static class StorageDirectory {
+  public static class StorageDirectory implements FormatConfirmable {
     final File root;              // root directory
     final boolean useLock;        // flag to enable storage lock
     final StorageDirType dirType; // storage dir type
@@ -580,6 +581,32 @@ public abstract class Storage extends StorageInfo {
         throw new IOException("Unexpected FS state: " + curState);
       }
     }
+    
+    /**
+     * @return true if the storage directory should prompt the user prior
+     * to formatting (i.e if the directory appears to contain some data)
+     * @throws IOException if the SD cannot be accessed due to an IO error
+     */
+    @Override
+    public boolean hasSomeData() throws IOException {
+      // Its alright for a dir not to exist, or to exist (properly accessible)
+      // and be completely empty.
+      if (!root.exists()) return false;
+      
+      if (!root.isDirectory()) {
+        // a file where you expect a directory should not cause silent
+        // formatting
+        return true;
+      }
+      
+      if (FileUtil.listFiles(root).length == 0) {
+        // Empty dir can format without prompt.
+        return false;
+      }
+      
+      return true;
+    }
+
 
     /**
      * Lock storage to provide exclusive access.
@@ -773,6 +800,68 @@ public abstract class Storage extends StorageInfo {
     
   }
   
+  /**
+   * Iterate over each of the {@link FormatConfirmable} objects,
+   * potentially checking with the user whether it should be formatted.
+   * 
+   * If running in interactive mode, will prompt the user for each
+   * directory to allow them to format anyway. Otherwise, returns
+   * false, unless 'force' is specified.
+   * 
+   * @param force format regardless of whether dirs exist
+   * @param interactive prompt the user when a dir exists
+   * @return true if formatting should proceed
+   * @throws IOException if some storage cannot be accessed
+   */
+  public static boolean confirmFormat(
+      Iterable<? extends FormatConfirmable> items,
+      boolean force, boolean interactive) throws IOException {
+    for (FormatConfirmable item : items) {
+      if (!item.hasSomeData())
+        continue;
+      if (force) { // Don't confirm, always format.
+        System.err.println(
+            "Data exists in " + item + ". Formatting anyway.");
+        continue;
+      }
+      if (!interactive) { // Don't ask - always don't format
+        System.err.println(
+            "Running in non-interactive mode, and data appears to exist in " +
+            item + ". Not formatting.");
+        return false;
+      }
+      if (!ToolRunner.confirmPrompt("Re-format filesystem in " + item + " ?")) {
+        System.err.println("Format aborted in " + item);
+        return false;
+      }
+    }
+    
+    return true;
+  }
+  
+  /**
+   * Interface for classes which need to have the user confirm their
+   * formatting during NameNode -format and other similar operations.
+   * 
+   * This is currently a storage directory or journal manager.
+   */
+  @InterfaceAudience.Private
+  public interface FormatConfirmable {
+    /**
+     * @return true if the storage seems to have some valid data in it,
+     * and the user should be required to confirm the format. Otherwise,
+     * false.
+     * @throws IOException if the storage cannot be accessed at all.
+     */
+    public boolean hasSomeData() throws IOException;
+    
+    /**
+     * @return a string representation of the formattable item, suitable
+     * for display to the user inside a prompt
+     */
+    public String toString();
+  }
+  
   /**
    * Get common storage fields.
    * Should be overloaded if additional fields need to be get.
diff --git a/hadoop-hdfs-project/hadoop-hdfs/src/main/java/org/apache/hadoop/hdfs/server/namenode/BackupJournalManager.java b/hadoop-hdfs-project/hadoop-hdfs/src/main/java/org/apache/hadoop/hdfs/server/namenode/BackupJournalManager.java
index 2f6fe8cbde2..5420b129cab 100644
--- a/hadoop-hdfs-project/hadoop-hdfs/src/main/java/org/apache/hadoop/hdfs/server/namenode/BackupJournalManager.java
+++ b/hadoop-hdfs-project/hadoop-hdfs/src/main/java/org/apache/hadoop/hdfs/server/namenode/BackupJournalManager.java
@@ -22,6 +22,7 @@ import java.util.Collection;
 
 import org.apache.hadoop.hdfs.server.protocol.JournalInfo;
 import org.apache.hadoop.hdfs.server.protocol.NamenodeRegistration;
+import org.apache.hadoop.hdfs.server.protocol.NamespaceInfo;
 
 /**
  * A JournalManager implementation that uses RPCs to log transactions
@@ -38,6 +39,20 @@ class BackupJournalManager implements JournalManager {
     this.bnReg = bnReg;
   }
 
+  @Override
+  public void format(NamespaceInfo nsInfo) {
+    // format() should only get called at startup, before any BNs
+    // can register with the NN.
+    throw new UnsupportedOperationException(
+        "BackupNode journal should never get formatted");
+  }
+  
+  @Override
+  public boolean hasSomeData() {
+    throw new UnsupportedOperationException();
+  }
+
+  
   @Override
   public EditLogOutputStream startLogSegment(long txId) throws IOException {
     EditLogBackupOutputStream stm = new EditLogBackupOutputStream(bnReg,
diff --git a/hadoop-hdfs-project/hadoop-hdfs/src/main/java/org/apache/hadoop/hdfs/server/namenode/FSEditLog.java b/hadoop-hdfs-project/hadoop-hdfs/src/main/java/org/apache/hadoop/hdfs/server/namenode/FSEditLog.java
index 3d231d23b55..f313becc45e 100644
--- a/hadoop-hdfs-project/hadoop-hdfs/src/main/java/org/apache/hadoop/hdfs/server/namenode/FSEditLog.java
+++ b/hadoop-hdfs-project/hadoop-hdfs/src/main/java/org/apache/hadoop/hdfs/server/namenode/FSEditLog.java
@@ -40,6 +40,7 @@ import org.apache.hadoop.hdfs.security.token.delegation.DelegationTokenIdentifie
 import static org.apache.hadoop.util.ExitUtil.terminate;
 
 import org.apache.hadoop.hdfs.server.common.HdfsServerConstants.NamenodeRole;
+import org.apache.hadoop.hdfs.server.common.Storage.FormatConfirmable;
 import org.apache.hadoop.hdfs.server.common.Storage.StorageDirectory;
 import org.apache.hadoop.hdfs.server.namenode.FSEditLogOp.*;
 import org.apache.hadoop.hdfs.server.namenode.JournalSet.JournalAndStream;
@@ -313,6 +314,39 @@ public class FSEditLog implements LogsPurgeable {
     state = State.CLOSED;
   }
 
+
+  /**
+   * Format all configured journals which are not file-based.
+   * 
+   * File-based journals are skipped, since they are formatted by the
+   * Storage format code.
+   */
+  void formatNonFileJournals(NamespaceInfo nsInfo) throws IOException {
+    Preconditions.checkState(state == State.BETWEEN_LOG_SEGMENTS,
+        "Bad state: %s", state);
+    
+    for (JournalManager jm : journalSet.getJournalManagers()) {
+      if (!(jm instanceof FileJournalManager)) {
+        jm.format(nsInfo);
+      }
+    }
+  }
+  
+  List<FormatConfirmable> getFormatConfirmables() {
+    Preconditions.checkState(state == State.BETWEEN_LOG_SEGMENTS,
+        "Bad state: %s", state);
+
+    List<FormatConfirmable> ret = Lists.newArrayList();
+    for (final JournalManager jm : journalSet.getJournalManagers()) {
+      // The FJMs are confirmed separately since they are also
+      // StorageDirectories
+      if (!(jm instanceof FileJournalManager)) {
+        ret.add(jm);
+      }
+    }
+    return ret;
+  }
+
   /**
    * Write an operation to the edit log. Do not sync to persistent
    * store yet.
diff --git a/hadoop-hdfs-project/hadoop-hdfs/src/main/java/org/apache/hadoop/hdfs/server/namenode/FSImage.java b/hadoop-hdfs-project/hadoop-hdfs/src/main/java/org/apache/hadoop/hdfs/server/namenode/FSImage.java
index b12f6e6ebd2..caf7e6d92a0 100644
--- a/hadoop-hdfs-project/hadoop-hdfs/src/main/java/org/apache/hadoop/hdfs/server/namenode/FSImage.java
+++ b/hadoop-hdfs-project/hadoop-hdfs/src/main/java/org/apache/hadoop/hdfs/server/namenode/FSImage.java
@@ -38,6 +38,7 @@ import org.apache.hadoop.conf.Configuration;
 import org.apache.hadoop.hdfs.protocol.HdfsConstants;
 import org.apache.hadoop.hdfs.protocol.LayoutVersion;
 import org.apache.hadoop.hdfs.protocol.LayoutVersion.Feature;
+import org.apache.hadoop.hdfs.server.common.Storage.FormatConfirmable;
 import org.apache.hadoop.hdfs.server.common.GenerationStamp;
 import org.apache.hadoop.hdfs.server.common.InconsistentFSStateException;
 import org.apache.hadoop.hdfs.server.common.Storage;
@@ -138,10 +139,33 @@ public class FSImage implements Closeable {
         fileCount + " files");
     NamespaceInfo ns = NNStorage.newNamespaceInfo();
     ns.clusterID = clusterId;
+    
     storage.format(ns);
+    editLog.formatNonFileJournals(ns);
     saveFSImageInAllDirs(fsn, 0);
   }
   
+  /**
+   * Check whether the storage directories and non-file journals exist.
+   * If running in interactive mode, will prompt the user for each
+   * directory to allow them to format anyway. Otherwise, returns
+   * false, unless 'force' is specified.
+   * 
+   * @param force format regardless of whether dirs exist
+   * @param interactive prompt the user when a dir exists
+   * @return true if formatting should proceed
+   * @throws IOException if some storage cannot be accessed
+   */
+  boolean confirmFormat(boolean force, boolean interactive) throws IOException {
+    List<FormatConfirmable> confirms = Lists.newArrayList();
+    for (StorageDirectory sd : storage.dirIterable(null)) {
+      confirms.add(sd);
+    }
+    
+    confirms.addAll(editLog.getFormatConfirmables());
+    return Storage.confirmFormat(confirms, force, interactive);
+  }
+  
   /**
    * Analyze storage directories.
    * Recover from previous transitions if required. 
diff --git a/hadoop-hdfs-project/hadoop-hdfs/src/main/java/org/apache/hadoop/hdfs/server/namenode/FileJournalManager.java b/hadoop-hdfs-project/hadoop-hdfs/src/main/java/org/apache/hadoop/hdfs/server/namenode/FileJournalManager.java
index ce779fda800..51718a7bf89 100644
--- a/hadoop-hdfs-project/hadoop-hdfs/src/main/java/org/apache/hadoop/hdfs/server/namenode/FileJournalManager.java
+++ b/hadoop-hdfs-project/hadoop-hdfs/src/main/java/org/apache/hadoop/hdfs/server/namenode/FileJournalManager.java
@@ -36,6 +36,7 @@ import org.apache.hadoop.hdfs.server.common.StorageErrorReporter;
 import org.apache.hadoop.hdfs.server.namenode.NNStorageRetentionManager.StoragePurger;
 import org.apache.hadoop.hdfs.server.namenode.FSEditLogLoader.EditLogValidation;
 import org.apache.hadoop.hdfs.server.namenode.NNStorage.NameNodeFile;
+import org.apache.hadoop.hdfs.server.protocol.NamespaceInfo;
 import org.apache.hadoop.hdfs.server.protocol.RemoteEditLog;
 
 import com.google.common.annotations.VisibleForTesting;
@@ -77,6 +78,22 @@ class FileJournalManager implements JournalManager {
   @Override 
   public void close() throws IOException {}
   
+  @Override
+  public void format(NamespaceInfo ns) {
+    // Formatting file journals is done by the StorageDirectory
+    // format code, since they may share their directory with
+    // checkpoints, etc.
+    throw new UnsupportedOperationException();
+  }
+  
+  @Override
+  public boolean hasSomeData() {
+    // Formatting file journals is done by the StorageDirectory
+    // format code, since they may share their directory with
+    // checkpoints, etc.
+    throw new UnsupportedOperationException();
+  }
+
   @Override
   synchronized public EditLogOutputStream startLogSegment(long txid) 
       throws IOException {
diff --git a/hadoop-hdfs-project/hadoop-hdfs/src/main/java/org/apache/hadoop/hdfs/server/namenode/JournalManager.java b/hadoop-hdfs-project/hadoop-hdfs/src/main/java/org/apache/hadoop/hdfs/server/namenode/JournalManager.java
index 61c65e5a349..e4b8d9d2051 100644
--- a/hadoop-hdfs-project/hadoop-hdfs/src/main/java/org/apache/hadoop/hdfs/server/namenode/JournalManager.java
+++ b/hadoop-hdfs-project/hadoop-hdfs/src/main/java/org/apache/hadoop/hdfs/server/namenode/JournalManager.java
@@ -22,6 +22,8 @@ import java.io.IOException;
 
 import org.apache.hadoop.classification.InterfaceAudience;
 import org.apache.hadoop.classification.InterfaceStability;
+import org.apache.hadoop.hdfs.server.common.Storage.FormatConfirmable;
+import org.apache.hadoop.hdfs.server.protocol.NamespaceInfo;
 
 /**
  * A JournalManager is responsible for managing a single place of storing
@@ -32,7 +34,15 @@ import org.apache.hadoop.classification.InterfaceStability;
  */
 @InterfaceAudience.Private
 @InterfaceStability.Evolving
-public interface JournalManager extends Closeable, LogsPurgeable {
+public interface JournalManager extends Closeable, LogsPurgeable,
+                                        FormatConfirmable {
+
+  /**
+   * Format the underlying storage, removing any previously
+   * stored data.
+   */
+  void format(NamespaceInfo ns);
+
   /**
    * Begin writing to a new segment of the log stream, which starts at
    * the given transaction ID.
diff --git a/hadoop-hdfs-project/hadoop-hdfs/src/main/java/org/apache/hadoop/hdfs/server/namenode/JournalSet.java b/hadoop-hdfs-project/hadoop-hdfs/src/main/java/org/apache/hadoop/hdfs/server/namenode/JournalSet.java
index 7a74296d58b..416663c6b06 100644
--- a/hadoop-hdfs-project/hadoop-hdfs/src/main/java/org/apache/hadoop/hdfs/server/namenode/JournalSet.java
+++ b/hadoop-hdfs-project/hadoop-hdfs/src/main/java/org/apache/hadoop/hdfs/server/namenode/JournalSet.java
@@ -29,6 +29,7 @@ import java.util.SortedSet;
 import org.apache.commons.logging.Log;
 import org.apache.commons.logging.LogFactory;
 import org.apache.hadoop.classification.InterfaceAudience;
+import org.apache.hadoop.hdfs.server.protocol.NamespaceInfo;
 import org.apache.hadoop.hdfs.server.protocol.RemoteEditLog;
 import org.apache.hadoop.hdfs.server.protocol.RemoteEditLogManifest;
 
@@ -170,6 +171,20 @@ public class JournalSet implements JournalManager {
     this.minimumRedundantJournals = minimumRedundantResources;
   }
   
+  @Override
+  public void format(NamespaceInfo nsInfo) {
+    // The iteration is done by FSEditLog itself
+    throw new UnsupportedOperationException();
+  }
+
+  @Override
+  public boolean hasSomeData() throws IOException {
+    // This is called individually on the underlying journals,
+    // not on the JournalSet.
+    throw new UnsupportedOperationException();
+  }
+
+  
   @Override
   public EditLogOutputStream startLogSegment(final long txId) throws IOException {
     mapJournalsAndReportErrors(new JournalClosure() {
diff --git a/hadoop-hdfs-project/hadoop-hdfs/src/main/java/org/apache/hadoop/hdfs/server/namenode/NNStorage.java b/hadoop-hdfs-project/hadoop-hdfs/src/main/java/org/apache/hadoop/hdfs/server/namenode/NNStorage.java
index b72e24dabc8..abc871fa9f1 100644
--- a/hadoop-hdfs-project/hadoop-hdfs/src/main/java/org/apache/hadoop/hdfs/server/namenode/NNStorage.java
+++ b/hadoop-hdfs-project/hadoop-hdfs/src/main/java/org/apache/hadoop/hdfs/server/namenode/NNStorage.java
@@ -28,7 +28,6 @@ import java.util.Collection;
 import java.util.HashMap;
 import java.util.Iterator;
 import java.util.List;
-import java.util.Map;
 import java.util.Properties;
 import java.util.UUID;
 import java.util.concurrent.CopyOnWriteArrayList;
@@ -55,7 +54,6 @@ import org.apache.hadoop.util.Time;
 import com.google.common.base.Preconditions;
 import com.google.common.annotations.VisibleForTesting;
 import com.google.common.collect.Lists;
-import com.google.common.collect.Maps;
 
 /**
  * NNStorage is responsible for management of the StorageDirectories used by
diff --git a/hadoop-hdfs-project/hadoop-hdfs/src/main/java/org/apache/hadoop/hdfs/server/namenode/NameNode.java b/hadoop-hdfs-project/hadoop-hdfs/src/main/java/org/apache/hadoop/hdfs/server/namenode/NameNode.java
index 7f72d5a5ce9..43148872c09 100644
--- a/hadoop-hdfs-project/hadoop-hdfs/src/main/java/org/apache/hadoop/hdfs/server/namenode/NameNode.java
+++ b/hadoop-hdfs-project/hadoop-hdfs/src/main/java/org/apache/hadoop/hdfs/server/namenode/NameNode.java
@@ -64,6 +64,7 @@ import org.apache.hadoop.hdfs.server.protocol.JournalProtocol;
 import org.apache.hadoop.hdfs.server.protocol.NamenodeProtocol;
 import org.apache.hadoop.hdfs.server.protocol.NamenodeProtocols;
 import org.apache.hadoop.hdfs.server.protocol.NamenodeRegistration;
+import org.apache.hadoop.hdfs.server.protocol.NamespaceInfo;
 import org.apache.hadoop.ipc.Server;
 import org.apache.hadoop.ipc.StandbyException;
 import org.apache.hadoop.metrics2.lib.DefaultMetricsSystem;
@@ -731,9 +732,6 @@ public class NameNode {
     dirsToPrompt.addAll(sharedDirs);
     List<URI> editDirsToFormat = 
                  FSNamesystem.getNamespaceEditsDirs(conf);
-    if (!confirmFormat(dirsToPrompt, force, isInteractive)) {
-      return true; // aborted
-    }
 
     // if clusterID is not provided - see if you can find the current one
     String clusterId = StartupOption.FORMAT.getClusterId();
@@ -745,62 +743,16 @@ public class NameNode {
     
     FSImage fsImage = new FSImage(conf, nameDirsToFormat, editDirsToFormat);
     FSNamesystem fsn = new FSNamesystem(conf, fsImage);
+    fsImage.getEditLog().initJournalsForWrite();
+    
+    if (!fsImage.confirmFormat(force, isInteractive)) {
+      return true; // aborted
+    }
+    
     fsImage.format(fsn, clusterId);
     return false;
   }
 
-  /**
-   * Check whether the given storage directories already exist.
-   * If running in interactive mode, will prompt the user for each
-   * directory to allow them to format anyway. Otherwise, returns
-   * false, unless 'force' is specified.
-   * 
-   * @param dirsToFormat the dirs to check
-   * @param force format regardless of whether dirs exist
-   * @param interactive prompt the user when a dir exists
-   * @return true if formatting should proceed
-   * @throws IOException
-   */
-  public static boolean confirmFormat(Collection<URI> dirsToFormat,
-      boolean force, boolean interactive)
-      throws IOException {
-    for(Iterator<URI> it = dirsToFormat.iterator(); it.hasNext();) {
-      URI dirUri = it.next();
-      if (!dirUri.getScheme().equals(NNStorage.LOCAL_URI_SCHEME)) {
-        System.err.println("Skipping format for directory \"" + dirUri
-            + "\". Can only format local directories with scheme \""
-            + NNStorage.LOCAL_URI_SCHEME + "\".");
-        continue;
-      }
-      // To validate only file based schemes are formatted
-      assert dirUri.getScheme().equals(NNStorage.LOCAL_URI_SCHEME) :
-        "formatting is not supported for " + dirUri;
-
-      File curDir = new File(dirUri.getPath());
-      // Its alright for a dir not to exist, or to exist (properly accessible)
-      // and be completely empty.
-      if (!curDir.exists() ||
-          (curDir.isDirectory() && FileUtil.listFiles(curDir).length == 0))
-        continue;
-      if (force) { // Don't confirm, always format.
-        System.err.println(
-            "Storage directory exists in " + curDir + ". Formatting anyway.");
-        continue;
-      }
-      if (!interactive) { // Don't ask - always don't format
-        System.err.println(
-            "Running in non-interactive mode, and image appears to exist in " +
-            curDir + ". Not formatting.");
-        return false;
-      }
-      if (!confirmPrompt("Re-format filesystem in " + curDir + " ?")) {
-        System.err.println("Format aborted in " + curDir);
-        return false;
-      }
-    }
-    return true;
-  }
-
   public static void checkAllowFormat(Configuration conf) throws IOException {
     if (!conf.getBoolean(DFS_NAMENODE_SUPPORT_ALLOW_FORMAT_KEY, 
         DFS_NAMENODE_SUPPORT_ALLOW_FORMAT_DEFAULT)) {
@@ -853,17 +805,26 @@ public class NameNode {
           FSNamesystem.getNamespaceEditsDirs(conf, false));
       
       existingStorage = fsns.getFSImage().getStorage();
+      NamespaceInfo nsInfo = existingStorage.getNamespaceInfo();
       
-      Collection<URI> sharedEditsDirs = FSNamesystem.getSharedEditsDirs(conf);
-      if (!confirmFormat(sharedEditsDirs, force, interactive)) {
-        return true; // aborted
-      }
-      NNStorage newSharedStorage = new NNStorage(conf,
+      List<URI> sharedEditsDirs = FSNamesystem.getSharedEditsDirs(conf);
+      
+      FSImage sharedEditsImage = new FSImage(conf,
           Lists.<URI>newArrayList(),
           sharedEditsDirs);
+      sharedEditsImage.getEditLog().initJournalsForWrite();
       
-      newSharedStorage.format(existingStorage.getNamespaceInfo());
+      if (!sharedEditsImage.confirmFormat(force, interactive)) {
+        return true; // abort
+      }
       
+      NNStorage newSharedStorage = sharedEditsImage.getStorage();
+      // Call Storage.format instead of FSImage.format here, since we don't
+      // actually want to save a checkpoint - just prime the dirs with
+      // the existing namespace info
+      newSharedStorage.format(nsInfo);
+      sharedEditsImage.getEditLog().formatNonFileJournals(nsInfo);
+
       // Need to make sure the edit log segments are in good shape to initialize
       // the shared edits dir.
       fsns.getFSImage().getEditLog().close();
diff --git a/hadoop-hdfs-project/hadoop-hdfs/src/main/java/org/apache/hadoop/hdfs/server/namenode/ha/BootstrapStandby.java b/hadoop-hdfs-project/hadoop-hdfs/src/main/java/org/apache/hadoop/hdfs/server/namenode/ha/BootstrapStandby.java
index f038305a5a1..e9549ce8f18 100644
--- a/hadoop-hdfs-project/hadoop-hdfs/src/main/java/org/apache/hadoop/hdfs/server/namenode/ha/BootstrapStandby.java
+++ b/hadoop-hdfs-project/hadoop-hdfs/src/main/java/org/apache/hadoop/hdfs/server/namenode/ha/BootstrapStandby.java
@@ -37,6 +37,7 @@ import org.apache.hadoop.hdfs.DFSUtil;
 import org.apache.hadoop.hdfs.HAUtil;
 import org.apache.hadoop.hdfs.NameNodeProxies;
 import org.apache.hadoop.hdfs.protocol.HdfsConstants;
+import org.apache.hadoop.hdfs.server.common.Storage;
 import org.apache.hadoop.hdfs.server.namenode.EditLogInputStream;
 import org.apache.hadoop.hdfs.server.namenode.FSImage;
 import org.apache.hadoop.hdfs.server.namenode.FSNamesystem;
@@ -55,7 +56,6 @@ import org.apache.hadoop.util.ToolRunner;
 
 import com.google.common.base.Joiner;
 import com.google.common.base.Preconditions;
-import com.google.common.collect.Sets;
 
 /**
  * Tool which allows the standby node's storage directories to be bootstrapped
@@ -171,19 +171,18 @@ public class BootstrapStandby implements Tool, Configurable {
         "           Layout version: " + nsInfo.getLayoutVersion() + "\n" +
         "=====================================================");
 
+    long imageTxId = proxy.getMostRecentCheckpointTxId();
+    long curTxId = proxy.getTransactionID();
+    
+    NNStorage storage = new NNStorage(conf, dirsToFormat, editUrisToFormat);
+    
     // Check with the user before blowing away data.
-    if (!NameNode.confirmFormat(
-            Sets.union(Sets.newHashSet(dirsToFormat),
-                Sets.newHashSet(editUrisToFormat)),
+    if (!Storage.confirmFormat(storage.dirIterable(null),
             force, interactive)) {
       return ERR_CODE_ALREADY_FORMATTED;
     }
     
-    long imageTxId = proxy.getMostRecentCheckpointTxId();
-    long curTxId = proxy.getTransactionID();
-    
     // Format the storage (writes VERSION file)
-    NNStorage storage = new NNStorage(conf, dirsToFormat, editUrisToFormat);
     storage.format(nsInfo);
 
     // Load the newly formatted image, using all of the directories (including shared
diff --git a/hadoop-hdfs-project/hadoop-hdfs/src/test/java/org/apache/hadoop/hdfs/server/namenode/TestGenericJournalConf.java b/hadoop-hdfs-project/hadoop-hdfs/src/test/java/org/apache/hadoop/hdfs/server/namenode/TestGenericJournalConf.java
index 1ff208fa3e9..276b557ccbf 100644
--- a/hadoop-hdfs-project/hadoop-hdfs/src/test/java/org/apache/hadoop/hdfs/server/namenode/TestGenericJournalConf.java
+++ b/hadoop-hdfs-project/hadoop-hdfs/src/test/java/org/apache/hadoop/hdfs/server/namenode/TestGenericJournalConf.java
@@ -20,12 +20,14 @@ package org.apache.hadoop.hdfs.server.namenode;
 import static org.junit.Assert.fail;
 import static org.junit.Assert.assertNotNull;
 import static org.junit.Assert.assertEquals;
+import static org.junit.Assert.assertTrue;
 import static org.mockito.Mockito.mock;
 
 import java.io.IOException;
 import java.net.URI;
 import java.util.Collection;
 
+import org.apache.hadoop.hdfs.server.common.Storage.FormatConfirmable;
 import org.apache.hadoop.hdfs.server.protocol.NamespaceInfo;
 import org.apache.hadoop.conf.Configuration;
 import org.apache.hadoop.hdfs.DFSConfigKeys;
@@ -125,6 +127,8 @@ public class TestGenericJournalConf {
       cluster = new MiniDFSCluster.Builder(conf).numDataNodes(0).build();
       cluster.waitActive();
       
+      assertTrue(DummyJournalManager.shouldPromptCalled);
+      assertTrue(DummyJournalManager.formatCalled);
       assertNotNull(DummyJournalManager.conf);
       assertEquals(new URI(DUMMY_URI), DummyJournalManager.uri);
       assertNotNull(DummyJournalManager.nsInfo);
@@ -141,6 +145,8 @@ public class TestGenericJournalConf {
     static Configuration conf = null;
     static URI uri = null;
     static NamespaceInfo nsInfo = null;
+    static boolean formatCalled = false;
+    static boolean shouldPromptCalled = false;
     
     public DummyJournalManager(Configuration conf, URI u,
         NamespaceInfo nsInfo) {
@@ -150,6 +156,11 @@ public class TestGenericJournalConf {
       DummyJournalManager.nsInfo = nsInfo; 
     }
     
+    @Override
+    public void format(NamespaceInfo nsInfo) {
+      formatCalled = true;
+    }
+    
     @Override
     public EditLogOutputStream startLogSegment(long txId) throws IOException {
       return mock(EditLogOutputStream.class);
@@ -178,6 +189,12 @@ public class TestGenericJournalConf {
 
     @Override
     public void close() throws IOException {}
+
+    @Override
+    public boolean hasSomeData() throws IOException {
+      shouldPromptCalled = true;
+      return false;
+    }
   }
 
   public static class BadConstructorJournalManager extends DummyJournalManager {