diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index aba9c0c1bc..a4de628b02 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -39,6 +39,7 @@
     "async": "^2.6.2",
     "bl": "^3.0.0",
     "bs58": "^4.0.1",
+    "callbackify": "^1.1.0",
     "chai": "^4.2.0",
     "cids": "~0.7.1",
     "concat-stream": "^2.0.0",
@@ -50,7 +51,7 @@
     "ipfs-unixfs": "~0.1.16",
     "ipfs-utils": "~0.1.0",
     "ipld-dag-cbor": "~0.15.0",
-    "ipld-dag-pb": "~0.17.3",
+    "ipld-dag-pb": "^0.18.1",
     "is-ipfs": "~0.6.1",
     "is-plain-object": "^3.0.0",
     "it-pushable": "^1.2.1",
diff --git a/src/dag/get.js b/src/dag/get.js
index 9453445df9..9a03ffccad 100644
--- a/src/dag/get.js
+++ b/src/dag/get.js
@@ -49,7 +49,7 @@ module.exports = (createCommon, options) => {
           const someData = Buffer.from('some other data')
 
           try {
-            pbNode = DAGNode.create(someData)
+            pbNode = new DAGNode(someData)
           } catch (err) {
             return cb(err)
           }
@@ -62,7 +62,7 @@ module.exports = (createCommon, options) => {
         },
         (cb) => {
           try {
-            nodePb = DAGNode.create(Buffer.from('I am inside a Protobuf'))
+            nodePb = new DAGNode(Buffer.from('I am inside a Protobuf'))
           } catch (err) {
             return cb(err)
           }
@@ -70,7 +70,7 @@ module.exports = (createCommon, options) => {
           cb()
         },
         (cb) => {
-          dagPB.util.cid(dagPB.util.serialize(nodePb))
+          dagPB.util.cid(nodePb.serialize())
             .then(cid => {
               cidPb = cid
               cb()
@@ -139,7 +139,7 @@ module.exports = (createCommon, options) => {
 
         const node = result.value
 
-        dagPB.util.cid(dagPB.util.serialize(node))
+        dagPB.util.cid(node.serialize())
           .then(cid => {
             expect(cid).to.eql(cidPb)
             done()
@@ -232,7 +232,7 @@ module.exports = (createCommon, options) => {
     it('should get a node added as CIDv0 with a CIDv1', done => {
       const input = Buffer.from(`TEST${Date.now()}`)
 
-      const node = dagPB.DAGNode.create(input)
+      const node = new DAGNode(input)
 
       ipfs.dag.put(node, { format: 'dag-pb', hashAlg: 'sha2-256' }, (err, cid) => {
         expect(err).to.not.exist()
diff --git a/src/dag/put.js b/src/dag/put.js
index f368b140b3..f1532cbdf4 100644
--- a/src/dag/put.js
+++ b/src/dag/put.js
@@ -42,7 +42,7 @@ module.exports = (createCommon, options) => {
       const someData = Buffer.from('some data')
 
       try {
-        pbNode = DAGNode.create(someData)
+        pbNode = new DAGNode(someData)
       } catch (err) {
         return done(err)
       }
diff --git a/src/dag/tree.js b/src/dag/tree.js
index 997f5c3407..4eb6ccf2be 100644
--- a/src/dag/tree.js
+++ b/src/dag/tree.js
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@
 const series = require('async/series')
 const eachSeries = require('async/eachSeries')
 const dagPB = require('ipld-dag-pb')
+const DAGNode = dagPB.DAGNode
 const dagCBOR = require('ipld-dag-cbor')
 const { spawnNodeWithId } = require('../utils/spawn')
 const { getDescribe, getIt, expect } = require('../utils/mocha')
@@ -43,7 +44,7 @@ module.exports = (createCommon, options) => {
       series([
         (cb) => {
           try {
-            nodePb = dagPB.DAGNode.create(Buffer.from('I am inside a Protobuf'))
+            nodePb = new DAGNode(Buffer.from('I am inside a Protobuf'))
           } catch (err) {
             return cb(err)
           }
@@ -51,7 +52,7 @@ module.exports = (createCommon, options) => {
           cb()
         },
         (cb) => {
-          dagPB.util.cid(dagPB.util.serialize(nodePb))
+          dagPB.util.cid(nodePb.serialize())
             .then(cid => {
               cidPb = cid
               cb()
diff --git a/src/object/get.js b/src/object/get.js
index ae8509ed61..a9f422ceb9 100644
--- a/src/object/get.js
+++ b/src/object/get.js
@@ -67,7 +67,7 @@ module.exports = (createCommon, options) => {
             // because js-ipfs-api can't infer if the
             // returned Data is Buffer or String
             if (typeof node.Data === 'string') {
-              node = DAGNode.create(Buffer.from(node.Data), node.Links, node.size)
+              node = new DAGNode(Buffer.from(node.Data), node.Links, node.size)
             }
 
             node2 = node
@@ -96,7 +96,7 @@ module.exports = (createCommon, options) => {
       // because js-ipfs-api can't infer if the
       // returned Data is Buffer or String
       if (typeof node2.Data === 'string') {
-        node2 = DAGNode.create(Buffer.from(node2.Data), node2.Links, node2.size)
+        node2 = new DAGNode(Buffer.from(node2.Data), node2.Links, node2.size)
       }
 
       expect(node1.Data).to.deep.equal(node2.Data)
@@ -133,7 +133,7 @@ module.exports = (createCommon, options) => {
             // because js-ipfs-api can't infer if the
             // returned Data is Buffer or String
             if (typeof node.Data === 'string') {
-              node = DAGNode.create(Buffer.from(node.Data), node.Links, node.size)
+              node = new DAGNode(Buffer.from(node.Data), node.Links, node.size)
             }
 
             node2 = node
@@ -161,7 +161,7 @@ module.exports = (createCommon, options) => {
       // because js-ipfs-api can't infer if the
       // returned Data is Buffer or String
       if (typeof node2.Data === 'string') {
-        node2 = DAGNode.create(Buffer.from(node2.Data), node2.Links, node2.size)
+        node2 = new DAGNode(Buffer.from(node2.Data), node2.Links, node2.size)
       }
 
       expect(node1.Data).to.deep.equal(node2.Data)
@@ -178,7 +178,7 @@ module.exports = (createCommon, options) => {
       series([
         (cb) => {
           try {
-            node1a = DAGNode.create(Buffer.from('Some data 1'))
+            node1a = new DAGNode(Buffer.from('Some data 1'))
           } catch (err) {
             return cb(err)
           }
@@ -187,7 +187,7 @@ module.exports = (createCommon, options) => {
         },
         (cb) => {
           try {
-            node2 = DAGNode.create(Buffer.from('Some data 2'))
+            node2 = new DAGNode(Buffer.from('Some data 2'))
           } catch (err) {
             return cb(err)
           }
@@ -196,13 +196,13 @@ module.exports = (createCommon, options) => {
         },
         (cb) => {
           asDAGLink(node2, 'some-link', (err, link) => {
-            expect(err).to.not.exist()
+            if (err) {
+              return cb(err)
+            }
 
-            DAGNode.addLink(node1a, link)
-              .then(node => {
-                node1b = node
-                cb()
-              }, cb)
+            node1b = new DAGNode(node1a.Data, node1a.Links.concat(link))
+
+            cb()
           })
         },
         (cb) => {
@@ -219,7 +219,7 @@ module.exports = (createCommon, options) => {
             // because js-ipfs-api can't infer if the
             // returned Data is Buffer or String
             if (typeof node.Data === 'string') {
-              node = DAGNode.create(Buffer.from(node.Data), node.Links, node.size)
+              node = new DAGNode(Buffer.from(node.Data), node.Links, node.size)
             }
 
             node1c = node
@@ -262,7 +262,7 @@ module.exports = (createCommon, options) => {
             // because js-ipfs-api can't infer if the
             // returned Data is Buffer or String
             if (typeof node.Data === 'string') {
-              node = DAGNode.create(Buffer.from(node.Data), node.Links, node.size)
+              node = new DAGNode(Buffer.from(node.Data), node.Links, node.size)
             }
             node1b = node
             cb()
@@ -305,7 +305,7 @@ module.exports = (createCommon, options) => {
             // because js-ipfs-api can't infer if the
             // returned Data is Buffer or String
             if (typeof node.Data === 'string') {
-              node = DAGNode.create(Buffer.from(node.Data), node.Links, node.size)
+              node = new DAGNode(Buffer.from(node.Data), node.Links, node.size)
             }
             node1b = node
             cb()
diff --git a/src/object/links.js b/src/object/links.js
index 6cac58f96e..899fa8a74b 100644
--- a/src/object/links.js
+++ b/src/object/links.js
@@ -80,7 +80,7 @@ module.exports = (createCommon, options) => {
       series([
         (cb) => {
           try {
-            node1a = DAGNode.create(Buffer.from('Some data 1'))
+            node1a = new DAGNode(Buffer.from('Some data 1'))
           } catch (err) {
             return cb(err)
           }
@@ -89,7 +89,7 @@ module.exports = (createCommon, options) => {
         },
         (cb) => {
           try {
-            node2 = DAGNode.create(Buffer.from('Some data 2'))
+            node2 = new DAGNode(Buffer.from('Some data 2'))
           } catch (err) {
             return cb(err)
           }
@@ -100,22 +100,19 @@ module.exports = (createCommon, options) => {
           asDAGLink(node2, 'some-link', (err, link) => {
             expect(err).to.not.exist()
 
-            DAGNode.addLink(node1a, link)
-              .then(node => {
-                node1b = node
+            node1b = new DAGNode(node1a.Data, node1a.Links.concat(link))
 
-                return dagPB.util.cid(dagPB.util.serialize(node1b))
-              })
-              .then(cid => {
-                node1bCid = cid
-
-                cb()
-              })
-              .catch(cb)
+            cb()
           })
         },
         (cb) => {
-          ipfs.object.put(node1b, cb)
+          ipfs.object.put(node1b, (err, cid) => {
+            expect(err).to.not.exist()
+
+            node1bCid = cid
+
+            cb()
+          })
         },
         (cb) => {
           ipfs.object.links(node1bCid, (err, links) => {
diff --git a/src/object/patch/add-link.js b/src/object/patch/add-link.js
index d944b9efa8..c5589a9598 100644
--- a/src/object/patch/add-link.js
+++ b/src/object/patch/add-link.js
@@ -8,7 +8,8 @@ const { getDescribe, getIt, expect } = require('../../utils/mocha')
 const {
   calculateCid,
   createDAGNode,
-  addLinkToDAGNode
+  addLinkToDAGNode,
+  asDAGLink
 } = require('../utils')
 
 module.exports = (createCommon, options) => {
@@ -44,7 +45,6 @@ module.exports = (createCommon, options) => {
       let node1a
       let node1b
       let node2
-      let node2Cid
 
       const obj = {
         Data: Buffer.from('patch test object'),
@@ -61,7 +61,7 @@ module.exports = (createCommon, options) => {
         },
         (cb) => {
           try {
-            node1a = DAGNode.create(obj.Data, obj.Links)
+            node1a = new DAGNode(obj.Data, obj.Links)
           } catch (err) {
             return cb(err)
           }
@@ -70,7 +70,7 @@ module.exports = (createCommon, options) => {
         },
         (cb) => {
           try {
-            node2 = DAGNode.create(Buffer.from('some other node'))
+            node2 = new DAGNode(Buffer.from('some other node'))
           } catch (err) {
             return cb(err)
           }
@@ -82,29 +82,27 @@ module.exports = (createCommon, options) => {
           // timeout. Reason: it needs the node to get its size
           ipfs.object.put(node2, (err, cid) => {
             expect(err).to.not.exist()
-            node2Cid = cid
+
+            cb()
+          })
+        },
+        (cb) => {
+          asDAGLink(node2, 'link-to-node', (err, link) => {
+            expect(err).to.not.exist()
+
+            node1b = new DAGNode(node1a.Data, node1a.Links.concat(link))
+
             cb()
           })
         },
         (cb) => {
-          DAGNode.addLink(node1a, {
-            name: 'link-to-node',
-            size: node2.toJSON().size,
-            cid: node2Cid
+          ipfs.object.put(node1b, (err, cid) => {
+            expect(err).to.not.exist()
+
+            node1bCid = cid
+
+            cb()
           })
-            .then(node => {
-              node1b = node
-
-              return dagPB.util.cid(dagPB.util.serialize(node), {
-                cidVersion: 0
-              })
-            })
-            .then(cid => {
-              node1bCid = cid
-
-              cb()
-            })
-            .catch(cb)
         },
         (cb) => {
           ipfs.object.patch.addLink(testNodeCid, node1b.Links[0], (err, cid) => {
diff --git a/src/object/put.js b/src/object/put.js
index d550a0d104..f838a87810 100644
--- a/src/object/put.js
+++ b/src/object/put.js
@@ -100,7 +100,7 @@ module.exports = (createCommon, options) => {
       series([
         (cb) => {
           try {
-            node = DAGNode.create(Buffer.from(hat()))
+            node = new DAGNode(Buffer.from(hat()))
           } catch (err) {
             return cb(err)
           }
@@ -109,7 +109,7 @@ module.exports = (createCommon, options) => {
         },
         (cb) => {
           try {
-            serialized = dagPB.util.serialize(node)
+            serialized = node.serialize()
           } catch (err) {
             return cb(err)
           }
@@ -146,7 +146,7 @@ module.exports = (createCommon, options) => {
     })
 
     it('should put a Protobuf DAGNode', (done) => {
-      const dNode = DAGNode.create(Buffer.from(hat()))
+      const dNode = new DAGNode(Buffer.from(hat()))
 
       ipfs.object.put(dNode, (err, cid) => {
         expect(err).to.not.exist()
@@ -175,7 +175,7 @@ module.exports = (createCommon, options) => {
       series([
         (cb) => {
           try {
-            node1a = DAGNode.create(Buffer.from(hat()))
+            node1a = new DAGNode(Buffer.from(hat()))
           } catch (err) {
             return cb(err)
           }
@@ -184,7 +184,7 @@ module.exports = (createCommon, options) => {
         },
         (cb) => {
           try {
-            node2 = DAGNode.create(Buffer.from(hat()))
+            node2 = new DAGNode(Buffer.from(hat()))
           } catch (err) {
             return cb(err)
           }
@@ -195,11 +195,9 @@ module.exports = (createCommon, options) => {
           asDAGLink(node2, 'some-link', (err, link) => {
             expect(err).to.not.exist()
 
-            DAGNode.addLink(node1a, link)
-              .then(node => {
-                node1b = node
-                cb()
-              }, cb)
+            node1b = new DAGNode(node1a.Data, node1a.Links.concat(link))
+
+            cb()
           })
         },
         (cb) => {
diff --git a/src/object/stat.js b/src/object/stat.js
index 0559ad104a..c71e086620 100644
--- a/src/object/stat.js
+++ b/src/object/stat.js
@@ -115,7 +115,7 @@ module.exports = (createCommon, options) => {
       series([
         (cb) => {
           try {
-            node1a = DAGNode.create(Buffer.from('Some data 1'))
+            node1a = new DAGNode(Buffer.from('Some data 1'))
           } catch (err) {
             return cb(err)
           }
@@ -124,7 +124,7 @@ module.exports = (createCommon, options) => {
         },
         (cb) => {
           try {
-            node2 = DAGNode.create(Buffer.from('Some data 2'))
+            node2 = new DAGNode(Buffer.from('Some data 2'))
           } catch (err) {
             return cb(err)
           }
@@ -135,11 +135,9 @@ module.exports = (createCommon, options) => {
           asDAGLink(node2, 'some-link', (err, link) => {
             expect(err).to.not.exist()
 
-            DAGNode.addLink(node1a, link)
-              .then(node => {
-                node1b = node
-                cb()
-              }, cb)
+            node1b = new DAGNode(node1a.Data, node1a.Links.concat(link))
+
+            cb()
           })
         },
         (cb) => {
diff --git a/src/object/utils.js b/src/object/utils.js
index ead57bdad1..db206d9853 100644
--- a/src/object/utils.js
+++ b/src/object/utils.js
@@ -1,23 +1,22 @@
 'use strict'
 
 const { promisify } = require('es6-promisify')
+const callbackify = require('callbackify')
 const dagPB = require('ipld-dag-pb')
 const { DAGNode, DAGLink } = dagPB
 
-const calculateCid = promisify((node, cb) => {
-  dagPB.util.cid(dagPB.util.serialize(node), {
+const calculateCid = callbackify((node) => {
+  return dagPB.util.cid(node.serialize(), {
     cidVersion: 0
   })
-    .then(cid => cb(null, cid), cb)
 })
 
 const createDAGNode = promisify((data, links, cb) => {
-  cb(null, DAGNode.create(data, links))
+  cb(null, new DAGNode(data, links))
 })
 
 const addLinkToDAGNode = promisify((parent, link, cb) => {
-  DAGNode.addLink(parent, link)
-    .then(node => cb(null, node), cb)
+  cb(null, new DAGNode(parent.Data, parent.Links.concat(link)))
 })
 
 const asDAGLink = promisify((node, name, cb) => {
diff --git a/src/repo/gc.js b/src/repo/gc.js
index 2305e0b608..e2d0158b01 100644
--- a/src/repo/gc.js
+++ b/src/repo/gc.js
@@ -184,7 +184,7 @@ module.exports = (createCommon, options) => {
       await ipfs.pin.rm(dataHash)
 
       // Create a link to the data from an object
-      const obj = await DAGNode.create(Buffer.from('fruit'), [{
+      const obj = await new DAGNode(Buffer.from('fruit'), [{
         Name: 'p',
         Hash: dataHash,
         TSize: addRes[0].size