diff --git a/distarray/context.py b/distarray/context.py
index 679278a4..169a1c65 100644
--- a/distarray/context.py
+++ b/distarray/context.py
@@ -68,47 +68,35 @@ def __init__(self, client=None, targets=None):
                           "import distarray.mpiutils; "
                           "import numpy")
 
-        self._setup_key_context()
-        self._make_intracomm()
+        self.context_key = self._setup_context_key()
+        self._comm_key = self._make_intracomm()
         self._set_engine_rank_mapping()
 
-    def _set_engine_rank_mapping(self):
-        # The MPI intracomm referred to by self._comm_key may have a different
-        # mapping between IPython engines and MPI ranks than COMM_PRIVATE.  We
-        # reorder self.targets so self.targets[i] is the IPython engine ID that
-        # corresponds to MPI intracomm rank i.
-        rank = self._generate_key()
-        self.view.execute(
-                '%s = %s.Get_rank()' % (rank, self._comm_key),
-                block=True, targets=self.targets)
-
-        # mapping target -> rank, rank -> target.
-        rank_from_target = self.view.pull(rank, targets=self.targets).get_dict()
-        target_from_rank = {v: k for (k, v) in rank_from_target.items()}
-
-        # ensure consistency
-        assert set(self.targets) == set(rank_from_target)
-        assert set(range(len(self.targets))) == set(target_from_rank)
-
-        # reorder self.targets so that the targets are in MPI rank order for
-        # the intracomm.
-        self.targets = [target_from_rank[i] for i in range(len(target_from_rank))]
+    def _setup_context_key(self):
+        """
+        Create a dict on the engines which will hold everything from
+        this context.
+        """
+        context_key = DISTARRAY_BASE_NAME + self.uid()
+        cmd = '%s = {}' % (context_key)
+        self._execute(cmd, targets=range(len(self.view)))
+        return context_key
 
     def _make_intracomm(self):
         def get_rank():
             from distarray.mpiutils import COMM_PRIVATE
             return COMM_PRIVATE.Get_rank()
 
-        # get a mapping of IPython engine ID to MPI rank
-        rank_map = self.view.apply_async(get_rank).get_dict()
-        ranks = [ rank_map[engine] for engine in self.targets ]
-
         # self.view's engines must encompass all ranks in the MPI communicator,
         # i.e., everything in rank_map.values().
         def get_size():
             from distarray.mpiutils import COMM_PRIVATE
             return COMM_PRIVATE.Get_size()
 
+        # get a mapping of IPython engine ID to MPI rank
+        rank_map = self.view.apply_async(get_rank).get_dict()
+        ranks = [ rank_map[engine] for engine in self.targets ]
+
         comm_size = self.view.apply_async(get_size).get()[0]
         if set(rank_map.values()) != set(range(comm_size)):
             raise ValueError('Engines in view must encompass all MPI ranks.')
@@ -116,38 +104,48 @@ def get_size():
         # create a new communicator with the subset of engines note that
         # MPI_Comm_create must be called on all engines, not just those
         # involved in the new communicator.
-        self._comm_key = self._generate_key()
+        comm_key = self._generate_key()
+        cmd = "%s = distarray.mpiutils.create_comm_with_list(%s)"
+        cmd %= (comm_key, ranks)
+        self.view.execute(cmd, block=True)
+        return comm_key
+
+    def _set_engine_rank_mapping(self):
+        # The MPI intracomm referred to by self._comm_key may have a different
+        # mapping between IPython engines and MPI ranks than COMM_PRIVATE.  We
+        # reorder self.targets so self.targets[i] is the IPython engine ID that
+        # corresponds to MPI intracomm rank i.
+        rank = self._generate_key()
         self.view.execute(
-            '%s = distarray.mpiutils.create_comm_with_list(%s)' % (self._comm_key, ranks),
-            block=True
-        )
+                '%s = %s.Get_rank()' % (rank, self._comm_key),
+                block=True, targets=self.targets)
 
-    # Key management routines:
+        # mapping target -> rank, rank -> target.
+        rank_from_target = self.view.pull(rank, targets=self.targets).get_dict()
+        target_from_rank = {v: k for (k, v) in rank_from_target.items()}
 
-    def _setup_key_context(self):
-        """ Generate a unique string for this context.
+        # ensure consistency
+        assert set(self.targets) == set(rank_from_target)
+        assert set(range(len(self.targets))) == set(target_from_rank)
 
-        This will be included in the names of all keys we create.
-        This prefix allows us to delete only keys from this context.
-        """
-        # Full length seems excessively verbose so use 16 characters.
-        uid = uuid.uuid4()
-        self.key_context = uid.hex[:16]
+        # reorder self.targets so that the targets are in MPI rank order for
+        # the intracomm.
+        self.targets = [target_from_rank[i] for i in range(len(target_from_rank))]
 
     @staticmethod
-    def _key_basename():
+    def _key_prefix():
         """ Get the base name for all keys. """
         return DISTARRAY_BASE_NAME
 
-    def _key_prefix(self):
-        """ Generate a prefix for a key name for this context. """
-        header = self._key_basename() + '_' + self.key_context
-        return header
+    # Key management routines:
+    def uid(self):
+        """Generate a unique valid python name."""
+        # Full length seems excessively verbose so use 16 characters.
+        return 'da' + uuid.uuid4().hex[:16]
 
     def _generate_key(self):
         """ Generate a unique key name for this context. """
-        uid = uuid.uuid4()
-        key = self._key_prefix() + '_' + uid.hex
+        key = "%s['%s']" % (self.context_key, 'key_' + self.uid())
         return key
 
     def _key_and_push(self, *values):