diff --git a/cmd/serve/httplib/serve/serve.go b/cmd/serve/httplib/serve/serve.go
index 89c4f696d..fd0cdb5b8 100644
--- a/cmd/serve/httplib/serve/serve.go
+++ b/cmd/serve/httplib/serve/serve.go
@@ -79,7 +79,7 @@ func Object(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request, o fs.Object) {
 	defer func() {
 		tr.Done(err)
 	}()
-	in := tr.Account(file) // account the transfer (no buffering)
+	in := tr.Account(r.Context(), file) // account the transfer (no buffering)
 
 	w.WriteHeader(code)
 
diff --git a/fs/accounting/accounting.go b/fs/accounting/accounting.go
index 71aff851a..2686f2ebf 100644
--- a/fs/accounting/accounting.go
+++ b/fs/accounting/accounting.go
@@ -36,6 +36,7 @@ type Account struct {
 	// shouldn't.
 	mu      sync.Mutex // mutex protects these values
 	in      io.Reader
+	ctx     context.Context // current context for transfer - may change
 	origIn  io.ReadCloser
 	close   io.Closer
 	size    int64
@@ -64,10 +65,11 @@ const averagePeriod = 16 // period to do exponentially weighted averages over
 
 // newAccountSizeName makes an Account reader for an io.ReadCloser of
 // the given size and name
-func newAccountSizeName(stats *StatsInfo, in io.ReadCloser, size int64, name string) *Account {
+func newAccountSizeName(ctx context.Context, stats *StatsInfo, in io.ReadCloser, size int64, name string) *Account {
 	acc := &Account{
 		stats:  stats,
 		in:     in,
+		ctx:    ctx,
 		close:  in,
 		origIn: in,
 		size:   size,
@@ -160,7 +162,7 @@ func (acc *Account) Abandon() {
 
 // UpdateReader updates the underlying io.ReadCloser stopping the
 // async buffer (if any) and re-adding it
-func (acc *Account) UpdateReader(in io.ReadCloser) {
+func (acc *Account) UpdateReader(ctx context.Context, in io.ReadCloser) {
 	acc.mu.Lock()
 	withBuf := acc.withBuf
 	if withBuf {
@@ -168,6 +170,7 @@ func (acc *Account) UpdateReader(in io.ReadCloser) {
 		acc.withBuf = false
 	}
 	acc.in = in
+	acc.ctx = ctx
 	acc.close = in
 	acc.origIn = in
 	acc.closed = false
diff --git a/fs/accounting/accounting_test.go b/fs/accounting/accounting_test.go
index bfee18a26..8161522f2 100644
--- a/fs/accounting/accounting_test.go
+++ b/fs/accounting/accounting_test.go
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@ package accounting
 
 import (
 	"bytes"
+	"context"
 	"fmt"
 	"io"
 	"io/ioutil"
@@ -29,7 +30,7 @@ var (
 func TestNewAccountSizeName(t *testing.T) {
 	in := ioutil.NopCloser(bytes.NewBuffer([]byte{1}))
 	stats := NewStats()
-	acc := newAccountSizeName(stats, in, 1, "test")
+	acc := newAccountSizeName(context.Background(), stats, in, 1, "test")
 	assert.Equal(t, in, acc.in)
 	assert.Equal(t, acc, stats.inProgress.get("test"))
 	err := acc.Close()
@@ -44,7 +45,7 @@ func TestAccountWithBuffer(t *testing.T) {
 	in := ioutil.NopCloser(bytes.NewBuffer([]byte{1}))
 
 	stats := NewStats()
-	acc := newAccountSizeName(stats, in, -1, "test")
+	acc := newAccountSizeName(context.Background(), stats, in, -1, "test")
 	assert.False(t, acc.HasBuffer())
 	acc.WithBuffer()
 	assert.True(t, acc.HasBuffer())
@@ -53,7 +54,7 @@ func TestAccountWithBuffer(t *testing.T) {
 	require.True(t, ok)
 	assert.NoError(t, acc.Close())
 
-	acc = newAccountSizeName(stats, in, 1, "test")
+	acc = newAccountSizeName(context.Background(), stats, in, 1, "test")
 	acc.WithBuffer()
 	// should not have a buffer for a small size
 	_, ok = acc.in.(*asyncreader.AsyncReader)
@@ -66,7 +67,7 @@ func TestAccountGetUpdateReader(t *testing.T) {
 		return func(t *testing.T) {
 			in := ioutil.NopCloser(bytes.NewBuffer([]byte{1}))
 			stats := NewStats()
-			acc := newAccountSizeName(stats, in, 1, "test")
+			acc := newAccountSizeName(context.Background(), stats, in, 1, "test")
 
 			assert.Equal(t, in, acc.GetReader())
 			assert.Equal(t, acc, stats.inProgress.get("test"))
@@ -77,7 +78,7 @@ func TestAccountGetUpdateReader(t *testing.T) {
 			}
 
 			in2 := ioutil.NopCloser(bytes.NewBuffer([]byte{1}))
-			acc.UpdateReader(in2)
+			acc.UpdateReader(context.Background(), in2)
 
 			assert.Equal(t, in2, acc.GetReader())
 			assert.Equal(t, acc, stats.inProgress.get("test"))
@@ -92,7 +93,7 @@ func TestAccountGetUpdateReader(t *testing.T) {
 func TestAccountRead(t *testing.T) {
 	in := ioutil.NopCloser(bytes.NewBuffer([]byte{1, 2, 3}))
 	stats := NewStats()
-	acc := newAccountSizeName(stats, in, 1, "test")
+	acc := newAccountSizeName(context.Background(), stats, in, 1, "test")
 
 	assert.True(t, acc.values.start.IsZero())
 	acc.values.mu.Lock()
@@ -133,7 +134,7 @@ func testAccountWriteTo(t *testing.T, withBuffer bool) {
 	}
 	in := ioutil.NopCloser(bytes.NewBuffer(buf))
 	stats := NewStats()
-	acc := newAccountSizeName(stats, in, int64(len(buf)), "test")
+	acc := newAccountSizeName(context.Background(), stats, in, int64(len(buf)), "test")
 	if withBuffer {
 		acc = acc.WithBuffer()
 	}
@@ -173,7 +174,7 @@ func TestAccountWriteToWithBuffer(t *testing.T) {
 func TestAccountString(t *testing.T) {
 	in := ioutil.NopCloser(bytes.NewBuffer([]byte{1, 2, 3}))
 	stats := NewStats()
-	acc := newAccountSizeName(stats, in, 3, "test")
+	acc := newAccountSizeName(context.Background(), stats, in, 3, "test")
 
 	// FIXME not an exhaustive test!
 
@@ -193,7 +194,7 @@ func TestAccountString(t *testing.T) {
 func TestAccountAccounter(t *testing.T) {
 	in := ioutil.NopCloser(bytes.NewBuffer([]byte{1, 2, 3}))
 	stats := NewStats()
-	acc := newAccountSizeName(stats, in, 3, "test")
+	acc := newAccountSizeName(context.Background(), stats, in, 3, "test")
 
 	assert.True(t, in == acc.OldStream())
 
@@ -260,7 +261,7 @@ func TestAccountMaxTransfer(t *testing.T) {
 
 	in := ioutil.NopCloser(bytes.NewBuffer(make([]byte, 100)))
 	stats := NewStats()
-	acc := newAccountSizeName(stats, in, 1, "test")
+	acc := newAccountSizeName(context.Background(), stats, in, 1, "test")
 
 	var b = make([]byte, 10)
 
@@ -277,7 +278,7 @@ func TestAccountMaxTransfer(t *testing.T) {
 
 	fs.Config.CutoffMode = fs.CutoffModeSoft
 	stats = NewStats()
-	acc = newAccountSizeName(stats, in, 1, "test")
+	acc = newAccountSizeName(context.Background(), stats, in, 1, "test")
 
 	n, err = acc.Read(b)
 	assert.Equal(t, 10, n)
@@ -302,7 +303,7 @@ func TestAccountMaxTransferWriteTo(t *testing.T) {
 
 	in := ioutil.NopCloser(readers.NewPatternReader(1024))
 	stats := NewStats()
-	acc := newAccountSizeName(stats, in, 1, "test")
+	acc := newAccountSizeName(context.Background(), stats, in, 1, "test")
 
 	var b bytes.Buffer
 
diff --git a/fs/accounting/transfer.go b/fs/accounting/transfer.go
index 8234d2730..8365a4a0a 100644
--- a/fs/accounting/transfer.go
+++ b/fs/accounting/transfer.go
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 package accounting
 
 import (
+	"context"
 	"encoding/json"
 	"io"
 	"sync"
@@ -135,12 +136,12 @@ func (tr *Transfer) Reset() {
 }
 
 // Account returns reader that knows how to keep track of transfer progress.
-func (tr *Transfer) Account(in io.ReadCloser) *Account {
+func (tr *Transfer) Account(ctx context.Context, in io.ReadCloser) *Account {
 	tr.mu.Lock()
 	if tr.acc == nil {
-		tr.acc = newAccountSizeName(tr.stats, in, tr.size, tr.remote)
+		tr.acc = newAccountSizeName(ctx, tr.stats, in, tr.size, tr.remote)
 	} else {
-		tr.acc.UpdateReader(in)
+		tr.acc.UpdateReader(ctx, in)
 	}
 	tr.mu.Unlock()
 	return tr.acc
diff --git a/fs/operations/check.go b/fs/operations/check.go
index eded6f825..dc2f99c07 100644
--- a/fs/operations/check.go
+++ b/fs/operations/check.go
@@ -318,7 +318,7 @@ func checkIdenticalDownload(ctx context.Context, dst, src fs.Object) (differ boo
 	defer func() {
 		tr1.Done(nil) // error handling is done by the caller
 	}()
-	in1 = tr1.Account(in1).WithBuffer() // account and buffer the transfer
+	in1 = tr1.Account(ctx, in1).WithBuffer() // account and buffer the transfer
 
 	in2, err := src.Open(ctx)
 	if err != nil {
@@ -328,7 +328,7 @@ func checkIdenticalDownload(ctx context.Context, dst, src fs.Object) (differ boo
 	defer func() {
 		tr2.Done(nil) // error handling is done by the caller
 	}()
-	in2 = tr2.Account(in2).WithBuffer() // account and buffer the transfer
+	in2 = tr2.Account(ctx, in2).WithBuffer() // account and buffer the transfer
 
 	// To assign err variable before defer.
 	differ, err = CheckEqualReaders(in1, in2)
diff --git a/fs/operations/multithread.go b/fs/operations/multithread.go
index c5bed49bf..85b91bd74 100644
--- a/fs/operations/multithread.go
+++ b/fs/operations/multithread.go
@@ -158,7 +158,7 @@ func multiThreadCopy(ctx context.Context, f fs.Fs, remote string, src fs.Object,
 	mc.calculateChunks()
 
 	// Make accounting
-	mc.acc = tr.Account(nil)
+	mc.acc = tr.Account(ctx, nil)
 
 	// create write file handle
 	mc.wc, err = openWriterAt(gCtx, remote, mc.size)
diff --git a/fs/operations/operations.go b/fs/operations/operations.go
index e785198de..2d3a65108 100644
--- a/fs/operations/operations.go
+++ b/fs/operations/operations.go
@@ -366,7 +366,7 @@ func Copy(ctx context.Context, f fs.Fs, dst fs.Object, remote string, src fs.Obj
 			return nil, accounting.ErrorMaxTransferLimitReachedFatal
 		}
 		if doCopy := f.Features().Copy; doCopy != nil && (SameConfig(src.Fs(), f) || (SameRemoteType(src.Fs(), f) && f.Features().ServerSideAcrossConfigs)) {
-			in := tr.Account(nil) // account the transfer
+			in := tr.Account(ctx, nil) // account the transfer
 			in.ServerSideCopyStart()
 			newDst, err = doCopy(ctx, src, remote)
 			if err == nil {
@@ -421,7 +421,7 @@ func Copy(ctx context.Context, f fs.Fs, dst fs.Object, remote string, src fs.Obj
 						dst, err = Rcat(ctx, f, remote, in0, src.ModTime(ctx))
 						newDst = dst
 					} else {
-						in := tr.Account(in0).WithBuffer() // account and buffer the transfer
+						in := tr.Account(ctx, in0).WithBuffer() // account and buffer the transfer
 						var wrappedSrc fs.ObjectInfo = src
 						// We try to pass the original object if possible
 						if src.Remote() != remote {
@@ -1054,7 +1054,7 @@ func Cat(ctx context.Context, f fs.Fs, w io.Writer, offset, count int64) error {
 		if count >= 0 {
 			in = &readCloser{Reader: &io.LimitedReader{R: in, N: count}, Closer: in}
 		}
-		in = tr.Account(in).WithBuffer() // account and buffer the transfer
+		in = tr.Account(ctx, in).WithBuffer() // account and buffer the transfer
 		// take the lock just before we output stuff, so at the last possible moment
 		mu.Lock()
 		defer mu.Unlock()
@@ -1072,7 +1072,7 @@ func Rcat(ctx context.Context, fdst fs.Fs, dstFileName string, in io.ReadCloser,
 	defer func() {
 		tr.Done(err)
 	}()
-	in = tr.Account(in).WithBuffer()
+	in = tr.Account(ctx, in).WithBuffer()
 
 	readCounter := readers.NewCountingReader(in)
 	var trackingIn io.Reader
@@ -1420,7 +1420,7 @@ func RcatSize(ctx context.Context, fdst fs.Fs, dstFileName string, in io.ReadClo
 			tr.Done(err)
 		}()
 		body := ioutil.NopCloser(in) // we let the server close the body
-		in := tr.Account(body)       // account the transfer (no buffering)
+		in := tr.Account(ctx, body)  // account the transfer (no buffering)
 
 		if SkipDestructive(ctx, dstFileName, "upload from pipe") {
 			// prevents "broken pipe" errors
diff --git a/vfs/read.go b/vfs/read.go
index 532728b8a..dcbae07d7 100644
--- a/vfs/read.go
+++ b/vfs/read.go
@@ -79,7 +79,7 @@ func (fh *ReadFileHandle) openPending() (err error) {
 	}
 	tr := accounting.GlobalStats().NewTransfer(o)
 	fh.done = tr.Done
-	fh.r = tr.Account(r).WithBuffer() // account the transfer
+	fh.r = tr.Account(context.TODO(), r).WithBuffer() // account the transfer
 	fh.opened = true
 
 	return nil
@@ -158,7 +158,7 @@ func (fh *ReadFileHandle) seek(offset int64, reopen bool) (err error) {
 			return err
 		}
 	}
-	fh.r.UpdateReader(r)
+	fh.r.UpdateReader(context.TODO(), r)
 	fh.offset = offset
 	return nil
 }
diff --git a/vfs/vfscache/downloaders/downloaders.go b/vfs/vfscache/downloaders/downloaders.go
index e5d3d3ce5..d8dfba5af 100644
--- a/vfs/vfscache/downloaders/downloaders.go
+++ b/vfs/vfscache/downloaders/downloaders.go
@@ -495,7 +495,7 @@ func (dl *downloader) open(offset int64) (err error) {
 	if err != nil {
 		return errors.Wrap(err, "vfs reader: failed to open source file")
 	}
-	dl.in = dl.tr.Account(in0).WithBuffer() // account and buffer the transfer
+	dl.in = dl.tr.Account(dl.dls.ctx, in0).WithBuffer() // account and buffer the transfer
 
 	dl.offset = offset