diff --git a/src/main/java/com/samskivert/depot/PersistenceContext.java b/src/main/java/com/samskivert/depot/PersistenceContext.java
index 8e10b59..a18547b 100644
--- a/src/main/java/com/samskivert/depot/PersistenceContext.java
+++ b/src/main/java/com/samskivert/depot/PersistenceContext.java
@@ -216,6 +216,21 @@ public class PersistenceContext
         }
     }
 
+    /**
+     * Starts a transaction bound to this persistence context. You <em>must</em> eventually call
+     * {@link Transaction#commit} or {@link Transaction#rollback} on the returned transaction. Also
+     * no other database operations may be performed on other persitence contexts, on the calling
+     * thread, until this transaction is complete.
+     */
+    public Transaction startTx ()
+    {
+        Transaction tx = Transaction.get();
+        if (tx != null) throw new DatabaseException("Nested transactions not supported.");
+        tx = new Transaction(this);
+        Transaction._activeTx.set(tx);
+        return tx;
+    }
+
     /**
      * Returns a snapshot of our current runtime statistics.
      */
diff --git a/src/main/java/com/samskivert/depot/Transaction.java b/src/main/java/com/samskivert/depot/Transaction.java
index 38ffadb..ac0af23 100644
--- a/src/main/java/com/samskivert/depot/Transaction.java
+++ b/src/main/java/com/samskivert/depot/Transaction.java
@@ -47,19 +47,6 @@ import java.sql.SQLException;
  */
 public class Transaction {
 
-    /**
-     * Starts a transaction using the supplied persistence context. You <em>must</em> eventually
-     * call {@link #commit} or {@link #rollback} on the returned transaction.
-     */
-    public static Transaction start (PersistenceContext ctx)
-    {
-        Transaction tx = get();
-        if (tx != null) throw new DatabaseException("Nested transactions not supported.");
-        tx = new Transaction(ctx);
-        _activeTx.set(tx);
-        return tx;
-    }
-
     /**
      * Returns the currently active transaction (on the caller's thread), or null.
      */
@@ -82,7 +69,7 @@ public class Transaction {
      */
     public static void perform (PersistenceContext ctx, Runnable op)
     {
-        Transaction tx = start(ctx);
+        Transaction tx = ctx.startTx();
         try {
             op.run();
             tx.commit();
diff --git a/src/test/java/com/samskivert/depot/TransactionTest.java b/src/test/java/com/samskivert/depot/TransactionTest.java
index 6d3deed..c5ee77f 100644
--- a/src/test/java/com/samskivert/depot/TransactionTest.java
+++ b/src/test/java/com/samskivert/depot/TransactionTest.java
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@ import static org.junit.Assert.*;
 public class TransactionTest extends TestBase
 {
     @Test public void testSuccessfulCommit () {
-        Transaction tx = Transaction.start(_repo.ctx());
+        Transaction tx = _repo.ctx().startTx();
         TestRecord in = createTestRecord(1);
         _repo.insert(in);
         tx.commit();
@@ -28,7 +28,7 @@ public class TransactionTest extends TestBase
     }
 
     @Test public void testRollback () {
-        Transaction tx = Transaction.start(_repo.ctx());
+        Transaction tx = _repo.ctx().startTx();
         TestRecord in1 = createTestRecord(1);
         _repo.insert(in1);
         TestRecord in2 = createTestRecord(2);