diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 4a37557..49c23a9 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -428,9 +428,8 @@ the repo-root [`METADATA_KEYS.md`](../../METADATA_KEYS.md).
 | `internal/storage` | Flat-key records (`client.go`), UUIDv7 minting, CID reverse index (`cid_resolution.go`), schema sentinel, search over `kv_field` + FTS (`search.go`), UDL store (`udl.go`, `udl_admin.go`), stats. |
 | `internal/cid` | CID parsing + rank ladder for canonical-CID selection (`cid-rank-vectors.json`, guarded by the meta-root `scripts/check-cid-vectors.sh`). |
 | `internal/identity` | Multi-account secp256k1 keystore, challenge/proof-of-possession, signature verification. |
-| `internal/events` | Boot-time republish of every field into `meta:events` (`meta_publisher.go`); live events are written by `internal/kv`. |
 | `internal/api` | HTTP server + all handlers + SSE event endpoints + search matchers + `/api/stats`. |
-| `internal/schema` | Live per-field schema indexer (consumes `meta:events`). |
+| `internal/schema` | Per-field schema, folded from counters the write path keeps exact (`idx:schema/…`). |
 | `internal/snapshot` | Snapshot export / import / wipe. |
 | `internal/watcher` | File system scanner, MidHash256 computation, dispatcher, state registry. |
 | `internal/watchers` | Polling-based watcher configurations (manager + poller + handlers). |
@@ -447,10 +446,12 @@ the repo-root [`METADATA_KEYS.md`](../../METADATA_KEYS.md).
 5. Start beacon v2 node (unless ENABLE_UDP_DISCOVERY=false)
 6. Construct API server (identity keystore migration, watcher, watchers,
    mounts, WebDAV)
-7. Start API server + pollers; start MetaPublisher + schema Indexer, then
-   republish existing metadata onto meta:events in the background
-   (5k events per transaction)
-8. Wait for SIGINT/SIGTERM, shutdown in reverse order
+7. EnsureCounters — one-time build of the derived counters (record count,
+   per-field schema) on a store that predates them; blocking, ~1 min at 169k
+   records, then never again
+8. Start API server + pollers (no republish: consumers that want the whole
+   state ask /api/events/meta for `0-0` and get a snapshot)
+9. Wait for SIGINT/SIGTERM, shutdown in reverse order
 ```
 
 ## Dependencies
diff --git a/cmd/meta-core/main.go b/cmd/meta-core/main.go
index a96d18d..6119c81 100644
--- a/cmd/meta-core/main.go
+++ b/cmd/meta-core/main.go
@@ -46,6 +46,16 @@ func main() {
 	}
 	log.Printf("[meta-core] Store schema version OK (v%d)", storage.SchemaVersion)
 
+	// Derived counters (record count, per-field schema) are kept exact by the
+	// write path. A store that predates them gets a one-time build here,
+	// before anything else writes.
+	started := time.Now()
+	if built, err := storageClient.EnsureCounters(); err != nil {
+		log.Fatalf("[meta-core] Failed to build the store's derived counters: %v", err)
+	} else if built {
+		log.Printf("[meta-core] Built derived counters in %s", time.Since(started).Round(time.Millisecond))
+	}
+
 	// Beacon v2 (docs/project-architecture/beacon-v2.md): advertise meta-core
 	// as metamesh.core — carrying the /urls block services locate us by — plus
 	// its own metamesh.service/<name> nav entry. The payload is rebuilt from
diff --git a/docs/api-mediated-access.md b/docs/api-mediated-access.md
index dc05775..a1cc767 100644
--- a/docs/api-mediated-access.md
+++ b/docs/api-mediated-access.md
@@ -265,12 +265,16 @@ seen). The contract above holds unchanged:
   meta-share / meta-stremio before the switch still compare.
 - `meta:events` entries (`{type: set|del, key, ts}`) are appended by the
   storage engine **in the same transaction** as the `file:` key change —
-  `del` only when the key existed, `set` even for an unchanged value. The
-  Redis keyspace-notification hop (PSUBSCRIBE in `MetaPublisher`), which
-  could drop events when it lagged, is gone.
-- The boot-time republish of every field into `meta:events` is kept
-  (meta-fuse rebuilds its VFS only by replaying from `0-0`), batched 5k
-  events per transaction.
+  `del` only when the key existed, `set` only when the value actually
+  changed (since v1.2.0; an unchanged write is a no-op). The Redis
+  keyspace-notification hop (PSUBSCRIBE in `MetaPublisher`), which could
+  drop events when it lagged, is gone.
+- **`Last-Event-ID: 0` / `0-0` on `/api/events/meta` returns a snapshot**
+  (since v1.2.0): one `set` per existing record key, then the live tail from
+  the head captured before the snapshot. Only the last snapshot event carries
+  an `id:`. This replaced the boot-time republish of every field, which a
+  ~100k-entry stream could never hold. A trimmed (non-zero) cursor still gets
+  the `gap` event and a replay of what is retained.
 
 ### Heartbeats
 
diff --git a/docs/meta-core-architecture.md b/docs/meta-core-architecture.md
index b74fe58..2a3d59e 100644
--- a/docs/meta-core-architecture.md
+++ b/docs/meta-core-architecture.md
@@ -434,11 +434,10 @@ packages/meta-core/
 │   ├── cid/                      CID parsing + algorithm ranking
 │   ├── config/                   env-driven configuration
 │   ├── discovery/                service registry + dead-service cleaner
-│   ├── events/                   boot-time meta:events republish
 │   ├── kv/                       SQLite kv engine + event streams
 │   ├── leader/                   LeaderInfoProvider (no election logic)
 │   ├── mounts/                   rclone mount manager + handlers + stats
-│   ├── schema/                   live per-field schema indexer
+│   ├── schema/                   per-field schema from transactional counters
 │   ├── snapshot/                 snapshot export / import / wipe
 │   ├── storage/                  flat-key records + search + UUID + CID reverse index + schema gate
 │   ├── watcher/                  scanner + dispatcher + midhash + state
@@ -465,10 +464,11 @@ packages/meta-core/
 4. EnsureSchemaVersion               (abort if the store layout is stale)
 5. Start service discovery + dead-service cleaner
 6. NewServer + Server.Start          (boots watcher, mounts, WebDAV, API)
-7. On first connection: start MetaPublisher + schema Indexer,
-   republish existing metadata onto meta:events
-8. Wait for SIGINT/SIGTERM
-9. Shutdown in reverse order
+7. EnsureCounters                    (one-time build of the derived counters
+                                       on a store that predates them)
+8. Rebuild FTS rows in the background if the FTS table is empty
+9. Wait for SIGINT/SIGTERM
+10. Shutdown in reverse order
 ```
 
 ### Process management
diff --git a/docs/metadata-storage-structure.md b/docs/metadata-storage-structure.md
index 6af5304..7ddaf31 100644
--- a/docs/metadata-storage-structure.md
+++ b/docs/metadata-storage-structure.md
@@ -60,6 +60,9 @@ Everything is one string→string table. The full layout:
 | `meta-core:schema-version` | `"2"` | schema gate |
 | `idx:roots/<rid>` | `""` | set of every root (was the Redis SET `file:__index__`) |
 | `idx:fts/<rid>` | FTS rowid | the record's row in the FTS table |
+| `idx:count/roots` | integer | number of roots — search's `total`, `/api/stats` records (v1.2.0) |
+| `idx:schema/<field>\x1f<keyHint>\x1f<prim>\x1f<hint>` | integer | per-field value-type counts behind `/api/schema` (v1.2.0) |
+| `idx:count/ready` | `"1"` | marks the counters as built (absent → one-time build at boot) |
 | `dup:<rid>/<path>` | `""` | a duplicate path (was the SET `file:<rid>/duplicates`) |
 | `udl:rec:<uid>/<cid>/<key>` | JSON `{record,version,ts,value?}` | User Data Layer entry (was a HASH) |
 | `udl:idx:…<set>\x1f<member>` | `""` | UDL index sets, one key per member |
@@ -291,12 +294,20 @@ high-water mark `evhwm:<stream>` (`internal/kv/stream.go`):
 | `file:events` | `internal/watcher` dispatcher | `add` / `change` / `delete` / `rename` / `reset` events for files on the `/files` volume. |
 | `meta:events` | the storage engine (`internal/kv`) | `{type: set\|del, key, ts}` for every Put/Delete of a `file:` key, appended **in the same transaction** as the change. |
 
-`del` is emitted only when the key existed; `set` is emitted even for an
-unchanged value (Redis semantics, kept). Retention is ~100k entries,
-trimmed every 10k appends. At boot `MetaPublisher`
-(`internal/events/meta_publisher.go`) still republishes every field into
-`meta:events` (meta-fuse rebuilds its VFS only by replaying from `0-0`),
-batched 5k events per transaction.
+`set` is emitted only for a **real** change: a Put of the value a key
+already holds is a no-op — no row write, no index churn, no event (v1.2.0;
+Redis published `set` even then, and with gateway hits re-persisted on
+every repeated query most writes were exactly that). `del` is emitted only
+when the key existed. Retention is ~100k entries, trimmed every 10k appends.
+
+There is **no boot-time republish** (v1.2.0). A consumer that wants the whole
+current state asks `/api/events/meta` for `Last-Event-ID: 0` / `0-0` and gets
+a **snapshot**: one `set` per existing record key, streamed from the kv
+range, then the live tail from the stream head captured before the snapshot
+(only the last snapshot event carries an `id:`, so a consumer that drops
+mid-snapshot gets a fresh one). The old republish wrote every field into a
+stream that retains only ~100k entries, so a consumer replaying it later
+never saw most records — and it cost ~6 minutes on every boot.
 
 The Redis-era path — keyspace notifications drained by `MetaPublisher`
 through a PSUBSCRIBE / consumer-group hop — is gone (2026-10).
@@ -371,7 +382,8 @@ curl -k 'https://metacore-dev.localhost:8083/api/kv/info'         # KV stats
 | UUIDv7 minting | `internal/storage/uuid.go` |
 | CID reverse index + aliases + canonical-CID derivation | `internal/storage/cid_resolution.go` |
 | Schema-version gate | `internal/storage/schema_version.go` |
-| Boot-time `meta:events` republish | `internal/events/meta_publisher.go` |
+| `meta:events` snapshot for `0`/`0-0` | `internal/api/sse_events.go` (`streamSnapshot`) |
+| Derived counters (root count, per-field schema) | `internal/storage/client.go` (`onChange`), `internal/schema/indexer.go` |
 | Watcher → `file:events` dispatcher | `internal/watcher/dispatcher.go` |
 | SSE event mirror | `internal/api/sse_events.go` |
 | Field semantics (authoritative registry) | [`/METADATA_KEYS.md`](../../../METADATA_KEYS.md) |
diff --git a/internal/api/schema_handlers.go b/internal/api/schema_handlers.go
index 9591241..1549ee4 100644
--- a/internal/api/schema_handlers.go
+++ b/internal/api/schema_handlers.go
@@ -5,38 +5,44 @@ import (
 	"net/http"
 )
 
-// handleSchemaGet returns the per-field schema (recomputed from the store every
-// few minutes; see schema.Indexer).
+// handleSchemaGet returns the per-field schema, folded from counters the write
+// path keeps exact (see schema.Indexer).
 func (s *Server) handleSchemaGet(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
 	if s.schemaIndexer == nil {
 		http.Error(w, "schema indexer not running", http.StatusServiceUnavailable)
 		return
 	}
-	snap := s.schemaIndexer.Snapshot()
+	snap, err := s.schemaIndexer.Snapshot(r.Context())
+	if err != nil {
+		http.Error(w, err.Error(), http.StatusInternalServerError)
+		return
+	}
 	w.Header().Set("Content-Type", "application/json")
 	_ = json.NewEncoder(w).Encode(snap)
 }
 
-// handleSchemaRescan recomputes the schema from a full scan of the store and
-// returns it. It no longer republishes every property into meta:events — the
-// indexer reads the store itself — so a rescan floods no consumer.
+// handleSchemaRescan rebuilds the schema counters from a full read of the
+// records and returns the result. The counters are exact by construction, so
+// this is a repair tool, not routine: it runs as one write transaction, and
+// every other write waits for it (minutes on a large store).
 func (s *Server) handleSchemaRescan(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
 	if s.schemaIndexer == nil {
 		http.Error(w, "schema indexer not running", http.StatusServiceUnavailable)
 		return
 	}
-
-	snap, err := s.schemaIndexer.Rebuild(r.Context())
+	if err := s.storage.RebuildCounters(); err != nil {
+		http.Error(w, err.Error(), http.StatusInternalServerError)
+		return
+	}
+	snap, err := s.schemaIndexer.Snapshot(r.Context())
 	if err != nil {
 		http.Error(w, err.Error(), http.StatusInternalServerError)
 		return
 	}
-	out := *snap
-	out.Source = "rescan"
-
+	snap.Source = "rescan"
 	w.Header().Set("Content-Type", "application/json")
 	_ = json.NewEncoder(w).Encode(map[string]any{
 		"published_events": 0,
-		"schema":           &out,
+		"schema":           snap,
 	})
 }
diff --git a/internal/api/server.go b/internal/api/server.go
index 7717994..4088b63 100644
--- a/internal/api/server.go
+++ b/internal/api/server.go
@@ -9,7 +9,6 @@ import (
 
 	"github.com/gorilla/mux"
 	"github.com/metazla/meta-core/internal/config"
-	"github.com/metazla/meta-core/internal/events"
 	"github.com/metazla/meta-core/internal/identity"
 	"github.com/metazla/meta-core/internal/leader"
 	"github.com/metazla/meta-core/internal/meshdisco"
@@ -36,7 +35,6 @@ type Server struct {
 	watchersManager   *watchers.Manager
 	watchersPoller    *watchers.Poller
 	watchersHandlers  *watchers.Handlers
-	metaPublisher     *events.MetaPublisher
 	schemaIndexer     *schema.Indexer
 	webdavHandler     *webdav.Handler
 	// challenges backs proof-of-possession on reveal/delete. In-process, so a
@@ -107,8 +105,7 @@ func NewServer(
 			// Create watchers poller
 			if s.fileWatcher != nil {
 				s.watchersPoller = watchers.NewPoller(watchersManager, s.fileWatcher, s.watcherDispatcher)
-				// Pass republish callback to handlers (handles nil metaPublisher case)
-				s.watchersHandlers = watchers.NewHandlers(watchersManager, s.watchersPoller, s.RepublishMetadata)
+				s.watchersHandlers = watchers.NewHandlers(watchersManager, s.watchersPoller)
 
 				// Hydrate the in-memory state registry from stored tuples so
 				// the first scan tick after boot can skip ComputeMidHash256
@@ -349,41 +346,22 @@ func (s *Server) Start() error {
 		s.mountStatsPoller.Start()
 	}
 
-	// Start meta publisher (if storage is connected). Live change events are
-	// written by the storage engine itself; the publisher owns the bulk
-	// republish below.
+	// Schema: served from counters the write path keeps exact; nothing runs.
+	// Change events need no publisher either — the storage engine appends them
+	// in the same transaction as each change, and a consumer that wants the
+	// whole state asks /api/events/meta for "0" and gets a snapshot (see
+	// streamSnapshot). The boot republish of every field is gone with it.
 	if s.storage != nil && s.storage.IsConnected() {
-		s.metaPublisher = events.NewMetaPublisher(s.storage)
-		if err := s.metaPublisher.Start(); err != nil {
-			log.Printf("[API] Warning: failed to start meta publisher: %v", err)
-		} else {
-			// Schema indexer: per-field schema (type/hint/breakdown) from a
-			// periodic scan of the store.
-			s.schemaIndexer = schema.NewIndexer(s.storage.Store())
-			if err := s.schemaIndexer.Start(); err != nil {
-				log.Printf("[API] Warning: failed to start schema indexer: %v", err)
-				s.schemaIndexer = nil
+		s.schemaIndexer = schema.NewIndexer(s.storage.Store())
+		go func() {
+			started := time.Now()
+			if n, err := s.storage.RebuildSearchIfEmpty(); err != nil {
+				log.Printf("[API] Warning: search row rebuild failed: %v", err)
+			} else if n > 0 {
+				log.Printf("[API] Rebuilt search rows for %d records in %s", n, time.Since(started).Round(time.Millisecond))
 			}
-
-			// Republish events for all existing metadata. Consumers that
-			// rebuild by replaying meta:events from the beginning (meta-fuse)
-			// depend on it.
-			go func() {
-				started := time.Now()
-				if n, err := s.storage.RebuildSearchIfEmpty(); err != nil {
-					log.Printf("[API] Warning: search row rebuild failed: %v", err)
-				} else if n > 0 {
-					log.Printf("[API] Rebuilt search rows for %d records in %s", n, time.Since(started).Round(time.Millisecond))
-				}
-
-				count, err := s.RepublishMetadata()
-				if err != nil {
-					log.Printf("[API] Warning: failed to republish metadata on startup: %v", err)
-				} else {
-					log.Printf("[API] Republished %d metadata events on startup", count)
-				}
-			}()
-		}
+		}()
+		go s.logWriteStats()
 	}
 
 	return nil
@@ -410,20 +388,6 @@ func (s *Server) Stop() error {
 		s.mountStatsPoller.Stop()
 	}
 
-	// Stop schema indexer before the publisher so the consumer drains cleanly
-	if s.schemaIndexer != nil {
-		if err := s.schemaIndexer.Stop(); err != nil {
-			log.Printf("[API] Warning: failed to stop schema indexer: %v", err)
-		}
-	}
-
-	// Stop meta publisher
-	if s.metaPublisher != nil {
-		if err := s.metaPublisher.Stop(); err != nil {
-			log.Printf("[API] Warning: failed to stop meta publisher: %v", err)
-		}
-	}
-
 	if s.server == nil {
 		return nil
 	}
@@ -436,26 +400,22 @@ func (s *Server) Stop() error {
 	return s.server.Shutdown(ctx)
 }
 
-// RepublishMetadata republishes all existing metadata to the meta:events stream
-// This is called on startup and after reset-all
-func (s *Server) RepublishMetadata() (int, error) {
-	if s.metaPublisher == nil {
-		return 0, fmt.Errorf("meta publisher not initialized")
-	}
-	if s.storage == nil || !s.storage.IsConnected() {
-		return 0, fmt.Errorf("storage not connected")
-	}
-
-	// Create the republish function that wraps storage methods
-	republishFunc := func() ([]string, func(string) (map[string]string, error), error) {
-		hashIDs, err := s.storage.GetAllHashIDs()
-		if err != nil {
-			return nil, nil, err
+// logWriteStats reports, every 15 minutes, how many writes changed a value
+// and how many found it already in place (kv skips those). The ratio is what
+// the no-op skip buys on a permanent store that re-persists repeated hits.
+func (s *Server) logWriteStats() {
+	ticker := time.NewTicker(15 * time.Minute)
+	defer ticker.Stop()
+	for range ticker.C {
+		store := s.storage.Store()
+		if store == nil {
+			return
+		}
+		changed, unchanged := store.WriteStats()
+		if total := changed + unchanged; total > 0 {
+			log.Printf("[Storage] writes since start: %d changed, %d unchanged skipped (%.0f%% no-op)", changed, unchanged, 100*float64(unchanged)/float64(total))
 		}
-		return hashIDs, s.storage.GetMetadataFlat, nil
 	}
-
-	return s.metaPublisher.RepublishAllMetadata(republishFunc)
 }
 
 // statusRecorder captures the response status so loggingMiddleware can stay
diff --git a/internal/api/sse_events.go b/internal/api/sse_events.go
index b063d0f..43b1dfb 100644
--- a/internal/api/sse_events.go
+++ b/internal/api/sse_events.go
@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@ import (
 	"time"
 
 	"github.com/metazla/meta-core/internal/kv"
+	"github.com/metazla/meta-core/internal/storage"
 )
 
 // SSE event stream endpoints for the file:events and meta:events streams.
@@ -97,7 +98,22 @@ func (s *Server) streamSSE(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request, stream string
 	}
 
 	ctx := r.Context()
-	cursor := resolveStartCursor(ctx, store, stream, r.Header.Get("Last-Event-ID"), w, flusher)
+	lastID := r.Header.Get("Last-Event-ID")
+	var cursor string
+	if stream == storage.MetaEventsStream && (lastID == "0" || lastID == "0-0") {
+		// "From the beginning" on meta:events means "the whole current
+		// state": stream it from the records themselves, then the live tail.
+		head, err := streamSnapshot(ctx, store, w, flusher)
+		if err != nil {
+			if ctx.Err() == nil {
+				log.Printf("[SSE %s] snapshot failed: %v", stream, err)
+			}
+			return
+		}
+		cursor = head
+	} else {
+		cursor = resolveStartCursor(ctx, store, stream, lastID, w, flusher)
+	}
 
 	lastWrite := time.Now()
 	for {
@@ -147,6 +163,54 @@ func (s *Server) streamSSE(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request, stream string
 	}
 }
 
+// streamSnapshot sends one `set` event per existing record key, then returns
+// the stream position the live tail continues from.
+//
+// This is how a consumer that rebuilds its state from events (meta-fuse sends
+// Last-Event-ID 0-0 on every start) gets ALL of it. The stream itself only
+// retains ~100k entries, so replaying it never could; meta-core used to
+// republish every field into it on boot instead, which took minutes and still
+// lost everything past the retention window.
+//
+// The head is captured BEFORE the snapshot is read, so a change racing the
+// snapshot appears in the tail too — re-applying a `set` is idempotent. Only
+// the final snapshot event carries an `id:`, so a consumer that disconnects
+// mid-snapshot still holds its old cursor and gets a fresh snapshot.
+func streamSnapshot(ctx context.Context, store *kv.Store, w http.ResponseWriter, flusher http.Flusher) (string, error) {
+	head, err := store.LastID(ctx, storage.MetaEventsStream)
+	if err != nil {
+		return "", err
+	}
+	ts := strconv.FormatInt(time.Now().UnixMilli(), 10)
+	pending := ""
+	err = store.ScanPrefix(ctx, "file:", 5000, func(rows []kv.KV) error {
+		for _, row := range rows {
+			if pending != "" {
+				writeSnapshotEvent(w, pending, ts, "")
+			}
+			pending = row.K
+		}
+		flusher.Flush()
+		return ctx.Err()
+	})
+	if err != nil {
+		return "", err
+	}
+	if pending != "" {
+		writeSnapshotEvent(w, pending, ts, head)
+		flusher.Flush()
+	}
+	return head, nil
+}
+
+func writeSnapshotEvent(w http.ResponseWriter, key, ts, id string) {
+	payload, _ := json.Marshal(map[string]string{"key": key, "ts": ts})
+	if id != "" {
+		fmt.Fprintf(w, "id: %s\n", id)
+	}
+	fmt.Fprintf(w, "event: set\ndata: %s\n\n", payload)
+}
+
 // resolveStartCursor decides where to start reading.
 //   - No Last-Event-ID → the stream's last issued ID, resolved ONCE here (only
 //     entries appended from now on). Redis' "$" was re-resolved on every
diff --git a/internal/api/sse_snapshot_test.go b/internal/api/sse_snapshot_test.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..b5eacee
--- /dev/null
+++ b/internal/api/sse_snapshot_test.go
@@ -0,0 +1,89 @@
+package api
+
+import (
+	"context"
+	"net/http"
+	"net/http/httptest"
+	"strings"
+	"sync"
+	"testing"
+	"time"
+)
+
+// syncRecorder is a ResponseRecorder safe to read while the handler writes.
+type syncRecorder struct {
+	*httptest.ResponseRecorder
+	mu sync.Mutex
+}
+
+func (r *syncRecorder) Write(b []byte) (int, error) {
+	r.mu.Lock()
+	defer r.mu.Unlock()
+	return r.ResponseRecorder.Write(b)
+}
+
+func (r *syncRecorder) body() string {
+	r.mu.Lock()
+	defer r.mu.Unlock()
+	return r.Body.String()
+}
+
+// Last-Event-ID 0-0 on meta:events returns the whole current state — one set
+// per record key, only the last carrying an id — then the live tail.
+func TestMetaEventsSnapshotThenTail(t *testing.T) {
+	stor := newTestStorage(t)
+	s := &Server{storage: stor}
+	for i, id := range []string{"R1", "R2"} {
+		if err := stor.SetMetadataFlat(id, map[string]string{"title": "T", "n": string(rune('a' + i))}); err != nil {
+			t.Fatal(err)
+		}
+	}
+
+	ctx, cancel := context.WithCancel(context.Background())
+	req := httptest.NewRequest(http.MethodGet, "/api/events/meta", nil).WithContext(ctx)
+	req.Header.Set("Last-Event-ID", "0-0")
+	rec := &syncRecorder{ResponseRecorder: httptest.NewRecorder()}
+	done := make(chan struct{})
+	go func() { s.handleEventsMeta(rec, req); close(done) }()
+
+	waitFor := func(substr string) {
+		t.Helper()
+		deadline := time.Now().Add(5 * time.Second)
+		for !strings.Contains(rec.body(), substr) {
+			if time.Now().After(deadline) {
+				t.Fatalf("timed out waiting for %q in:\n%s", substr, rec.body())
+			}
+			time.Sleep(20 * time.Millisecond)
+		}
+	}
+	waitFor(`"key":"file:R2/title"`)
+	if err := stor.SetProperty("R1", "title", "changed"); err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+	waitFor(`event: set`)
+	time.Sleep(300 * time.Millisecond)
+	cancel()
+	<-done
+
+	body := rec.body()
+	for _, k := range []string{"file:R1/title", "file:R1/n", "file:R2/title", "file:R2/n"} {
+		if !strings.Contains(body, `"key":"`+k+`"`) {
+			t.Errorf("snapshot is missing %s", k)
+		}
+	}
+	events := strings.Split(strings.TrimSpace(body), "\n\n")
+	if len(events) != 5 {
+		t.Fatalf("want 4 snapshot events + 1 live event, got %d:\n%s", len(events), body)
+	}
+	for i, e := range events[:3] {
+		if strings.Contains(e, "id: ") {
+			t.Errorf("snapshot event %d carries an id: %q", i, e)
+		}
+	}
+	if !strings.HasPrefix(events[3], "id: ") || !strings.HasPrefix(events[4], "id: ") {
+		t.Fatalf("the last snapshot event and the live event must carry ids:\n%s", body)
+	}
+	if !strings.Contains(events[4], `"key":"file:R1/title"`) {
+		t.Fatalf("live tail did not follow the snapshot: %q", events[4])
+	}
+}
diff --git a/internal/events/meta_publisher.go b/internal/events/meta_publisher.go
deleted file mode 100644
index 29cfd43..0000000
--- a/internal/events/meta_publisher.go
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,129 +0,0 @@
-package events
-
-import (
-	"fmt"
-	"log"
-	"sync"
-	"time"
-
-	"github.com/metazla/meta-core/internal/storage"
-)
-
-const (
-	// MetaEventsStream is the stream name for metadata events.
-	MetaEventsStream = storage.MetaEventsStream
-
-	// MetaEventsMaxLen is the approximate cap on stream length. Bounded
-	// retention is a contract requirement for the SSE wire — see
-	// docs/api-mediated-access.md "Backing-store retention and lifecycle".
-	MetaEventsMaxLen = storage.MetaEventsMaxLen
-)
-
-// republishBatch is how many events one republish transaction appends —
-// large enough to amortise the commit, small enough that the writer is never
-// held for long.
-const republishBatch = 5_000
-
-// MetaPublisher owns the meta:events stream's bulk republish.
-//
-// Live change events no longer pass through here: under Redis this subscribed
-// to keyspace notifications and copied each into the stream, a hop that could
-// drop events whenever the subscriber lagged. The storage engine now appends
-// the event in the same transaction as the change (internal/kv), so a change
-// and its event commit together.
-type MetaPublisher struct {
-	client  *storage.Client
-	running bool
-	mu      sync.RWMutex
-}
-
-// NewMetaPublisher creates a new MetaPublisher.
-func NewMetaPublisher(client *storage.Client) *MetaPublisher {
-	return &MetaPublisher{client: client}
-}
-
-// Start marks the publisher ready. The stream is NOT truncated on startup —
-// the SSE wire contract requires Last-Event-ID resumption to survive a
-// meta-core restart. Growth is bounded by MetaEventsMaxLen instead.
-func (p *MetaPublisher) Start() error {
-	p.mu.Lock()
-	defer p.mu.Unlock()
-	p.running = true
-	log.Println("[MetaPublisher] Started")
-	return nil
-}
-
-// Stop stops the publisher.
-func (p *MetaPublisher) Stop() error {
-	p.mu.Lock()
-	defer p.mu.Unlock()
-	p.running = false
-	log.Println("[MetaPublisher] Stopped")
-	return nil
-}
-
-// IsRunning returns true if the publisher is running.
-func (p *MetaPublisher) IsRunning() bool {
-	p.mu.RLock()
-	defer p.mu.RUnlock()
-	return p.running
-}
-
-// RepublishFunc is a function type for getting metadata that can be republished
-type RepublishFunc func() (hashIDs []string, getMetadata func(hashID string) (map[string]string, error), err error)
-
-// RepublishAllMetadata publishes a `set` event for every property of every
-// record. Called on startup and via the API.
-//
-// It exists for consumers that rebuild their state by replaying meta:events
-// from the beginning (meta-fuse's VFS does, with initialCursor 0-0) rather
-// than backfilling over HTTP. Appended in bounded batches, each its own
-// transaction, so a multi-million-event republish never holds the writer.
-func (p *MetaPublisher) RepublishAllMetadata(republishFunc RepublishFunc) (int, error) {
-	if !p.IsRunning() {
-		return 0, fmt.Errorf("publisher not running")
-	}
-
-	hashIDs, getMetadata, err := republishFunc()
-	if err != nil {
-		return 0, fmt.Errorf("failed to get hash IDs: %w", err)
-	}
-
-	log.Printf("[MetaPublisher] Republishing events for %d files...", len(hashIDs))
-
-	published := 0
-	batch := make([]map[string]string, 0, republishBatch)
-	flush := func() error {
-		if err := p.client.AppendEvents(MetaEventsStream, MetaEventsMaxLen, batch); err != nil {
-			return err
-		}
-		published += len(batch)
-		batch = batch[:0]
-		return nil
-	}
-	for _, hashID := range hashIDs {
-		metadata, err := getMetadata(hashID)
-		if err != nil || metadata == nil {
-			continue
-		}
-		ts := fmt.Sprintf("%d", time.Now().UnixMilli())
-		for property := range metadata {
-			batch = append(batch, map[string]string{
-				"type": "set",
-				"key":  fmt.Sprintf("file:%s/%s", hashID, property),
-				"ts":   ts,
-			})
-			if len(batch) >= republishBatch {
-				if err := flush(); err != nil {
-					return published, fmt.Errorf("republish: %w", err)
-				}
-			}
-		}
-	}
-	if err := flush(); err != nil {
-		return published, fmt.Errorf("republish: %w", err)
-	}
-
-	log.Printf("[MetaPublisher] Republished %d property events", published)
-	return published, nil
-}
diff --git a/internal/kv/kv.go b/internal/kv/kv.go
index 8d1c161..9544c42 100644
--- a/internal/kv/kv.go
+++ b/internal/kv/kv.go
@@ -53,8 +53,10 @@ import (
 	"log"
 	"net/url"
 	"os"
+	"strconv"
 	"strings"
 	"sync"
+	"sync/atomic"
 	"time"
 
 	_ "modernc.org/sqlite"
@@ -77,6 +79,11 @@ type Options struct {
 	// Schema is extra DDL run at open (idempotent CREATE … IF NOT EXISTS),
 	// for derived indexes owned by the caller.
 	Schema string
+	// OnChange is called inside the transaction for every key whose value
+	// actually changed (created, modified or deleted), with the old and new
+	// values — the hook derived counters hang off (Tx.AddCounter). It must not
+	// write kv rows itself.
+	OnChange func(tx *Tx, key, old string, hadOld bool, new string, hasNew bool)
 }
 
 // Store is an open database.
@@ -93,6 +100,9 @@ type Store struct {
 	// SQL on every Put was the single largest cost of a record write.
 	stPut, stPutIfAbsent, stDelete, stGet, stInsert *sql.Stmt
 
+	// Write accounting: how many Puts changed a value vs found it unchanged.
+	puts, noops atomic.Int64
+
 	writes    chan *writeReq
 	writeMu   sync.Mutex // held by the writer while a group runs
 	closeOnce sync.Once
@@ -170,7 +180,7 @@ func Open(path string, opts Options) (*Store, error) {
 	}{
 		{&st.stPut, `INSERT INTO kv(k, v) VALUES(?, ?) ON CONFLICT(k) DO UPDATE SET v = excluded.v`},
 		{&st.stPutIfAbsent, `INSERT INTO kv(k, v) VALUES(?, ?) ON CONFLICT(k) DO NOTHING`},
-		{&st.stDelete, `DELETE FROM kv WHERE k = ?`},
+		{&st.stDelete, `DELETE FROM kv WHERE k = ? RETURNING v`},
 		{&st.stGet, `SELECT v FROM kv WHERE k = ?`},
 		{&st.stInsert, `INSERT INTO kv(k, v) VALUES(?, ?)`},
 	} {
@@ -470,9 +480,10 @@ func (s *Store) writer() {
 
 // group is the state shared by the requests of one commit.
 type group struct {
-	tx      *sql.Tx
-	pending map[string]*streamPending
-	stmts   map[*sql.Stmt]*sql.Stmt
+	tx       *sql.Tx
+	pending  map[string]*streamPending
+	stmts    map[*sql.Stmt]*sql.Stmt
+	counters map[string]int64
 }
 
 func (g *group) snapshot() map[string]streamPending {
@@ -521,6 +532,9 @@ func (s *Store) runGroup(reqs []*writeReq) {
 		if err == nil {
 			err = tx.flushEvents()
 		}
+		if err == nil {
+			g.mergeCounters(tx.counters)
+		}
 		if err != nil {
 			results[i] = err
 			if _, rbErr := sqlTx.ExecContext(ctx, `ROLLBACK TO req`); rbErr != nil {
@@ -536,6 +550,11 @@ func (s *Store) runGroup(reqs []*writeReq) {
 			return
 		}
 	}
+	if err := (&Tx{ctx: ctx, s: s, g: g}).flushCounters(); err != nil {
+		_ = sqlTx.Rollback()
+		fail(err)
+		return
+	}
 	if err := (&Tx{ctx: ctx, s: s, g: g}).flushHWM(); err != nil {
 		_ = sqlTx.Rollback()
 		fail(err)
@@ -554,10 +573,11 @@ func (s *Store) runGroup(reqs []*writeReq) {
 // Tx is one Update's view of the write transaction. Its reads see its own
 // writes (and those of earlier requests in the same group).
 type Tx struct {
-	ctx    context.Context
-	s      *Store
-	g      *group
-	events []map[string]string
+	ctx      context.Context
+	s        *Store
+	g        *group
+	events   []map[string]string
+	counters map[string]int64
 }
 
 func (t *Tx) sqlTx() *sql.Tx { return t.g.tx }
@@ -610,18 +630,34 @@ func (t *Tx) QueryRow(query string, args ...any) *sql.Row {
 	return t.sqlTx().QueryRowContext(t.ctx, query, args...)
 }
 
-// Put sets k = v. Publishes `set` even when the value is unchanged, as Redis
-// keyspace notifications did.
+// Put sets k = v. A no-op — no row write, no index churn, no event — when k
+// already holds v. (Redis keyspace notifications published `set` even for an
+// unchanged value; with meta-core persisting the same gateway hits again on
+// every repeated query, those no-op writes were most of the write load.)
 func (t *Tx) Put(k, v string) error {
-	if _, err := t.stmt(t.s.stPut).ExecContext(t.ctx, k, v); err != nil {
-		return fmt.Errorf("put %q: %w", k, err)
+	_, err := t.Set(k, v)
+	return err
+}
+
+// Set is Put that reports whether the value changed.
+func (t *Tx) Set(k, v string) (bool, error) {
+	old, had, err := t.Get(t.ctx, k)
+	if err != nil {
+		return false, fmt.Errorf("put %q: %w", k, err)
 	}
-	t.event("set", k)
-	return nil
+	if had && old == v {
+		t.s.noops.Add(1)
+		return false, nil
+	}
+	if _, err := t.stmt(t.s.stPut).ExecContext(t.ctx, k, v); err != nil {
+		return false, fmt.Errorf("put %q: %w", k, err)
+	}
+	t.s.puts.Add(1)
+	t.changed("set", k, old, had, v, true)
+	return true, nil
 }
 
 // PutIfAbsent sets k = v only when k does not exist. Reports whether it wrote.
-// Publishes nothing when the key already existed (nothing changed).
 func (t *Tx) PutIfAbsent(k, v string) (bool, error) {
 	res, err := t.stmt(t.s.stPutIfAbsent).ExecContext(t.ctx, k, v)
 	if err != nil {
@@ -629,7 +665,7 @@ func (t *Tx) PutIfAbsent(k, v string) (bool, error) {
 	}
 	n, _ := res.RowsAffected()
 	if n > 0 {
-		t.event("set", k)
+		t.changed("set", k, "", false, v, true)
 	}
 	return n > 0, nil
 }
@@ -637,15 +673,16 @@ func (t *Tx) PutIfAbsent(k, v string) (bool, error) {
 // Delete removes k. Reports whether it existed; publishes `del` only then,
 // as Redis did.
 func (t *Tx) Delete(k string) (bool, error) {
-	res, err := t.stmt(t.s.stDelete).ExecContext(t.ctx, k)
+	var old string
+	err := t.stmt(t.s.stDelete).QueryRowContext(t.ctx, k).Scan(&old)
+	if errors.Is(err, sql.ErrNoRows) {
+		return false, nil
+	}
 	if err != nil {
 		return false, fmt.Errorf("delete %q: %w", k, err)
 	}
-	n, _ := res.RowsAffected()
-	if n > 0 {
-		t.event("del", k)
-	}
-	return n > 0, nil
+	t.changed("del", k, old, true, "", false)
+	return true, nil
 }
 
 // DeletePrefix removes up to limit keys under prefix (limit <= 0: all) and
@@ -663,26 +700,103 @@ func (t *Tx) DeletePrefix(prefix string, limit int) (int64, error) {
 		sel += ` ORDER BY k LIMIT ?`
 		args = append(args, limit)
 	}
-	rows, err := t.sqlTx().QueryContext(t.ctx, `DELETE FROM kv WHERE k IN (`+sel+`) RETURNING k`, args...)
+	rows, err := t.sqlTx().QueryContext(t.ctx, `DELETE FROM kv WHERE k IN (`+sel+`) RETURNING k, v`, args...)
 	if err != nil {
 		return 0, fmt.Errorf("delete prefix %q: %w", prefix, err)
 	}
-	var keys []string
+	var gone []KV
 	for rows.Next() {
-		var k string
-		if err := rows.Scan(&k); err != nil {
+		var kv KV
+		if err := rows.Scan(&kv.K, &kv.V); err != nil {
 			rows.Close()
 			return 0, err
 		}
-		keys = append(keys, k)
+		gone = append(gone, kv)
 	}
 	if err := rows.Close(); err != nil {
 		return 0, err
 	}
-	for _, k := range keys {
-		t.event("del", k)
+	for _, kv := range gone {
+		t.changed("del", kv.K, kv.V, true, "", false)
 	}
-	return int64(len(keys)), nil
+	return int64(len(gone)), nil
+}
+
+// changed records one real change: the event (when in scope) and the hook.
+func (t *Tx) changed(op, k, old string, hadOld bool, v string, hasNew bool) {
+	t.event(op, k)
+	if t.s.opts.OnChange != nil {
+		t.s.opts.OnChange(t, k, old, hadOld, v, hasNew)
+	}
+}
+
+// AddCounter adds delta to the integer counter stored at key. Deltas are
+// summed in memory and written once per commit (a hot counter touched by every
+// record in a group costs one row write, not one per record); they are
+// discarded with the request if it fails. A counter that reaches zero is
+// deleted.
+func (t *Tx) AddCounter(key string, delta int64) {
+	if delta == 0 {
+		return
+	}
+	if t.counters == nil {
+		t.counters = make(map[string]int64)
+	}
+	t.counters[key] += delta
+}
+
+func (g *group) mergeCounters(c map[string]int64) {
+	if len(c) == 0 {
+		return
+	}
+	if g.counters == nil {
+		g.counters = make(map[string]int64, len(c))
+	}
+	for k, d := range c {
+		g.counters[k] += d
+	}
+}
+
+// flushCounters applies the group's counter deltas, bypassing Put (counters
+// are bookkeeping: no events, no hook).
+func (t *Tx) flushCounters() error {
+	for k, d := range t.g.counters {
+		if d == 0 {
+			continue
+		}
+		cur, _, err := t.Get(t.ctx, k)
+		if err != nil {
+			return err
+		}
+		n, _ := strconv.ParseInt(cur, 10, 64)
+		n += d
+		if n <= 0 {
+			if _, err := t.sqlTx().ExecContext(t.ctx, `DELETE FROM kv WHERE k = ?`, k); err != nil {
+				return fmt.Errorf("counter %s: %w", k, err)
+			}
+			continue
+		}
+		if _, err := t.stmt(t.s.stPut).ExecContext(t.ctx, k, strconv.FormatInt(n, 10)); err != nil {
+			return fmt.Errorf("counter %s: %w", k, err)
+		}
+	}
+	return nil
+}
+
+// Counter reads a committed counter (0 when absent).
+func (s *Store) Counter(ctx context.Context, key string) (int64, bool, error) {
+	v, ok, err := s.Get(ctx, key)
+	if err != nil || !ok {
+		return 0, ok, err
+	}
+	n, err := strconv.ParseInt(v, 10, 64)
+	return n, true, err
+}
+
+// WriteStats reports how many Puts changed a value and how many found it
+// already in place, since open.
+func (s *Store) WriteStats() (changed, unchanged int64) {
+	return s.puts.Load(), s.noops.Load()
 }
 
 func (t *Tx) event(op, k string) {
diff --git a/internal/kv/kv_test.go b/internal/kv/kv_test.go
index 865d1c4..4f344cc 100644
--- a/internal/kv/kv_test.go
+++ b/internal/kv/kv_test.go
@@ -44,20 +44,21 @@ func events(t *testing.T, s *Store) []Entry {
 }
 
 // The replacement for keyspace notifications: a change and its event commit
-// together, with Redis' semantics — `set` even for an unchanged value, `del`
-// only for a key that existed, and nothing for keys outside the event scope.
+// together. `set` only for a real change (an unchanged value is a no-op: no
+// write, no event), `del` only for a key that existed, nothing for keys outside
+// the event scope.
 func TestChangesPublishEventsWithRedisSemantics(t *testing.T) {
 	s := openTest(t, "")
 	update(t, s, func(tx *Tx) error {
 		_ = tx.Put("file:A/title", "x")
-		_ = tx.Put("file:A/title", "x") // unchanged value still publishes
+		_ = tx.Put("file:A/title", "x") // unchanged: no write, no event
 		_ = tx.Put("cid:bafk", "A")     // outside the event scope
 		_, _ = tx.Delete("file:A/missing")
 		_, _ = tx.Delete("file:A/title")
 		return nil
 	})
 	got := events(t, s)
-	want := []string{"set file:A/title", "set file:A/title", "del file:A/title"}
+	want := []string{"set file:A/title", "del file:A/title"}
 	if len(got) != len(want) {
 		t.Fatalf("events = %+v, want %v", got, want)
 	}
@@ -312,3 +313,50 @@ func TestGroupCommitIsolatesFailures(t *testing.T) {
 		}
 	}
 }
+
+// The change hook sees real changes only, with old and new values, and
+// counters follow the request's fate (a failed request's deltas are dropped).
+func TestOnChangeAndCounters(t *testing.T) {
+	type change struct{ k, old, new string }
+	var seen []change
+	s, err := Open(filepath.Join(t.TempDir(), "kv.db"), Options{
+		OnChange: func(tx *Tx, k, old string, hadOld bool, v string, hasNew bool) {
+			seen = append(seen, change{k, old, v})
+			if hasNew {
+				tx.AddCounter("count/"+v, 1)
+			}
+			if hadOld {
+				tx.AddCounter("count/"+old, -1)
+			}
+		},
+	})
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+	defer s.Close()
+	update(t, s, func(tx *Tx) error {
+		_ = tx.Put("a", "x")
+		_ = tx.Put("b", "x")
+		_ = tx.Put("a", "x") // no-op
+		_ = tx.Put("a", "y")
+		return nil
+	})
+	_ = s.Update(context.Background(), func(tx *Tx) error {
+		_ = tx.Put("c", "x")
+		return errors.New("fail")
+	})
+	update(t, s, func(tx *Tx) error { _, err := tx.DeletePrefix("b", 0); return err })
+
+	if len(seen) != 5 { // a=x, b=x, a x→y, c=x (rolled back, hook still ran), del b; stats count attempts
+		t.Fatalf("changes = %+v", seen)
+	}
+	for k, want := range map[string]int64{"count/x": 0, "count/y": 1} {
+		got, _, err := s.Counter(context.Background(), k)
+		if err != nil || got != want {
+			t.Errorf("%s = %d (err %v), want %d", k, got, err, want)
+		}
+	}
+	if changed, unchanged := s.WriteStats(); changed != 4 || unchanged != 1 {
+		t.Errorf("write stats = %d changed / %d unchanged", changed, unchanged)
+	}
+}
diff --git a/internal/schema/indexer.go b/internal/schema/indexer.go
index 44afbef..f4fc83e 100644
--- a/internal/schema/indexer.go
+++ b/internal/schema/indexer.go
@@ -2,10 +2,9 @@ package schema
 
 import (
 	"context"
-	"log"
 	"regexp"
+	"strconv"
 	"strings"
-	"sync"
 	"time"
 
 	"github.com/metazla/meta-core/internal/kv"
@@ -13,11 +12,23 @@ import (
 
 var langCodeRegex = regexp.MustCompile(`^[a-z]{2,3}$`)
 
-// rebuildInterval is how often the schema is recomputed in the background.
-// It describes the *shape* of the data (which fields exist, their types), which
-// drifts slowly; a few minutes of staleness is invisible to the editor that
-// reads it, and POST /api/schema/rescan recomputes on demand.
-const rebuildInterval = 10 * time.Minute
+// CounterPrefix is where the schema lives: one counter per (field, key hint,
+// primitive, hint), maintained by the storage write path in the same
+// transaction as the change (storage's OnChange hook → CounterKey).
+const CounterPrefix = "idx:schema/"
+
+const counterSep = "\x1f"
+
+// CounterKey is the counter a record key holding value contributes to, or
+// ok=false for keys that are not record properties.
+func CounterKey(recordKey, value string) (string, bool) {
+	fieldPath, keyHint, ok := parseFieldPath(recordKey)
+	if !ok {
+		return "", false
+	}
+	prim, hint := ClassifyValue(value, true)
+	return CounterPrefix + fieldPath + counterSep + string(keyHint) + counterSep + string(prim) + counterSep + string(hint), true
+}
 
 // fieldState is the per-field accumulator.
 type fieldState struct {
@@ -37,123 +48,63 @@ func newFieldState() *fieldState {
 	}
 }
 
-// Indexer maintains the per-field schema by scanning the store.
+// Indexer serves the per-field schema.
 //
-// It used to follow meta:events and keep, per field, a map of EVERY record key
-// it had seen (so a re-set or delete could undo that key's contribution). At
-// 6.3M keys that map was ~2 GB of RAM — about half of meta-core's resident
-// memory once the search copy was gone — and it only worked if every event was
-// replayed into it, which is half of why meta-core republished every field on
-// boot. A periodic streaming scan holds one accumulator per FIELD instead and
-// is exact by construction.
+// The schema is a set of exact counters the write path keeps current in the
+// same transaction as each change (see CounterKey), so serving it is one range
+// read and nothing runs in the background. Two earlier shapes were dropped: a
+// consumer of meta:events that remembered every record key it had seen (~2 GB
+// at 6.3M keys), then a full rescan of the store every 10 minutes (~80 s of
+// CPU each time, whether or not anyone looked).
 type Indexer struct {
 	store *kv.Store
-
-	mu   sync.RWMutex
-	snap *SchemaResponse
-
-	rebuildMu sync.Mutex
-
-	ctx     context.Context
-	cancel  context.CancelFunc
-	wg      sync.WaitGroup
-	runMu   sync.Mutex
-	running bool
 }
 
 // NewIndexer creates an Indexer over store.
 func NewIndexer(store *kv.Store) *Indexer {
-	ctx, cancel := context.WithCancel(context.Background())
-	return &Indexer{store: store, ctx: ctx, cancel: cancel}
+	return &Indexer{store: store}
 }
 
-// Start computes the schema in the background now and every rebuildInterval.
-func (i *Indexer) Start() error {
-	i.runMu.Lock()
-	defer i.runMu.Unlock()
-	if i.running {
-		return nil
-	}
-	i.running = true
-	i.wg.Add(1)
-	go func() {
-		defer i.wg.Done()
-		ticker := time.NewTicker(rebuildInterval)
-		defer ticker.Stop()
-		for {
-			if _, err := i.Rebuild(i.ctx); err != nil && i.ctx.Err() == nil {
-				log.Printf("[SchemaIndexer] rebuild failed: %v", err)
-			}
-			select {
-			case <-i.ctx.Done():
-				return
-			case <-ticker.C:
-			}
-		}
-	}()
-	log.Println("[SchemaIndexer] Started - scanning the store")
-	return nil
-}
+// Start and Stop exist for the server's lifecycle; there is nothing to run.
+func (i *Indexer) Start() error { return nil }
+func (i *Indexer) Stop() error  { return nil }
 
-// Stop terminates the background rebuilds.
-func (i *Indexer) Stop() error {
-	i.runMu.Lock()
-	if !i.running {
-		i.runMu.Unlock()
-		return nil
-	}
-	i.running = false
-	i.runMu.Unlock()
-
-	i.cancel()
-	i.wg.Wait()
-	log.Println("[SchemaIndexer] Stopped")
-	return nil
-}
-
-// Rebuild recomputes the schema from every record key and publishes it. One
-// rebuild runs at a time; a concurrent caller waits and gets the fresh result.
-func (i *Indexer) Rebuild(ctx context.Context) (*SchemaResponse, error) {
-	i.rebuildMu.Lock()
-	defer i.rebuildMu.Unlock()
-
-	started := time.Now()
+// Snapshot reads the counters and folds them into the per-field schema.
+func (i *Indexer) Snapshot(ctx context.Context) (*SchemaResponse, error) {
 	fields := make(map[string]*fieldState)
-	err := i.store.ScanPrefix(ctx, "file:", 5000, func(rows []kv.KV) error {
+	err := i.store.ScanPrefix(ctx, CounterPrefix, 5000, func(rows []kv.KV) error {
 		for _, row := range rows {
-			fieldPath, keyHint, ok := parseFieldPath(row.K)
-			if !ok {
+			parts := strings.Split(row.K[len(CounterPrefix):], counterSep)
+			if len(parts) != 4 {
 				continue
 			}
-			fs := fields[fieldPath]
+			n, err := strconv.Atoi(row.V)
+			if err != nil || n <= 0 {
+				continue
+			}
+			fs := fields[parts[0]]
 			if fs == nil {
 				fs = newFieldState()
-				fields[fieldPath] = fs
+				fields[parts[0]] = fs
 			}
-			if keyHint != "" {
+			if parts[1] != "" {
 				fs.languageKeyed = true
 			}
-			prim, hint := ClassifyValue(row.V, true)
-			incContribution(fs, labelPair{prim: prim, hint: hint})
+			incContribution(fs, labelPair{prim: Primitive(parts[2]), hint: Hint(parts[3])}, n)
 		}
-		return ctx.Err()
+		return nil
 	})
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, err
 	}
-
 	snap := &SchemaResponse{
 		Fields:      make(map[string]*FieldSchema, len(fields)),
 		GeneratedAt: time.Now().UTC(),
-		Source:      "scan",
+		Source:      "live",
 	}
 	for fp, fs := range fields {
 		snap.Fields[fp] = computeFieldSchema(fs)
 	}
-	i.mu.Lock()
-	i.snap = snap
-	i.mu.Unlock()
-	log.Printf("[SchemaIndexer] %d fields from a full scan in %s", len(fields), time.Since(started).Round(time.Millisecond))
 	return snap, nil
 }
 
@@ -191,31 +142,21 @@ func parseFieldPath(key string) (string, KeyHint, bool) {
 	return property, "", true
 }
 
-func incContribution(fs *fieldState, lp labelPair) {
+// incContribution adds n values of one (primitive, hint) to a field.
+func incContribution(fs *fieldState, lp labelPair, n int) {
 	label := breakdownLabel(lp.prim, lp.hint)
-	fs.counts[label]++
+	fs.counts[label] += n
 	if lp.prim == PrimUndefined {
-		fs.undefinedCount++
+		fs.undefinedCount += n
 		return
 	}
-	fs.typedCount++
-	fs.primitives[lp.prim]++
+	fs.typedCount += n
+	fs.primitives[lp.prim] += n
 	if lp.hint != "" {
-		fs.hintCounts[lp.hint]++
+		fs.hintCounts[lp.hint] += n
 	}
 }
 
-// Snapshot returns the latest computed schema. Before the first scan finishes
-// it is empty with Source "pending".
-func (i *Indexer) Snapshot() *SchemaResponse {
-	i.mu.RLock()
-	defer i.mu.RUnlock()
-	if i.snap == nil {
-		return &SchemaResponse{Fields: map[string]*FieldSchema{}, GeneratedAt: time.Now().UTC(), Source: "pending"}
-	}
-	return i.snap
-}
-
 func computeFieldSchema(fs *fieldState) *FieldSchema {
 	out := &FieldSchema{
 		Breakdown: make(map[string]int, len(fs.counts)),
diff --git a/internal/schema/indexer_test.go b/internal/schema/indexer_test.go
deleted file mode 100644
index d1e5c7b..0000000
--- a/internal/schema/indexer_test.go
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,56 +0,0 @@
-package schema
-
-import (
-	"context"
-	"path/filepath"
-	"testing"
-
-	"github.com/metazla/meta-core/internal/kv"
-)
-
-func TestRebuildDerivesTypesFromTheStore(t *testing.T) {
-	store, err := kv.Open(filepath.Join(t.TempDir(), "kv.db"), kv.Options{})
-	if err != nil {
-		t.Fatal(err)
-	}
-	defer store.Close()
-	if err := store.Update(context.Background(), func(tx *kv.Tx) error {
-		for k, v := range map[string]string{
-			"file:A/sizeByte":   "100",
-			"file:B/sizeByte":   "200",
-			"file:A/title/eng":  "One",
-			"file:B/title/fre":  "Deux",
-			"file:A/mixed":      "1",
-			"file:B/mixed":      "x",
-			"cid:bafknotrecord": "A",
-		} {
-			if err := tx.Put(k, v); err != nil {
-				return err
-			}
-		}
-		return nil
-	}); err != nil {
-		t.Fatal(err)
-	}
-
-	ix := NewIndexer(store)
-	if got := ix.Snapshot(); got.Source != "pending" || len(got.Fields) != 0 {
-		t.Fatalf("before a scan: %+v", got)
-	}
-	snap, err := ix.Rebuild(context.Background())
-	if err != nil {
-		t.Fatal(err)
-	}
-	if f := snap.Fields["sizeByte"]; f == nil || f.Type != PrimInt || f.Breakdown["int"] != 2 {
-		t.Fatalf("sizeByte = %+v", f)
-	}
-	if f := snap.Fields["title"]; f == nil || f.KeyHint != KeyHintLanguageCode {
-		t.Fatalf("title = %+v (want language-keyed)", f)
-	}
-	if f := snap.Fields["mixed"]; f == nil || f.Type != PrimMixed {
-		t.Fatalf("mixed = %+v", f)
-	}
-	if len(snap.Fields) != 3 {
-		t.Fatalf("fields = %v (non-record keys must not count)", snap.Fields)
-	}
-}
diff --git a/internal/storage/client.go b/internal/storage/client.go
index 09fbf02..7d411de 100644
--- a/internal/storage/client.go
+++ b/internal/storage/client.go
@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@ import (
 	"time"
 
 	"github.com/metazla/meta-core/internal/kv"
+	"github.com/metazla/meta-core/internal/schema"
 )
 
 // Key layout (everything is one string→string table, see internal/kv):
@@ -21,6 +22,7 @@ import (
 //	cid:<cid>                reverse index → <rid>
 //	idx:roots/<rid>          the set of every root (was the Redis SET file:__index__)
 //	idx:fts/<rid>            rowid of the record's row in the FTS table
+//	idx:count/…, idx:schema/… derived counters (root count, per-field schema), see onChange
 //	dup:<rid>/<path>         a duplicate path of the record (was the SET file:<rid>/duplicates)
 //	udl:…                    User Data Layer, see udl.go
 //	ev:<stream>/…, evhwm:…   event streams, see internal/kv/stream.go
@@ -80,6 +82,7 @@ func (c *Client) Connect(path string) error {
 		ReaderCacheMB: envInt("META_CORE_DB_READER_CACHE_MB", 16),
 		Readers:       envInt("META_CORE_DB_READERS", 8),
 		Schema:        searchSchema,
+		OnChange:      onChange,
 	})
 	if err != nil {
 		return fmt.Errorf("open %s: %w", path, err)
@@ -185,6 +188,101 @@ func isInternalKey(key string) bool {
 		strings.HasPrefix(key, streamNS) || strings.HasPrefix(key, hwmNS)
 }
 
+// Derived counters, maintained by onChange in the same transaction as the
+// change they count (kv.Tx.AddCounter): the root count behind search's `total`
+// and /api/stats, and the per-field schema behind /api/schema.
+const (
+	rootsCountKey  = "idx:count/roots"
+	countersReady  = "idx:count/ready"
+	counterRebuild = 5000
+)
+
+// onChange keeps the derived counters exact. It sees only real changes (kv
+// skips unchanged Puts) with the old and new values, so a modified field moves
+// one count from its old label to its new one.
+func onChange(tx *kv.Tx, k, old string, hadOld bool, v string, hasNew bool) {
+	if strings.HasPrefix(k, rootsNS) {
+		switch {
+		case hasNew && !hadOld:
+			tx.AddCounter(rootsCountKey, 1)
+		case hadOld && !hasNew:
+			tx.AddCounter(rootsCountKey, -1)
+		}
+		return
+	}
+	if !strings.HasPrefix(k, recordNS) {
+		return
+	}
+	if hadOld {
+		if ck, ok := schema.CounterKey(k, old); ok {
+			tx.AddCounter(ck, -1)
+		}
+	}
+	if hasNew {
+		if ck, ok := schema.CounterKey(k, v); ok {
+			tx.AddCounter(ck, 1)
+		}
+	}
+}
+
+// EnsureCounters builds the derived counters when they have never been built —
+// a store created before they existed, or one restored from outside meta-core.
+// Blocking and single-transaction (writes wait for it; ~1–2 min at millions of
+// keys, once), because a build racing live deltas would double-count.
+func (c *Client) EnsureCounters() (bool, error) {
+	s, err := c.kv()
+	if err != nil {
+		return false, err
+	}
+	ctx, cancel := opCtx()
+	_, ready, err := s.Get(ctx, countersReady)
+	cancel()
+	if err != nil || ready {
+		return false, err
+	}
+	return true, c.RebuildCounters()
+}
+
+// RebuildCounters recomputes every derived counter from the records, in one
+// transaction (writers wait for it).
+func (c *Client) RebuildCounters() error {
+	s, err := c.kv()
+	if err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+	ctx, cancel := context.WithTimeout(context.Background(), 30*time.Minute)
+	defer cancel()
+	return s.Update(ctx, func(tx *kv.Tx) error {
+		for _, p := range []string{schema.CounterPrefix, rootsCountKey} {
+			if _, err := tx.DeletePrefix(p, 0); err != nil {
+				return err
+			}
+		}
+		roots, err := tx.Count(tx.Context(), rootsNS)
+		if err != nil {
+			return err
+		}
+		tx.AddCounter(rootsCountKey, roots)
+		after := ""
+		for {
+			rows, err := tx.Range(tx.Context(), recordNS, after, counterRebuild)
+			if err != nil {
+				return err
+			}
+			for _, row := range rows {
+				if ck, ok := schema.CounterKey(row.K, row.V); ok {
+					tx.AddCounter(ck, 1)
+				}
+			}
+			if len(rows) < counterRebuild {
+				break
+			}
+			after = rows[len(rows)-1].K
+		}
+		return tx.Put(countersReady, "1")
+	})
+}
+
 // readRecord returns a record's flat fields (nil when it has none).
 func readRecord(ctx context.Context, r kv.Reader, hashID string) (map[string]string, error) {
 	prefix := recordPrefix(hashID)
@@ -210,17 +308,19 @@ func writeFieldsTx(tx *kv.Tx, hashID string, metadata map[string]string) error {
 		return fmt.Errorf("empty hash id")
 	}
 	prefix := recordPrefix(hashID)
-	touchesSearch := false
+	searchChanged := false
 	for field, value := range metadata {
 		if isReservedFieldName(field) {
 			continue
 		}
-		if err := tx.Put(prefix+field, value); err != nil {
+		changed, err := tx.Set(prefix+field, value)
+		if err != nil {
 			return err
 		}
-		touchesSearch = touchesSearch || affectsHaystack(field)
+		searchChanged = searchChanged || (changed && affectsHaystack(field))
 	}
-	if err := tx.Put(rootKey(hashID), ""); err != nil {
+	newRoot, err := tx.Set(rootKey(hashID), "")
+	if err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
 	for field := range metadata {
@@ -230,10 +330,12 @@ func writeFieldsTx(tx *kv.Tx, hashID string, metadata map[string]string) error {
 			}
 		}
 	}
-	if touchesSearch {
+	// The FTS row is rewritten only when the haystack can have changed — a
+	// re-persisted record whose values are all in place costs reads only.
+	if searchChanged || newRoot {
 		return refreshSearchTx(tx, hashID)
 	}
-	return ensureSearchRowTx(tx, hashID)
+	return nil
 }
 
 // GetMetadataFlat retrieves all metadata for a file as a flat map.
diff --git a/internal/storage/counters_test.go b/internal/storage/counters_test.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..1750b21
--- /dev/null
+++ b/internal/storage/counters_test.go
@@ -0,0 +1,92 @@
+package storage
+
+import (
+	"context"
+	"encoding/json"
+	"testing"
+
+	"github.com/metazla/meta-core/internal/schema"
+)
+
+func schemaJSON(t *testing.T, c *Client) string {
+	t.Helper()
+	snap, err := schema.NewIndexer(c.Store()).Snapshot(context.Background())
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+	snap.GeneratedAt = snap.GeneratedAt.Truncate(0).UTC()
+	b, _ := json.Marshal(snap.Fields)
+	return string(b)
+}
+
+// The counters behind /api/schema and search's `total` are maintained by the
+// write path. Whatever sequence of writes, modifications and deletions runs,
+// they must equal what a full rebuild from the records computes.
+func TestCountersStayExactAcrossWrites(t *testing.T) {
+	c := newTestClient(t)
+	seed(t, c, map[string]map[string]string{
+		"R1": {"title": "One", "sizeByte": "100", "title/eng": "One"},
+		"R2": {"title": "Two", "sizeByte": "x", "genres/Action": "true"},
+		"R3": {"title": "Three", "sizeByte": "300"},
+	})
+	if err := c.SetProperty("R2", "sizeByte", "200"); err != nil { // label string → int
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+	if err := c.SetProperty("R1", "title", "One"); err != nil { // unchanged: no delta
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+	if err := c.DeleteProperty("R1", "title/eng"); err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+	if _, err := c.DeleteMetadata("R3"); err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+
+	if n, err := c.CountRoots(); err != nil || n != 2 {
+		t.Fatalf("CountRoots = %d (err %v), want 2", n, err)
+	}
+	incremental := schemaJSON(t, c)
+	snap, _ := schema.NewIndexer(c.Store()).Snapshot(context.Background())
+	if f := snap.Fields["sizeByte"]; f == nil || f.Type != schema.PrimInt || f.Breakdown["int"] != 2 {
+		t.Fatalf("sizeByte = %+v, want 2 ints", f)
+	}
+	if _, ok := snap.Fields["title"]; !ok {
+		t.Fatalf("title missing: %v", snap.Fields)
+	}
+
+	if err := c.RebuildCounters(); err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+	if rebuilt := schemaJSON(t, c); rebuilt != incremental {
+		t.Fatalf("incremental counters drifted from a rebuild:\n incremental %s\n rebuilt     %s", incremental, rebuilt)
+	}
+	if n, _ := c.CountRoots(); n != 2 {
+		t.Fatalf("CountRoots after rebuild = %d", n)
+	}
+}
+
+func TestEnsureCountersBuildsOnce(t *testing.T) {
+	c := newTestClient(t)
+	seed(t, c, map[string]map[string]string{"R1": {"title": "One"}})
+	built, err := c.EnsureCounters()
+	if err != nil || !built {
+		t.Fatalf("first EnsureCounters built=%v err=%v", built, err)
+	}
+	if built, _ := c.EnsureCounters(); built {
+		t.Fatal("second EnsureCounters rebuilt again")
+	}
+}
+
+// A re-persisted record with nothing new writes nothing and publishes nothing.
+func TestUnchangedRecordWriteIsANoOp(t *testing.T) {
+	c := newTestClient(t)
+	rec := map[string]string{"title": "Naruto", "fileType": "video", "cids/bafkreiabc": "true"}
+	seed(t, c, map[string]map[string]string{"R1": rec})
+	before, _ := c.GetStreamLength(MetaEventsStream)
+	if err := c.SetMetadataFlat("R1", rec); err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+	if after, _ := c.GetStreamLength(MetaEventsStream); after != before {
+		t.Fatalf("re-persisting an unchanged record published %d events", after-before)
+	}
+}
diff --git a/internal/storage/search.go b/internal/storage/search.go
index 304a28d..336c746 100644
--- a/internal/storage/search.go
+++ b/internal/storage/search.go
@@ -211,21 +211,36 @@ func (c *Client) Search(query string, filters []SearchFilter, limit int, match f
 	ctx, cancel := opCtx()
 	defer cancel()
 
-	driver, probes, err := c.planCandidates(ctx, s, query, filters)
+	plan, err := c.planCandidates(ctx, s, query, filters)
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, err
 	}
 	page := max(limit*2, 500)
 	hits := make([]SearchHit, 0, limit)
 	after := ""
-	for len(hits) < limit {
-		ids, err := queryIDs(ctx, s, driver.sql, driver.args, after, page)
-		if err != nil {
-			return nil, err
+	for pos := 0; len(hits) < limit; {
+		var ids []string
+		if plan.walk {
+			rows, err := s.Range(ctx, rootsNS, after, page)
+			if err != nil {
+				return nil, err
+			}
+			for _, row := range rows {
+				ids = append(ids, row.K[len(rootsNS):])
+			}
+			if len(rows) > 0 {
+				after = rows[len(rows)-1].K
+			}
+		} else {
+			ids = plan.ordered[pos:min(pos+page, len(plan.ordered))]
+			pos += len(ids)
+		}
+		if len(ids) == 0 {
+			break
 		}
 		survivors := ids
-		if len(probes) > 0 && len(ids) > 0 {
-			if survivors, err = probeIDs(ctx, s, ids, probes); err != nil {
+		if len(plan.probes) > 0 {
+			if survivors, err = probeIDs(ctx, s, ids, plan.probes); err != nil {
 				return nil, err
 			}
 		}
@@ -245,30 +260,10 @@ func (c *Client) Search(query string, filters []SearchFilter, limit int, match f
 		if len(ids) < page {
 			break
 		}
-		after = ids[len(ids)-1]
 	}
 	return hits, nil
 }
 
-// queryIDs returns one page of the driver's candidates, in rid order.
-func queryIDs(ctx context.Context, s *kv.Store, candSQL string, args []any, after string, limit int) ([]string, error) {
-	q := `SELECT DISTINCT rid FROM (` + candSQL + `) WHERE rid > ? ORDER BY rid LIMIT ?`
-	rows, err := s.DB().QueryContext(ctx, q, append(append([]any{}, args...), after, limit)...)
-	if err != nil {
-		return nil, fmt.Errorf("search candidates: %w", err)
-	}
-	defer rows.Close()
-	var out []string
-	for rows.Next() {
-		var id string
-		if err := rows.Scan(&id); err != nil {
-			return nil, err
-		}
-		out = append(out, id)
-	}
-	return out, rows.Err()
-}
-
 // probeSQL applies the non-driving filters to one page of candidate rids
 // (passed as a JSON array) — each an EXISTS over the candidate's own key range.
 func probeSQL(probes []candidatePart) (string, []any) {
@@ -304,7 +299,7 @@ func probeIDs(ctx context.Context, s *kv.Store, ids []string, probes []candidate
 	if err := rows.Err(); err != nil {
 		return nil, err
 	}
-	out := ids[:0:0]
+	out := make([]string, 0, len(ids))
 	for _, id := range ids {
 		if pass[id] {
 			out = append(out, id)
@@ -324,25 +319,40 @@ type candidatePart struct {
 	existsArgs []any
 }
 
-// estimateCap bounds the count used to pick the driving part: it only has to
-// tell a 50-row part from a 100k-row one.
-const estimateCap = 1000
+// estimateCap bounds the count used to rank parts by selectivity: past it, a
+// part is "broad" and only ties with other broad parts are left to resolve.
+var estimateCap = 50_000
 
-// planCandidates picks how to narrow a search: one DRIVING part (the most
-// selective, by a capped count) that lists candidate rids in order, plus PROBES
-// — every other filter, checked as an EXISTS over each candidate's own key
-// range (a primary-key range read of ~40 rows).
+// estimateCapForTest sets estimateCap and returns the previous value.
+func estimateCapForTest(n int) int { old := estimateCap; estimateCap = n; return old }
+
+// searchPlan is how one search walks its candidates.
+type searchPlan struct {
+	ordered []string        // the driver's rids, sorted (when !walk)
+	walk    bool            // no part narrows: walk idx:roots in order
+	probes  []candidatePart // filters checked per page as EXISTS
+}
+
+// planCandidates picks how to narrow a search.
 //
-// Search pages the driver in Go and probes one page at a time, so a broad
-// query stops as soon as `limit` records verify. Two earlier shapes were
-// measured on watch.nsl.sh and rejected: INTERSECTing fully materialised sets
-// (`naruto` + `fileType:video` built all ~120k video rows on every page, 5.7 s)
-// and probing inside the driver query (SQLite evaluates the probe on every
-// driver row before ORDER BY … LIMIT can stop: `1080p` + `fileType:video`,
-// both ~100k, 10 s). Free text that does not drive is dropped from SQL
-// entirely — the verifier still applies it, and dropping a condition only
-// widens the superset.
-func (c *Client) planCandidates(ctx context.Context, s *kv.Store, query string, filters []SearchFilter) (candidatePart, []candidatePart, error) {
+// A capped count ranks the parts; the SMALLEST is collected once, sorted in Go
+// and paged from memory, and every other filter becomes a probe — an EXISTS
+// over each candidate's own key range, run one page at a time, so a search
+// stops as soon as `limit` records verify. The driver is collected in full even
+// when every part is broad: that costs O(part) — at most every root, ~0.3 s at
+// 169k — whereas walking idx:roots in hashID order (tried) costs O(corpus) when
+// matches are sparse early in that order, and on watch.nsl.sh they are: the
+// first 500 roots held zero episodes, so `contentKind:episode` walked ~3 s.
+// Only a search with nothing to narrow walks the roots, where every root
+// matches.
+//
+// Also rejected, measured on watch.nsl.sh: INTERSECTing fully materialised
+// sets (5.7 s for `naruto` + `fileType:video`); probing inside a driver query
+// re-sorted per page (SQLite evaluates the probe on every driver row before
+// ORDER BY … LIMIT can stop: 10 s for `1080p` + `fileType:video`). Free text
+// that does not drive is dropped from SQL — the verifier still applies it, and
+// dropping a condition only widens the superset.
+func (c *Client) planCandidates(ctx context.Context, s *kv.Store, query string, filters []SearchFilter) (searchPlan, error) {
 	var parts []candidatePart
 	if p, ok := textCandidates(query); ok {
 		parts = append(parts, p)
@@ -353,7 +363,7 @@ func (c *Client) planCandidates(ctx context.Context, s *kv.Store, query string,
 		}
 	}
 	if len(parts) == 0 {
-		return candidatePart{sql: `SELECT substr(k, ` + strconv.Itoa(len(rootsNS)+1) + `) AS rid FROM kv WHERE k >= '` + rootsNS + `' AND k < '` + kv.PrefixEnd(rootsNS) + `'`}, nil, nil
+		return searchPlan{walk: true}, nil
 	}
 
 	driver := 0
@@ -361,40 +371,67 @@ func (c *Client) planCandidates(ctx context.Context, s *kv.Store, query string,
 		best := int64(-1)
 		for i, p := range parts {
 			var n int64
-			q := `SELECT count(*) FROM (SELECT rid FROM (` + p.sql + `) LIMIT ` + strconv.Itoa(estimateCap) + `)`
+			q := `SELECT count(*) FROM (SELECT rid FROM (` + p.sql + `) LIMIT ` + strconv.Itoa(estimateCap+1) + `)`
 			if err := s.DB().QueryRowContext(ctx, q, p.args...).Scan(&n); err != nil {
-				return candidatePart{}, nil, fmt.Errorf("estimate candidates: %w", err)
+				return searchPlan{}, fmt.Errorf("estimate candidates: %w", err)
 			}
 			if best < 0 || n < best {
 				best, driver = n, i
 			}
+			if n == 0 {
+				break // nothing can match
+			}
 		}
 	}
-	var probes []candidatePart
+	ids, err := collectIDs(ctx, s, parts[driver], 0)
+	if err != nil {
+		return searchPlan{}, err
+	}
+	sort.Strings(ids)
+	plan := searchPlan{ordered: ids}
 	for i, p := range parts {
 		if i != driver && p.exists != "" {
-			probes = append(probes, p)
+			plan.probes = append(plan.probes, p)
 		}
 	}
-	return parts[driver], probes, nil
+	return plan, nil
 }
 
-// candidateSQL is planCandidates without the store: text plus filters, the
-// first part driving. Used by tests that inspect the plan.
+// collectIDs reads the distinct rids of one part (all of them when limit <= 0).
+func collectIDs(ctx context.Context, s *kv.Store, p candidatePart, limit int) ([]string, error) {
+	q := `SELECT DISTINCT rid FROM (` + p.sql + `)`
+	args := append([]any{}, p.args...)
+	if limit > 0 {
+		q += ` LIMIT ?`
+		args = append(args, limit)
+	}
+	rows, err := s.DB().QueryContext(ctx, q, args...)
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, fmt.Errorf("search candidates: %w", err)
+	}
+	defer rows.Close()
+	var out []string
+	for rows.Next() {
+		var id string
+		if err := rows.Scan(&id); err != nil {
+			return nil, err
+		}
+		out = append(out, id)
+	}
+	return out, rows.Err()
+}
+
+// candidateSQL is the first part's SQL, for tests that inspect the plan.
 func candidateSQL(query string, filters []SearchFilter) (string, []any) {
-	var parts []candidatePart
 	if p, ok := textCandidates(query); ok {
-		parts = append(parts, p)
+		return p.sql, p.args
 	}
 	for _, f := range filters {
 		if p, ok := filterCandidates(f); ok {
-			parts = append(parts, p)
+			return p.sql, p.args
 		}
 	}
-	if len(parts) == 0 {
-		return "", nil
-	}
-	return parts[0].sql, parts[0].args
+	return "", nil
 }
 
 // textCandidates narrows by free text: every whitespace token must be a
@@ -480,7 +517,7 @@ func filterCandidates(f SearchFilter) (candidatePart, bool) {
 	// As a driver: one indexed SELECT per condition, joined with UNION ALL (an
 	// OR inside one SELECT would defeat the partial index; plain UNION would
 	// dedupe by materialising every row first — 1.8 s vs 0.25 s for a capped
-	// count over fileType:video on watch.nsl.sh). queryIDs applies DISTINCT.
+	// count over fileType:video on watch.nsl.sh). collectIDs applies DISTINCT.
 	base := `SELECT ` + ridExpr + ` AS rid FROM kv WHERE ` + recordPred + ` AND `
 	selects := make([]string, len(conds))
 	for i, cond := range conds {
diff --git a/internal/storage/search_test.go b/internal/storage/search_test.go
index 0a92f86..21b0bb8 100644
--- a/internal/storage/search_test.go
+++ b/internal/storage/search_test.go
@@ -294,13 +294,14 @@ func TestSearchCombinedPlanProbesByPrimaryKey(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 	seed(t, c, recs)
 	filters := []SearchFilter{{Property: "fileType", Values: []string{"video"}}}
-	driver, probes, err := c.planCandidates(context.Background(), c.Store(), "naruto", filters)
+	plan, err := c.planCandidates(context.Background(), c.Store(), "naruto", filters)
 	if err != nil {
 		t.Fatal(err)
 	}
-	if !strings.HasPrefix(driver.sql, "SELECT rid FROM fts") || len(probes) != 1 {
-		t.Fatalf("free text should drive with the filter as a probe, got driver %q, %d probes", driver.sql, len(probes))
+	if plan.walk || len(plan.ordered) != 1 || len(plan.probes) != 1 {
+		t.Fatalf("the rare text should drive (1 rid) with the filter as a probe, got %+v", plan)
 	}
+	probes := plan.probes
 	q, pargs := probeSQL(probes)
 	args := append([]any{`["R0000"]`}, pargs...)
 	rows, err := c.Store().DB().QueryContext(context.Background(), "EXPLAIN QUERY PLAN "+q, args...)
@@ -308,16 +309,16 @@ func TestSearchCombinedPlanProbesByPrimaryKey(t *testing.T) {
 		t.Fatal(err)
 	}
 	defer rows.Close()
-	var plan []string
+	var steps []string
 	for rows.Next() {
 		var id, parent, notused int
 		var detail string
 		if err := rows.Scan(&id, &parent, &notused, &detail); err != nil {
 			t.Fatal(err)
 		}
-		plan = append(plan, detail)
+		steps = append(steps, detail)
 	}
-	joined := strings.Join(plan, " | ")
+	joined := strings.Join(steps, " | ")
 	if !strings.Contains(joined, "PRIMARY KEY") || strings.Contains(joined, "SCAN kv") {
 		t.Fatalf("filter probe is not a primary-key range read: %s", joined)
 	}
@@ -325,3 +326,30 @@ func TestSearchCombinedPlanProbesByPrimaryKey(t *testing.T) {
 		return textMatch("naruto")(id, f) && matchFilter(f, "fileType", false, "video")
 	}), "R0000")
 }
+
+// When every part is broad (above estimateCap), the smallest is still
+// collected and drives — no walk over the roots — and the result is exact.
+func TestSearchBroadPartsStillDriveFromTheSmallest(t *testing.T) {
+	defer func(old int) { estimateCapForTest(old) }(estimateCapForTest(3))
+	c := newTestClient(t)
+	recs := map[string]map[string]string{}
+	for i := 0; i < 20; i++ {
+		ft := "video"
+		if i%2 == 1 {
+			ft = "audio"
+		}
+		recs[fmt.Sprintf("R%02d", i)] = map[string]string{"title": "Common words", "fileType": ft}
+	}
+	seed(t, c, recs)
+	filters := []SearchFilter{{Property: "fileType", Values: []string{"audio"}}}
+	plan, err := c.planCandidates(context.Background(), c.Store(), "common", filters)
+	if err != nil || plan.walk || len(plan.ordered) != 20 || len(plan.probes) != 1 {
+		t.Fatalf("want the text (20 rids) driving with one probe, got walk=%v ordered=%d probes=%d err %v", plan.walk, len(plan.ordered), len(plan.probes), err)
+	}
+	got := search(t, c, "common", filters, func(id string, f map[string]string) bool {
+		return textMatch("common")(id, f) && matchFilter(f, "fileType", false, "audio")
+	})
+	if len(got) != 10 || got[0] != "R01" {
+		t.Fatalf("got %v", got)
+	}
+}
diff --git a/internal/storage/stats.go b/internal/storage/stats.go
index fade2c0..d4fdfea 100644
--- a/internal/storage/stats.go
+++ b/internal/storage/stats.go
@@ -4,8 +4,9 @@ import (
 	"time"
 )
 
-// CountRoots returns the number of metadata roots in the root index — one
-// range count over idx:roots/, never the list itself.
+// CountRoots returns the number of metadata roots: a counter the write path
+// keeps exact (see onChange), so it costs one read — search reports it as
+// `total` on every query.
 func (c *Client) CountRoots() (int64, error) {
 	s, err := c.kv()
 	if err != nil {
@@ -13,7 +14,8 @@ func (c *Client) CountRoots() (int64, error) {
 	}
 	ctx, cancel := opCtx()
 	defer cancel()
-	return s.Count(ctx, rootsNS)
+	n, _, err := s.Counter(ctx, rootsCountKey)
+	return n, err
 }
 
 // keyCountTTL bounds how stale CountKeys may be. Counting every row is a full
diff --git a/internal/storage/write_bench_test.go b/internal/storage/write_bench_test.go
index 0455a5c..d7845bc 100644
--- a/internal/storage/write_bench_test.go
+++ b/internal/storage/write_bench_test.go
@@ -57,3 +57,53 @@ func BenchmarkConcurrentRecordWrites(b *testing.B) {
 	wg.Wait()
 	b.ReportMetric(float64(b.N)/b.Elapsed().Seconds(), "records/s")
 }
+
+// BenchmarkConcurrentRepersistUnchanged is the dominant write on a permanent
+// store: a gateway re-persisting hits it already holds. The kv layer skips
+// every unchanged field, so this should cost reads only.
+func BenchmarkConcurrentRepersistUnchanged(b *testing.B) {
+	c := NewClient()
+	if err := c.Connect(filepath.Join(b.TempDir(), "bench.db")); err != nil {
+		b.Fatal(err)
+	}
+	defer c.Close()
+	const distinct = 2000
+	rec := func(i int64) map[string]string {
+		m := map[string]string{
+			"title":    fmt.Sprintf("Some Show S01E%02d", i%40),
+			"fileType": "video",
+			fmt.Sprintf("cids/bafkbench%020d", i): "true",
+		}
+		for f := 0; len(m) < 40; f++ {
+			m[fmt.Sprintf("categories/%d", f)] = "true"
+		}
+		return m
+	}
+	for i := int64(0); i < distinct; i++ {
+		if err := c.SetMetadataFlat(fmt.Sprintf("01BENCH%019d", i), rec(i)); err != nil {
+			b.Fatal(err)
+		}
+	}
+	const writers = 16
+	var next int64
+	b.ResetTimer()
+	var wg sync.WaitGroup
+	for w := 0; w < writers; w++ {
+		wg.Add(1)
+		go func() {
+			defer wg.Done()
+			for {
+				i := atomic.AddInt64(&next, 1)
+				if i > int64(b.N) {
+					return
+				}
+				if err := c.SetMetadataFlat(fmt.Sprintf("01BENCH%019d", i%distinct), rec(i%distinct)); err != nil {
+					b.Error(err)
+					return
+				}
+			}
+		}()
+	}
+	wg.Wait()
+	b.ReportMetric(float64(b.N)/b.Elapsed().Seconds(), "records/s")
+}
diff --git a/internal/watchers/handlers.go b/internal/watchers/handlers.go
index 94872f7..0b3a55c 100644
--- a/internal/watchers/handlers.go
+++ b/internal/watchers/handlers.go
@@ -2,29 +2,20 @@ package watchers
 
 import (
 	"encoding/json"
-	"log"
 	"net/http"
 
 	"github.com/gorilla/mux"
 )
 
-// RepublishCallback is a function type for republishing metadata events
-type RepublishCallback func() (int, error)
-
 // Handlers provides HTTP handlers for watchers management
 type Handlers struct {
-	manager           *Manager
-	poller            *Poller
-	republishCallback RepublishCallback
+	manager *Manager
+	poller  *Poller
 }
 
 // NewHandlers creates new watchers handlers
-func NewHandlers(manager *Manager, poller *Poller, republishCallback RepublishCallback) *Handlers {
-	return &Handlers{
-		manager:           manager,
-		poller:            poller,
-		republishCallback: republishCallback,
-	}
+func NewHandlers(manager *Manager, poller *Poller) *Handlers {
+	return &Handlers{manager: manager, poller: poller}
 }
 
 // RegisterRoutes registers all watchers-related routes
@@ -215,22 +206,13 @@ func (h *Handlers) handleResetAll(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
 		return
 	}
 
-	// Republish all metadata events after reset
-	republishedCount := 0
-	if h.republishCallback != nil {
-		count, err := h.republishCallback()
-		if err != nil {
-			log.Printf("[Handlers] Warning: failed to republish metadata after reset: %v", err)
-		} else {
-			republishedCount = count
-		}
-	}
-
+	// No metadata republish: a reset rescans files; it does not change
+	// metadata consumers hold. A consumer that wants the whole state asks
+	// /api/events/meta for "0" and gets a snapshot.
 	writeJSON(w, http.StatusOK, map[string]interface{}{
-		"status":            "ok",
-		"message":           "All watchers reset",
-		"totalFiles":        totalCount,
-		"republishedEvents": republishedCount,
+		"status":     "ok",
+		"message":    "All watchers reset",
+		"totalFiles": totalCount,
 	})
 }