diff --git a/maloja/database/__init__.py b/maloja/database/__init__.py
index 71c2d5e..ed40080 100644
--- a/maloja/database/__init__.py
+++ b/maloja/database/__init__.py
@@ -505,7 +505,9 @@ def get_performance(dbconn=None,**keys):
 
 
 		if "track" in keys:
-			track_id = sqldb.get_track_id(keys['track'],dbconn=dbconn)
+			track_id = sqldb.get_track_id(keys['track'],create_new=False,dbconn=dbconn)
+			if not track_id:
+				raise exceptions.TrackDoesNotExist(keys['track'])
 			#track = sqldb.get_track(track_id,dbconn=dbconn)
 			charts = get_charts_tracks(timerange=rng,resolve_ids=False,dbconn=dbconn)
 			rank = None
@@ -514,7 +516,9 @@ def get_performance(dbconn=None,**keys):
 					rank = c["rank"]
 					break
 		elif "artist" in keys:
-			artist_id = sqldb.get_artist_id(keys['artist'],dbconn=dbconn)
+			artist_id = sqldb.get_artist_id(keys['artist'],create_new=False,dbconn=dbconn)
+			if not artist_id:
+				raise exceptions.ArtistDoesNotExist(keys['artist'])
 			#artist = sqldb.get_artist(artist_id,dbconn=dbconn)
 			# ^this is the most useless line in programming history
 			# but I like consistency
@@ -525,7 +529,9 @@ def get_performance(dbconn=None,**keys):
 					rank = c["rank"]
 					break
 		elif "album" in keys:
-			album_id = sqldb.get_album_id(keys['album'],dbconn=dbconn)
+			album_id = sqldb.get_album_id(keys['album'],create_new=False,dbconn=dbconn)
+			if not album_id:
+				raise exceptions.AlbumDoesNotExist(keys['album'])
 			#album = sqldb.get_album(album_id,dbconn=dbconn)
 			charts = get_charts_albums(timerange=rng,resolve_ids=False,dbconn=dbconn)
 			rank = None
@@ -688,7 +694,7 @@ def track_info(dbconn=None,**keys):
 	if track is None: raise exceptions.MissingEntityParameter()
 
 	track_id = sqldb.get_track_id(track,create_new=False,dbconn=dbconn)
-	if not track_id: raise exceptions.TrackDoesNotExist(track['title'])
+	if not track_id: raise exceptions.TrackDoesNotExist(track)
 
 	track = sqldb.get_track(track_id,dbconn=dbconn)
 	alltimecharts = get_charts_tracks(timerange=alltime(),resolve_ids=False,dbconn=dbconn)
@@ -742,7 +748,7 @@ def album_info(dbconn=None,reduced=False,**keys):
 	if album is None: raise exceptions.MissingEntityParameter()
 
 	album_id = sqldb.get_album_id(album,create_new=False,dbconn=dbconn)
-	if not album_id: raise exceptions.AlbumDoesNotExist(album['albumtitle'])
+	if not album_id: raise exceptions.AlbumDoesNotExist(album)
 
 	album = sqldb.get_album(album_id,dbconn=dbconn)
 
@@ -891,7 +897,6 @@ def start_db():
 	dbstatus['complete'] = True
 
 	# cache some stuff that we'll probably need
-	# (would be done anyway by start page)
 	with sqldb.engine.connect() as dbconn:
 		with dbconn.begin():
 			for week in ranges(step='week'):
diff --git a/maloja/database/sqldb.py b/maloja/database/sqldb.py
index de6b4e4..367007a 100644
--- a/maloja/database/sqldb.py
+++ b/maloja/database/sqldb.py
@@ -323,7 +323,8 @@ def album_dict_to_db(info,dbconn=None):
 
 ##### Actual Database interactions
 
-# TODO: remove all resolve_id args and do that logic outside the caching
+# TODO: remove all resolve_id args and do that logic outside the caching to improve hit chances
+# TODO: maybe also factor out all intitial get entity funcs (some here, some in __init__) and throw exceptions
 
 @connection_provider
 def add_scrobble(scrobbledict,update_album=False,dbconn=None):
@@ -836,9 +837,9 @@ def get_scrobbles_of_artist(artist,since=None,to=None,resolve_references=True,li
 	if to is None: to=now()
 
 	if associated:
-		artist_ids = get_associated_artists(artist,resolve_ids=False,dbconn=dbconn) + [get_artist_id(artist,dbconn=dbconn)]
+		artist_ids = get_associated_artists(artist,resolve_ids=False,dbconn=dbconn) + [get_artist_id(artist,create_new=False,dbconn=dbconn)]
 	else:
-		artist_ids = [get_artist_id(artist,dbconn=dbconn)]
+		artist_ids = [get_artist_id(artist,create_new=False,dbconn=dbconn)]
 
 
 	jointable = sql.join(DB['scrobbles'],DB['trackartists'],DB['scrobbles'].c.track_id == DB['trackartists'].c.track_id)
@@ -879,7 +880,8 @@ def get_scrobbles_of_track(track,since=None,to=None,resolve_references=True,limi
 	if since is None: since=0
 	if to is None: to=now()
 
-	track_id = get_track_id(track,dbconn=dbconn)
+	track_id = get_track_id(track,create_new=False,dbconn=dbconn)
+
 
 	op = DB['scrobbles'].select().where(
 		DB['scrobbles'].c.timestamp<=to,
@@ -906,7 +908,7 @@ def get_scrobbles_of_album(album,since=None,to=None,resolve_references=True,limi
 	if since is None: since=0
 	if to is None: to=now()
 
-	album_id = get_album_id(album,dbconn=dbconn)
+	album_id = get_album_id(album,create_new=False,dbconn=dbconn)
 
 	jointable = sql.join(DB['scrobbles'],DB['tracks'],DB['scrobbles'].c.track_id == DB['tracks'].c.id)