diff --git a/lib/dbwrap.js b/lib/dbwrap.js
index 56a2d83..e90c3b7 100644
--- a/lib/dbwrap.js
+++ b/lib/dbwrap.js
@@ -186,13 +186,19 @@ function wrap(db, dir) {
       return new PromiseA(function (resolve, reject) {
         var json = JSON.stringify(obj);
         var data = JSON.parse(json);
-        delete data[idnameCased];
-        json = JSON.stringify(data);
 
-        var sql = "INSERT INTO " + tablename + " (" + idname + ", json) VALUES (?, ?)";
-        var values = [id, json];
+        var sql;
 
-        db.run(sql, values, function (err) {
+        // removes known fields from data
+        sql = strainUpdate(id, data, function sqlTpl(fieldable) {
+          return "INSERT INTO " + tablename + " (" + fieldable.join(', ') + ", " + idname + ")"
+            //+ " VALUES ('" + vals.join("', '") + "')"
+            + " VALUES (" + fieldable.map(function () { return '?'; }).join(", ") + ", ?)"
+            ;
+        });
+
+        console.log('[debug] DB.create() sql:', sql);
+        db.run(sql, [], function (err) {
           if (err) {
             reject(err);
             return;
@@ -215,55 +221,78 @@ function wrap(db, dir) {
       });
     };
 
+    // pull indices from object
+    function strainUpdate(id, data/*, vals*/, cb) {
+      var fieldable = [];
+      var json;
+      var sql;
+      var vals = [];
+
+      (opts.indices || []).forEach(function (col) {
+        if ('string' === typeof col) {
+          col = { name: col, type: 'TEXT' };
+        }
+        if (!col.type) {
+          col.type = 'TEXT';
+        }
+
+        var val = data[camelCase(col.name)];
+
+        //if (col.name in data)
+        if ('undefined' !== typeof val) {
+          /*
+          fieldable.push(
+            db.escape(snakeCase(col.name))
+          + " = '" + db.escape(val) + "'"
+          );
+          */
+          fieldable.push(db.escape(snakeCase(col.name)));
+          vals.push(val);
+        }
+
+        delete data[col.name];
+        delete data[camelCase(col.name)];
+      });
+
+      delete data[idnameCased];
+
+      if (!fieldable.length || Object.keys(data).length) {
+        json = JSON.stringify(data);
+        fieldable.push("json");
+        //fieldable.push("json = '" + db.escape(json) + "'");
+        vals.push(json);
+      }
+
+      vals.push(id);
+
+      sql = cb(fieldable);
+
+      while (vals.length) {
+        sql = sql.replace(/\?/, "'" + db.escape(vals.shift()) + "'");
+      }
+
+      return sql;
+    }
+
     DB.set = function (id, obj) {
       var json = JSON.stringify(obj);
       var data = JSON.parse(json);
 
       return new PromiseA(function (resolve, reject) {
-        var sql;
-        var fieldable = [];
-        var vals = [];
-
-        (opts.indices || []).forEach(function (col) {
-          if ('string' === typeof col) {
-            col = { name: col, type: 'TEXT' };
-          }
-          if (!col.type) {
-            col.type = 'TEXT';
-          }
-
-          var val = data[camelCase(col.name)];
-
-          //if (col.name in data)
-          if ('undefined' !== typeof val) {
-            /*
-            fieldable.push(
-              db.escape(snakeCase(col.name))
-            + " = '" + db.escape(val) + "'"
-            );
-            */
-            fieldable.push(db.escape(snakeCase(col.name)) + " = ?");
-            vals.push(val);
-          }
-
-          delete data[col.name];
-        });
-        delete data[idnameCased];
-
-        json = JSON.stringify(data);
-        fieldable.push("json = ?");
-        //fieldable.push("json = '" + db.escape(json) + "'");
-        vals.push(json);
-
-        vals.push(id);
-        sql = "UPDATE " + tablename + " SET " + fieldable.join(', ') + " WHERE " + idname + " = ?";
-
-        while (vals.length) {
-          sql = sql.replace(/\?/, "'" + db.escape(vals.shift()) + "'");
+        function sqlTpl(fieldable) {
+          // this will always at least have one fieldable value: json
+          return "UPDATE " + tablename + " SET "
+            + (fieldable.join(' = ?, ') + " = ?")
+            + " WHERE " + idname + " = ?"
+            ;
         }
 
-        console.log('[debug] sql:', sql);
-        db.run(sql, vals, function (err) {
+        //var vals = [];
+        // removes known fields from data
+        var sql = strainUpdate(id, data/*, vals*/, sqlTpl);
+
+        console.log('[debug] DB.set() sql:', sql);
+        db.run(sql, /*vals*/[], function (err) {
           if (err) {
             reject(err);
             return;