diff --git a/comapeo-schema-PR267+bc403d5.tgz b/comapeo-schema-PR267+bc403d5.tgz
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..c3cc3cfd6
Binary files /dev/null and b/comapeo-schema-PR267+bc403d5.tgz differ
diff --git a/multi-core-indexer-PR25+2537f7d.tgz b/multi-core-indexer-PR25+2537f7d.tgz
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..fe828202f
Binary files /dev/null and b/multi-core-indexer-PR25+2537f7d.tgz differ
diff --git a/package-lock.json b/package-lock.json
index 6c4516853..d3846c374 100644
--- a/package-lock.json
+++ b/package-lock.json
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@
       "version": "1.0.1",
       "license": "MIT",
       "dependencies": {
-        "@comapeo/schema": "1.0.0",
+        "@comapeo/schema": "file:comapeo-schema-PR267+bc403d5.tgz",
         "@digidem/types": "^2.3.0",
         "@electron/asar": "^3.2.8",
         "@fastify/error": "^3.4.1",
@@ -39,7 +39,7 @@
         "magic-bytes.js": "^1.10.0",
         "map-obj": "^5.0.2",
         "mime": "^4.0.3",
-        "multi-core-indexer": "^1.0.0-alpha.10",
+        "multi-core-indexer": "file:multi-core-indexer-PR25+2537f7d.tgz",
         "p-defer": "^4.0.0",
         "p-event": "^6.0.1",
         "p-timeout": "^6.1.2",
@@ -243,8 +243,9 @@
     },
     "node_modules/@comapeo/schema": {
       "version": "1.0.0",
-      "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/@comapeo/schema/-/schema-1.0.0.tgz",
-      "integrity": "sha512-dK227I+0yg9D2y5/O5NGywx50tgeNYyUkl1uYnSmNAPlbv+r2KX9aaC9m4dEjIja2aR2VFnYn6z537ERZiahqQ==",
+      "resolved": "file:comapeo-schema-PR267+bc403d5.tgz",
+      "integrity": "sha512-9NgqM+xxDbDll4LSlK6akfat2qe48sofXOaQHUh9pKT6pVAmEaP3dMLpvixX6ddQBhFcVNz5bK1vmloq3vRdkA==",
+      "license": "MIT",
       "dependencies": {
         "compact-encoding": "^2.12.0",
         "protobufjs": "^7.2.5",
@@ -5238,8 +5239,9 @@
     },
     "node_modules/multi-core-indexer": {
       "version": "1.0.0-alpha.10",
-      "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/multi-core-indexer/-/multi-core-indexer-1.0.0-alpha.10.tgz",
-      "integrity": "sha512-H9QdpJ/MaelrBZw6jCcsrInE+hwUQmfz/2swtIdQNNh1IHUDGEdPkakjcZAyahpM5iIVz7EqyWO74aC03A3qSA==",
+      "resolved": "file:multi-core-indexer-PR25+2537f7d.tgz",
+      "integrity": "sha512-B8Iewe2wajm7Jxa+FHxkHTGTTNbXejci5hsegQ+4ypcsyGa2xDyfRM7xKx/b6mESJPD/NhTmIsPzNfjPA78isQ==",
+      "license": "MIT",
       "dependencies": {
         "@types/node": "^18.16.19",
         "@types/streamx": "^2.9.1",
diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index 657338a8e..d09f4f36d 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -151,7 +151,7 @@
     "yazl": "^2.5.1"
   },
   "dependencies": {
-    "@comapeo/schema": "1.0.0",
+    "@comapeo/schema": "file:comapeo-schema-PR267+bc403d5.tgz",
     "@digidem/types": "^2.3.0",
     "@electron/asar": "^3.2.8",
     "@fastify/error": "^3.4.1",
@@ -181,7 +181,7 @@
     "magic-bytes.js": "^1.10.0",
     "map-obj": "^5.0.2",
     "mime": "^4.0.3",
-    "multi-core-indexer": "^1.0.0-alpha.10",
+    "multi-core-indexer": "file:multi-core-indexer-PR25+2537f7d.tgz",
     "p-defer": "^4.0.0",
     "p-event": "^6.0.1",
     "p-timeout": "^6.1.2",
diff --git a/src/core-manager/core-index.js b/src/core-manager/core-index.js
index 79bb8de6f..d5e713204 100644
--- a/src/core-manager/core-index.js
+++ b/src/core-manager/core-index.js
@@ -22,13 +22,12 @@ export class CoreIndex {
    * @param {Object} options
    * @param {import('hypercore')<"binary", Buffer>} options.core Hypercore instance
    * @param {Buffer} options.key Buffer containing public key of this core
+   * @param {string} options.discoveryId discoveryId of this core
    * @param {Namespace} options.namespace
    * @param {boolean} [options.writer] Is this a writer core?
    */
-  add({ core, key, namespace, writer = false }) {
-    const discoveryKey = crypto.discoveryKey(key)
-    const discoveryId = discoveryKey.toString('hex')
-    const record = { core, key, namespace }
+  add({ core, key, discoveryId, namespace, writer = false }) {
+    const record = { core, key, discoveryId, namespace }
     if (writer) {
       this.#writersByNamespace.set(namespace, record)
     }
diff --git a/src/core-manager/index.js b/src/core-manager/index.js
index 68c9a3261..3b05badd3 100644
--- a/src/core-manager/index.js
+++ b/src/core-manager/index.js
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@ import Corestore from 'corestore'
 import { debounce } from 'throttle-debounce'
 import assert from 'node:assert/strict'
 import { sql, eq } from 'drizzle-orm'
+import hCrypto from 'hypercore-crypto'
 
 import { HaveExtension, ProjectExtension } from '../generated/extensions.js'
 import { Logger } from '../logger.js'
@@ -20,7 +21,7 @@ const WRITER_CORE_PREHAVES_DEBOUNCE_DELAY = 1000
 export const kCoreManagerReplicate = Symbol('replicate core manager')
 
 /** @typedef {Hypercore<'binary', Buffer>} Core */
-/** @typedef {{ core: Core, key: Buffer, namespace: Namespace }} CoreRecord */
+/** @typedef {{ core: Core, key: Buffer, discoveryId: string, namespace: Namespace }} CoreRecord */
 /**
  * @typedef {Object} Events
  * @property {(coreRecord: CoreRecord) => void} add-core
@@ -273,6 +274,7 @@ export class CoreManager extends TypedEmitter {
     if (existingCore) return existingCore
 
     const { publicKey: key, secretKey } = keyPair
+    const discoveryId = hCrypto.discoveryKey(key).toString('hex')
     const writer = !!secretKey
     const core = this.#corestore.get({
       keyPair,
@@ -285,7 +287,7 @@ export class CoreManager extends TypedEmitter {
     core.setMaxListeners(0)
     // @ts-ignore - ensure key is defined before hypercore is ready
     core.key = key
-    this.#coreIndex.add({ core, key, namespace, writer })
+    this.#coreIndex.add({ core, key, discoveryId, namespace, writer })
 
     // **Hack** As soon as a peer is added, eagerly send a "want" for the entire
     // core. This ensures that the peer sends back its entire bitfield.
@@ -341,9 +343,9 @@ export class CoreManager extends TypedEmitter {
       namespace,
       key
     )
-    this.emit('add-core', { core, key, namespace })
+    this.emit('add-core', { core, key, discoveryId, namespace })
 
-    return { core, key, namespace }
+    return { core, key, discoveryId, namespace }
   }
 
   /**
diff --git a/src/core-ownership.js b/src/core-ownership.js
index 38a595d28..5157c8349 100644
--- a/src/core-ownership.js
+++ b/src/core-ownership.js
@@ -155,12 +155,13 @@ export class CoreOwnership extends TypedEmitter {
  *   the doc with the lowest index (e.g. the first)
  *
  * @param {CoreOwnershipWithSignatures} doc
- * @param {import('@comapeo/schema').VersionIdObject} version
+ * @param {import('@comapeo/schema').VersionDiscoveryIdObject} version
  * @returns {import('@comapeo/schema').CoreOwnership}
  */
-export function mapAndValidateCoreOwnership(doc, { coreDiscoveryKey }) {
+export function mapAndValidateCoreOwnership(doc, { coreDiscoveryId }) {
   if (
-    !coreDiscoveryKey.equals(discoveryKey(Buffer.from(doc.authCoreId, 'hex')))
+    coreDiscoveryId !==
+    discoveryKey(Buffer.from(doc.authCoreId, 'hex')).toString('hex')
   ) {
     throw new Error('Invalid coreOwnership record: mismatched authCoreId')
   }
diff --git a/src/datastore/index.js b/src/datastore/index.js
index 43712654f..f321d75c5 100644
--- a/src/datastore/index.js
+++ b/src/datastore/index.js
@@ -2,7 +2,6 @@ import { TypedEmitter } from 'tiny-typed-emitter'
 import { encode, decode, getVersionId, parseVersionId } from '@comapeo/schema'
 import MultiCoreIndexer from 'multi-core-indexer'
 import pDefer from 'p-defer'
-import { discoveryKey } from 'hypercore-crypto'
 import { NAMESPACE_SCHEMAS } from '../constants.js'
 import { createMap } from '../utils.js'
 /** @import { MapeoDoc } from '@comapeo/schema' */
@@ -36,7 +35,7 @@ export class DataStore extends TypedEmitter {
   #coreManager
   #namespace
   #batch
-  #writerCore
+  #writerCoreRecord
   #coreIndexer
   /** @type {Map<string, import('p-defer').DeferredPromise<void>>} */
   #pendingIndex = new Map()
@@ -61,7 +60,7 @@ export class DataStore extends TypedEmitter {
       NAMESPACE_SCHEMAS[namespace],
       () => new Set()
     )
-    this.#writerCore = coreManager.getWriterCore(namespace).core
+    this.#writerCoreRecord = coreManager.getWriterCore(namespace)
     const cores = coreManager.getCores(namespace).map((cr) => cr.core)
     this.#coreIndexer = new MultiCoreIndexer(cores, {
       storage,
@@ -88,7 +87,7 @@ export class DataStore extends TypedEmitter {
   }
 
   get writerCore() {
-    return this.#writerCore
+    return this.#writerCoreRecord.core
   }
 
   getIndexState() {
@@ -105,9 +104,11 @@ export class DataStore extends TypedEmitter {
     // Writes to the writerCore need to wait until the entry is indexed before
     // returning, so we check if any incoming entry has a pending promise
     for (const entry of entries) {
-      if (!entry.key.equals(this.#writerCore.key)) continue
+      if (entry.discoveryId !== this.#writerCoreRecord.discoveryId) {
+        continue
+      }
       const versionId = getVersionId({
-        coreDiscoveryKey: discoveryKey(entry.key),
+        coreDiscoveryId: entry.discoveryId,
         index: entry.index,
       })
       const pending = this.#pendingIndex.get(versionId)
@@ -153,23 +154,20 @@ export class DataStore extends TypedEmitter {
     // same tick, so we can't know their index before append resolves.
     const deferredAppend = pDefer()
     this.#pendingAppends.add(deferredAppend.promise)
-    const { length } = await this.#writerCore.append(block)
+    const { length } = await this.writerCore.append(block)
     deferredAppend.resolve()
     this.#pendingAppends.delete(deferredAppend.promise)
 
     const index = length - 1
-    const coreDiscoveryKey = this.#writerCore.discoveryKey
-    if (!coreDiscoveryKey) {
-      throw new Error('Writer core is not ready')
-    }
-    const versionId = getVersionId({ coreDiscoveryKey, index })
+    const coreDiscoveryId = this.#writerCoreRecord.discoveryId
+    const versionId = getVersionId({ coreDiscoveryId, index })
     /** @type {import('p-defer').DeferredPromise<void>} */
     const deferred = pDefer()
     this.#pendingIndex.set(versionId, deferred)
     await deferred.promise
 
     return /** @type {Extract<MapeoDoc, TDoc>} */ (
-      decode(block, { coreDiscoveryKey, index })
+      decode(block, { coreDiscoveryId, index })
     )
   }
 
@@ -189,13 +187,10 @@ export class DataStore extends TypedEmitter {
 
   /** @param {Buffer} buf */
   async writeRaw(buf) {
-    const { length } = await this.#writerCore.append(buf)
+    const { length } = await this.writerCore.append(buf)
     const index = length - 1
-    const coreDiscoveryKey = this.#writerCore.discoveryKey
-    if (!coreDiscoveryKey) {
-      throw new Error('Writer core is not ready')
-    }
-    const versionId = getVersionId({ coreDiscoveryKey, index })
+    const coreDiscoveryId = this.#writerCoreRecord.discoveryId
+    const versionId = getVersionId({ coreDiscoveryId, index })
     return versionId
   }
 
diff --git a/src/index-writer/index.js b/src/index-writer/index.js
index ae643b99f..813c5302d 100644
--- a/src/index-writer/index.js
+++ b/src/index-writer/index.js
@@ -2,9 +2,8 @@ import { decode } from '@comapeo/schema'
 import SqliteIndexer from '@mapeo/sqlite-indexer'
 import { getTableConfig } from 'drizzle-orm/sqlite-core'
 import { getBacklinkTableName } from '../schema/utils.js'
-import { discoveryKey } from 'hypercore-crypto'
 import { Logger } from '../logger.js'
-/** @import { MapeoDoc, VersionIdObject } from '@comapeo/schema' */
+/** @import { MapeoDoc, VersionDiscoveryIdObject } from '@comapeo/schema' */
 /** @import { MapeoDocTables } from '../datatype/index.js' */
 
 /**
@@ -32,7 +31,7 @@ export class IndexWriter {
    * @param {object} opts
    * @param {import('better-sqlite3').Database} opts.sqlite
    * @param {TTables[]} opts.tables
-   * @param {(doc: MapeoDocInternal, version: VersionIdObject) => MapeoDoc} [opts.mapDoc] optionally transform a document prior to indexing. Can also validate, if an error is thrown then the document will not be indexed
+   * @param {(doc: MapeoDocInternal, version: VersionDiscoveryIdObject) => MapeoDoc} [opts.mapDoc] optionally transform a document prior to indexing. Can also validate, if an error is thrown then the document will not be indexed
    * @param {typeof import('@mapeo/sqlite-indexer').defaultGetWinner} [opts.getWinner] custom function to determine the "winner" of two forked documents. Defaults to choosing the document with the most recent `updatedAt`
    * @param {Logger} [opts.logger]
    */
@@ -71,13 +70,13 @@ export class IndexWriter {
     const queued = {}
     /** @type {IndexedDocIds} */
     const indexed = {}
-    for (const { block, key, index } of entries) {
+    for (const { block, discoveryId, index } of entries) {
       /** @type {MapeoDoc} */ let doc
       try {
-        const version = { coreDiscoveryKey: discoveryKey(key), index }
+        const version = { coreDiscoveryId: discoveryId, index }
         doc = this.#mapDoc(decode(block, version), version)
       } catch (e) {
-        this.#l.log('Could not decode entry %d of %h', index, key)
+        this.#l.log('Could not decode entry %d of %S', index, discoveryId)
         // Unknown or invalid entry - silently ignore
         continue
       }
diff --git a/src/mapeo-project.js b/src/mapeo-project.js
index dc92ba03b..19c33eb03 100644
--- a/src/mapeo-project.js
+++ b/src/mapeo-project.js
@@ -461,7 +461,7 @@ export class MapeoProject extends TypedEmitter {
           projectSettingsEntries.push(entry)
         } else if (schemaName === 'translation') {
           const doc = decode(entry.block, {
-            coreDiscoveryKey: entry.key,
+            coreDiscoveryId: entry.discoveryId,
             index: entry.index,
           })
 
@@ -966,11 +966,14 @@ function getCoreKeypairs({ projectKey, projectSecretKey, keyManager }) {
  * e.g. version.coreKey should equal docId
  *
  * @param {import('@comapeo/schema').DeviceInfo} doc
- * @param {import('@comapeo/schema').VersionIdObject} version
+ * @param {import('@comapeo/schema').VersionDiscoveryIdObject} version
  * @returns {import('@comapeo/schema').DeviceInfo}
  */
-function mapAndValidateDeviceInfo(doc, { coreDiscoveryKey }) {
-  if (!coreDiscoveryKey.equals(discoveryKey(Buffer.from(doc.docId, 'hex')))) {
+function mapAndValidateDeviceInfo(doc, { coreDiscoveryId }) {
+  if (
+    coreDiscoveryId !==
+    discoveryKey(Buffer.from(doc.docId, 'hex')).toString('hex')
+  ) {
     throw new Error(
       'Invalid deviceInfo record, cannot write deviceInfo for another device'
     )
diff --git a/test-e2e/config-import.js b/test-e2e/config-import.js
index 55e0420ed..5ef4e12a1 100644
--- a/test-e2e/config-import.js
+++ b/test-e2e/config-import.js
@@ -3,22 +3,26 @@ import assert from 'node:assert/strict'
 import { createManager } from './utils.js'
 import { defaultConfigPath } from '../tests/helpers/default-config.js'
 
-test(' config import - load default config when passed a path to `createProject`', async (t) => {
-  const manager = createManager('device0', t)
-  const project = await manager.getProject(
-    await manager.createProject({ configPath: defaultConfigPath })
-  )
-  const presets = await project.preset.getMany()
-  const fields = await project.field.getMany()
-  const translations = await project.$translation.dataType.getMany()
-  assert.equal(presets.length, 28, 'correct number of loaded presets')
-  assert.equal(fields.length, 11, 'correct number of loaded fields')
-  assert.equal(
-    translations.length,
-    870,
-    'correct number of loaded translations'
-  )
-})
+test(
+  ' config import - load default config when passed a path to `createProject`',
+  { only: true },
+  async (t) => {
+    const manager = createManager('device0', t)
+    const project = await manager.getProject(
+      await manager.createProject({ configPath: defaultConfigPath })
+    )
+    const presets = await project.preset.getMany()
+    const fields = await project.field.getMany()
+    const translations = await project.$translation.dataType.getMany()
+    assert.equal(presets.length, 28, 'correct number of loaded presets')
+    assert.equal(fields.length, 11, 'correct number of loaded fields')
+    assert.equal(
+      translations.length,
+      870,
+      'correct number of loaded translations'
+    )
+  }
+)
 
 test('config import - load and re-load config manually', async (t) => {
   const manager = createManager('device0', t)
diff --git a/tests/core-ownership.js b/tests/core-ownership.js
index bcee185fd..6c449b1ec 100644
--- a/tests/core-ownership.js
+++ b/tests/core-ownership.js
@@ -7,14 +7,14 @@ import {
   getWinner,
 } from '../src/core-ownership.js'
 import { randomBytes } from 'node:crypto'
-import { parseVersionId, getVersionId } from '@comapeo/schema'
+import { getVersionId } from '@comapeo/schema'
 import { discoveryKey } from 'hypercore-crypto'
 
 /** @import { Namespace } from '../src/types.js' */
 
 test('Valid coreOwnership record', () => {
   const validDoc = generateValidDoc()
-  const version = parseVersionId(validDoc.versionId)
+  const version = parseVersionIdInternal(validDoc.versionId)
 
   const mappedDoc = mapAndValidateCoreOwnership(validDoc, version)
 
@@ -32,7 +32,7 @@ test('Valid coreOwnership record', () => {
 
 test('Invalid coreOwnership signatures', () => {
   const validDoc = generateValidDoc()
-  const version = parseVersionId(validDoc.versionId)
+  const version = parseVersionIdInternal(validDoc.versionId)
 
   for (const key of Object.keys(validDoc.coreSignatures)) {
     const invalidDoc = {
@@ -54,7 +54,7 @@ test('Invalid coreOwnership signatures', () => {
 
 test('Invalid coreOwnership docId and coreIds', () => {
   const validDoc = generateValidDoc()
-  const version = parseVersionId(validDoc.versionId)
+  const version = parseVersionIdInternal(validDoc.versionId)
 
   for (const key of Object.keys(validDoc.coreSignatures)) {
     const invalidDoc = {
@@ -73,7 +73,7 @@ test('Invalid coreOwnership docId and coreIds', () => {
 
 test('Invalid coreOwnership docId and coreIds (wrong length)', () => {
   const validDoc = generateValidDoc()
-  const version = parseVersionId(validDoc.versionId)
+  const version = parseVersionIdInternal(validDoc.versionId)
 
   for (const key of Object.keys(validDoc.coreSignatures)) {
     const namespace = /** @type {Namespace} */ (key)
@@ -94,15 +94,15 @@ test('Invalid coreOwnership docId and coreIds (wrong length)', () => {
 test('Invalid - different coreKey', () => {
   const validDoc = generateValidDoc()
   const version = {
-    ...parseVersionId(validDoc.versionId),
-    coreDiscoveryKey: discoveryKey(randomBytes(32)),
+    ...parseVersionIdInternal(validDoc.versionId),
+    coreDiscoveryId: discoveryKey(randomBytes(32)).toString('hex'),
   }
   assert.throws(() => mapAndValidateCoreOwnership(validDoc, version))
 })
 
 test('getWinner (coreOwnership)', () => {
   const validDoc = generateValidDoc()
-  const version = parseVersionId(validDoc.versionId)
+  const version = parseVersionIdInternal(validDoc.versionId)
 
   const docA = {
     ...validDoc,
@@ -218,3 +218,17 @@ function generateValidDoc() {
   }
   return validDoc
 }
+
+/**
+ * Tests need to parse a versionId to a discoveryId and index, vs the public
+ * method parseVersionId which parses to a discoveryKey and index.
+ *
+ * @param {string} versionId
+ */
+function parseVersionIdInternal(versionId) {
+  const [coreDiscoveryId, index] = versionId.split('/')
+  return {
+    coreDiscoveryId,
+    index: Number.parseInt(index),
+  }
+}
diff --git a/tests/data-type.js b/tests/data-type.js
index fd78752b9..997510a48 100644
--- a/tests/data-type.js
+++ b/tests/data-type.js
@@ -329,7 +329,7 @@ async function testenv(opts = {}) {
         try {
           if (schemaName === 'translation') {
             const doc = decode(entry.block, {
-              coreDiscoveryKey: entry.key,
+              coreDiscoveryId: entry.discoveryId,
               index: entry.index,
             })
             assert(
diff --git a/tests/datastore.js b/tests/datastore.js
index 57440d375..780210c14 100644
--- a/tests/datastore.js
+++ b/tests/datastore.js
@@ -37,9 +37,8 @@ test('read and write', async () => {
     coreManager: cm,
     namespace: 'data',
     batch: async (entries) => {
-      for (const { index, key } of entries) {
-        const coreDiscoveryKey = discoveryKey(key)
-        const versionId = getVersionId({ coreDiscoveryKey, index })
+      for (const { index, discoveryId } of entries) {
+        const versionId = discoveryId + '/' + index
         indexedVersionIds.push(versionId)
       }
       return {}