diff --git a/packages/db/src/core/interfaces/contentSource.ts b/packages/db/src/core/interfaces/contentSource.ts
index 11907e7b5..35506fb34 100644
--- a/packages/db/src/core/interfaces/contentSource.ts
+++ b/packages/db/src/core/interfaces/contentSource.ts
@@ -31,11 +31,12 @@ export function isReview(item: StudySessionItem): item is StudySessionReviewItem
 
 export interface StudySessionItem {
   status: 'new' | 'review' | 'failed-new' | 'failed-review';
-  qualifiedID: `${string}-${string}` | `${string}-${string}-${number}`;
-  cardID: string;
   contentSourceType: 'course' | 'classroom';
   contentSourceID: string;
+  // qualifiedID: `${string}-${string}` | `${string}-${string}-${number}`;
+  cardID: string;
   courseID: string;
+  elo?: number;
   // reviewID?: string;
 }
 
diff --git a/packages/db/src/core/interfaces/courseDB.ts b/packages/db/src/core/interfaces/courseDB.ts
index 4440a677b..e21dcb97b 100644
--- a/packages/db/src/core/interfaces/courseDB.ts
+++ b/packages/db/src/core/interfaces/courseDB.ts
@@ -53,7 +53,16 @@ export interface CourseDBInterface extends NavigationStrategyManager {
   /**
    * Get cards sorted by ELO rating
    */
-  getCardsByELO(elo: number, limit?: number): Promise<string[]>;
+  getCardsByELO(
+    elo: number,
+    limit?: number
+  ): Promise<
+    {
+      courseID: string;
+      cardID: string;
+      elo?: number;
+    }[]
+  >;
 
   /**
    * Get ELO data for specific cards
@@ -145,7 +154,7 @@ export interface CourseDBInterface extends NavigationStrategyManager {
   searchCards(query: string): Promise<any[]>;
 
   /**
-   * Find documents using PouchDB query syntax  
+   * Find documents using PouchDB query syntax
    * @param request PouchDB find request
    * @returns Query response
    */
diff --git a/packages/db/src/impl/couch/classroomDB.ts b/packages/db/src/impl/couch/classroomDB.ts
index 65097bb64..7e53ccb7d 100644
--- a/packages/db/src/impl/couch/classroomDB.ts
+++ b/packages/db/src/impl/couch/classroomDB.ts
@@ -8,12 +8,7 @@ import { ENV } from '@db/factory';
 import { logger } from '@db/util/logger';
 import moment from 'moment';
 import pouch from './pouchdb-setup';
-import {
-  getCourseDB,
-  getStartAndEndKeys,
-  createPouchDBConfig,
-  REVIEW_TIME_FORMAT,
-} from '.';
+import { getCourseDB, getStartAndEndKeys, createPouchDBConfig, REVIEW_TIME_FORMAT } from '.';
 import { CourseDB, getTag } from './courseDB';
 
 import { UserDBInterface } from '@db/core';
@@ -181,10 +176,13 @@ export class StudentClassroomDB
       }
     }
 
-    logger.info(`New Cards from classroom ${this._cfg.name}: ${ret.map((c) => c.qualifiedID)}`);
+    logger.info(
+      `New Cards from classroom ${this._cfg.name}: ${ret.map((c) => `${c.courseID}-${c.cardID}`)}`
+    );
 
     return ret.filter((c) => {
-      if (activeCards.some((ac) => c.qualifiedID.includes(ac))) {
+      if (activeCards.some((ac) => c.cardID.includes(ac))) {
+        // [ ] almost certainly broken after removing qualifiedID from StudySessionItem
         return false;
       } else {
         return true;
diff --git a/packages/db/src/impl/couch/courseDB.ts b/packages/db/src/impl/couch/courseDB.ts
index 1890a13ea..c90777643 100644
--- a/packages/db/src/impl/couch/courseDB.ts
+++ b/packages/db/src/impl/couch/courseDB.ts
@@ -277,7 +277,13 @@ export class CourseDB implements StudyContentSource, CourseDBInterface {
           return s;
         }
       })
-      .map((c) => `${this.id}-${c.id}-${c.key}`);
+      .map((c) => {
+        return {
+          courseID: this.id,
+          cardID: c.id,
+          elo: c.key,
+        };
+      });
 
     const str = `below:\n${below.rows.map((r) => `\t${r.id}-${r.key}\n`)}
 
@@ -565,7 +571,7 @@ above:\n${above.rows.map((r) => `\t${r.id}-${r.key}\n`)}`;
       targetElo = options.elo;
     }
 
-    let cards: string[] = [];
+    let cards: { courseID: string; cardID: string; elo?: number }[] = [];
     let mult: number = 4;
     let previousCount: number = -1;
     let newCount: number = 0;
@@ -578,14 +584,30 @@ above:\n${above.rows.map((r) => `\t${r.id}-${r.key}\n`)}`;
       logger.debug(`Found ${cards.length} elo neighbor cards...`);
 
       if (filter) {
-        cards = cards.filter(filter);
+        const filtered = cards
+          .map((card) => {
+            if (card.elo) {
+              return `${card.courseID}-${card.cardID}-${card.elo}`;
+            } else {
+              return `${card.courseID}-${card.cardID}`;
+            }
+          })
+          .filter(filter);
         logger.debug(`Filtered to ${cards.length} cards...`);
+        cards = filtered.map((card) => {
+          const [courseID, cardID, elo] = card.split('-');
+          return { courseID, cardID, elo: elo ? parseInt(elo) : undefined };
+        });
       }
 
       mult *= 2;
     }
 
-    const selectedCards: string[] = [];
+    const selectedCards: {
+      courseID: string;
+      cardID: string;
+      elo?: number;
+    }[] = [];
 
     while (selectedCards.length < options.limit && cards.length > 0) {
       const index = randIntWeightedTowardZero(cards.length);
@@ -594,13 +616,12 @@ above:\n${above.rows.map((r) => `\t${r.id}-${r.key}\n`)}`;
     }
 
     return selectedCards.map((c) => {
-      const split = c.split('-');
       return {
         courseID: this.id,
-        cardID: split[1],
-        qualifiedID: `${split[0]}-${split[1]}`,
+        cardID: c.cardID,
         contentSourceType: 'course',
         contentSourceID: this.id,
+        elo: c.elo,
         status: 'new',
       };
     });
diff --git a/packages/db/src/impl/static/courseDB.ts b/packages/db/src/impl/static/courseDB.ts
index 624e9b4c6..d9701ba3a 100644
--- a/packages/db/src/impl/static/courseDB.ts
+++ b/packages/db/src/impl/static/courseDB.ts
@@ -91,8 +91,20 @@ export class StaticCourseDB implements CourseDBInterface {
     };
   }
 
-  async getCardsByELO(elo: number, limit?: number): Promise<string[]> {
-    return this.unpacker.queryByElo(elo, limit || 25);
+  async getCardsByELO(
+    elo: number,
+    limit?: number
+  ): Promise<
+    {
+      courseID: string;
+      cardID: string;
+      elo?: number;
+    }[]
+  > {
+    return (await this.unpacker.queryByElo(elo, limit || 25)).map((card) => {
+      const [courseID, cardID, elo] = card.split('-');
+      return { courseID, cardID, elo: elo ? parseInt(elo) : undefined };
+    });
   }
 
   async getCardEloData(cardIds: string[]): Promise<CourseElo[]> {
@@ -403,7 +415,7 @@ export class StaticCourseDB implements CourseDBInterface {
     // Could be implemented with local search if needed
     return {
       docs: [],
-      warning: 'Find operations not supported in static mode'
+      warning: 'Find operations not supported in static mode',
     } as any;
   }
 }
diff --git a/packages/db/src/study/SessionController.ts b/packages/db/src/study/SessionController.ts
index a90701d30..502748502 100644
--- a/packages/db/src/study/SessionController.ts
+++ b/packages/db/src/study/SessionController.ts
@@ -62,7 +62,8 @@ class ItemQueue<T extends StudySessionItem> {
 
   public get toString(): string {
     return (
-      `${typeof this.q[0]}:\n` + this.q.map((i) => `\t${i.qualifiedID}: ${i.status}`).join('\n')
+      `${typeof this.q[0]}:\n` +
+      this.q.map((i) => `\t${i.courseID}+${i.cardID}: ${i.status}`).join('\n')
     );
   }
 }
@@ -224,7 +225,7 @@ export class SessionController extends Loggable {
     for (let i = 0; i < dueCards.length; i++) {
       const card = dueCards[i];
       this.reviewQ.add(card);
-      report += `\t${card.qualifiedID}}\n`;
+      report += `\t${card.courseID}-${card.cardID}\n`;
     }
     this.log(report);
   }
@@ -244,7 +245,7 @@ export class SessionController extends Loggable {
       for (let i = 0; i < newContent.length; i++) {
         if (newContent[i].length > 0) {
           const item = newContent[i].splice(0, 1)[0];
-          this.log(`Adding new card: ${item.qualifiedID}`);
+          this.log(`Adding new card: ${item.courseID}-${item.cardID}`); // revealed bug here w/ new prefixes.  osbserved log "Adding new card: 5e627b7f630998243834152aa00920f5-c"
           this.newQ.add(item);
           n--;
         }
@@ -264,6 +265,7 @@ export class SessionController extends Loggable {
   }
 
   public nextCard(
+    // [ ] this is often slow. Why?
     action:
       | 'dismiss-success'
       | 'dismiss-failed'
@@ -373,7 +375,6 @@ export class SessionController extends Loggable {
           failedItem = {
             cardID: this._currentCard.cardID,
             courseID: this._currentCard.courseID,
-            qualifiedID: this._currentCard.qualifiedID,
             contentSourceID: this._currentCard.contentSourceID,
             contentSourceType: this._currentCard.contentSourceType,
             status: 'failed-review',
@@ -383,7 +384,6 @@ export class SessionController extends Loggable {
           failedItem = {
             cardID: this._currentCard.cardID,
             courseID: this._currentCard.courseID,
-            qualifiedID: this._currentCard.qualifiedID,
             contentSourceID: this._currentCard.contentSourceID,
             contentSourceType: this._currentCard.contentSourceType,
             status: 'failed-new',
diff --git a/packages/mcp/src/resources/cards.ts b/packages/mcp/src/resources/cards.ts
index 77a57664e..676868ac0 100644
--- a/packages/mcp/src/resources/cards.ts
+++ b/packages/mcp/src/resources/cards.ts
@@ -42,12 +42,12 @@ export async function handleCardsAllResource(
     const courseInfo = await courseDB.getCourseInfo();
     
     // Get cards using ELO-based query (this gives us all cards sorted by ELO)
-    const cardIds = await courseDB.getCardsByELO(1500, limit + offset);
+    const eloCenteredCards = await courseDB.getCardsByELO(1500, limit + offset);
     
     // Skip offset cards and take limit
-    const targetCardIds = cardIds.slice(offset, offset + limit);
+    const targetCards = eloCenteredCards.slice(offset, offset + limit);
     
-    if (targetCardIds.length === 0) {
+    if (targetCards.length === 0) {
       return {
         cards: [],
         total: courseInfo.cardCount,
@@ -58,11 +58,11 @@ export async function handleCardsAllResource(
     }
 
     // Get card documents
-    const cardDocs = await courseDB.getCourseDocs(targetCardIds);
+    const cardDocs = await courseDB.getCourseDocs(targetCards.map(card => card.cardID));
     
     // Get ELO data for these cards  
-    const eloData = await courseDB.getCardEloData(targetCardIds);
-    const eloMap = new Map(eloData.map((elo, index) => [targetCardIds[index], elo.global?.score || 1500]));
+    const eloData = await courseDB.getCardEloData(targetCards.map(card => card.cardID));
+    const eloMap = new Map(eloData.map((elo, index) => [targetCards[index], elo.global?.score || 1500]));
 
     // Transform to CardResourceData format
     const cards: CardResourceData[] = [];
@@ -162,7 +162,7 @@ export async function handleCardsShapeResource(
     }
 
     // Get card documents to check their shapes
-    const cardDocs = await courseDB.getCourseDocs(allCardIds);
+    const cardDocs = await courseDB.getCourseDocs(allCardIds.map(c => c.cardID));
     
     // Filter by shape and collect card IDs
     const filteredCardIds: string[] = [];
@@ -240,9 +240,9 @@ export async function handleCardsEloResource(
 
     // Get cards around the middle of the ELO range
     const targetElo = Math.floor((parsedRange.min + parsedRange.max) / 2);
-    const cardIds = await courseDB.getCardsByELO(targetElo, 1000); // Get more to filter from
+    const cards = await courseDB.getCardsByELO(targetElo, 1000); // Get more to filter from
     
-    if (cardIds.length === 0) {
+    if (cards.length === 0) {
       return {
         cards: [],
         total: 0,
@@ -253,11 +253,11 @@ export async function handleCardsEloResource(
     }
 
     // Get ELO data for all cards
-    const eloData = await courseDB.getCardEloData(cardIds);
+    const eloData = await courseDB.getCardEloData(cards.map(c => c.cardID));
     
     // Filter by ELO range
     const filteredEloData = eloData
-      .map((elo, index) => ({ elo, cardId: cardIds[index] }))
+      .map((elo, index) => ({ elo, cardId: cards[index] }))
       .filter(({ elo }) => {
         const score = elo.global?.score || 1500;
         return score >= parsedRange.min && score <= parsedRange.max;
@@ -265,9 +265,9 @@ export async function handleCardsEloResource(
 
     // Apply pagination
     const paginatedEloData = filteredEloData.slice(offset, offset + limit);
-    const paginatedCardIds = paginatedEloData.map(({ cardId }) => cardId);
+    const paginatedCards = paginatedEloData.map(({ cardId }) => cardId);
 
-    if (paginatedCardIds.length === 0) {
+    if (paginatedCards.length === 0) {
       return {
         cards: [],
         total: filteredEloData.length,
@@ -278,15 +278,15 @@ export async function handleCardsEloResource(
     }
 
     // Get card documents
-    const cardDocs = await courseDB.getCourseDocs(paginatedCardIds);
+    const cardDocs = await courseDB.getCourseDocs(paginatedCards.map(c => c.cardID));
     const eloMap = new Map(paginatedEloData.map(({ elo, cardId }) => [cardId, elo.global?.score || 1500]));
 
     // Transform to CardResourceData format
-    const cards: CardResourceData[] = [];
+    const cardsData: CardResourceData[] = [];
     for (const row of cardDocs.rows) {
       if (isSuccessRow(row)) {
         const doc = row.doc;
-        cards.push({
+        cardsData.push({
           cardId: doc._id,
           datashape: (doc as any).shape?.name || 'unknown',
           data: (doc as any).data || {},
@@ -299,7 +299,7 @@ export async function handleCardsEloResource(
     }
 
     return {
-      cards,
+      cards: cardsData,
       total: filteredEloData.length,
       page: Math.floor(offset / limit) + 1,
       limit,
diff --git a/packages/mcp/src/resources/shapes.ts b/packages/mcp/src/resources/shapes.ts
index 62b5b3be3..3362484d9 100644
--- a/packages/mcp/src/resources/shapes.ts
+++ b/packages/mcp/src/resources/shapes.ts
@@ -82,9 +82,9 @@ export async function handleShapeSpecificResource(
     let examples: any[] = [];
     try {
       // Get a few cards that use this shape to provide examples
-      const cardIds = await courseDB.getCardsByELO(1500, 10); // Get some sample cards
-      if (cardIds.length > 0) {
-        const cardDocs = await courseDB.getCourseDocs(cardIds.slice(0, 5)); // Limit to 5 examples
+      const cards = await courseDB.getCardsByELO(1500, 10); // Get some sample cards
+      if (cards.length > 0) {
+        const cardDocs = await courseDB.getCourseDocs(cards.map(c=>c.cardID).slice(0, 5)); // Limit to 5 examples
         examples = [];
         for (const row of cardDocs.rows) {
           if (isSuccessRow(row) && (row.doc as any).shape?.name === shapeName) {