diff --git a/pool.go b/pool.go
index b40a37d..4874ed2 100644
--- a/pool.go
+++ b/pool.go
@@ -287,7 +287,7 @@ func (pool *SimplePool) SubMany(
 				hasAuthed = false
 
 			subscribe:
-				sub, err = relay.Subscribe(ctx, filters, append(opts, WithCheckDuplicate(func(relay, id string) bool {
+				sub, err = relay.Subscribe(ctx, filters, append(opts, WithCheckDuplicate(func(id, relay string) bool {
 					_, exists := seenAlready.Load(id)
 					if exists && pool.duplicateMiddleware != nil {
 						pool.duplicateMiddleware(relay, id)
@@ -417,7 +417,7 @@ func (pool *SimplePool) SubManyEose(
 			hasAuthed := false
 
 		subscribe:
-			sub, err := relay.Subscribe(ctx, filters, append(opts, WithCheckDuplicate(func(relay, id string) bool {
+			sub, err := relay.Subscribe(ctx, filters, append(opts, WithCheckDuplicate(func(id, relay string) bool {
 				_, exists := seenAlready.Load(id)
 				if exists && pool.duplicateMiddleware != nil {
 					pool.duplicateMiddleware(relay, id)
diff --git a/relay.go b/relay.go
index f5518d6..de6c3a4 100644
--- a/relay.go
+++ b/relay.go
@@ -226,7 +226,7 @@ func (r *Relay) ConnectWithTLS(ctx context.Context, tlsConfig *tls.Config) error
 			subid := extractSubID(message)
 			subscription, ok := r.Subscriptions.Load(subIdToSerial(subid))
 			if ok && subscription.checkDuplicate != nil {
-				if !subscription.checkDuplicate(extractEventID(message[10+len(subid):]), r.URL) {
+				if subscription.checkDuplicate(extractEventID(message[10+len(subid):]), r.URL) {
 					continue
 				}
 			}
diff --git a/sdk/event_relays.go b/sdk/event_relays.go
index 4716eaa..2d85ef5 100644
--- a/sdk/event_relays.go
+++ b/sdk/event_relays.go
@@ -1,9 +1,11 @@
 package sdk
 
 import (
-	"encoding/binary"
 	"encoding/hex"
 	"fmt"
+	"slices"
+
+	"github.com/nbd-wtf/go-nostr/sdk/kvstore"
 )
 
 const eventRelayPrefix = byte('r')
@@ -19,15 +21,18 @@ func makeEventRelayKey(eventID []byte) []byte {
 func encodeRelayList(relays []string) []byte {
 	totalSize := 0
 	for _, relay := range relays {
-		totalSize += 2 + len(relay) // 2 bytes for length prefix
+		totalSize += 1 + len(relay) // 1 byte for length prefix
 	}
 
 	buf := make([]byte, totalSize)
 	offset := 0
 
 	for _, relay := range relays {
-		binary.LittleEndian.PutUint16(buf[offset:], uint16(len(relay)))
-		offset += 2
+		if len(relay) > 256 {
+			continue
+		}
+		buf[offset] = uint8(len(relay))
+		offset += 1
 		copy(buf[offset:], relay)
 		offset += len(relay)
 	}
@@ -40,12 +45,12 @@ func decodeRelayList(data []byte) []string {
 	offset := 0
 
 	for offset < len(data) {
-		if offset+2 > len(data) {
+		if offset+1 > len(data) {
 			return nil // malformed
 		}
 
-		length := int(binary.LittleEndian.Uint16(data[offset:]))
-		offset += 2
+		length := int(data[offset])
+		offset += 1
 
 		if offset+length > len(data) {
 			return nil // malformed
@@ -59,7 +64,7 @@ func decodeRelayList(data []byte) []string {
 	return relays
 }
 
-func (sys *System) trackEventRelayCommon(eventID string, relay string) {
+func (sys *System) trackEventRelayCommon(eventID string, relay string, onlyIfItExists bool) {
 	// decode the event ID hex into bytes
 	idBytes, err := hex.DecodeString(eventID)
 	if err != nil || len(idBytes) < 8 {
@@ -74,20 +79,22 @@ func (sys *System) trackEventRelayCommon(eventID string, relay string) {
 		var relays []string
 		if data != nil {
 			relays = decodeRelayList(data)
-		} else {
-			relays = make([]string, 0, 1)
-		}
 
-		// check if relay is already in list
-		for _, r := range relays {
-			if r == relay {
-				return data, nil // no change needed
+			// check if relay is already in list
+			if slices.Contains(relays, relay) {
+				return nil, kvstore.NoOp // no change needed
 			}
-		}
 
-		// append new relay
-		relays = append(relays, relay)
-		return encodeRelayList(relays), nil
+			// append new relay
+			relays = append(relays, relay)
+			return encodeRelayList(relays), nil
+		} else if onlyIfItExists {
+			// when this flag exists and nothing was found we won't create anything
+			return nil, kvstore.NoOp
+		} else {
+			// nothing exists, so create it
+			return encodeRelayList([]string{relay}), nil
+		}
 	})
 }
 
diff --git a/sdk/kvstore/badger/store.go b/sdk/kvstore/badger/store.go
index 57b55c4..9ad7db2 100644
--- a/sdk/kvstore/badger/store.go
+++ b/sdk/kvstore/badger/store.go
@@ -76,7 +76,9 @@ func (s *Store) Update(key []byte, f func([]byte) ([]byte, error)) error {
 		}
 
 		newVal, err := f(val)
-		if err != nil {
+		if err == kvstore.NoOp {
+			return nil
+		} else if err != nil {
 			return err
 		}
 
diff --git a/sdk/kvstore/lmdb/store.go b/sdk/kvstore/lmdb/store.go
index 1be0e21..5863d9b 100644
--- a/sdk/kvstore/lmdb/store.go
+++ b/sdk/kvstore/lmdb/store.go
@@ -104,7 +104,9 @@ func (s *Store) Update(key []byte, f func([]byte) ([]byte, error)) error {
 		}
 
 		newVal, err := f(val)
-		if err != nil {
+		if err == kvstore.NoOp {
+			return nil
+		} else if err != nil {
 			return err
 		}
 
diff --git a/sdk/kvstore/memory/store.go b/sdk/kvstore/memory/store.go
index ff8a807..fca4b76 100644
--- a/sdk/kvstore/memory/store.go
+++ b/sdk/kvstore/memory/store.go
@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@ func NewStore() *Store {
 func (s *Store) Get(key []byte) ([]byte, error) {
 	s.RLock()
 	defer s.RUnlock()
-	
+
 	if val, ok := s.data[string(key)]; ok {
 		// Return a copy to prevent modification of stored data
 		cp := make([]byte, len(val))
@@ -35,7 +35,7 @@ func (s *Store) Get(key []byte) ([]byte, error) {
 func (s *Store) Set(key []byte, value []byte) error {
 	s.Lock()
 	defer s.Unlock()
-	
+
 	// Store a copy to prevent modification of stored data
 	cp := make([]byte, len(value))
 	copy(cp, value)
@@ -69,7 +69,9 @@ func (s *Store) Update(key []byte, f func([]byte) ([]byte, error)) error {
 	}
 
 	newVal, err := f(val)
-	if err != nil {
+	if err == kvstore.NoOp {
+		return nil
+	} else if err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
 
diff --git a/sdk/kvstore/noop.go b/sdk/kvstore/noop.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..4740278
--- /dev/null
+++ b/sdk/kvstore/noop.go
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+package kvstore
+
+import "fmt"
+
+var NoOp = fmt.Errorf("noop")
diff --git a/sdk/metadata.go b/sdk/metadata.go
index d1f2535..96272af 100644
--- a/sdk/metadata.go
+++ b/sdk/metadata.go
@@ -88,9 +88,8 @@ func (sys System) FetchProfileFromInput(ctx context.Context, nip19OrNip05Code st
 		hintType = hints.LastInNprofile
 	}
 	for _, r := range p.Relays {
-		nm := nostr.NormalizeURL(r)
-		if !IsVirtualRelay(nm) {
-			sys.Hints.Save(p.PublicKey, nm, hintType, nostr.Now())
+		if !IsVirtualRelay(r) {
+			sys.Hints.Save(p.PublicKey, nostr.NormalizeURL(r), hintType, nostr.Now())
 		}
 	}
 
diff --git a/sdk/outbox.go b/sdk/outbox.go
index 9804ee5..ee8387c 100644
--- a/sdk/outbox.go
+++ b/sdk/outbox.go
@@ -3,18 +3,26 @@ package sdk
 import (
 	"context"
 	"fmt"
+	"strconv"
 	"sync"
 	"time"
 
 	"github.com/nbd-wtf/go-nostr"
 )
 
+var outboxShortTermCache = [256]ostcEntry{}
+
+type ostcEntry struct {
+	pubkey string
+	relays []string
+	when   time.Time
+}
+
 func (sys *System) FetchOutboxRelays(ctx context.Context, pubkey string, n int) []string {
-	if relays, ok := sys.outboxShortTermCache.Get(pubkey); ok {
-		if len(relays) > n {
-			relays = relays[0:n]
-		}
-		return relays
+	ostcIndex, _ := strconv.ParseUint(pubkey[12:14], 16, 8)
+	now := time.Now()
+	if entry := outboxShortTermCache[ostcIndex]; entry.pubkey == pubkey && entry.when.Add(time.Minute*2).After(now) {
+		return entry.relays
 	}
 
 	// if we have it cached that means we have at least tried to fetch recently and it won't be tried again
@@ -25,7 +33,11 @@ func (sys *System) FetchOutboxRelays(ctx context.Context, pubkey string, n int)
 		return []string{"wss://relay.damus.io", "wss://nos.lol"}
 	}
 
-	sys.outboxShortTermCache.SetWithTTL(pubkey, relays, time.Minute*2)
+	// we save a copy of this slice to this cache (must be a copy otherwise
+	// we will have a reference to a thing that the caller to this function may change at will)
+	relaysCopy := make([]string, len(relays))
+	copy(relaysCopy, relays)
+	outboxShortTermCache[ostcIndex] = ostcEntry{pubkey, relaysCopy, now}
 
 	if len(relays) > n {
 		relays = relays[0:n]
diff --git a/sdk/replaceable_loader.go b/sdk/replaceable_loader.go
index 19aa3be..d654187 100644
--- a/sdk/replaceable_loader.go
+++ b/sdk/replaceable_loader.go
@@ -202,7 +202,7 @@ func (sys *System) batchReplaceableRelayQueries(
 			defer wg.Done()
 			n := len(filter.Authors)
 
-			ctx, cancel := context.WithTimeout(ctx, time.Millisecond*450+time.Millisecond*50*time.Duration(n))
+			ctx, cancel := context.WithTimeout(ctx, time.Millisecond*950+time.Millisecond*50*time.Duration(n))
 			defer cancel()
 
 			received := 0
diff --git a/sdk/sdk_test.go b/sdk/sdk_test.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..8540503
--- /dev/null
+++ b/sdk/sdk_test.go
@@ -0,0 +1,35 @@
+package sdk
+
+import (
+	"context"
+	"testing"
+
+	"github.com/nbd-wtf/go-nostr"
+	"github.com/stretchr/testify/require"
+)
+
+func TestSystemFiatjaf(t *testing.T) {
+	sys := NewSystem()
+	ctx := context.Background()
+
+	// get metadata
+	meta, err := sys.FetchProfileFromInput(ctx, "nprofile1qyxhwumn8ghj7mn0wvhxcmmvqyd8wumn8ghj7un9d3shjtnhv4ehgetjde38gcewvdhk6qpq80cvv07tjdrrgpa0j7j7tmnyl2yr6yr7l8j4s3evf6u64th6gkwswpnfsn")
+	require.NoError(t, err)
+	require.Equal(t, "fiatjaf", meta.Name)
+
+	// check outbox relays
+	relays := sys.FetchOutboxRelays(ctx, meta.PubKey, 5)
+	require.Contains(t, relays, "wss://relay.westernbtc.com")
+	require.Contains(t, relays, "wss://pyramid.fiatjaf.com")
+
+	// fetch notes
+	filter := nostr.Filter{
+		Kinds:   []int{1},
+		Authors: []string{meta.PubKey},
+		Limit:   5,
+	}
+	events, err := sys.FetchUserEvents(ctx, filter)
+	require.NoError(t, err)
+	require.NotEmpty(t, events[meta.PubKey])
+	require.GreaterOrEqual(t, len(events[meta.PubKey]), 5)
+}
diff --git a/sdk/specific_event.go b/sdk/specific_event.go
index 4c8caa2..adf791f 100644
--- a/sdk/specific_event.go
+++ b/sdk/specific_event.go
@@ -91,7 +91,7 @@ func (sys *System) FetchSpecificEvent(
 		// (we do this after fetching author outbox relays because we are already going to prioritize these hints)
 		now := nostr.Now()
 		for _, relay := range priorityRelays {
-			sys.Hints.Save(author, relay, hints.LastInNevent, now)
+			sys.Hints.Save(author, nostr.NormalizeURL(relay), hints.LastInNevent, now)
 		}
 
 		// arrange these
diff --git a/sdk/system.go b/sdk/system.go
index 541b191..56626d6 100644
--- a/sdk/system.go
+++ b/sdk/system.go
@@ -43,9 +43,8 @@ type System struct {
 
 	StoreRelay nostr.RelayStore
 
-	replaceableLoaders   []*dataloader.Loader[string, *nostr.Event]
-	addressableLoaders   []*dataloader.Loader[string, []*nostr.Event]
-	outboxShortTermCache cache.Cache32[[]string]
+	replaceableLoaders []*dataloader.Loader[string, *nostr.Event]
+	addressableLoaders []*dataloader.Loader[string, []*nostr.Event]
 }
 
 type SystemModifier func(sys *System)
@@ -105,14 +104,11 @@ func NewSystem(mods ...SystemModifier) *System {
 			"wss://search.nos.today",
 		),
 		Hints: memoryh.NewHintDB(),
-
-		outboxShortTermCache: cache_memory.New32[[]string](1000),
 	}
 
 	sys.Pool = nostr.NewSimplePool(context.Background(),
 		nostr.WithAuthorKindQueryMiddleware(sys.TrackQueryAttempts),
-		nostr.WithEventMiddleware(sys.TrackEventHints),
-		nostr.WithEventMiddleware(sys.TrackEventRelays),
+		nostr.WithEventMiddleware(sys.TrackEventHintsAndRelays),
 		nostr.WithDuplicateMiddleware(sys.TrackEventRelaysD),
 		nostr.WithPenaltyBox(),
 	)
diff --git a/sdk/tracker.go b/sdk/tracker.go
index 78362b0..4d8fae6 100644
--- a/sdk/tracker.go
+++ b/sdk/tracker.go
@@ -20,7 +20,7 @@ func (sys *System) TrackQueryAttempts(relay string, author string, kind int) {
 	sys.Hints.Save(author, relay, hints.LastFetchAttempt, nostr.Now())
 }
 
-func (sys *System) TrackEventHints(ie nostr.RelayEvent) {
+func (sys *System) TrackEventHintsAndRelays(ie nostr.RelayEvent) {
 	if IsVirtualRelay(ie.Relay.URL) {
 		return
 	}
@@ -28,6 +28,10 @@ func (sys *System) TrackEventHints(ie nostr.RelayEvent) {
 		return
 	}
 
+	if ie.Kind != 0 && ie.Kind != 10002 {
+		sys.trackEventRelayCommon(ie.ID, ie.Relay.URL, false)
+	}
+
 	switch ie.Kind {
 	case nostr.KindProfileMetadata:
 		// this could be anywhere so it doesn't count
@@ -43,7 +47,7 @@ func (sys *System) TrackEventHints(ie nostr.RelayEvent) {
 				continue
 			}
 			if len(tag) == 2 || (tag[2] == "" || tag[2] == "write") {
-				sys.Hints.Save(ie.PubKey, tag[1], hints.LastInRelayList, ie.CreatedAt)
+				sys.Hints.Save(ie.PubKey, nostr.NormalizeURL(tag[1]), hints.LastInRelayList, ie.CreatedAt)
 			}
 		}
 	case nostr.KindFollowList:
@@ -59,11 +63,11 @@ func (sys *System) TrackEventHints(ie nostr.RelayEvent) {
 				continue
 			}
 			if tag[0] == "p" && nostr.IsValidPublicKey(tag[1]) {
-				sys.Hints.Save(tag[1], tag[2], hints.LastInTag, ie.CreatedAt)
+				sys.Hints.Save(tag[1], nostr.NormalizeURL(tag[2]), hints.LastInTag, ie.CreatedAt)
 			}
 		}
 	default:
-		// everything else may have hints
+		// everything else we track by relays and also check for hints
 		sys.Hints.Save(ie.PubKey, ie.Relay.URL, hints.MostRecentEventFetched, ie.CreatedAt)
 
 		for _, tag := range ie.Tags {
@@ -77,7 +81,7 @@ func (sys *System) TrackEventHints(ie nostr.RelayEvent) {
 				continue
 			}
 			if tag[0] == "p" && nostr.IsValidPublicKey(tag[1]) {
-				sys.Hints.Save(tag[1], tag[2], hints.LastInTag, ie.CreatedAt)
+				sys.Hints.Save(tag[1], nostr.NormalizeURL(tag[2]), hints.LastInTag, ie.CreatedAt)
 			}
 		}
 
@@ -91,7 +95,7 @@ func (sys *System) TrackEventHints(ie nostr.RelayEvent) {
 						continue
 					}
 					if nostr.IsValidPublicKey(ref.Profile.PublicKey) {
-						sys.Hints.Save(ref.Profile.PublicKey, relay, hints.LastInNprofile, ie.CreatedAt)
+						sys.Hints.Save(ref.Profile.PublicKey, nostr.NormalizeURL(relay), hints.LastInNprofile, ie.CreatedAt)
 					}
 				}
 			} else if ref.Event != nil && nostr.IsValidPublicKey(ref.Event.Author) {
@@ -102,17 +106,16 @@ func (sys *System) TrackEventHints(ie nostr.RelayEvent) {
 					if p, err := url.Parse(relay); err != nil || (p.Scheme != "wss" && p.Scheme != "ws") {
 						continue
 					}
-					sys.Hints.Save(ref.Event.Author, relay, hints.LastInNevent, ie.CreatedAt)
+					sys.Hints.Save(ref.Event.Author, nostr.NormalizeURL(relay), hints.LastInNevent, ie.CreatedAt)
 				}
 			}
 		}
 	}
 }
 
-func (sys *System) TrackEventRelays(ie nostr.RelayEvent) {
-	sys.trackEventRelayCommon(ie.ID, ie.Relay.URL)
-}
-
 func (sys *System) TrackEventRelaysD(relay, id string) {
-	sys.trackEventRelayCommon(id, relay)
+	if IsVirtualRelay(relay) {
+		return
+	}
+	sys.trackEventRelayCommon(id, relay, true /* we pass this flag so we'll skip creating entries for events that didn't pass the checks on the function above -- i.e. ephemeral events */)
 }
diff --git a/subscription.go b/subscription.go
index 202e155..bf9ccc3 100644
--- a/subscription.go
+++ b/subscription.go
@@ -63,7 +63,7 @@ type WithLabel string
 func (_ WithLabel) IsSubscriptionOption() {}
 
 // WithCheckDuplicate sets checkDuplicate on the subscription
-type WithCheckDuplicate func(relay, id string) bool
+type WithCheckDuplicate func(id, relay string) bool
 
 func (_ WithCheckDuplicate) IsSubscriptionOption() {}