diff --git a/lib/index.js b/lib/index.js
index 87eacf3..ea318b7 100644
--- a/lib/index.js
+++ b/lib/index.js
@@ -258,7 +258,7 @@ function initRecord(peer, config) {
     const mootID = MsgV3.getMootID(accountID, fromSubdomain(subdomain))
     const tangle = peer.db.getTangle(mootID)
     const maxDepth = tangle.maxDepth
-    const fieldRoots = getFieldRoots(accountID, subdomain)
+    const fieldRoots = getFieldRoots(subdomain)
     let minDepth = Infinity
     for (const field in fieldRoots) {
       for (const msgID of fieldRoots[field]) {
@@ -326,12 +326,10 @@ function initRecord(peer, config) {
   }
 
   /**
-   * @param {string} id
    * @param {string} subdomain
    */
-  function getFieldRoots(id, subdomain) {
-    // prettier-ignore
-    if (id !== accountID) throw new Error(`Cannot getFieldRoots for another user's record. Given ID was "${id}"`)
+  function getFieldRoots(subdomain) {
+    if (!accountID) throw new Error('Cannot getFieldRoots() before loading')
     return fieldRoots.getAll(subdomain)
   }
 
@@ -339,13 +337,17 @@ function initRecord(peer, config) {
    * @public
    * @param {string} id
    * @param {string} subdomain
+   * @returns {Record<string, any> | null}
    */
-  function get(id, subdomain) {
+  function read(id, subdomain) {
     assertDBExists(peer)
     const domain = fromSubdomain(subdomain)
     const mootID = MsgV3.getMootID(id, domain)
     const tangle = peer.db.getTangle(mootID)
-    if (!tangle || tangle.size === 0) return {}
+    if (!tangle || tangle.size === 0) {
+      if (id === accountID) return {}
+      else return null
+    }
     const msgIDs = tangle.topoSort()
     const record = /** @type {Record<string, any>}*/ ({})
     for (const msgID of msgIDs) {
@@ -360,17 +362,18 @@ function initRecord(peer, config) {
 
   /**
    * @public
-   * @param {string} id
    * @param {string} subdomain
    * @param {Record<string, any>} update
    * @param {CB<boolean>} cb
    */
-  function update(id, subdomain, update, cb) {
-    // prettier-ignore
-    if (id !== accountID) return cb(new Error(`Cannot update another user's record. Given ID was "${id}"`))
+  function update(subdomain, update, cb) {
+    if (!accountID) return cb(new Error('Cannot update before loading'))
 
     loaded(() => {
-      const record = get(id, subdomain)
+      if (!accountID) return cb(new Error('Expected account to be loaded'))
+      const record = read(accountID, subdomain)
+      // prettier-ignore
+      if (!record) return cb(new Error(`Cannot update non-existent record "${subdomain}`))
 
       let hasChanges = false
       for (const [field, value] of Object.entries(update)) {
@@ -385,18 +388,19 @@ function initRecord(peer, config) {
   }
 
   /**
-   * @param {string} id
    * @param {string} subdomain
    * @param {CB<boolean>} cb
    */
-  function squeeze(id, subdomain, cb) {
-    // prettier-ignore
-    if (id !== accountID) return cb(new Error(`Cannot squeeze another user's record. Given ID was "${id}"`))
+  function squeeze(subdomain, cb) {
+    if (!accountID) return cb(new Error('Cannot squeeze before loading'))
     const potential = _squeezePotential(subdomain)
     if (potential < 1) return cb(null, false)
 
     loaded(() => {
-      const record = get(id, subdomain)
+      if (!accountID) return cb(new Error('Expected account to be loaded'))
+      const record = read(accountID, subdomain)
+      // prettier-ignore
+      if (!record) return cb(new Error(`Cannot squeeze non-existent record "${subdomain}`))
       forceUpdate(subdomain, record, (err, _forceUpdated) => {
         // prettier-ignore
         if (err) return cb(new Error('Failed to force update when squeezing Record', { cause: err }))
@@ -410,7 +414,7 @@ function initRecord(peer, config) {
   return {
     load,
     update,
-    get,
+    read,
     getFieldRoots,
     squeeze,
 
diff --git a/test/index.test.js b/test/index.test.js
index 9d7cd26..f640352 100644
--- a/test/index.test.js
+++ b/test/index.test.js
@@ -29,22 +29,22 @@ test('setup', async (t) => {
 
 test('Record update() and get()', async (t) => {
   assert(
-    await p(peer.record.update)(aliceID, 'profile', { name: 'alice' }),
+    await p(peer.record.update)('profile', { name: 'alice' }),
     'update .name'
   )
-  assert.deepEqual(peer.record.get(aliceID, 'profile'), { name: 'alice' }, 'get')
+  assert.deepEqual(peer.record.read(aliceID, 'profile'), { name: 'alice' }, 'get')
 
-  const fieldRoots1 = peer.record.getFieldRoots(aliceID, 'profile')
+  const fieldRoots1 = peer.record.getFieldRoots('profile')
   assert.deepEqual(fieldRoots1, { name: ['PbwnLbJS4oninQ1RPCdgRn'] }, 'fieldRoots')
 
-  assert(await p(peer.record.update)(aliceID, 'profile', { age: 20 }), 'update .age')
+  assert(await p(peer.record.update)('profile', { age: 20 }), 'update .age')
   assert.deepEqual(
-    peer.record.get(aliceID, 'profile'),
+    peer.record.read(aliceID, 'profile'),
     { name: 'alice', age: 20 },
     'get'
   )
 
-  const fieldRoots2 = peer.record.getFieldRoots(aliceID, 'profile')
+  const fieldRoots2 = peer.record.getFieldRoots('profile')
   assert.deepEqual(
     fieldRoots2,
     { name: ['PbwnLbJS4oninQ1RPCdgRn'], age: ['9iTTqNabtnXmw4AiZxNMRq'] },
@@ -52,28 +52,28 @@ test('Record update() and get()', async (t) => {
   )
 
   assert.equal(
-    await p(peer.record.update)(aliceID, 'profile', { name: 'alice' }),
+    await p(peer.record.update)('profile', { name: 'alice' }),
     false,
     'redundant update .name'
   )
   assert.deepEqual(
-    peer.record.get(aliceID, 'profile'),
+    peer.record.read(aliceID, 'profile'),
     { name: 'alice', age: 20 },
     'get'
   )
 
   assert.equal(
-    await p(peer.record.update)(aliceID, 'profile', { name: 'Alice' }),
+    await p(peer.record.update)('profile', { name: 'Alice' }),
     true,
     'update .name'
   )
   assert.deepEqual(
-    peer.record.get(aliceID, 'profile'),
+    peer.record.read(aliceID, 'profile'),
     { name: 'Alice', age: 20 },
     'get'
   )
 
-  const fieldRoots3 = peer.record.getFieldRoots(aliceID, 'profile')
+  const fieldRoots3 = peer.record.getFieldRoots('profile')
   assert.deepEqual(
     fieldRoots3,
     { age: ['9iTTqNabtnXmw4AiZxNMRq'], name: ['M2JhM7TE2KX5T5rfnxBh6M'] },
@@ -82,11 +82,11 @@ test('Record update() and get()', async (t) => {
 })
 
 test('Record squeeze', async (t) => {
-  assert(await p(peer.record.update)(aliceID, 'profile', { age: 21 }), 'update .age')
-  assert(await p(peer.record.update)(aliceID, 'profile', { age: 22 }), 'update .age')
-  assert(await p(peer.record.update)(aliceID, 'profile', { age: 23 }), 'update .age')
+  assert(await p(peer.record.update)('profile', { age: 21 }), 'update .age')
+  assert(await p(peer.record.update)('profile', { age: 22 }), 'update .age')
+  assert(await p(peer.record.update)('profile', { age: 23 }), 'update .age')
 
-  const fieldRoots4 = peer.record.getFieldRoots(aliceID, 'profile')
+  const fieldRoots4 = peer.record.getFieldRoots('profile')
   assert.deepEqual(
     fieldRoots4,
     { name: ['M2JhM7TE2KX5T5rfnxBh6M'], age: ['S3xiydrT6Y34Bp1vg6wN7P'] },
@@ -94,9 +94,9 @@ test('Record squeeze', async (t) => {
   )
 
   assert.equal(peer.record._squeezePotential('profile'), 3, 'squeezePotential=3')
-  assert.equal(await p(peer.record.squeeze)(aliceID, 'profile'), true, 'squeezed')
+  assert.equal(await p(peer.record.squeeze)('profile'), true, 'squeezed')
 
-  const fieldRoots5 = peer.record.getFieldRoots(aliceID, 'profile')
+  const fieldRoots5 = peer.record.getFieldRoots('profile')
   assert.deepEqual(
     fieldRoots5,
     { name: ['Y4JkpPCHN8Avtz4VALaAmK'], age: ['Y4JkpPCHN8Avtz4VALaAmK'] },
@@ -104,9 +104,9 @@ test('Record squeeze', async (t) => {
   )
 
   assert.equal(peer.record._squeezePotential('profile'), 0, 'squeezePotential=0')
-  assert.equal(await p(peer.record.squeeze)(aliceID, 'profile'), false,'squeeze idempotent')
+  assert.equal(await p(peer.record.squeeze)('profile'), false,'squeeze idempotent')
 
-  const fieldRoots6 = peer.record.getFieldRoots(aliceID, 'profile')
+  const fieldRoots6 = peer.record.getFieldRoots('profile')
   assert.deepEqual(fieldRoots6, fieldRoots5, 'fieldRoots')
 })
 
@@ -131,7 +131,7 @@ test('Record receives old branched update', async (t) => {
   const rec = await p(peer.db.add)(msg, mootID)
   assert.equal(rec.id, 'XZWr3DZFG253awsWXgSkS2', 'msg ID')
 
-  const fieldRoots7 = peer.record.getFieldRoots(aliceID, 'profile')
+  const fieldRoots7 = peer.record.getFieldRoots('profile')
   assert.deepEqual(
     fieldRoots7,
     {