diff --git a/lib/index.js b/lib/index.js
index 5a9e9c5..feafa16 100644
--- a/lib/index.js
+++ b/lib/index.js
@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@ const p = (fn) => (...args) => {
  * @typedef {import('pzp-db').RecPresent} RecPresent
  * @typedef {import('pzp-db').Tangle} Tangle
  * @typedef {import('pzp-db').Msg} Msg
- * @typedef {NonNullable<ReturnType<PZPDB['getTangle']>>} DBTangle
+ * @typedef {import('pzp-db/db-tangle')} DBTangle
  * @typedef {string} MsgID
  * @typedef {'none'|'all'|`newest-${number}`|'dict'|'set'} GoalDSL
  * @typedef {'none'|'all'|'newest'|'dict'|'set'} GoalType
@@ -288,12 +288,12 @@ function initGoals(peer, config) {
       // (Loop again with heavy computations now that it's inevitable:)
       for (const [ tangle, min] of validTangles) {
         const minMsgIDs = tangle
-        // @ts-ignore
           .topoSort()
-          // @ts-ignore
           .filter((msgID) => tangle.getDepth(msgID) === min)
-        // @ts-ignore
-        const { erasables } = tangle.getDeletablesAndErasables(...minMsgIDs)
+        const deletablesErasables = tangle.getDeletablesAndErasables(...minMsgIDs)
+        // TODO: returning 'trail' to be on the safe side and not throw away too much. but i'm confused why the algo would've gotten this far but then this still manages to be null
+        if (!deletablesErasables) return ['trail']
+        const { erasables } = deletablesErasables
         if (erasables.has(msgID)) return ['trail']
       }
 
diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index e79a0f3..556e4ee 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -33,7 +33,7 @@
     "bs58": "^5.0.0",
     "c8": "7",
     "pzp-caps": "^1.0.0",
-    "pzp-db": "^1.0.1",
+    "pzp-db": "^1.0.4",
     "pzp-dict": "^1.0.0",
     "pzp-keypair": "^1.0.0",
     "pzp-set": "^1.0.0",