diff --git a/src/artifact_cache/artifact_cache.c b/src/artifact_cache/artifact_cache.c
index b06098b8..3c774b4a 100644
--- a/src/artifact_cache/artifact_cache.c
+++ b/src/artifact_cache/artifact_cache.c
@@ -81,14 +81,15 @@ ac_artifact_from_key_(Access *access, String8 key, AC_ArtifactParams *params, U6
     {
       if(str8_match(n->key, key, 0))
       {
-        if(ins_atomic_u64_eval(&n->completion_count) != 0 && (n->gen == params->gen || !(params->flags & AC_Flag_WaitForFresh)))
+        B32 is_stale = (n->gen != params->gen);
+        if(ins_atomic_u64_eval(&n->completion_count) != 0 && (!is_stale || !(params->flags & AC_Flag_WaitForFresh)))
         {
           got_artifact = 1;
-          artifact_is_stale = (n->gen == params->gen);
+          artifact_is_stale = is_stale;
           artifact = n->val;
           access_touch(access, &n->access_pt, stripe->cv);
         }
-        if(n->gen != params->gen)
+        if(is_stale)
         {
           B32 got_task = (ins_atomic_u64_eval_cond_assign(&n->working_count, 1, 0) == 0);
           need_request = got_task;
@@ -135,6 +136,8 @@ ac_artifact_from_key_(Access *access, String8 key, AC_ArtifactParams *params, U6
         node->key = str8_copy(stripe->arena, key);
         node->working_count = 1;
         node->evict_threshold_us = params->evict_threshold_us;
+        node->access_pt.last_time_touched_us = os_now_microseconds();
+        node->access_pt.last_update_idx_touched = update_tick_idx();
       }
       
       // rjf: request
@@ -304,6 +307,7 @@ ac_async_tick(void)
   }
   lane_sync_u64(&tasks, 0);
   lane_sync_u64(&tasks_count, 0);
+  lane_sync();
   
   //////////////////////////////
   //- rjf: do all requests
@@ -318,6 +322,7 @@ ac_async_tick(void)
     {
       for EachIndex(idx, task->wide_count)
       {
+        lane_sync();
         AC_Request *r = &task->wide[idx];
         
         // rjf: compute val
@@ -341,7 +346,7 @@ ac_async_tick(void)
         
         // rjf: create function -> cache
         AC_Cache *cache = 0;
-        if(!retry)
+        if(!retry && lane_idx() == 0)
         {
           U64 cache_hash = u64_hash_from_str8(str8_struct(&r->create));
           U64 cache_slot_idx = cache_hash%ac_shared->cache_slots_count;
@@ -383,6 +388,7 @@ ac_async_tick(void)
         }
       }
     }
+    lane_sync();
     
     //- rjf: do all thin requests for this priority
     ProfScope("thin requests (p%I64u)", task_idx)
@@ -462,7 +468,9 @@ ac_async_tick(void)
           cond_var_broadcast(stripe->cv);
         }
       }
+      lane_sync();
     }
+    lane_sync();
   }
   lane_sync();
   
diff --git a/src/base/base_entry_point.c b/src/base/base_entry_point.c
index e0cadd76..851042bc 100644
--- a/src/base/base_entry_point.c
+++ b/src/base/base_entry_point.c
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@
 // Licensed under the MIT license (https://opensource.org/license/mit/)
 
 global U64 global_update_tick_idx = 0;
+global U64 async_threads_count = 0;
 global CondVar async_tick_start_cond_var = {0};
 global Mutex async_tick_start_mutex = {0};
 global Mutex async_tick_stop_mutex = {0};
@@ -103,7 +104,6 @@ main_thread_base_entry_point(int arguments_count, char **arguments)
   
   //- rjf: launch async threads
   Thread *async_threads = 0;
-  U64 async_threads_count = 0;
   U64 lane_broadcast_val = 0;
   {
     U64 num_main_threads = 1;
@@ -121,7 +121,7 @@ main_thread_base_entry_point(int arguments_count, char **arguments)
     for EachIndex(idx, num_async_threads)
     {
       lane_ctxs[idx].lane_idx = idx;
-      lane_ctxs[idx].lane_count = num_async_threads;
+      lane_ctxs[idx].lane_count = async_threads_count;
       lane_ctxs[idx].barrier = barrier;
       lane_ctxs[idx].broadcast_memory = &lane_broadcast_val;
       async_threads[idx] = thread_launch(async_thread_entry_point, &lane_ctxs[idx]);
diff --git a/src/ctrl/ctrl_core.c b/src/ctrl/ctrl_core.c
index 2dd0c65f..960f7763 100644
--- a/src/ctrl/ctrl_core.c
+++ b/src/ctrl/ctrl_core.c
@@ -1866,7 +1866,7 @@ ctrl_process_memory_slice_from_vaddr_range(Arena *arena, CTRL_Handle process, Rn
       {
         U64 page_base_vaddr = page_range.min + page_idx*page_size;
         B32 page_is_stale = 0;
-        C_Key page_key = ctrl_key_from_process_vaddr_range(process, r1u64(page_base_vaddr, page_base_vaddr+page_size), 0, endt_us, &page_is_stale);
+        C_Key page_key = ctrl_key_from_process_vaddr_range_new(process, r1u64(page_base_vaddr, page_base_vaddr+page_size), 0, endt_us, &page_is_stale);
         U128 page_hash = c_hash_from_key(page_key, 0);
         U128 page_last_hash = c_hash_from_key(page_key, 1);
         result.stale = (result.stale || page_is_stale);
@@ -7610,13 +7610,15 @@ ctrl_key_from_process_vaddr_range_new(CTRL_Handle process, Rng1U64 vaddr_range,
     CTRL_Handle process;
     Rng1U64 vaddr_range;
     B32 zero_terminated;
+    B32 _padding_;
   } key_data = {process, vaddr_range, zero_terminated};
   String8 key = str8_struct(&key_data);
   Access *access = access_open();
   AC_Artifact artifact = ac_artifact_from_key(access, key, ctrl_memory_artifact_create, ctrl_memory_artifact_destroy, endt_us,
                                               .gen = ctrl_mem_gen(),
                                               .slots_count = 2048,
-                                              .stale_out = out_is_stale);
+                                              .stale_out = out_is_stale,
+                                              .evict_threshold_us = 30000000);
   C_Key content_key = {0};
   MemoryCopyStruct(&content_key, &artifact);
   access_close(access);
diff --git a/src/file_stream/file_stream.c b/src/file_stream/file_stream.c
index e170f367..d099f0c1 100644
--- a/src/file_stream/file_stream.c
+++ b/src/file_stream/file_stream.c
@@ -31,16 +31,6 @@ fs_change_gen(void)
 ////////////////////////////////
 //~ rjf: Cache Interaction
 
-internal C_Key
-fs_content_key_from_artifact_key(String8 key)
-{
-  C_Key content_key = {0};
-  {
-    content_key.id.u128[0] = u128_hash_from_str8(key);
-  }
-  return content_key;
-}
-
 internal AC_Artifact
 fs_artifact_create(String8 key, B32 *retry_out)
 {
@@ -59,60 +49,75 @@ fs_artifact_create(String8 key, B32 *retry_out)
   }
   
   //- rjf: measure file properties *before* read
+  B32 file_is_good = 0;
   FileProperties pre_props = {0};
   if(lane_idx() == 0)
   {
     pre_props = os_properties_from_file_path(path);
+    file_is_good = (pre_props.modified != 0);
   }
+  lane_sync_u64(&file_is_good, 0);
   
   //- rjf: setup output data
   Arena *data_arena = 0;
   U64 data_buffer_size = 0;
   U8 *data_buffer = 0;
-  if(lane_idx() == 0)
+  if(file_is_good)
   {
-    U64 range_size = dim_1u64(range);
-    U64 read_size = Min(pre_props.size - range.min, range_size);
-    U64 data_arena_size = read_size+ARENA_HEADER_SIZE;
-    data_arena_size += KB(4)-1;
-    data_arena_size -= data_arena_size%KB(4);
-    data_arena = arena_alloc(.reserve_size = data_arena_size, .commit_size = data_arena_size);
-    data_buffer_size = read_size;
-    data_buffer = push_array_no_zero(data_arena, U8, data_buffer_size);
+    if(lane_idx() == 0)
+    {
+      U64 range_size = dim_1u64(range);
+      U64 read_size = Min(pre_props.size - range.min, range_size);
+      U64 data_arena_size = read_size+ARENA_HEADER_SIZE;
+      data_arena_size += KB(4)-1;
+      data_arena_size -= data_arena_size%KB(4);
+      data_arena = arena_alloc(.reserve_size = data_arena_size, .commit_size = data_arena_size);
+      data_buffer_size = read_size;
+      data_buffer = push_array_no_zero(data_arena, U8, data_buffer_size);
+    }
+    lane_sync_u64(&data_buffer, 0);
+    lane_sync_u64(&data_buffer_size, 0);
   }
-  lane_sync_u64(&data_buffer, 0);
-  lane_sync_u64(&data_buffer_size, 0);
   
   //- rjf: open file
   OS_Handle file = {0};
-  if(lane_idx() == 0)
+  if(file_is_good)
   {
-    file = os_file_open(OS_AccessFlag_Read|OS_AccessFlag_ShareRead|OS_AccessFlag_ShareWrite, path);
+    if(lane_idx() == 0)
+    {
+      file = os_file_open(OS_AccessFlag_Read|OS_AccessFlag_ShareRead|OS_AccessFlag_ShareWrite, path);
+    }
+    lane_sync_u64(&file, 0);
   }
-  lane_sync_u64(&file, 0);
   B32 file_handle_is_valid = !os_handle_match(os_handle_zero(), file);
   
   //- rjf: do read
   U64 total_bytes_read = 0;
-  U64 *total_bytes_read_ptr = 0;
-  if(lane_idx() == 0)
+  if(file_handle_is_valid)
   {
-    total_bytes_read_ptr = &total_bytes_read;
+    U64 *total_bytes_read_ptr = 0;
+    if(lane_idx() == 0)
+    {
+      total_bytes_read_ptr = &total_bytes_read;
+    }
+    lane_sync_u64(&total_bytes_read_ptr, 0);
+    ProfScope("read \"%.*s\" [0x%I64x, 0x%I64x)", str8_varg(path), range.min, range.max)
+    {
+      Rng1U64 lane_read_range = lane_range(data_buffer_size);
+      U64 bytes_read = os_file_read(file, shift_1u64(lane_read_range, range.min), data_buffer + lane_read_range.min);
+      ins_atomic_u64_add_eval(total_bytes_read_ptr, bytes_read);
+    }
+    lane_sync();
+    lane_sync_u64(&total_bytes_read, 0);
   }
-  lane_sync_u64(&total_bytes_read_ptr, 0);
-  ProfScope("read \"%.*s\" [0x%I64x, 0x%I64x)", str8_varg(path), range.min, range.max)
-  {
-    Rng1U64 lane_read_range = lane_range(data_buffer_size);
-    U64 bytes_read = os_file_read(file, shift_1u64(lane_read_range, range.min), data_buffer + lane_read_range.min);
-    ins_atomic_u64_add_eval(total_bytes_read_ptr, bytes_read);
-  }
-  lane_sync();
-  lane_sync_u64(&total_bytes_read, 0);
   
   //- rjf: close file
-  if(lane_idx() == 0)
+  if(file_handle_is_valid)
   {
-    os_file_close(file);
+    if(lane_idx() == 0)
+    {
+      os_file_close(file);
+    }
   }
   
   //- rjf: measure file properties *after* read
@@ -123,35 +128,41 @@ fs_artifact_create(String8 key, B32 *retry_out)
   }
   
   //- rjf: form content key
-  C_Key content_key = fs_content_key_from_artifact_key(key);
+  C_Key content_key = {0};
+  {
+    content_key.id.u128[0] = u128_hash_from_str8(key);
+  }
   
   //- rjf: abort if modification timestamps or sizes differ - we did not successfully read the file;
   //       otherwise submit data
   B32 read_good = 0;
-  if(lane_idx() == 0)
+  if(file_is_good)
   {
-    read_good = (pre_props.modified == post_props.modified &&
-                 pre_props.size == post_props.size &&
-                 data_buffer_size == total_bytes_read &&
-                 (file_handle_is_valid || pre_props.flags & FilePropertyFlag_IsFolder));
-    if(!read_good)
+    if(lane_idx() == 0)
     {
-      retry_out[0] = 1;
-      ProfScope("abort")
+      read_good = (pre_props.modified == post_props.modified &&
+                   pre_props.size == post_props.size &&
+                   data_buffer_size == total_bytes_read &&
+                   (file_handle_is_valid || pre_props.flags & FilePropertyFlag_IsFolder));
+      if(!read_good)
       {
-        arena_release(data_arena);
-        MemoryZeroStruct(&content_key);
-      }
-    }
-    else
-    {
-      ProfScope("submit")
-      {
-        c_submit_data(content_key, &data_arena, str8(data_buffer, data_buffer_size));
+        retry_out[0] = 1;
+        ProfScope("abort")
+        {
+          arena_release(data_arena);
+          MemoryZeroStruct(&content_key);
+        }
+      }
+      else
+      {
+        ProfScope("submit")
+        {
+          c_submit_data(content_key, &data_arena, str8(data_buffer, data_buffer_size));
+        }
       }
     }
+    lane_sync();
   }
-  lane_sync();
   
   //- rjf: if the read was good, record this path's timestamp in this layer's path info cache
   U64 path_hash = u64_hash_from_str8(path);
diff --git a/src/file_stream/file_stream.h b/src/file_stream/file_stream.h
index 9bc219ca..4ecc10ff 100644
--- a/src/file_stream/file_stream.h
+++ b/src/file_stream/file_stream.h
@@ -55,8 +55,6 @@ internal U64 fs_change_gen(void);
 ////////////////////////////////
 //~ rjf: Artifact Cache Hooks / Accessing API
 
-internal C_Key fs_content_key_from_artifact_key(String8 key);
-
 internal AC_Artifact fs_artifact_create(String8 key, B32 *retry_out);
 internal void fs_artifact_destroy(AC_Artifact artifact);
 
diff --git a/src/raddbg/raddbg_core.c b/src/raddbg/raddbg_core.c
index e8b579e2..6ddf6c8c 100644
--- a/src/raddbg/raddbg_core.c
+++ b/src/raddbg/raddbg_core.c
@@ -2160,7 +2160,7 @@ rd_key_from_eval_space_range(E_Space space, Rng1U64 range, B32 zero_terminated)
       CTRL_Entity *entity = rd_ctrl_entity_from_eval_space(space);
       if(entity->kind == CTRL_EntityKind_Process)
       {
-        result = ctrl_key_from_process_vaddr_range(entity->handle, range, zero_terminated, 0, 0);
+        result = ctrl_key_from_process_vaddr_range_new(entity->handle, range, zero_terminated, 0, 0);
       }
     }break;
   }