diff --git a/lua/telescope/_extensions/frecency.lua b/lua/telescope/_extensions/frecency.lua
index 68c2da2..13a5fb8 100644
--- a/lua/telescope/_extensions/frecency.lua
+++ b/lua/telescope/_extensions/frecency.lua
@@ -6,9 +6,10 @@ if not has_telescope then
 end
 
 -- start the database client
-print("start")
+-- print("start")
 local db_client = require("telescope._extensions.frecency.db_client")
-vim.defer_fn(db_client.init, 100) -- TODO: this is a crappy attempt to lessen loadtime impact, use VimEnter?
+-- vim.defer_fn(db_client.init, 100) -- TODO: this is a crappy attempt to lessen loadtime impact, use VimEnter?
+db_client.init() -- TODO: this is a crappy attempt to lessen loadtime impact, use VimEnter?
 
 
 -- finder code
@@ -77,9 +78,15 @@ local frecency = function(opts)
   }):find()
 end
 
+local validate = function()
+  print("validate db")
+  db_client.validate()
+end
+
 
 return telescope.register_extension {
   exports = {
     frecency = frecency,
+    validate = validate,
   },
 }
diff --git a/lua/telescope/_extensions/frecency/db_client.lua b/lua/telescope/_extensions/frecency/db_client.lua
index 30fa0f0..00fe0e9 100644
--- a/lua/telescope/_extensions/frecency/db_client.lua
+++ b/lua/telescope/_extensions/frecency/db_client.lua
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
-local sqlwrap   = require("telescope._extensions.frecency.sql_wrapper")
+local sqlwrap = require("telescope._extensions.frecency.sql_wrapper")
+local util    = require("telescope._extensions.frecency.util")
 
 local MAX_TIMESTAMPS = 10
 
@@ -23,15 +24,10 @@ local function init()
   -- setup autocommands
   vim.api.nvim_command("augroup TelescopeFrecency")
   vim.api.nvim_command("autocmd!")
-  vim.api.nvim_command("autocmd BufEnter * lua require'telescope._extensions.frecency.db_client'.autocmd_handler(vim.fn.expand('<amatch>'))")
+  vim.api.nvim_command("autocmd BufWinEnter,BufWritePost * lua require'telescope._extensions.frecency.db_client'.autocmd_handler(vim.fn.expand('<amatch>'))")
   vim.api.nvim_command("augroup END")
 end
 
--- TODO: move these to util.lua
-local function string_isempty(s)
-  return s == nil or s == ''
-end
-
 local function calculate_file_score(frequency, timestamps)
   local recency_score = 0
   for _, ts in pairs(timestamps) do
@@ -83,17 +79,38 @@ local function get_file_scores()
 end
 
 local function autocmd_handler(filepath)
-  if not sql_wrapper or string_isempty(filepath) then return end
+  if not sql_wrapper or util.string_isempty(filepath) then return end
 
   -- check if file is registered as loaded
   if not vim.b.frecency_registered then
+    -- allow noname files to go unregistered until BufWritePost
+    if not util.fs_stat(filepath).exists then return end
+
+    -- TODO: only register buffer if update did something?
+    -- TODO: apply filetype_ignore here?
     vim.b.frecency_registered = 1
+    -- print("registered buffer")
     sql_wrapper:update(filepath)
   end
 end
 
+local function validate()
+  if not sql_wrapper then return {} end
+
+  local files = sql_wrapper:do_transaction('get_all_filepaths')
+  for _, entry in pairs(files) do
+    if not util.fs_stat(entry.path).exists then
+      -- remove entries from file and timestamp tables
+      print("removing entry: " .. entry.path .. "[" .. entry.id .."]")
+      sql_wrapper:do_transaction('file_delete_entry', { id = entry.id })
+      sql_wrapper:do_transaction('timestamp_delete_with_file_id', { file_id = entry.id })
+    end
+  end
+end
+
 return {
   init            = init,
   get_file_scores = get_file_scores,
   autocmd_handler = autocmd_handler,
+  validate        = validate,
 }
diff --git a/lua/telescope/_extensions/frecency/sorter.lua b/lua/telescope/_extensions/frecency/sorter.lua
index a4e798d..706221e 100644
--- a/lua/telescope/_extensions/frecency/sorter.lua
+++ b/lua/telescope/_extensions/frecency/sorter.lua
@@ -1,20 +1,21 @@
 local sorters = require "telescope.sorters"
+local util    = require("telescope._extensions.frecency.util")
 
 local my_sorters = {}
 
-local function split(s, delimiter)
-  local result = {}
-  for match in (s .. delimiter):gmatch("(.-)" .. delimiter) do
-    table.insert(result, match)
-  end
-  return result
-end
+-- local function split(s, delimiter)
+--   local result = {}
+--   for match in (s .. delimiter):gmatch("(.-)" .. delimiter) do
+--     table.insert(result, match)
+--   end
+--   return result
+-- end
 
 local substr_highlighter = function(_, prompt, display)
   local highlights = {}
   display = display:lower()
 
-  local search_terms = split(prompt, " ")
+  local search_terms = util.split(prompt, " ")
   local hl_start, hl_end
 
   for _, word in pairs(search_terms) do
@@ -35,7 +36,7 @@ my_sorters.get_substr_matcher = function(opts)
   substr.scoring_function = function(_, prompt, _, entry)
     local display = entry.name:lower()
 
-    local search_terms = split(prompt, " ")
+    local search_terms = util.split(prompt, " ")
     local matched
     for _, word in pairs(search_terms) do
        matched = display:find(word, 1, true) and 1 or -1
diff --git a/lua/telescope/_extensions/frecency/sql_wrapper.lua b/lua/telescope/_extensions/frecency/sql_wrapper.lua
index d008654..ed7e464 100644
--- a/lua/telescope/_extensions/frecency/sql_wrapper.lua
+++ b/lua/telescope/_extensions/frecency/sql_wrapper.lua
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
+local util    = require("telescope._extensions.frecency.util")
 local vim = vim
-local uv  = vim.loop
 
 local has_sql, sql = pcall(require, "sql")
 if not has_sql then
@@ -28,28 +28,22 @@ local schemas = {[[
 ]]}
 
 local queries = {
-  ["file_add_entry"]              = "INSERT INTO files (path, count) values(:path, 1);",
-  ["file_update_counter"]         = "UPDATE files SET count = count + 1 WHERE path = :path;",
-  ["timestamp_add_entry"]         = "INSERT INTO timestamps (file_id, timestamp) values(:file_id, julianday('now'));",
-  ["timestamp_delete_before_id"]  = "DELETE FROM timestamps WHERE id < :id and file_id == :file_id;",
-  ["get_all_filepaths"]           = "SELECT * FROM files;",
-  ["get_all_timestamp_ages"]      = "SELECT id, file_id, CAST((julianday('now') - julianday(timestamp)) * 24 * 60 AS INTEGER) AS age FROM timestamps;",
-  ["get_row"]                     = "SELECT * FROM files WHERE path == :path;",
-  ["get_timestamp_ids_for_file"]  = "SELECT id FROM timestamps WHERE file_id == :file_id;",
+  ["file_add_entry"]                = "INSERT INTO files (path, count) values(:path, 1);",
+  ["file_delete_entry"]             = "DELETE FROM files WHERE id == :id;",
+  ["file_update_counter"]           = "UPDATE files SET count = count + 1 WHERE path == :path;",
+  ["timestamp_add_entry"]           = "INSERT INTO timestamps (file_id, timestamp) values(:file_id, julianday('now'));",
+  ["timestamp_delete_before_id"]    = "DELETE FROM timestamps WHERE id < :id and file_id == :file_id;",
+  ["timestamp_delete_with_file_id"] = "DELETE FROM timestamps WHERE file_id == :file_id;",
+  ["get_all_filepaths"]             = "SELECT * FROM files;",
+  ["get_all_timestamp_ages"]        = "SELECT id, file_id, CAST((julianday('now') - julianday(timestamp)) * 24 * 60 AS INTEGER) AS age FROM timestamps;",
+  ["get_row"]                       = "SELECT * FROM files WHERE path == :path;",
+  ["get_timestamp_ids_for_file"]    = "SELECT id FROM timestamps WHERE file_id == :file_id;",
 }
 
 -- local ignore_patterns = {
 -- }
 
 --
-local function fs_stat(path)  -- TODO: move this to new file with M
-  local stat = uv.fs_stat(path)
-  local res  = {}
-  res.exists      = stat and true or false -- TODO: this is silly
-  res.isdirectory = (stat and stat.type == "directory") and true or false
-
-  return res
-end
 
 local M = {}
 M.queries = queries
@@ -108,7 +102,7 @@ function M:get_row_id(filepath)
 end
 
 function M:update(filepath)
-  local filestat = fs_stat(filepath)
+  local filestat = util.fs_stat(filepath)
   if (vim.tbl_isempty(filestat) or
       filestat.exists       == false or
       filestat.isdirectory  == true) then
diff --git a/lua/telescope/_extensions/frecency/util.lua b/lua/telescope/_extensions/frecency/util.lua
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..4dffef7
--- /dev/null
+++ b/lua/telescope/_extensions/frecency/util.lua
@@ -0,0 +1,26 @@
+local uv  = vim.loop
+
+local util = {}
+
+util.string_isempty = function(s)
+  return s == nil or s == ''
+end
+
+util.split = function(s, delimiter)
+  local result = {}
+  for match in (s .. delimiter):gmatch("(.-)" .. delimiter) do
+    table.insert(result, match)
+  end
+  return result
+end
+
+util.fs_stat = function(path)  -- TODO: move this to new file with M
+  local stat = uv.fs_stat(path)
+  local res  = {}
+  res.exists      = stat and true or false -- TODO: this is silly
+  res.isdirectory = (stat and stat.type == "directory") and true or false
+
+  return res
+end
+
+return util