diff --git a/src/services/becca/entities/abstract_entity.js b/src/services/becca/entities/abstract_entity.js
index 9797fea9c..66a6c0ae9 100644
--- a/src/services/becca/entities/abstract_entity.js
+++ b/src/services/becca/entities/abstract_entity.js
@@ -1,5 +1,9 @@
 "use strict";
 
+const utils = require('../../utils');
+
+let repo = null;
+
 class AbstractEntity {
     beforeSaving() {
         this.generateIdIfNecessary();
@@ -27,7 +31,7 @@ class AbstractEntity {
 
     get repository() {
         if (!repo) {
-            repo = require('../services/repository');
+            repo = require('../../repository');
         }
 
         return repo;
diff --git a/src/services/becca/entities/attribute.js b/src/services/becca/entities/attribute.js
index 01163e439..91e610634 100644
--- a/src/services/becca/entities/attribute.js
+++ b/src/services/becca/entities/attribute.js
@@ -113,7 +113,7 @@ class Attribute extends AbstractEntity {
         }
     }
 
-    get pojo() {
+    getPojo() {
         return {
             attributeId: this.attributeId,
             noteId: this.noteId,
diff --git a/src/services/becca/entities/branch.js b/src/services/becca/entities/branch.js
index 497559a7e..c36de904a 100644
--- a/src/services/becca/entities/branch.js
+++ b/src/services/becca/entities/branch.js
@@ -65,15 +65,25 @@ class Branch extends AbstractEntity {
         return this.becca.notes[this.parentNoteId];
     }
 
-    get pojo() {
-        return {
+    getPojo() {
+        const pojo = {
             branchId: this.branchId,
             noteId: this.noteId,
             parentNoteId: this.parentNoteId,
             prefix: this.prefix,
             notePosition: this.notePosition,
-            isExpanded: this.isExpanded
+            isExpanded: this.isExpanded,
+            utcDateModified: dateUtils.utcNowDateTime()
         };
+
+        // FIXME
+        if (true || !pojo.branchId) {
+            pojo.utcDateCreated = dateUtils.utcNowDateTime();
+        }
+
+        this.utcDateModified = dateUtils.utcNowDateTime();
+
+        return pojo;
     }
 
     createClone(parentNoteId, notePosition) {
@@ -96,13 +106,7 @@ class Branch extends AbstractEntity {
             this.isExpanded = false;
         }
 
-        if (!this.branchId) {
-            this.utcDateCreated = dateUtils.utcNowDateTime();
-        }
-
         super.beforeSaving();
-
-        this.utcDateModified = dateUtils.utcNowDateTime();
     }
 }
 
diff --git a/src/services/becca/entities/note.js b/src/services/becca/entities/note.js
index ccd58a29e..727bc10ab 100644
--- a/src/services/becca/entities/note.js
+++ b/src/services/becca/entities/note.js
@@ -34,7 +34,7 @@ class Note extends AbstractEntity {
         this.ownedAttributes = [];
 
         /** @param {Attribute[]|null} */
-        this.attributeCache = null;
+        this.__attributeCache = null;
         /** @param {Attribute[]|null} */
         this.inheritableAttributeCache = null;
 
@@ -89,6 +89,18 @@ class Note extends AbstractEntity {
         this.flatTextCache = null;
     }
 
+    getParentBranches() {
+        return this.parentBranches;
+    }
+
+    getParentNotes() {
+        return this.parents;
+    }
+
+    getChildrenNotes() {
+        return this.children;
+    }
+
     /*
      * Note content has quite special handling - it's not a separate entity, but a lazily loaded
      * part of Note entity with it's own sync. Reasons behind this hybrid design has been:
@@ -245,9 +257,26 @@ class Note extends AbstractEntity {
         return null;
     }
 
-    /** @return {Attribute[]} */
-    get attributes() {
-        return this.__getAttributes([]);
+    /**
+     * @param {string} [type] - (optional) attribute type to filter
+     * @param {string} [name] - (optional) attribute name to filter
+     * @returns {Attribute[]} all note's attributes, including inherited ones
+     */
+    getAttributes(type, name) {
+        this.__getAttributes([]);
+
+        if (type && name) {
+            return this.__attributeCache.filter(attr => attr.type === type && attr.name === name);
+        }
+        else if (type) {
+            return this.__attributeCache.filter(attr => attr.type === type);
+        }
+        else if (name) {
+            return this.__attributeCache.filter(attr => attr.name === name);
+        }
+        else {
+            return this.__attributeCache.slice();
+        }
     }
 
     __getAttributes(path) {
@@ -255,7 +284,7 @@ class Note extends AbstractEntity {
             return [];
         }
 
-        if (!this.attributeCache) {
+        if (!this.__attributeCache) {
             const parentAttributes = this.ownedAttributes.slice();
             const newPath = [...path, this.noteId];
 
@@ -277,7 +306,7 @@ class Note extends AbstractEntity {
                 }
             }
 
-            this.attributeCache = [];
+            this.__attributeCache = [];
 
             const addedAttributeIds = new Set();
 
@@ -285,20 +314,20 @@ class Note extends AbstractEntity {
                 if (!addedAttributeIds.has(attr.attributeId)) {
                     addedAttributeIds.add(attr.attributeId);
 
-                    this.attributeCache.push(attr);
+                    this.__attributeCache.push(attr);
                 }
             }
 
             this.inheritableAttributeCache = [];
 
-            for (const attr of this.attributeCache) {
+            for (const attr of this.__attributeCache) {
                 if (attr.isInheritable) {
                     this.inheritableAttributeCache.push(attr);
                 }
             }
         }
 
-        return this.attributeCache;
+        return this.__attributeCache;
     }
 
     /** @return {Attribute[]} */
@@ -315,21 +344,21 @@ class Note extends AbstractEntity {
     }
 
     hasAttribute(type, name) {
-        return !!this.attributes.find(attr => attr.type === type && attr.name === name);
+        return !!this.getAttributes().find(attr => attr.type === type && attr.name === name);
     }
 
     getAttributeCaseInsensitive(type, name, value) {
         name = name.toLowerCase();
         value = value ? value.toLowerCase() : null;
 
-        return this.attributes.find(
+        return this.getAttributes().find(
             attr => attr.type === type
             && attr.name.toLowerCase() === name
             && (!value || attr.value.toLowerCase() === value));
     }
 
     getRelationTarget(name) {
-        const relation = this.attributes.find(attr => attr.type === 'relation' && attr.name === name);
+        const relation = this.getAttributes().find(attr => attr.type === 'relation' && attr.name === name);
 
         return relation ? relation.targetNote : null;
     }
@@ -448,6 +477,54 @@ class Note extends AbstractEntity {
         return attr ? attr.value : null;
     }
 
+    /**
+     * @param {string} [name] - label name to filter
+     * @returns {Attribute[]} all note's labels (attributes with type label), including inherited ones
+     */
+    getLabels(name) {
+        return this.getAttributes(LABEL, name);
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * @param {string} [name] - label name to filter
+     * @returns {string[]} all note's label values, including inherited ones
+     */
+    getLabelValues(name) {
+        return this.getLabels(name).map(l => l.value);
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * @param {string} [name] - label name to filter
+     * @returns {Attribute[]} all note's labels (attributes with type label), excluding inherited ones
+     */
+    getOwnedLabels(name) {
+        return this.getOwnedAttributes(LABEL, name);
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * @param {string} [name] - label name to filter
+     * @returns {string[]} all note's label values, excluding inherited ones
+     */
+    getOwnedLabelValues(name) {
+        return this.getOwnedAttributes(LABEL, name).map(l => l.value);
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * @param {string} [name] - relation name to filter
+     * @returns {Attribute[]} all note's relations (attributes with type relation), including inherited ones
+     */
+    getRelations(name) {
+        return this.getAttributes(RELATION, name);
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * @param {string} [name] - relation name to filter
+     * @returns {Attribute[]} all note's relations (attributes with type relation), excluding inherited ones
+     */
+    getOwnedRelations(name) {
+        return this.getOwnedAttributes(RELATION, name);
+    }
+
     get isArchived() {
         return this.hasAttribute('label', 'archived');
     }
@@ -485,7 +562,7 @@ class Note extends AbstractEntity {
 
             this.flatTextCache += this.title + ' ';
 
-            for (const attr of this.attributes) {
+            for (const attr of this.getAttributes()) {
                 // it's best to use space as separator since spaces are filtered from the search string by the tokenization into words
                 this.flatTextCache += (attr.type === 'label' ? '#' : '~') + attr.name;
 
@@ -505,7 +582,7 @@ class Note extends AbstractEntity {
     invalidateThisCache() {
         this.flatTextCache = null;
 
-        this.attributeCache = null;
+        this.__attributeCache = null;
         this.inheritableAttributeCache = null;
         this.ancestorCache = null;
     }
@@ -604,7 +681,7 @@ class Note extends AbstractEntity {
     }
 
     get labelCount() {
-        return this.attributes.filter(attr => attr.type === 'label').length;
+        return this.getAttributes().filter(attr => attr.type === 'label').length;
     }
 
     get ownedLabelCount() {
@@ -612,11 +689,11 @@ class Note extends AbstractEntity {
     }
 
     get relationCount() {
-        return this.attributes.filter(attr => attr.type === 'relation' && !attr.isAutoLink()).length;
+        return this.getAttributes().filter(attr => attr.type === 'relation' && !attr.isAutoLink()).length;
     }
 
     get relationCountIncludingLinks() {
-        return this.attributes.filter(attr => attr.type === 'relation').length;
+        return this.getAttributes().filter(attr => attr.type === 'relation').length;
     }
 
     get ownedRelationCount() {
@@ -636,11 +713,11 @@ class Note extends AbstractEntity {
     }
 
     get attributeCount() {
-        return this.attributes.length;
+        return this.getAttributes().length;
     }
 
     get ownedAttributeCount() {
-        return this.attributes.length;
+        return this.getAttributes().length;
     }
 
     get ancestors() {
@@ -715,8 +792,8 @@ class Note extends AbstractEntity {
         }
     }
 
-    get pojo() {
-        return {
+    getPojo() {
+        const pojo = {
             noteId: this.noteId,
             title: this.title,
             isProtected: this.isProtected,
@@ -727,6 +804,18 @@ class Note extends AbstractEntity {
             utcDateCreated: this.utcDateCreated,
             utcDateModified: this.utcDateModified
         };
+
+        if (pojo.isProtected) {
+            if (this.isDecrypted) {
+                pojo.title = protectedSessionService.encrypt(pojo.title);
+            }
+            else {
+                // updating protected note outside of protected session means we will keep original ciphertexts
+                delete pojo.title;
+            }
+        }
+
+        return pojo;
     }
 
     beforeSaving() {
@@ -744,16 +833,8 @@ class Note extends AbstractEntity {
         this.utcDateModified = dateUtils.utcNowDateTime();
     }
 
-    updatePojo(pojo) {
-        if (pojo.isProtected) {
-            if (this.isDecrypted) {
-                pojo.title = protectedSessionService.encrypt(pojo.title);
-            }
-            else {
-                // updating protected note outside of protected session means we will keep original ciphertexts
-                delete pojo.title;
-            }
-        }
+    markAsDeleted() {
+        sql.execute("UPDATE notes SET isDeleted = 1 WHERE noteId = ?", [this.noteId]);
     }
 }
 
diff --git a/src/services/becca/similarity.js b/src/services/becca/similarity.js
index a3d1bb2bb..0c72945b2 100644
--- a/src/services/becca/similarity.js
+++ b/src/services/becca/similarity.js
@@ -73,7 +73,7 @@ function buildRewardMap(note) {
             addToRewardMap(ancestorNote.title, 0.3);
         }
 
-        for (const branch of ancestorNote.parentBranches) {
+        for (const branch of ancestorNote.getParentBranches()) {
             addToRewardMap(branch.prefix, 0.3);
         }
     }
@@ -84,11 +84,11 @@ function buildRewardMap(note) {
         addToRewardMap(note.title, 1);
     }
 
-    for (const branch of note.parentBranches) {
+    for (const branch of note.getParentBranches()) {
         addToRewardMap(branch.prefix, 1);
     }
 
-    for (const attr of note.attributes) {
+    for (const attr of note.getAttributes()) {
         if (attr.name.startsWith('child:')
             || attr.name.startsWith('relation:')
             || attr.name.startsWith('label:')) {
@@ -222,7 +222,7 @@ function splitToWords(text) {
  * that it doesn't actually need to be shown to the user.
  */
 function hasConnectingRelation(sourceNote, targetNote) {
-    return sourceNote.attributes.find(attr => attr.type === 'relation'
+    return sourceNote.getAttributes().find(attr => attr.type === 'relation'
                                            && ['includenotelink', 'imagelink'].includes(attr.name)
                                            && attr.value === targetNote.noteId);
 }
@@ -243,7 +243,7 @@ async function findSimilarNotes(noteId) {
         dateLimits = buildDateLimits(baseNote);
     }
     catch (e) {
-        throw new Error(`Date limits failed with ${e.message}, entity: ${JSON.stringify(baseNote.pojo)}`);
+        throw new Error(`Date limits failed with ${e.message}, entity: ${JSON.stringify(baseNote.getPojo())}`);
     }
 
     const rewardMap = buildRewardMap(baseNote);
@@ -298,7 +298,7 @@ async function findSimilarNotes(noteId) {
                         score += gatherRewards(parentNote.title, 0.3);
                     }
 
-                    for (const branch of parentNote.parentBranches) {
+                    for (const branch of parentNote.getParentBranches()) {
                         score += gatherRewards(branch.prefix, 0.3)
                                + gatherAncestorRewards(branch.parentNote);
                     }
@@ -319,11 +319,11 @@ async function findSimilarNotes(noteId) {
             score += gatherRewards(candidateNote.title);
         }
 
-        for (const branch of candidateNote.parentBranches) {
+        for (const branch of candidateNote.getParentBranches()) {
             score += gatherRewards(branch.prefix);
         }
 
-        for (const attr of candidateNote.attributes) {
+        for (const attr of candidateNote.getAttributes()) {
             if (attr.name.startsWith('child:')
                 || attr.name.startsWith('relation:')
                 || attr.name.startsWith('label:')) {
@@ -342,7 +342,7 @@ async function findSimilarNotes(noteId) {
             let factor = 1;
 
             if (!value.startsWith) {
-                log.info(`Unexpected falsy value for attribute ${JSON.stringify(attr.pojo)}`);
+                log.info(`Unexpected falsy value for attribute ${JSON.stringify(attr.getPojo())}`);
                 continue;
             }
             else if (value.startsWith('http')) {
@@ -434,8 +434,6 @@ async function findSimilarNotes(noteId) {
             for (const {noteId} of results) {
                 const note = becca.notes[noteId];
 
-                console.log("NOTE", note.pojo);
-
                 displayRewards = true;
                 ancestorRewardCache = {}; // reset cache
                 const totalReward = computeScore(note);
diff --git a/src/services/notes.js b/src/services/notes.js
index 5469fb0a4..33a3ff3ce 100644
--- a/src/services/notes.js
+++ b/src/services/notes.js
@@ -7,8 +7,11 @@ const eventService = require('./events');
 const repository = require('./repository');
 const cls = require('../services/cls');
 const Note = require('../entities/note');
+const BeccaNote = require('../services/becca/entities/note.js');
 const Branch = require('../entities/branch');
+const BeccaBranch = require('../services/becca/entities/branch.js');
 const Attribute = require('../entities/attribute');
+const BeccaAttribute = require('../services/becca/entities/attribute.js');
 const protectedSessionService = require('../services/protected_session');
 const log = require('../services/log');
 const utils = require('../services/utils');
@@ -67,7 +70,7 @@ function deriveMime(type, mime) {
 function copyChildAttributes(parentNote, childNote) {
     for (const attr of parentNote.getAttributes()) {
         if (attr.name.startsWith("child:")) {
-            new Attribute({
+            new BeccaAttribute({
                 noteId: childNote.noteId,
                 type: attr.type,
                 name: attr.name.substr(6),
@@ -75,8 +78,6 @@ function copyChildAttributes(parentNote, childNote) {
                 position: attr.position,
                 isInheritable: attr.isInheritable
             }).save();
-
-            childNote.invalidateAttributeCache();
         }
     }
 }
@@ -99,7 +100,7 @@ function copyChildAttributes(parentNote, childNote) {
  * @return {{note: Note, branch: Branch}}
  */
 function createNewNote(params) {
-    const parentNote = repository.getNote(params.parentNoteId);
+    const parentNote = becca.notes[params.parentNoteId];
 
     if (!parentNote) {
         throw new Error(`Parent note "${params.parentNoteId}" not found.`);
@@ -110,7 +111,7 @@ function createNewNote(params) {
     }
 
     return sql.transactional(() => {
-        const note = new Note({
+        const note = new BeccaNote(becca,{
             noteId: params.noteId, // optionally can force specific noteId
             title: params.title,
             isProtected: !!params.isProtected,
@@ -120,7 +121,7 @@ function createNewNote(params) {
 
         note.setContent(params.content);
 
-        const branch = new Branch({
+        const branch = new BeccaBranch(becca,{
             noteId: note.noteId,
             parentNoteId: params.parentNoteId,
             notePosition: params.notePosition !== undefined ? params.notePosition : getNewNotePosition(params.parentNoteId),
@@ -416,11 +417,12 @@ function saveLinks(note, content) {
         throw new Error("Unrecognized type " + note.type);
     }
 
-    const existingLinks = note.getLinks();
+    const existingLinks = note.getRelations().filter(rel =>
+        ['internalLink', 'imageLink', 'relationMapLink', 'includeNoteLink'].includes(rel.name));
 
     for (const foundLink of foundLinks) {
-        const targetNote = repository.getNote(foundLink.value);
-        if (!targetNote || targetNote.isDeleted) {
+        const targetNote = becca.notes[foundLink.value];
+        if (!targetNote) {
             continue;
         }
 
@@ -429,7 +431,7 @@ function saveLinks(note, content) {
             && existingLink.name === foundLink.name);
 
         if (!existingLink) {
-            const newLink = new Attribute({
+            const newLink = new BeccaAttribute({
                 noteId: note.noteId,
                 type: 'relation',
                 name: foundLink.name,
@@ -438,10 +440,6 @@ function saveLinks(note, content) {
 
             existingLinks.push(newLink);
         }
-        else if (existingLink.isDeleted) {
-            existingLink.isDeleted = false;
-            existingLink.save();
-        }
         // else the link exists so we don't need to do anything
     }
 
@@ -451,8 +449,7 @@ function saveLinks(note, content) {
                                     && existingLink.name === foundLink.name));
 
     for (const unusedLink of unusedLinks) {
-        unusedLink.isDeleted = true;
-        unusedLink.save();
+        unusedLink.markAsDeleted();
     }
 
     return content;
diff --git a/src/services/repository.js b/src/services/repository.js
index 9d8190876..045e4b51a 100644
--- a/src/services/repository.js
+++ b/src/services/repository.js
@@ -94,11 +94,19 @@ function updateEntity(entity) {
         entity.beforeSaving();
     }
 
-    const clone = Object.assign({}, entity);
+    let clone;
 
-    // this check requires that updatePojo is not static
-    if (entity.updatePojo) {
-        entity.updatePojo(clone);
+    if (entity.getPojo) {
+        clone = entity.getPojo();
+    }
+    else {
+        // FIXME: delete this branch after migration to becca
+        clone = Object.assign({}, entity);
+
+        // this check requires that updatePojo is not static
+        if (entity.updatePojo) {
+            entity.updatePojo(clone);
+        }
     }
 
     for (const key in clone) {