diff --git a/src/public/app/menus/tree_context_menu.js b/src/public/app/menus/tree_context_menu.js
index a83c45cb1..c0daf7f4f 100644
--- a/src/public/app/menus/tree_context_menu.js
+++ b/src/public/app/menus/tree_context_menu.js
@@ -67,7 +67,6 @@ export default class TreeContextMenu {
             { title: "Advanced", uiIcon: "bx bx-empty", enabled: true, items: [
                     { title: 'Expand subtree <kbd data-command="expandSubtree"></kbd>', command: "expandSubtree", uiIcon: "bx bx-expand", enabled: noSelectedNotes },
                     { title: 'Collapse subtree <kbd data-command="collapseSubtree"></kbd>', command: "collapseSubtree", uiIcon: "bx bx-collapse", enabled: noSelectedNotes },
-                    { title: "Force note sync", command: "forceNoteSync", uiIcon: "bx bx-refresh", enabled: noSelectedNotes },
                     { title: 'Sort by ... <kbd data-command="sortChildNotes"></kbd>', command: "sortChildNotes", uiIcon: "bx bx-empty", enabled: noSelectedNotes && notSearch },
                     { title: 'Recent changes in subtree', command: "recentChangesInSubtree", uiIcon: "bx bx-history", enabled: noSelectedNotes },
                     { title: 'Convert to attachment', command: "convertNoteToAttachment", uiIcon: "bx bx-empty", enabled: isNotRoot && !isHoisted }
diff --git a/src/public/app/services/sync.js b/src/public/app/services/sync.js
index 1f1f8cc17..6c4f2fc67 100644
--- a/src/public/app/services/sync.js
+++ b/src/public/app/services/sync.js
@@ -18,13 +18,6 @@ async function syncNow(ignoreNotConfigured = false) {
     }
 }
 
-async function forceNoteSync(noteId) {
-    await server.post(`sync/force-note-sync/${noteId}`);
-
-    toastService.showMessage("Note added to sync queue.");
-}
-
 export default {
-    syncNow,
-    forceNoteSync
+    syncNow
 };
diff --git a/src/public/app/widgets/note_tree.js b/src/public/app/widgets/note_tree.js
index 750ff46fc..bbbcc9905 100644
--- a/src/public/app/widgets/note_tree.js
+++ b/src/public/app/widgets/note_tree.js
@@ -1564,10 +1564,6 @@ export default class NoteTreeWidget extends NoteContextAwareWidget {
         this.triggerCommand("showImportDialog", {noteId: node.data.noteId});
     }
 
-    forceNoteSyncCommand({node}) {
-        syncService.forceNoteSync(node.data.noteId);
-    }
-
     editNoteTitleCommand({node}) {
         appContext.triggerCommand('focusOnTitle');
     }
diff --git a/src/routes/api/login.js b/src/routes/api/login.js
index 6256be1fd..42b78d951 100644
--- a/src/routes/api/login.js
+++ b/src/routes/api/login.js
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@
 const options = require('../../services/options');
 const utils = require('../../services/utils');
 const dateUtils = require('../../services/date_utils');
-const instanceId = require('../../services/member_id');
+const instanceId = require('../../services/instance_id');
 const passwordEncryptionService = require('../../services/encryption/password_encryption');
 const protectedSessionService = require('../../services/protected_session');
 const appInfo = require('../../services/app_info');
diff --git a/src/routes/api/sync.js b/src/routes/api/sync.js
index 139f668b0..36d2b137a 100644
--- a/src/routes/api/sync.js
+++ b/src/routes/api/sync.js
@@ -9,10 +9,8 @@ const optionService = require('../../services/options');
 const contentHashService = require('../../services/content_hash');
 const log = require('../../services/log');
 const syncOptions = require('../../services/sync_options');
-const dateUtils = require('../../services/date_utils');
 const utils = require('../../services/utils');
 const ws = require('../../services/ws');
-const becca = require("../../becca/becca");
 
 async function testSync() {
     try {
@@ -84,54 +82,14 @@ function forceFullSync() {
     syncService.sync();
 }
 
-function forceNoteSync(req) {
-    const noteId = req.params.noteId;
-    const note = becca.getNote(noteId);
-
-    const now = dateUtils.utcNowDateTime();
-
-    sql.execute(`UPDATE notes SET utcDateModified = ? WHERE noteId = ?`, [now, noteId]);
-    entityChangesService.moveEntityChangeToTop('notes', noteId);
-
-    sql.execute(`UPDATE blobs SET utcDateModified = ? WHERE blobId = ?`, [now, note.blobId]);
-    entityChangesService.moveEntityChangeToTop('blobs', note.blobId);
-
-    for (const branchId of sql.getColumn("SELECT branchId FROM branches WHERE noteId = ?", [noteId])) {
-        sql.execute(`UPDATE branches SET utcDateModified = ? WHERE branchId = ?`, [now, branchId]);
-
-        entityChangesService.moveEntityChangeToTop('branches', branchId);
-    }
-
-    for (const attributeId of sql.getColumn("SELECT attributeId FROM attributes WHERE noteId = ?", [noteId])) {
-        sql.execute(`UPDATE attributes SET utcDateModified = ? WHERE attributeId = ?`, [now, attributeId]);
-
-        entityChangesService.moveEntityChangeToTop('attributes', attributeId);
-    }
-
-    for (const revisionId of sql.getColumn("SELECT revisionId FROM revisions WHERE noteId = ?", [noteId])) {
-        sql.execute(`UPDATE revisions SET utcDateModified = ? WHERE revisionId = ?`, [now, revisionId]);
-        entityChangesService.moveEntityChangeToTop('revisions', revisionId);
-    }
-
-    for (const attachmentId of sql.getColumn("SELECT attachmentId FROM attachments WHERE noteId = ?", [noteId])) {
-        sql.execute(`UPDATE attachments SET utcDateModified = ? WHERE attachmentId = ?`, [now, attachmentId]);
-        entityChangesService.moveEntityChangeToTop('attachments', attachmentId);
-    }
-
-    log.info(`Forcing note sync for ${noteId}`);
-
-    // not awaiting for the job to finish (will probably take a long time)
-    syncService.sync();
-}
-
 function getChanged(req) {
     const startTime = Date.now();
 
     let lastEntityChangeId = parseInt(req.query.lastEntityChangeId);
-    const clientinstanceId = req.query.instanceId;
+    const clientInstanceId = req.query.instanceId;
     let filteredEntityChanges = [];
 
-    while (filteredEntityChanges.length === 0) {
+    do {
         const entityChanges = sql.getRows(`
             SELECT *
             FROM entity_changes
@@ -144,20 +102,22 @@ function getChanged(req) {
             break;
         }
 
-        filteredEntityChanges = entityChanges.filter(ec => ec.instanceId !== clientinstanceId);
+        filteredEntityChanges = entityChanges.filter(ec => ec.instanceId !== clientInstanceId);
 
         if (filteredEntityChanges.length === 0) {
             lastEntityChangeId = entityChanges[entityChanges.length - 1].id;
         }
-    }
+    } while (filteredEntityChanges.length === 0);
 
     const entityChangeRecords = syncService.getEntityChangeRecords(filteredEntityChanges);
 
     if (entityChangeRecords.length > 0) {
         lastEntityChangeId = entityChangeRecords[entityChangeRecords.length - 1].entityChange.id;
+
+        log.info(`Returning ${entityChangeRecords.length} entity changes in ${Date.now() - startTime}ms`);
     }
 
-    const ret = {
+    return {
         entityChanges: entityChangeRecords,
         lastEntityChangeId,
         outstandingPullCount: sql.getValue(`
@@ -165,14 +125,8 @@ function getChanged(req) {
             FROM entity_changes 
             WHERE isSynced = 1 
               AND instanceId != ?
-              AND id > ?`, [clientinstanceId, lastEntityChangeId])
+              AND id > ?`, [clientInstanceId, lastEntityChangeId])
     };
-
-    if (ret.entityChanges.length > 0) {
-        log.info(`Returning ${ret.entityChanges.length} entity changes in ${Date.now() - startTime}ms`);
-    }
-
-    return ret;
 }
 
 const partialRequests = {};
@@ -194,12 +148,12 @@ function update(req) {
         }
 
         if (!partialRequests[requestId]) {
-            throw new Error(`Partial request ${requestId}, index ${pageIndex} of ${pageCount} of pages does not have expected record.`);
+            throw new Error(`Partial request ${requestId}, page ${pageIndex + 1} of ${pageCount} of pages does not have expected record.`);
         }
 
         partialRequests[requestId].payload += req.body;
 
-        log.info(`Receiving partial request ${requestId}, page index ${pageIndex} out of ${pageCount} pages.`);
+        log.info(`Receiving a partial request ${requestId}, page ${pageIndex + 1} out of ${pageCount} pages.`);
 
         if (pageIndex !== pageCount - 1) {
             return;
@@ -212,9 +166,11 @@ function update(req) {
 
     const {entities, instanceId} = body;
 
-    for (const {entityChange, entity} of entities) {
-        syncUpdateService.updateEntity(entityChange, entity, instanceId);
-    }
+    sql.transactional(() => {
+        for (const {entityChange, entity} of entities) {
+            syncUpdateService.updateEntity(entityChange, entity, instanceId);
+        }
+    });
 }
 
 setInterval(() => {
@@ -241,8 +197,7 @@ function queueSector(req) {
 }
 
 function checkEntityChanges() {
-    const consistencyChecks = require("../../services/consistency_checks");
-    consistencyChecks.runEntityChangesChecks();
+    require("../../services/consistency_checks").runEntityChangesChecks();
 }
 
 module.exports = {
@@ -251,7 +206,6 @@ module.exports = {
     syncNow,
     fillEntityChanges,
     forceFullSync,
-    forceNoteSync,
     getChanged,
     update,
     getStats,
diff --git a/src/routes/routes.js b/src/routes/routes.js
index 1c40c4fd2..a7f540d09 100644
--- a/src/routes/routes.js
+++ b/src/routes/routes.js
@@ -216,7 +216,6 @@ function register(app) {
     apiRoute(PST, '/api/sync/now', syncApiRoute.syncNow);
     apiRoute(PST, '/api/sync/fill-entity-changes', syncApiRoute.fillEntityChanges);
     apiRoute(PST, '/api/sync/force-full-sync', syncApiRoute.forceFullSync);
-    apiRoute(PST, '/api/sync/force-note-sync/:noteId', syncApiRoute.forceNoteSync);
     route(GET, '/api/sync/check', [auth.checkApiAuth], syncApiRoute.checkSync, apiResultHandler);
     route(GET, '/api/sync/changed', [auth.checkApiAuth], syncApiRoute.getChanged, apiResultHandler);
     route(PUT, '/api/sync/update', [auth.checkApiAuth], syncApiRoute.update, apiResultHandler);
diff --git a/src/services/consistency_checks.js b/src/services/consistency_checks.js
index 19903c951..512f16325 100644
--- a/src/services/consistency_checks.js
+++ b/src/services/consistency_checks.js
@@ -597,14 +597,10 @@ class ConsistencyChecks {
 
     runEntityChangeChecks(entityName, key) {
         this.findAndFixIssues(`
-            SELECT
-              ${key} as entityId
-            FROM
-              ${entityName} 
-              LEFT JOIN entity_changes ON entity_changes.entityName = '${entityName}' 
-                                      AND entity_changes.entityId = ${key} 
-            WHERE 
-              entity_changes.id IS NULL`,
+            SELECT ${key} as entityId
+            FROM ${entityName}
+            LEFT JOIN entity_changes ec ON ec.entityName = '${entityName}' AND ec.entityId = ${entityName}.${key} 
+            WHERE ec.id IS NULL`,
             ({entityId}) => {
                 const entityRow = sql.getRow(`SELECT * FROM ${entityName} WHERE ${key} = ?`, [entityId]);
 
@@ -613,7 +609,7 @@ class ConsistencyChecks {
                         entityName,
                         entityId,
                         hash: utils.randomString(10), // doesn't matter, will force sync, but that's OK
-                        isErased: !!entityRow.isErased,
+                        isErased: false,
                         utcDateChanged: entityRow.utcDateModified || entityRow.utcDateCreated,
                         isSynced: entityName !== 'options' || entityRow.isSynced
                     });
@@ -625,15 +621,13 @@ class ConsistencyChecks {
             });
 
         this.findAndFixIssues(`
-            SELECT 
-              id, entityId
-            FROM 
-              entity_changes 
-              LEFT JOIN ${entityName} ON entityId = ${key} 
+            SELECT id, entityId
+            FROM entity_changes 
+            LEFT JOIN ${entityName} ON entityId = ${entityName}.${key} 
             WHERE
               entity_changes.isErased = 0
               AND entity_changes.entityName = '${entityName}' 
-              AND ${key} IS NULL`,
+              AND ${entityName}.${key} IS NULL`,
                 ({id, entityId}) => {
                     if (this.autoFix) {
                         sql.execute("DELETE FROM entity_changes WHERE entityName = ? AND entityId = ?", [entityName, entityId]);
@@ -645,11 +639,9 @@ class ConsistencyChecks {
                 });
 
         this.findAndFixIssues(`
-            SELECT 
-              id, entityId
-            FROM 
-              entity_changes 
-              JOIN ${entityName} ON entityId = ${key} 
+            SELECT id, entityId
+            FROM entity_changes 
+            JOIN ${entityName} ON entityId = ${entityName}.${key} 
             WHERE
               entity_changes.isErased = 1
               AND entity_changes.entityName = '${entityName}'`,
diff --git a/src/services/content_hash.js b/src/services/content_hash.js
index 8eacc18b1..e7c4a5d6f 100644
--- a/src/services/content_hash.js
+++ b/src/services/content_hash.js
@@ -14,7 +14,8 @@ function getEntityHashes() {
     const hashRows = sql.getRawRows(`
         SELECT entityName,
                entityId,
-               hash
+               hash,
+               isErased
         FROM entity_changes 
         WHERE isSynced = 1
           AND entityName != 'note_reordering'`);
@@ -25,12 +26,17 @@ function getEntityHashes() {
 
     const hashMap = {};
 
-    for (const [entityName, entityId, hash] of hashRows) {
+    for (const [entityName, entityId, hash, isErased] of hashRows) {
         const entityHashMap = hashMap[entityName] = hashMap[entityName] || {};
 
         const sector = entityId[0];
 
-        entityHashMap[sector] = (entityHashMap[sector] || "") + hash
+        if (entityName === 'revisions' && sector === '5') {
+            console.log(entityId, hash, isErased);
+        }
+
+        // if the entity is erased, its hash is not updated, so it has to be added extra
+        entityHashMap[sector] = (entityHashMap[sector] || "") + hash + isErased;
     }
 
     for (const entityHashMap of Object.values(hashMap)) {
diff --git a/src/services/entity_changes.js b/src/services/entity_changes.js
index 5b98ad9d9..17c01f588 100644
--- a/src/services/entity_changes.js
+++ b/src/services/entity_changes.js
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@ const dateUtils = require('./date_utils');
 const log = require('./log');
 const cls = require('./cls');
 const utils = require('./utils');
-const instanceId = require('./member_id');
+const instanceId = require('./instance_id');
 const becca = require("../becca/becca");
 const blobService = require("../services/blob");
 
@@ -62,8 +62,6 @@ function moveEntityChangeToTop(entityName, entityId) {
 }
 
 function addEntityChangesForSector(entityName, sector) {
-    const startTime = Date.now();
-
     const entityChanges = sql.getRows(`SELECT * FROM entity_changes WHERE entityName = ? AND SUBSTR(entityId, 1, 1) = ?`, [entityName, sector]);
 
     sql.transactional(() => {
@@ -72,7 +70,7 @@ function addEntityChangesForSector(entityName, sector) {
         }
     });
 
-    log.info(`Added sector ${sector} of '${entityName}' (${entityChanges.length} entities) to sync queue in ${Date.now() - startTime}ms.`);
+    log.info(`Added sector ${sector} of '${entityName}' (${entityChanges.length} entities) to the sync queue.`);
 }
 
 function cleanupEntityChangesForMissingEntities(entityName, entityPrimaryKey) {
@@ -103,39 +101,34 @@ function fillEntityChanges(entityName, entityPrimaryKey, condition = '') {
 
             createdCount++;
 
-            let hash;
-            let utcDateChanged;
-            let isSynced;
+            const ec = {
+                entityName,
+                entityId,
+                isErased: false
+            };
 
             if (entityName === 'blobs') {
                 const blob = sql.getRow("SELECT blobId, content, utcDateModified FROM blobs WHERE blobId = ?", [entityId]);
-                hash = blobService.calculateContentHash(blob);
-                utcDateChanged = blob.utcDateModified;
-                isSynced = true; // blobs are always synced
+                ec.hash = blobService.calculateContentHash(blob);
+                ec.utcDateChanged = blob.utcDateModified;
+                ec.isSynced = true; // blobs are always synced
             } else {
                 const entity = becca.getEntity(entityName, entityId);
 
                 if (entity) {
-                    hash = entity?.generateHash() || "|deleted";
-                    utcDateChanged = entity?.getUtcDateChanged() || dateUtils.utcNowDateTime();
-                    isSynced = entityName !== 'options' || !!entity?.isSynced;
+                    ec.hash = entity.generateHash() || "|deleted";
+                    ec.utcDateChanged = entity.getUtcDateChanged() || dateUtils.utcNowDateTime();
+                    ec.isSynced = entityName !== 'options' || !!entity.isSynced;
                 } else {
                     // entity might be null (not present in becca) when it's deleted
                     // FIXME: hacky, not sure if it might cause some problems
-                    hash = "deleted";
-                    utcDateChanged = dateUtils.utcNowDateTime();
-                    isSynced = true; // deletable (the ones with isDeleted) entities are synced
+                    ec.hash = "deleted";
+                    ec.utcDateChanged = dateUtils.utcNowDateTime();
+                    ec.isSynced = true; // deletable (the ones with isDeleted) entities are synced
                 }
             }
 
-            addEntityChange({
-                entityName,
-                entityId,
-                hash: hash,
-                isErased: false,
-                utcDateChanged: utcDateChanged,
-                isSynced: isSynced
-            });
+            addEntityChange(ec);
         }
 
         if (createdCount > 0) {
diff --git a/src/services/erase.js b/src/services/erase.js
index ee0b21d23..790a314e5 100644
--- a/src/services/erase.js
+++ b/src/services/erase.js
@@ -37,6 +37,7 @@ function eraseNotes(noteIdsToErase) {
 function setEntityChangesAsErased(entityChanges) {
     for (const ec of entityChanges) {
         ec.isErased = true;
+        ec.utcDateChanged = dateUtils.utcNowDateTime();
 
         entityChangesService.addEntityChange(ec);
     }
diff --git a/src/services/member_id.js b/src/services/instance_id.js
similarity index 100%
rename from src/services/member_id.js
rename to src/services/instance_id.js
diff --git a/src/services/revisions.js b/src/services/revisions.js
index b0764eb13..0a61643be 100644
--- a/src/services/revisions.js
+++ b/src/services/revisions.js
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@
 const log = require('./log');
 const sql = require('./sql');
 const protectedSessionService = require("./protected_session");
+const dateUtils = require("./date_utils");
 
 /**
  * @param {BNote} note
@@ -40,7 +41,7 @@ function eraseRevisions(revisionIdsToErase) {
     log.info(`Removing note revisions: ${JSON.stringify(revisionIdsToErase)}`);
 
     sql.executeMany(`DELETE FROM revisions WHERE revisionId IN (???)`, revisionIdsToErase);
-    sql.executeMany(`UPDATE entity_changes SET isErased = 1 WHERE entityName = 'revisions' AND entityId IN (???)`, revisionIdsToErase);
+    sql.executeMany(`UPDATE entity_changes SET isErased = 1, utcDateChanged = '${dateUtils.utcNowDateTime()}' WHERE entityName = 'revisions' AND entityId IN (???)`, revisionIdsToErase);
 }
 
 module.exports = {
diff --git a/src/services/sync.js b/src/services/sync.js
index c2dd9b0f1..cc1b75d5a 100644
--- a/src/services/sync.js
+++ b/src/services/sync.js
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@ const log = require('./log');
 const sql = require('./sql');
 const optionService = require('./options');
 const utils = require('./utils');
-const instanceId = require('./member_id');
+const instanceId = require('./instance_id');
 const dateUtils = require('./date_utils');
 const syncUpdateService = require('./sync_update');
 const contentHashService = require('./content_hash');
@@ -54,6 +54,7 @@ async function sync() {
         });
     }
     catch (e) {
+        // we're dynamically switching whether we're using proxy or not based on whether we encountered error with the current method
         proxyToggle = !proxyToggle;
 
         if (e.message?.includes('ECONNREFUSED') ||
@@ -107,7 +108,7 @@ async function doLogin() {
     });
 
     if (resp.instanceId === instanceId) {
-        throw new Error(`Sync server has member ID '${resp.instanceId}' which is also local. This usually happens when the sync client is (mis)configured to sync with itself (URL points back to client) instead of the correct sync server.`);
+        throw new Error(`Sync server has instance ID '${resp.instanceId}' which is also local. This usually happens when the sync client is (mis)configured to sync with itself (URL points back to client) instead of the correct sync server.`);
     }
 
     syncContext.instanceId = resp.instanceId;
@@ -253,7 +254,7 @@ async function checkContentHash(syncContext) {
     const failedChecks = contentHashService.checkContentHashes(resp.entityHashes);
 
     if (failedChecks.length > 0) {
-        // before requeuing sectors, make sure the entity changes are correct
+        // before re-queuing sectors, make sure the entity changes are correct
         const consistencyChecks = require("./consistency_checks");
         consistencyChecks.runEntityChangesChecks();
 
@@ -350,7 +351,8 @@ function getEntityChangeRecords(entityChanges) {
 
         length += JSON.stringify(record).length;
 
-        if (length > 1000000) {
+        if (length > 1_000_000) {
+            // each sync request/response should have at most ~1 MB.
             break;
         }
     }
diff --git a/src/services/sync_update.js b/src/services/sync_update.js
index 152c1b772..86b2c5b58 100644
--- a/src/services/sync_update.js
+++ b/src/services/sync_update.js
@@ -4,98 +4,83 @@ const entityChangesService = require('./entity_changes');
 const eventService = require('./events');
 const entityConstructor = require("../becca/entity_constructor");
 
-function updateEntity(entityChange, entityRow, instanceId) {
-    // can be undefined for options with isSynced=false
-    if (!entityRow) {
-        if (entityChange.isSynced) {
-            if (entityChange.isErased) {
-                eraseEntity(entityChange, instanceId);
-            }
-            else {
-                log.info(`Encountered synced non-erased entity change without entity: ${JSON.stringify(entityChange)}`);
-            }
-        }
-        else if (entityChange.entityName !== 'options') {
-            log.info(`Encountered unsynced non-option entity change without entity: ${JSON.stringify(entityChange)}`);
-        }
-
-        return;
+function updateEntity(remoteEC, remoteEntityRow, instanceId) {
+    if (!remoteEntityRow && remoteEC.entityName === 'options') {
+        return; // can be undefined for options with isSynced=false
     }
 
-    const updated = entityChange.entityName === 'note_reordering'
-        ? updateNoteReordering(entityChange, entityRow, instanceId)
-        : updateNormalEntity(entityChange, entityRow, instanceId);
+    const updated = remoteEC.entityName === 'note_reordering'
+        ? updateNoteReordering(remoteEC, remoteEntityRow, instanceId)
+        : updateNormalEntity(remoteEC, remoteEntityRow, instanceId);
 
     if (updated) {
-        if (entityRow.isDeleted) {
+        if (remoteEntityRow?.isDeleted) {
             eventService.emit(eventService.ENTITY_DELETE_SYNCED, {
-                entityName: entityChange.entityName,
-                entityId: entityChange.entityId
+                entityName: remoteEC.entityName,
+                entityId: remoteEC.entityId
             });
         }
-        else if (!entityChange.isErased) {
+        else if (!remoteEC.isErased) {
             eventService.emit(eventService.ENTITY_CHANGE_SYNCED, {
-                entityName: entityChange.entityName,
-                entityRow
+                entityName: remoteEC.entityName,
+                entityRow: remoteEntityRow
             });
         }
     }
 }
 
-function updateNormalEntity(remoteEntityChange, remoteEntityRow, instanceId) {
-    const localEntityChange = sql.getRow(`
-        SELECT utcDateChanged, hash, isErased
-        FROM entity_changes 
-        WHERE entityName = ? AND entityId = ?`, [remoteEntityChange.entityName, remoteEntityChange.entityId]);
+function updateNormalEntity(remoteEC, remoteEntityRow, instanceId) {
+    const localEC = sql.getRow(`SELECT * FROM entity_changes WHERE entityName = ? AND entityId = ?`, [remoteEC.entityName, remoteEC.entityId]);
 
-    if (localEntityChange && !localEntityChange.isErased && remoteEntityChange.isErased) {
-        sql.transactional(() => {
-            const primaryKey = entityConstructor.getEntityFromEntityName(remoteEntityChange.entityName).primaryKeyName;
-
-            sql.execute(`DELETE FROM ${remoteEntityChange.entityName} WHERE ${primaryKey} = ?`, remoteEntityChange.entityId);
-
-            entityChangesService.addEntityChangeWithInstanceId(remoteEntityChange, instanceId);
-        });
+    if (!localEC?.isErased && remoteEC.isErased) {
+        eraseEntity(remoteEC, instanceId);
 
         return true;
+    } else if (localEC?.isErased && !remoteEC.isErased) {
+        // on this side, we can't unerase the entity, so force the entity to be erased on the other side.
+        entityChangesService.addEntityChangeWithInstanceId(localEC, null);
+
+        return false;
     }
 
-    if (!localEntityChange
-        || localEntityChange.utcDateChanged < remoteEntityChange.utcDateChanged
-        || localEntityChange.hash !== remoteEntityChange.hash // sync error, we should still update
+    if (!localEC
+        || localEC.utcDateChanged < remoteEC.utcDateChanged
+        || (localEC.utcDateChanged === remoteEC.utcDateChanged && localEC.hash !== remoteEC.hash) // sync error, we should still update
     ) {
-        if (remoteEntityChange.entityName === 'blobs') {
+        if (remoteEC.entityName === 'blobs' && remoteEntityRow.content !== null) {
             // we always use a Buffer object which is different from normal saving - there we use a simple string type for
             // "string notes". The problem is that in general, it's not possible to detect whether a blob content
             // is string note or note (syncs can arrive out of order)
-            remoteEntityRow.content = remoteEntityRow.content === null ? null : Buffer.from(remoteEntityRow.content, 'base64');
+            remoteEntityRow.content = Buffer.from(remoteEntityRow.content, 'base64');
 
-            if (remoteEntityRow.content?.byteLength === 0) {
+            if (remoteEntityRow.content.byteLength === 0) {
                 // there seems to be a bug which causes empty buffer to be stored as NULL which is then picked up as inconsistency
+                // (possibly not a problem anymore with the newer better-sqlite3)
                 remoteEntityRow.content = "";
             }
         }
 
-        sql.transactional(() => {
-            sql.replace(remoteEntityChange.entityName, remoteEntityRow);
+        sql.replace(remoteEC.entityName, remoteEntityRow);
 
-            entityChangesService.addEntityChangeWithInstanceId(remoteEntityChange, instanceId);
-        });
+        entityChangesService.addEntityChangeWithInstanceId(remoteEC, instanceId);
 
         return true;
+    } else if (localEC.hash !== remoteEC.hash && localEC.utcDateChanged > remoteEC.utcDateChanged) {
+        // the change on our side is newer than on the other side, so the other side should update
+        entityChangesService.addEntityChangeWithInstanceId(localEC, null);
+
+        return false;
     }
 
     return false;
 }
 
-function updateNoteReordering(entityChange, entity, instanceId) {
-    sql.transactional(() => {
-        for (const key in entity) {
-            sql.execute("UPDATE branches SET notePosition = ? WHERE branchId = ?", [entity[key], key]);
-        }
+function updateNoteReordering(remoteEC, remoteEntityRow, instanceId) {
+    for (const key in remoteEntityRow) {
+        sql.execute("UPDATE branches SET notePosition = ? WHERE branchId = ?", [remoteEntityRow[key], key]);
+    }
 
-        entityChangesService.addEntityChangeWithInstanceId(entityChange, instanceId);
-    });
+    entityChangesService.addEntityChangeWithInstanceId(remoteEC, instanceId);
 
     return true;
 }
@@ -109,19 +94,17 @@ function eraseEntity(entityChange, instanceId) {
         "attributes",
         "revisions",
         "attachments",
-        "blobs",
+        "blobs"
     ];
 
     if (!entityNames.includes(entityName)) {
-        log.error(`Cannot erase entity '${entityName}', id '${entityId}'`);
+        log.error(`Cannot erase entity '${entityName}', id '${entityId}'.`);
         return;
     }
 
-    const keyName = entityConstructor.getEntityFromEntityName(entityName).primaryKeyName;
+    const primaryKeyName = entityConstructor.getEntityFromEntityName(entityName).primaryKeyName;
 
-    sql.execute(`DELETE FROM ${entityName} WHERE ${keyName} = ?`, [entityId]);
-
-    eventService.emit(eventService.ENTITY_DELETE_SYNCED, { entityName, entityId });
+    sql.execute(`DELETE FROM ${entityName} WHERE ${primaryKeyName} = ?`, [entityId]);
 
     entityChangesService.addEntityChangeWithInstanceId(entityChange, instanceId);
 }