diff --git a/src/entities/entity_constructor.js b/src/entities/entity_constructor.js
index 00fa8d084..c51bc931c 100644
--- a/src/entities/entity_constructor.js
+++ b/src/entities/entity_constructor.js
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@ const Note = require('../entities/note');
 const NoteRevision = require('../services/becca/entities/note_revision.js');
 const Branch = require('../entities/branch');
 const Attribute = require('../entities/attribute');
-const RecentNote = require('../entities/recent_note');
+const RecentNote = require('../services/becca/entities/recent_note.js');
 const ApiToken = require('../entities/api_token');
 const cls = require('../services/cls');
 
diff --git a/src/entities/recent_note.js b/src/entities/recent_note.js
deleted file mode 100644
index f4ef899e6..000000000
--- a/src/entities/recent_note.js
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,28 +0,0 @@
-"use strict";
-
-const Entity = require('./entity');
-const dateUtils = require('../services/date_utils');
-
-/**
- * RecentNote represents recently visited note.
- *
- * @property {string} noteId
- * @property {string} notePath
- * @property {string} utcDateCreated
- *
- * @extends Entity
- */
-class RecentNote extends Entity {
-    static get entityName() { return "recent_notes"; }
-    static get primaryKeyName() { return "noteId"; }
-
-    beforeSaving() {
-        if (!this.utcDateCreated) {
-            this.utcDateCreated = dateUtils.utcNowDateTime();
-        }
-
-        super.beforeSaving();
-    }
-}
-
-module.exports = RecentNote;
diff --git a/src/routes/api/attributes.js b/src/routes/api/attributes.js
index 242754fa9..0744af675 100644
--- a/src/routes/api/attributes.js
+++ b/src/routes/api/attributes.js
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@ const log = require('../../services/log');
 const attributeService = require('../../services/attributes');
 const repository = require('../../services/repository');
 const Attribute = require('../../entities/attribute');
-const becca = require("../../services/becca/becca.js");
+const becca = require("../../services/becca/becca");
 
 function getEffectiveNoteAttributes(req) {
     const note = becca.getNote(req.params.noteId);
diff --git a/src/routes/api/autocomplete.js b/src/routes/api/autocomplete.js
index ae76b6945..0b2fca7d3 100644
--- a/src/routes/api/autocomplete.js
+++ b/src/routes/api/autocomplete.js
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@ const repository = require('../../services/repository');
 const log = require('../../services/log');
 const utils = require('../../services/utils');
 const cls = require('../../services/cls');
+const becca = require("../../services/becca/becca");
 
 function getAutocomplete(req) {
     const query = req.query.query.trim();
@@ -41,7 +42,7 @@ function getRecentNotes(activeNoteId) {
         params.push('%' + hoistedNoteId + '%');
     }
 
-    const recentNotes = repository.getEntities(`
+    const recentNotes = becca.getRecentNotesFromQuery(`
       SELECT 
         recent_notes.* 
       FROM 
diff --git a/src/routes/api/files.js b/src/routes/api/files.js
index b85bcee7f..4cb671ae1 100644
--- a/src/routes/api/files.js
+++ b/src/routes/api/files.js
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@ const fs = require('fs');
 const { Readable } = require('stream');
 const chokidar = require('chokidar');
 const ws = require('../../services/ws');
-const becca = require("../../services/becca/becca.js");
+const becca = require("../../services/becca/becca");
 
 function updateFile(req) {
     const {noteId} = req.params;
diff --git a/src/routes/api/note_revisions.js b/src/routes/api/note_revisions.js
index 00ed71709..a0cf7fbab 100644
--- a/src/routes/api/note_revisions.js
+++ b/src/routes/api/note_revisions.js
@@ -7,10 +7,10 @@ const noteRevisionService = require('../../services/note_revisions');
 const utils = require('../../services/utils');
 const sql = require('../../services/sql');
 const path = require('path');
-const becca = require("../../services/becca/becca.js");
+const becca = require("../../services/becca/becca");
 
 function getNoteRevisions(req) {
-    return repository.getEntities(`
+    return becca.getNoteRevisionsFromQuery(`
         SELECT note_revisions.*,
                LENGTH(note_revision_contents.content) AS contentLength
         FROM note_revisions
@@ -107,7 +107,7 @@ function restoreNoteRevision(req) {
 }
 
 function getEditedNotesOnDate(req) {
-    const notes = repository.getEntities(`
+    const noteIds = sql.getColumn(`
         SELECT notes.*
         FROM notes
         WHERE noteId IN (
@@ -121,6 +121,8 @@ function getEditedNotesOnDate(req) {
         ORDER BY isDeleted
         LIMIT 50`, {date: req.params.date + '%'});
 
+    const notes = becca.getNotes(noteIds);
+
     for (const note of notes) {
         const notePath = note.isDeleted ? null : beccaService.getNotePath(note.noteId);
 
diff --git a/src/routes/api/notes.js b/src/routes/api/notes.js
index 8457cfd68..63a26838d 100644
--- a/src/routes/api/notes.js
+++ b/src/routes/api/notes.js
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@ const log = require('../../services/log');
 const TaskContext = require('../../services/task_context');
 const fs = require('fs');
 const noteRevisionService = require("../../services/note_revisions.js");
-const becca = require("../../services/becca/becca.js");
+const becca = require("../../services/becca/becca");
 
 function getNote(req) {
     const noteId = req.params.noteId;
@@ -159,7 +159,8 @@ function getRelationMap(req) {
 
     console.log("displayRelations", displayRelations);
 
-    const notes = repository.getEntities(`SELECT * FROM notes WHERE isDeleted = 0 AND noteId IN (${questionMarks})`, noteIds);
+    const foundNoteIds = sql.getColumn(`SELECT noteId FROM notes WHERE isDeleted = 0 AND noteId IN (${questionMarks})`, noteIds);
+    const notes = becca.getNotes(foundNoteIds);
 
     for (const note of notes) {
         resp.noteTitles[note.noteId] = note.title;
diff --git a/src/routes/api/recent_notes.js b/src/routes/api/recent_notes.js
index 2b6594f4d..3c8108a30 100644
--- a/src/routes/api/recent_notes.js
+++ b/src/routes/api/recent_notes.js
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 "use strict";
 
-const RecentNote = require('../../entities/recent_note');
+const RecentNote = require('../../services/becca/entities/recent_note.js');
 const sql = require('../../services/sql');
 const dateUtils = require('../../services/date_utils');
 
diff --git a/src/routes/api/search.js b/src/routes/api/search.js
index 6d13b218d..315985fee 100644
--- a/src/routes/api/search.js
+++ b/src/routes/api/search.js
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@ const log = require('../../services/log');
 const scriptService = require('../../services/script');
 const searchService = require('../../services/search/services/search');
 const noteRevisionService = require("../../services/note_revisions.js");
+const {formatAttrForSearch} = require("../../services/attribute_formatter.js");
 
 async function searchFromNoteInt(note) {
     let searchResultNoteIds;
@@ -267,51 +268,6 @@ function getRelatedNotes(req) {
     };
 }
 
-function formatAttrForSearch(attr, searchWithValue) {
-    let searchStr = '';
-
-    if (attr.type === 'label') {
-        searchStr += '#';
-    }
-    else if (attr.type === 'relation') {
-        searchStr += '~';
-    }
-    else {
-        throw new Error(`Unrecognized attribute type ${JSON.stringify(attr)}`);
-    }
-
-    searchStr += attr.name;
-
-    if (searchWithValue && attr.value) {
-        if (attr.type === 'relation') {
-            searchStr += ".noteId";
-        }
-
-        searchStr += '=';
-        searchStr += formatValue(attr.value);
-    }
-
-    return searchStr;
-}
-
-function formatValue(val) {
-    if (!/[^\w_-]/.test(val)) {
-        return val;
-    }
-    else if (!val.includes('"')) {
-        return '"' + val + '"';
-    }
-    else if (!val.includes("'")) {
-        return "'" + val + "'";
-    }
-    else if (!val.includes("`")) {
-        return "`" + val + "`";
-    }
-    else {
-        return '"' + val.replace(/"/g, '\\"') + '"';
-    }
-}
-
 module.exports = {
     searchFromNote,
     searchAndExecute,
diff --git a/src/routes/api/similar_notes.js b/src/routes/api/similar_notes.js
index 35f81328d..1d20a2664 100644
--- a/src/routes/api/similar_notes.js
+++ b/src/routes/api/similar_notes.js
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 "use strict";
 
 const similarityService = require('../../services/becca/similarity.js');
-const becca = require("../../services/becca/becca.js");
+const becca = require("../../services/becca/becca");
 
 async function getSimilarNotes(req) {
     const noteId = req.params.noteId;
diff --git a/src/routes/custom.js b/src/routes/custom.js
index 5c811b425..929252492 100644
--- a/src/routes/custom.js
+++ b/src/routes/custom.js
@@ -3,13 +3,17 @@ const log = require('../services/log');
 const fileUploadService = require('./api/files.js');
 const scriptService = require('../services/script');
 const cls = require('../services/cls');
+const sql = require("../services/sql");
+const becca = require("../services/becca/becca");
 
 async function handleRequest(req, res) {
     // express puts content after first slash into 0 index element
 
     const path = req.params.path + req.params[0];
 
-    const attrs = repository.getEntities("SELECT * FROM attributes WHERE isDeleted = 0 AND type = 'label' AND name IN ('customRequestHandler', 'customResourceProvider')");
+    const attributeIds = sql.getColumn("SELECT attributeId FROM attributes WHERE isDeleted = 0 AND type = 'label' AND name IN ('customRequestHandler', 'customResourceProvider')");
+
+    const attrs = attributeIds.map(attrId => becca.getAttribute(attrId));
 
     for (const attr of attrs) {
         if (!attr.value.trim()) {
diff --git a/src/services/attribute_formatter.js b/src/services/attribute_formatter.js
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..b7498bece
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/services/attribute_formatter.js
@@ -0,0 +1,50 @@
+"use strict"
+
+function formatAttrForSearch(attr, searchWithValue) {
+    let searchStr = '';
+
+    if (attr.type === 'label') {
+        searchStr += '#';
+    }
+    else if (attr.type === 'relation') {
+        searchStr += '~';
+    }
+    else {
+        throw new Error(`Unrecognized attribute type ${JSON.stringify(attr)}`);
+    }
+
+    searchStr += attr.name;
+
+    if (searchWithValue && attr.value) {
+        if (attr.type === 'relation') {
+            searchStr += ".noteId";
+        }
+
+        searchStr += '=';
+        searchStr += formatValue(attr.value);
+    }
+
+    return searchStr;
+}
+
+function formatValue(val) {
+    if (!/[^\w_-]/.test(val)) {
+        return val;
+    }
+    else if (!val.includes('"')) {
+        return '"' + val + '"';
+    }
+    else if (!val.includes("'")) {
+        return "'" + val + "'";
+    }
+    else if (!val.includes("`")) {
+        return "`" + val + "`";
+    }
+    else {
+        return '"' + val.replace(/"/g, '\\"') + '"';
+    }
+}
+
+module.exports = {
+    formatAttrForSearch
+}
diff --git a/src/services/attributes.js b/src/services/attributes.js
index bfd207c3c..bcf256e26 100644
--- a/src/services/attributes.js
+++ b/src/services/attributes.js
@@ -1,9 +1,10 @@
 "use strict";
 
-const repository = require('./repository');
+const searchService = require('./search/services/search');
 const sql = require('./sql');
 const becca = require('./becca/becca.js');
 const Attribute = require('../entities/attribute');
+const {formatAttrForSearch} = require("./attribute_formatter.js");
 
 const ATTRIBUTE_TYPES = [ 'label', 'relation' ];
 
@@ -59,16 +60,7 @@ const BUILTIN_ATTRIBUTES = [
 ];
 
 function getNotesWithLabel(name, value) {
-    let valueCondition = "";
-    let params = [name];
-
-    if (value !== undefined) {
-        valueCondition = " AND attributes.value = ?";
-        params.push(value);
-    }
-
-    return repository.getEntities(`SELECT notes.* FROM notes JOIN attributes USING(noteId)
-          WHERE notes.isDeleted = 0 AND attributes.isDeleted = 0 AND attributes.name = ? ${valueCondition} ORDER BY position`, params);
+    return searchService.findNotes(formatAttrForSearch({type: 'label', name, value}, true));
 }
 
 function getNoteIdsWithLabels(names) {
diff --git a/src/services/backend_script_api.js b/src/services/backend_script_api.js
index a824940d2..660bf7e16 100644
--- a/src/services/backend_script_api.js
+++ b/src/services/backend_script_api.js
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@ const cloningService = require('./cloning');
 const appInfo = require('./app_info');
 const searchService = require('./search/services/search');
 const SearchContext = require("./search/search_context.js");
-const becca = require("./becca/becca.js");
+const becca = require("./becca/becca");
 
 /**
  * This is the main backend API interface for scripts. It's published in the local "api" object.
diff --git a/src/services/becca/becca.js b/src/services/becca/becca.js
index 74f16b526..d4e46db5b 100644
--- a/src/services/becca/becca.js
+++ b/src/services/becca/becca.js
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@
 
 const sql = require("../sql.js");
 const NoteRevision = require("./entities/note_revision.js");
+const RecentNote = require("./entities/recent_note.js");
 
 class Becca {
     constructor() {
@@ -94,6 +95,18 @@ class Becca {
 
         return this[camelCaseEntityName][entityId];
     }
+
+    getRecentNotesFromQuery(query, params = []) {
+        const rows = sql.getRows(query, params);
+
+        return rows.map(row => new RecentNote(row));
+    }
+
+    getNoteRevisionsFromQuery(query, params = []) {
+        const rows = sql.getRows(query, params);
+
+        return rows.map(row => new NoteRevision(row));
+    }
 }
 
 const becca = new Becca();
diff --git a/src/services/becca/entities/recent_note.js b/src/services/becca/entities/recent_note.js
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..9dc2f9aba
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/services/becca/entities/recent_note.js
@@ -0,0 +1,22 @@
+"use strict";
+
+const dateUtils = require('../../date_utils.js');
+const AbstractEntity = require("./abstract_entity.js");
+
+/**
+ * RecentNote represents recently visited note.
+ */
+class RecentNote extends AbstractEntity {
+    static get entityName() { return "recent_notes"; }
+    static get primaryKeyName() { return "noteId"; }
+
+    constructor(row) {
+        super();
+
+        this.noteId = row.noteId;
+        this.notePath = row.notePath;
+        this.utcDateCreated = row.utcDateCreated || dateUtils.utcNowDateTime();
+    }
+}
+
+module.exports = RecentNote;
diff --git a/src/services/cloning.js b/src/services/cloning.js
index 8fd26dcf8..017f418c2 100644
--- a/src/services/cloning.js
+++ b/src/services/cloning.js
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@ const repository = require('./repository');
 const Branch = require('../entities/branch');
 const TaskContext = require("./task_context.js");
 const utils = require('./utils');
-const becca = require("./becca/becca.js");
+const becca = require("./becca/becca");
 
 function cloneNoteToParent(noteId, parentBranchId, prefix) {
     const parentBranch = becca.getBranch(parentBranchId);
diff --git a/src/services/consistency_checks.js b/src/services/consistency_checks.js
index 6ba24f967..c55c14c57 100644
--- a/src/services/consistency_checks.js
+++ b/src/services/consistency_checks.js
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@ const Branch = require('../entities/branch');
 const dateUtils = require('./date_utils');
 const attributeService = require('./attributes');
 const noteRevisionService = require('./note_revisions');
-const becca = require("./becca/becca.js");
+const becca = require("./becca/becca");
 
 class ConsistencyChecks {
     constructor(autoFix) {
@@ -244,13 +244,15 @@ class ConsistencyChecks {
                     HAVING COUNT(1) > 1`,
             ({noteId, parentNoteId}) => {
                 if (this.autoFix) {
-                    const branches = repository.getEntities(
-                            `SELECT *
+                    const branchIds = sql.getColumn(
+                            `SELECT branchId
                              FROM branches
                              WHERE noteId = ?
                                and parentNoteId = ?
                                and isDeleted = 0`, [noteId, parentNoteId]);
 
+                    const branches = branchIds.map(branchId => becca.getBranch(branchId));
+
                     // it's not necessarily "original" branch, it's just the only one which will survive
                     const origBranch = branches[0];
 
@@ -359,11 +361,13 @@ class ConsistencyChecks {
                       AND branches.isDeleted = 0`,
             ({parentNoteId}) => {
                 if (this.autoFix) {
-                    const branches = repository.getEntities(`SELECT *
+                    const branchIds = sql.getColumn(`SELECT branchId
                                                                    FROM branches
                                                                    WHERE isDeleted = 0
                                                                      AND parentNoteId = ?`, [parentNoteId]);
 
+                    const branches = branchIds.map(branchId => becca.getBranch(branchId));
+
                     for (const branch of branches) {
                         branch.parentNoteId = 'root';
                         branch.save();
diff --git a/src/services/export/opml.js b/src/services/export/opml.js
index f5060d9ef..8b0d8f7dd 100644
--- a/src/services/export/opml.js
+++ b/src/services/export/opml.js
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
 
 const repository = require("../repository");
 const utils = require('../utils');
-const becca = require("../becca/becca.js");
+const becca = require("../becca/becca");
 
 function exportToOpml(taskContext, branch, version, res) {
     if (!['1.0', '2.0'].includes(version)) {
diff --git a/src/services/notes.js b/src/services/notes.js
index 657165526..a6ee511a9 100644
--- a/src/services/notes.js
+++ b/src/services/notes.js
@@ -6,11 +6,8 @@ const entityChangesService = require('./entity_changes.js');
 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');
@@ -617,14 +614,14 @@ function undeleteBranch(branch, deleteId, taskContext) {
         note.isDeleted = false;
         note.save();
 
-        const attrs = repository.getEntities(`
-                SELECT * FROM attributes 
+        const attributeIds = sql.getColumn(`
+                SELECT attributeId FROM attributes 
                 WHERE isDeleted = 1 
                   AND deleteId = ? 
                   AND (noteId = ? 
                            OR (type = 'relation' AND value = ?))`, [deleteId, note.noteId, note.noteId]);
 
-        for (const attr of attrs) {
+        for (const attr of attributeIds) {
             attr.isDeleted = false;
             attr.save();
         }
@@ -646,14 +643,16 @@ function undeleteBranch(branch, deleteId, taskContext) {
  * @return return deleted branches of an undeleted parent note
  */
 function getUndeletedParentBranches(noteId, deleteId) {
-    return repository.getEntities(`
-                    SELECT branches.*
+    const branchIds = sql.getColumn(`
+                    SELECT branches.branchId
                     FROM branches
                     JOIN notes AS parentNote ON parentNote.noteId = branches.parentNoteId
                     WHERE branches.noteId = ?
                       AND branches.isDeleted = 1
                       AND branches.deleteId = ?
                       AND parentNote.isDeleted = 0`, [noteId, deleteId]);
+
+    return branchIds.map(branchId => becca.getBranch(branchId));
 }
 
 function scanForLinks(note) {
diff --git a/src/services/scheduler.js b/src/services/scheduler.js
index 805b8cf06..49280e5a0 100644
--- a/src/services/scheduler.js
+++ b/src/services/scheduler.js
@@ -1,9 +1,10 @@
 const scriptService = require('./script');
-const repository = require('./repository');
 const cls = require('./cls');
 const sqlInit = require('./sql_init');
 const config = require('./config');
 const log = require('./log');
+const sql = require("./sql");
+const becca = require("./becca/becca");
 
 function getRunAtHours(note) {
     try {
@@ -17,8 +18,9 @@ function getRunAtHours(note) {
 }
 
 function runNotesWithLabel(runAttrValue) {
-    const notes = repository.getEntities(`
-        SELECT notes.* 
+    // TODO: should be refactored into becca search
+    const noteIds = sql.getColumn(`
+        SELECT notes.noteId 
         FROM notes 
         JOIN attributes ON attributes.noteId = notes.noteId
                        AND attributes.isDeleted = 0
@@ -29,6 +31,8 @@ function runNotesWithLabel(runAttrValue) {
           notes.type = 'code'
           AND notes.isDeleted = 0`, [runAttrValue]);
 
+    const notes = becca.getNotes(noteIds);
+
     const instanceName = config.General ? config.General.instanceName : null;
     const currentHours = new Date().getHours();
 
diff --git a/src/services/script.js b/src/services/script.js
index ee27c536c..260179a53 100644
--- a/src/services/script.js
+++ b/src/services/script.js
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@ const ScriptContext = require('./script_context');
 const repository = require('./repository');
 const cls = require('./cls');
 const log = require('./log');
-const becca = require("./becca/becca.js");
+const becca = require("./becca/becca");
 
 async function executeNote(note, apiParams) {
     if (!note.isJavaScript() || note.getScriptEnv() !== 'backend' || !note.isContentAvailable) {
diff --git a/src/services/setup.js b/src/services/setup.js
index becd97257..867510c6e 100644
--- a/src/services/setup.js
+++ b/src/services/setup.js
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@ const syncOptions = require('./sync_options');
 const request = require('./request');
 const appInfo = require('./app_info');
 const utils = require('./utils');
-const becca = require("./becca/becca.js");
+const becca = require("./becca/becca");
 
 async function hasSyncServerSchemaAndSeed() {
     const response = await requestToSyncServer('GET', '/api/setup/status');