diff --git a/larigira/db.py b/larigira/db.py
index 7aaa40c..a36468b 100644
--- a/larigira/db.py
+++ b/larigira/db.py
@@ -22,6 +22,16 @@ class ReadOnlyMiddleware(Middleware):
 class ReadOnlyException(ValueError):
     pass
 
+def only_main(f):
+    '''assumes first argument is id, and must be "main"'''
+    def wrapper(self, *args):
+        _id = args[0]
+        db, db_id = EventModel.parse_id(_id)
+        if db != 'main':
+            raise ReadOnlyException('You called a write operation on a readonly db')
+        return f(self, db_id, *args[1:])
+    return wrapper
+
 
 class EventModel(object):
     def __init__(self, uri, additional_db_dir=None):
@@ -63,31 +73,36 @@ class EventModel(object):
         self._actions = self._dbs['main'].table("actions")
         self._alarms = self._dbs['main'].table("alarms")
 
-    def canonicalize(self, eid_or_aid: Union[str, int]) -> str:
+    @staticmethod
+    def canonicalize(eid_or_aid: Union[str, int]) -> str:
         try:
             int(eid_or_aid)
         except ValueError:
             return eid_or_aid
         return 'main:%d' % eid_or_aid
 
-    def parse_id(self, eid_or_aid: Union[str, int]) -> Tuple[str, int]:
+    @staticmethod
+    def parse_id(eid_or_aid: Union[str, int]) -> Tuple[str, int]:
         try:
             int(eid_or_aid)
         except ValueError:
             pass
         else:
-            return ('main', eid_or_aid)
+            return ('main', int(eid_or_aid))
 
         dbname, num = eid_or_aid.split(':')
         return (dbname, int(num))
         
 
     def get_action_by_id(self, action_id: Union[str, int]):
-        db, db_action_id = self.parse_id(action_id)
-        return self._dbs[db].table('actions').get(eid=db_action_id)
+        canonical = self.canonicalize(action_id)
+        db, db_action_id = self.__class__.parse_id(canonical)
+        out = self._dbs[db].table('actions').get(eid=db_action_id)
+        out.doc_id = canonical
+        return out
 
     def get_alarm_by_id(self, alarm_id):
-        db, alarm_id = self.parse_id(alarm_id)
+        db, alarm_id = self.__class__.parse_id(alarm_id)
         return self._dbs[db].table('alarms').get(eid=alarm_id)
 
     def get_actions_by_alarm(self, alarm):
@@ -125,14 +140,18 @@ class EventModel(object):
     def add_alarm(self, alarm):
         return self.add_event(alarm, [])
 
+    @only_main
     def update_alarm(self, alarmid, new_fields={}):
         return self._alarms.update(new_fields, eids=[alarmid])
 
+    @only_main
     def update_action(self, actionid, new_fields={}):
         return self._actions.update(new_fields, eids=[actionid])
 
+    @only_main
     def delete_alarm(self, alarmid):
         return self._alarms.remove(eids=[alarmid])
 
+    @only_main
     def delete_action(self, actionid):
         return self._actions.remove(eids=[actionid])