diff --git a/lib/Database.php b/lib/Database.php
index a75e89db..7c74eebd 100644
--- a/lib/Database.php
+++ b/lib/Database.php
@@ -8,10 +8,6 @@ use JKingWeb\Arsse\Misc\Date;
 
 class Database {
     const SCHEMA_VERSION = 1;
-    const FORMAT_TS      = "Y-m-d h:i:s";
-    const FORMAT_DATE    = "Y-m-d";
-    const FORMAT_TIME    = "h:i:s";
-
     
     /** @var Db\Driver */
     public    $db;
@@ -29,7 +25,7 @@ class Database {
         return debug_backtrace(DEBUG_BACKTRACE_IGNORE_ARGS, 3)[2]['function'];
     }
     
-    static public function listDrivers(): array {
+    static public function driverList(): array {
         $sep = \DIRECTORY_SEPARATOR;
         $path = __DIR__.$sep."Db".$sep;
         $classes = [];
@@ -41,11 +37,11 @@ class Database {
         return $classes;
     }
 
-    public function schemaVersion(): int {
+    public function driverSchemaVersion(): int {
         return $this->db->schemaVersion();
     }
 
-    public function schemaUpdate(): bool {
+    public function driverSchemaUpdate(): bool {
         if($this->db->schemaVersion() < self::SCHEMA_VERSION) return $this->db->schemaUpdate(self::SCHEMA_VERSION);
         return false;
     }
@@ -86,17 +82,16 @@ class Database {
         return $this->db->prepare("SELECT value from arsse_meta where key is ?", "str")->run($key)->getValue();
     }
     
-    public function metaSet(string $key, string $value, string $type = "str"): bool {
-        $out = !$this->db->prepare("UPDATE arsse_meta set value = ? where key is ?", $type, "str")->run($value, $key)->changes();
+    public function metaSet(string $key, $value, string $type = "str"): bool {
+        $out = $this->db->prepare("UPDATE arsse_meta set value = ? where key is ?", $type, "str")->run($value, $key)->changes();
         if(!$out) {
-            $out = $this->db->prepare("INSERT INTO arsse_meta(key,value)", "str", $type)->run($key, $value)->changes();
+            $out = $this->db->prepare("INSERT INTO arsse_meta(key,value) values(?,?)", "str", $type)->run($key, $value)->changes();
         }
         return (bool) $out;
     }
 
     public function metaRemove(string $key): bool {
-        $this->db->prepare("DELETE from arsse_meta where key is ?", "str")->run($key);
-        return true;
+        return (bool) $this->db->prepare("DELETE from arsse_meta where key is ?", "str")->run($key)->changes();
     }
 
     public function userExists(string $user): bool {
@@ -776,7 +771,7 @@ class Database {
         return (bool) $out;
     }
 
-    public function articleValidateId(string $user, int $id): array {
+    protected function articleValidateId(string $user, int $id): array {
         $out = $this->db->prepare(
             "SELECT 
                 arsse_articles.id as article, 
diff --git a/lib/Feed.php b/lib/Feed.php
index ef2f7a07..3a6e2a03 100644
--- a/lib/Feed.php
+++ b/lib/Feed.php
@@ -52,7 +52,7 @@ class Feed {
         $this->nextFetch = $this->computeNextFetch();
     }
 
-    public function download(string $url, string $lastModified = '', string $etag = '', string $username = '', string $password = ''): bool {
+    protected function download(string $url, string $lastModified = '', string $etag = '', string $username = '', string $password = ''): bool {
         try {
             $this->reader = new Reader($this->config);
             $this->resource = $this->reader->download($url, $lastModified, $etag, $username, $password);
@@ -62,7 +62,7 @@ class Feed {
         return true;
     }
 
-    public function parse(): bool {
+    protected function parse(): bool {
         try {
             $this->parser = $this->reader->getParser(
                 $this->resource->getUrl(),
@@ -192,7 +192,7 @@ class Feed {
         return $out;
     }
 
-    public function matchToDatabase(int $feedID = null): bool {
+    protected function matchToDatabase(int $feedID = null): bool {
         // first perform deduplication on items
         $items = $this->deduplicateItems($this->data->items);
         // if we haven't been given a database feed ID to check against, all items are new
@@ -221,7 +221,7 @@ class Feed {
         return true;
     }
 
-    public function matchItems(array $items, array $articles): array {
+    protected function matchItems(array $items, array $articles): array {
         $new =  $edited = [];
         // iterate through the articles and for each determine whether it is existing, edited, or entirely new
         foreach($items as $i) {
@@ -260,7 +260,7 @@ class Feed {
         return [$new, $edited];
     }
 
-    public function computeNextFetch(): \DateTime {
+    protected function computeNextFetch(): \DateTime {
         $now = Date::normalize(time());
         if(!$this->modified) {
             $diff = $now->getTimestamp() - $this->lastModified->getTimestamp();
@@ -318,7 +318,7 @@ class Feed {
         return $offset;
     }
 
-    public function computeLastModified() {
+    protected function computeLastModified() {
         if(!$this->modified) return $this->lastModified;
         $dates = $this->gatherDates();
         if(sizeof($dates)) {
diff --git a/lib/Service.php b/lib/Service.php
index 268151cc..2fed9a18 100644
--- a/lib/Service.php
+++ b/lib/Service.php
@@ -9,6 +9,18 @@ class Service {
     protected $drv;
     /** @var \DateInterval */
     protected $interval;
+
+    static public function driverList(): array {
+        $sep = \DIRECTORY_SEPARATOR;
+        $path = __DIR__.$sep."Service".$sep;
+        $classes = [];
+        foreach(glob($path."*".$sep."Driver.php") as $file) {
+            $name = basename(dirname($file));
+            $class = NS_BASE."User\\$name\\Driver";
+            $classes[$class] = $class::driverName();
+        }
+        return $classes;
+    }
     
     protected static function interval(): \DateInterval {
         return new \DateInterval(Arsse::$conf->serviceFrequency); // FIXME: this needs to fall back in case of incorrect input
@@ -32,6 +44,7 @@ class Service {
                 $this->drv->exec();
                 $this->drv->clean();
                 static::cleanupPost();
+                unset($list);
             }
             $t->add($this->interval);
             do {
diff --git a/lib/User.php b/lib/User.php
index 759430e5..13ab49f9 100644
--- a/lib/User.php
+++ b/lib/User.php
@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@ class User {
     protected $authzSupported = 0;
     protected $actor = [];
 
-    static public function listDrivers(): array {
+    static public function driverList(): array {
         $sep = \DIRECTORY_SEPARATOR;
         $path = __DIR__.$sep."User".$sep;
         $classes = [];
diff --git a/tests/Db/SQLite3/Database/TestDatabaseMetaSQLite3.php b/tests/Db/SQLite3/Database/TestDatabaseMetaSQLite3.php
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..3356eec6
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/Db/SQLite3/Database/TestDatabaseMetaSQLite3.php
@@ -0,0 +1,9 @@
+<?php
+declare(strict_types=1);
+namespace JKingWeb\Arsse;
+
+class TestDatabaseMetaSQLite3 extends Test\AbstractTest {
+    use Test\Database\Setup;
+    use Test\Database\DriverSQLite3;
+    use Test\Database\SeriesMeta;
+}
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/tests/lib/Database/SeriesMeta.php b/tests/lib/Database/SeriesMeta.php
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..632c61b4
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/lib/Database/SeriesMeta.php
@@ -0,0 +1,70 @@
+<?php
+declare(strict_types=1);
+namespace JKingWeb\Arsse\Test\Database;
+use JKingWeb\Arsse\Test\Database;
+use JKingWeb\Arsse\Arsse;
+
+trait SeriesMeta {
+    protected $dataBare = [
+        'arsse_meta' => [
+            'columns' => [
+                'key'   => 'str',
+                'value' => 'str',
+            ],
+            'rows' => [
+              //['schema_version', "".\JKingWeb\Arsse\Database::SCHEMA_VERSION],
+              ['album',"A Farewell to Kings"],
+            ],
+        ],
+    ];
+
+    function setUpSeries() {
+        // the schema_version key is a special case, and to avoid jumping through hoops for every test we deal with it now
+        $this->data = $this->dataBare;
+        // as far as tests are concerned the schema version is part of the expectations primed into the database
+        array_unshift($this->data['arsse_meta']['rows'], ['schema_version', "".Database::SCHEMA_VERSION]);
+        // but it's already been inserted by the driver, so we prime without it
+        $this->primeDatabase($this->dataBare);
+    }
+
+    function testAddANewValue() {
+        $this->assertTrue(Arsse::$db->metaSet("favourite", "Cygnus X-1"));
+        $state = $this->primeExpectations($this->data, ['arsse_meta' => ['key','value']]);
+        $state['arsse_meta']['rows'][] = ["favourite","Cygnus X-1"];
+        $this->compareExpectations($state);
+    }
+
+    function testAddANewTypedValue() {
+        $this->assertTrue(Arsse::$db->metaSet("answer", 42, "int"));
+        $this->assertTrue(Arsse::$db->metaSet("true", true, "bool"));
+        $this->assertTrue(Arsse::$db->metaSet("false", false, "bool"));
+        $this->assertTrue(Arsse::$db->metaSet("millennium", new \DateTime("2000-01-01T00:00:00Z"), "datetime"));
+        $state = $this->primeExpectations($this->data, ['arsse_meta' => ['key','value']]);
+        $state['arsse_meta']['rows'][] = ["answer","42"];
+        $state['arsse_meta']['rows'][] = ["true","1"];
+        $state['arsse_meta']['rows'][] = ["false","0"];
+        $state['arsse_meta']['rows'][] = ["millennium","2000-01-01 00:00:00"];
+        $this->compareExpectations($state);
+    }
+
+    function testChangeAnExistingValue() {
+        $this->assertTrue(Arsse::$db->metaSet("album", "Hemispheres"));
+        $state = $this->primeExpectations($this->data, ['arsse_meta' => ['key','value']]);
+        $state['arsse_meta']['rows'][1][1] = "Hemispheres";
+        $this->compareExpectations($state);
+    }
+
+    function testRemoveAValue() {
+        $this->assertTrue(Arsse::$db->metaRemove("album"));
+        $this->assertFalse(Arsse::$db->metaRemove("album"));
+        $state = $this->primeExpectations($this->data, ['arsse_meta' => ['key','value']]);
+        unset($state['arsse_meta']['rows'][1]);
+        $this->compareExpectations($state);
+    }
+
+    function testRetrieveAValue() {
+        $this->assertSame("".Database::SCHEMA_VERSION, Arsse::$db->metaGet("schema_version"));
+        $this->assertSame("A Farewell to Kings", Arsse::$db->metaGet("album"));
+        $this->assertSame(null, Arsse::$db->metaGet("this_key_does_not_exist"));
+    }
+}
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/tests/lib/Database/Setup.php b/tests/lib/Database/Setup.php
index 3e406ced..57484fce 100644
--- a/tests/lib/Database/Setup.php
+++ b/tests/lib/Database/Setup.php
@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@ use Phake;
 
 trait Setup {
     protected $drv;
+    protected $primed = false;
 
     function setUp() {
         // establish a clean baseline
@@ -21,20 +22,21 @@ trait Setup {
         $this->setUpDriver();
         // create the database interface with the suitable driver
         Arsse::$db = new Database($this->drv);
-        Arsse::$db->schemaUpdate();
+        Arsse::$db->driverSchemaUpdate();
         // create a mock user manager
         Arsse::$user = Phake::mock(User::class);
         Phake::when(Arsse::$user)->authorize->thenReturn(true);
         // call the additional setup method if it exists
         if(method_exists($this, "setUpSeries")) $this->setUpSeries();
-        // prime the database with series data
-        if(isset($this->data)) $this->primeDatabase($this->data);
+        // prime the database with series data if it hasn't already been done
+        if(!$this->primed && isset($this->data)) $this->primeDatabase($this->data);
     }
 
     function tearDown() {
         // call the additional teardiwn method if it exists
         if(method_exists($this, "tearDownSeries")) $this->tearDownSeries();
         // clean up
+        $this->primed = false;
         $this->drv = null;
         $this->clearData();
     }
@@ -51,6 +53,7 @@ trait Setup {
             }
         }
         $tr->commit();
+        $this->primed = true;
         return true;
     }
 
diff --git a/tests/phpunit.xml b/tests/phpunit.xml
index 27b7b207..04178c48 100644
--- a/tests/phpunit.xml
+++ b/tests/phpunit.xml
@@ -42,6 +42,7 @@
         <file>Db/SQLite3/TestDbUpdateSQLite3.php</file>
     </testsuite>
     <testsuite name="Database functions">
+        <file>Db/SQLite3/Database/TestDatabaseMetaSQLite3.php</file>
         <file>Db/SQLite3/Database/TestDatabaseUserSQLite3.php</file>
         <file>Db/SQLite3/Database/TestDatabaseFolderSQLite3.php</file>
         <file>Db/SQLite3/Database/TestDatabaseFeedSQLite3.php</file>