diff --git a/system/backend/kidlisp-read.mjs b/system/backend/kidlisp-read.mjs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..106228b8f2
--- /dev/null
+++ b/system/backend/kidlisp-read.mjs
@@ -0,0 +1,44 @@
+// kidlisp-read.mjs — Datomic-aware piece lookup.
+//
+// When KIDLISP_DATOMIC=on, new pieces land in Datomic via store-kidlisp
+// (routed through store-kidlisp-datomic.mjs), NOT in MongoDB. Callers like
+// keep-prepare that still read Mongo directly miss those new pieces and
+// return "Piece '$code' not found" for freshly-created work.
+//
+// This helper mirrors the store-kidlisp pattern: prefer the sidecar when
+// Datomic is enabled (authoritative source for identity + source), then
+// overlay the MongoDB doc if present so caller-specific fields like
+// ipfsMedia, mediaHistory, kept, tezos, and pendingRebake — which still
+// live in Mongo — continue to work for rebake / sync flows.
+
+import { sidecar, kidlispDatomicEnabled } from "./kidlisp-sidecar.mjs";
+
+/**
+ * Fetch a kidlisp piece by its short code.
+ *
+ * @param {object} database - { db } from backend/database.mjs :: connect().
+ * @param {string} code - Short piece code without the leading `$`.
+ * @returns {Promise<object|null>} Piece doc or null.
+ */
+export async function loadKidlispPiece(database, code) {
+  if (!code) return null;
+  const collection = database.db.collection("kidlisp");
+
+  if (kidlispDatomicEnabled()) {
+    try {
+      const datomic = await sidecar.lookupByCode(code);
+      if (datomic) {
+        // Authoritative fields come from Datomic. Merge any MongoDB row on
+        // top so rebake-era fields (ipfsMedia, kept, tezos, pendingRebake,
+        // mediaHistory) keep flowing through. Missing Mongo row just means
+        // this is a brand-new piece that has never been kept yet.
+        const mongo = await collection.findOne({ code });
+        return mongo ? { ...datomic, ...mongo } : { ...datomic };
+      }
+    } catch (err) {
+      console.warn(`kidlisp-read: sidecar lookupByCode(${code}) failed — falling back to Mongo:`, err?.message || err);
+    }
+  }
+
+  return collection.findOne({ code });
+}
diff --git a/system/netlify/functions/keep-confirm.mjs b/system/netlify/functions/keep-confirm.mjs
index 293d6f01ed..e7d390daa1 100644
--- a/system/netlify/functions/keep-confirm.mjs
+++ b/system/netlify/functions/keep-confirm.mjs
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@
 import { authorize } from "../../backend/authorization.mjs";
 import { connect } from "../../backend/database.mjs";
 import { respond } from "../../backend/http.mjs";
+import { loadKidlispPiece } from "../../backend/kidlisp-read.mjs";
 import { getKeepsContractAddress, LEGACY_KEEPS_CONTRACT } from "../../backend/tezos-keeps-contract.mjs";
 import { mirrorRecordMint } from "../../backend/kidlisp-dual-write.mjs";
 
@@ -240,9 +241,9 @@ export async function handler(event, context) {
       requestedVersion: contractVersion,
     });
 
-    // Find the kidlisp record
+    // Find the kidlisp record (Datomic-aware; new pieces live only in Datomic)
     const collection = database.db.collection("kidlisp");
-    const record = await collection.findOne({ code: cleanPiece });
+    const record = await loadKidlispPiece(database, cleanPiece);
 
     if (!record) {
       await database.disconnect();
@@ -339,15 +340,19 @@ export async function handler(event, context) {
       unsetOps.pendingKeep = "";
     }
 
+    // upsert: pieces that live only in Datomic (KIDLISP_DATOMIC=on) don't
+    // yet have a Mongo row on first keep. Writing on upsert creates one so
+    // ipfsMedia / kept persist.
     const updateResult = await collection.updateOne(
       { code: cleanPiece },
       {
         $set: setOps,
         ...(Object.keys(unsetOps).length > 0 ? { $unset: unsetOps } : {}),
-      }
+      },
+      { upsert: true }
     );
 
-    if (updateResult.modifiedCount === 0 && updateResult.matchedCount === 0) {
+    if (updateResult.modifiedCount === 0 && updateResult.matchedCount === 0 && !updateResult.upsertedId) {
       console.warn(`❌ Failed to update piece ${cleanPiece}`);
       await database.disconnect();
       return respond(500, { error: "Failed to record mint" });
diff --git a/system/netlify/functions/keep-prepare-background.mjs b/system/netlify/functions/keep-prepare-background.mjs
index f711666fe6..dfa22bbc00 100644
--- a/system/netlify/functions/keep-prepare-background.mjs
+++ b/system/netlify/functions/keep-prepare-background.mjs
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@
 // Invoked by keep-prepare.mjs after job creation and validation.
 
 import { connect } from "../../backend/database.mjs";
+import { loadKidlispPiece } from "../../backend/kidlisp-read.mjs";
 import { analyzeKidLisp } from "../../backend/kidlisp-analyzer.mjs";
 import { getKeepsContractAddress, LEGACY_KEEPS_CONTRACT } from "../../backend/tezos-keeps-contract.mjs";
 import { handleFor } from "../../backend/authorization.mjs";
@@ -527,7 +528,9 @@ async function runPipeline({ jobId, pieceName, isRebake, regenerate, creatorWall
     contractVersion = VERSION_BY_PROFILE[contractProfile] || null;
   }
   const col = database.db.collection("kidlisp");
-  const piece = await col.findOne({ code: pieceName });
+  // Datomic-aware read so new pieces (which only live in Datomic when
+  // KIDLISP_DATOMIC=on) are visible to the bake pipeline.
+  const piece = await loadKidlispPiece(database, pieceName);
 
   if (!piece) {
     await markJobFailed(jobId, `Piece '$${pieceName}' not found`, "validate");
@@ -738,7 +741,10 @@ async function runPipeline({ jobId, pieceName, isRebake, regenerate, creatorWall
         },
       };
     }
-    await col.updateOne({ code: pieceName }, updateOps);
+    // upsert: pieces that live only in Datomic don't have a Mongo row yet.
+    // Write one on first bake so ipfsMedia / mediaHistory / kept can land
+    // and subsequent keep operations (rebake, confirm, sync) work.
+    await col.updateOne({ code: pieceName }, updateOps, { upsert: true });
     await mirrorIpfsMedia(pieceName, updateOps.$set.ipfsMedia);
   }
 
@@ -758,7 +764,8 @@ async function runPipeline({ jobId, pieceName, isRebake, regenerate, creatorWall
     };
     await col.updateOne(
       { code: pieceName },
-      { $set: { pendingRebake: rebakePayload } }
+      { $set: { pendingRebake: rebakePayload } },
+      { upsert: true }
     );
     await mirrorPendingRebake(pieceName, rebakePayload);
     const mintStatus = await checkMintStatus(pieceName, CONTRACT_ADDRESS);
diff --git a/system/netlify/functions/keep-prepare.mjs b/system/netlify/functions/keep-prepare.mjs
index c6c62af1e4..9d002ef6b7 100644
--- a/system/netlify/functions/keep-prepare.mjs
+++ b/system/netlify/functions/keep-prepare.mjs
@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@
 
 import { authorize, handleFor, hasAdmin } from "../../backend/authorization.mjs";
 import { connect } from "../../backend/database.mjs";
+import { loadKidlispPiece } from "../../backend/kidlisp-read.mjs";
 import { getKeepsContractAddress, LEGACY_KEEPS_CONTRACT } from "../../backend/tezos-keeps-contract.mjs";
 import {
   upsertJob,
@@ -94,10 +95,9 @@ export const handler = async (event) => {
   // ── Auth ────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
   const user = await authorize(event.headers);
 
-  // ── Load piece from DB ─────────────────────────────────────────────
+  // ── Load piece from DB (Datomic-aware; new pieces live only in Datomic) ─
   const database = await connect();
-  const collection = database.db.collection("kidlisp");
-  const piece = await collection.findOne({ code: pieceName });
+  const piece = await loadKidlispPiece(database, pieceName);
   if (!piece) return jsonResponse(404, { error: `Piece '$${pieceName}' not found` });
 
   // ── Check mint status ──────────────────────────────────────────────
diff --git a/system/netlify/functions/keep-update-confirm.mjs b/system/netlify/functions/keep-update-confirm.mjs
index d1a571959c..e7d06308fe 100644
--- a/system/netlify/functions/keep-update-confirm.mjs
+++ b/system/netlify/functions/keep-update-confirm.mjs
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@
 import { authorize, hasAdmin } from "../../backend/authorization.mjs";
 import { connect } from "../../backend/database.mjs";
 import { respond } from "../../backend/http.mjs";
+import { loadKidlispPiece } from "../../backend/kidlisp-read.mjs";
 import { getKeepsContractAddress, LEGACY_KEEPS_CONTRACT } from "../../backend/tezos-keeps-contract.mjs";
 import { mirrorRecordMint } from "../../backend/kidlisp-dual-write.mjs";
 
@@ -179,9 +180,9 @@ export async function handler(event, context) {
     });
     const normalizedTokenId = normalizeTokenId(tokenId);
 
-    // Find the kidlisp record
+    // Find the kidlisp record (Datomic-aware)
     const collection = database.db.collection("kidlisp");
-    const record = await collection.findOne({ code: cleanPiece });
+    const record = await loadKidlispPiece(database, cleanPiece);
 
     if (!record) {
       await database.disconnect();
@@ -232,10 +233,11 @@ export async function handler(event, context) {
           [`tezos.contracts.${effectiveContract}.pendingArtifactUri`]: "",
           [`tezos.contracts.${effectiveContract}.pendingThumbnailUri`]: "",
         }
-      }
+      },
+      { upsert: true }
     );
 
-    if (updateResult.modifiedCount === 0 && updateResult.matchedCount === 0) {
+    if (updateResult.modifiedCount === 0 && updateResult.matchedCount === 0 && !updateResult.upsertedId) {
       console.warn(`❌ Failed to update piece ${cleanPiece}`);
       await database.disconnect();
       return respond(500, { error: "Failed to record update" });
diff --git a/system/netlify/functions/keep-update.mjs b/system/netlify/functions/keep-update.mjs
index 6323312944..e0000e591b 100644
--- a/system/netlify/functions/keep-update.mjs
+++ b/system/netlify/functions/keep-update.mjs
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@
 
 import { authorize, hasAdmin } from "../../backend/authorization.mjs";
 import { connect } from "../../backend/database.mjs";
+import { loadKidlispPiece } from "../../backend/kidlisp-read.mjs";
 import { getKeepsContractAddress, LEGACY_KEEPS_CONTRACT } from "../../backend/tezos-keeps-contract.mjs";
 import { mirrorRecordMint } from "../../backend/kidlisp-dual-write.mjs";
 import { stream } from "@netlify/functions";
@@ -218,10 +219,10 @@ export const handler = stream(async (event) => {
       const CONTRACT_ADDRESS = await getKeepsContractAddress({ network: NETWORK, fallback: LEGACY_KEEPS_CONTRACT });
       console.log(`🪙 KEEP-UPDATE: Using contract ${CONTRACT_ADDRESS}`);
 
-      // Get piece data from database first
+      // Get piece data from database (Datomic-aware)
       database = await connect();
       const collection = database.db.collection("kidlisp");
-      const pieceDoc = await collection.findOne({ code: pieceName });
+      const pieceDoc = await loadKidlispPiece(database, pieceName);
 
       if (!pieceDoc) {
         await send("error", { error: `Piece '$${pieceName}' not found` });