diff --git a/examples/slice_sync.zig b/examples/slice_sync.zig
index 8a2a1f3..4e984b4 100644
--- a/examples/slice_sync.zig
+++ b/examples/slice_sync.zig
@@ -45,8 +45,11 @@ pub fn main(init: std.process.Init) !void {
         return error.MissingActor;
     }
 
+    // "-" as the actor means no DID filter: a network-wide collection slice
     var did: []const u8 = args[1];
-    if (!std.mem.startsWith(u8, did, "did:")) {
+    if (std.mem.eql(u8, did, "-")) {
+        did = "";
+    } else if (!std.mem.startsWith(u8, did, "did:")) {
         var resolver = zat.HandleResolver.init(init.io, allocator);
         defer resolver.deinit();
         const resolved = try resolver.resolve(zat.Handle.parse(args[1]) orelse return error.InvalidHandle);
@@ -63,14 +66,14 @@ pub fn main(init: std.process.Init) !void {
         while (it.next()) |c| try collections.append(init.arena.allocator(), c);
     }
 
-    std.debug.print("slicing the archive for {s} ({d} collection filters)\n", .{ did, collections.items.len });
+    std.debug.print("slicing the archive for {s} ({d} collection filters)\n", .{ if (did.len > 0) did else "the whole network", collections.items.len });
     const started = std.Io.Timestamp.now(init.io, .awake).nanoseconds;
 
     var stats = SliceStats{ .arena = init.arena.allocator() };
     const result = try jetstream_sdk.ArchiveBackfill.run(init.io, allocator, .{
         .host = "https://stream.waow.tech",
         .after_seq = 0,
-        .dids = &.{did},
+        .dids = if (did.len > 0) &.{did} else &.{},
         .collections = collections.items,
         // jim's sparse-backfill recipe: kind=commit changes the PLAN, not
         // just client filtering — without it, marker/sentinel rows admit