diff --git a/rslib/src/backend/mod.rs b/rslib/src/backend/mod.rs
index eebcad327..22dc410bb 100644
--- a/rslib/src/backend/mod.rs
+++ b/rslib/src/backend/mod.rs
@@ -319,7 +319,10 @@ impl Backend {
                 OValue::SetAllDecks(pb::Empty {})
             }
             Value::AllStockNotetypes(_) => OValue::AllStockNotetypes(pb::AllStockNotetypesOut {
-                notetypes: all_stock_notetypes(&self.i18n),
+                notetypes: all_stock_notetypes(&self.i18n)
+                    .into_iter()
+                    .map(Into::into)
+                    .collect(),
             }),
         })
     }
diff --git a/rslib/src/media/check.rs b/rslib/src/media/check.rs
index bc4b2f12c..f360cd1ce 100644
--- a/rslib/src/media/check.rs
+++ b/rslib/src/media/check.rs
@@ -401,12 +401,16 @@ where
                 &self.mgr.media_folder,
             )? {
                 // note was modified, needs saving
-                set_note(&self.ctx.storage.db, note, nt.sort_field_idx())?;
+                set_note(
+                    &self.ctx.storage.db,
+                    note,
+                    nt.config.sort_field_idx as usize,
+                )?;
                 collection_modified = true;
             }
 
             // extract latex
-            extract_latex_refs(note, &mut referenced_files, nt.latex_uses_svg());
+            extract_latex_refs(note, &mut referenced_files, nt.config.latex_svg);
             Ok(())
         })?;
 
diff --git a/rslib/src/notetype/mod.rs b/rslib/src/notetype/mod.rs
index a932b92fd..2f7aa6ed9 100644
--- a/rslib/src/notetype/mod.rs
+++ b/rslib/src/notetype/mod.rs
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@ mod stock;
 
 pub use crate::backend_proto::{
     card_requirement::CardRequirementKind, CardRequirement, CardTemplate, CardTemplateConfig,
-    NoteField, NoteFieldConfig, NoteType, NoteTypeConfig, NoteTypeKind,
+    NoteField, NoteFieldConfig, NoteType as NoteTypeProto, NoteTypeConfig, NoteTypeKind,
 };
 pub use schema11::{CardTemplateSchema11, NoteFieldSchema11, NoteTypeSchema11};
 pub use stock::all_stock_notetypes;
@@ -15,6 +15,8 @@ use crate::{
     define_newtype,
     template::{without_legacy_template_directives, FieldRequirements, ParsedTemplate},
     text::ensure_string_in_nfc,
+    timestamp::TimestampSecs,
+    types::Usn,
 };
 use std::collections::{HashMap, HashSet};
 use unicase::UniCase;
@@ -42,29 +44,35 @@ pub(crate) const DEFAULT_LATEX_HEADER: &str = r#"\documentclass[12pt]{article}
 
 pub(crate) const DEFAULT_LATEX_FOOTER: &str = r#"\end{document}"#;
 
-impl NoteType {
-    pub fn new() -> Self {
-        let mut nt = Self::default();
+pub struct NoteType {
+    pub id: NoteTypeID,
+    pub name: String,
+    pub mtime_secs: TimestampSecs,
+    pub usn: Usn,
+    pub fields: Vec<NoteField>,
+    pub templates: Vec<CardTemplate>,
+    pub config: NoteTypeConfig,
+}
+
+impl Default for NoteType {
+    fn default() -> Self {
         let mut conf = NoteTypeConfig::default();
         conf.css = DEFAULT_CSS.into();
         conf.latex_pre = DEFAULT_LATEX_HEADER.into();
         conf.latex_post = DEFAULT_LATEX_FOOTER.into();
-        nt.config = Some(conf);
-        nt
-    }
-
-    pub fn id(&self) -> NoteTypeID {
-        NoteTypeID(self.id)
-    }
-
-    pub fn sort_field_idx(&self) -> usize {
-        self.config.as_ref().unwrap().sort_field_idx as usize
-    }
-
-    pub fn latex_uses_svg(&self) -> bool {
-        self.config.as_ref().unwrap().latex_svg
+        NoteType {
+            id: NoteTypeID(0),
+            name: "".into(),
+            mtime_secs: TimestampSecs(0),
+            usn: Usn(0),
+            fields: vec![],
+            templates: vec![],
+            config: conf,
+        }
     }
+}
 
+impl NoteType {
     pub(crate) fn ensure_names_unique(&mut self) {
         let mut names = HashSet::new();
         for t in &mut self.templates {
@@ -134,7 +142,7 @@ impl NoteType {
                 }
             })
             .collect();
-        self.config.as_mut().unwrap().reqs = reqs;
+        self.config.reqs = reqs;
     }
 
     pub(crate) fn normalize_names(&mut self) {
@@ -180,3 +188,17 @@ impl NoteType {
         self.update_requirements();
     }
 }
+
+impl From<NoteType> for NoteTypeProto {
+    fn from(nt: NoteType) -> Self {
+        NoteTypeProto {
+            id: nt.id.0,
+            name: nt.name,
+            mtime_secs: nt.mtime_secs.0 as u32,
+            usn: nt.usn.0,
+            config: Some(nt.config),
+            fields: nt.fields,
+            templates: nt.templates,
+        }
+    }
+}
diff --git a/rslib/src/notetype/schema11.rs b/rslib/src/notetype/schema11.rs
index 56b7b019d..8eabaecbe 100644
--- a/rslib/src/notetype/schema11.rs
+++ b/rslib/src/notetype/schema11.rs
@@ -88,11 +88,11 @@ impl NoteTypeSchema11 {
 impl From<NoteTypeSchema11> for NoteType {
     fn from(nt: NoteTypeSchema11) -> Self {
         NoteType {
-            id: nt.id.0,
+            id: nt.id,
             name: nt.name,
-            mtime_secs: nt.mtime.0 as u32,
-            usn: nt.usn.0,
-            config: Some(NoteTypeConfig {
+            mtime_secs: nt.mtime,
+            usn: nt.usn,
+            config: NoteTypeConfig {
                 kind: nt.kind as i32,
                 sort_field_idx: nt.sortf as u32,
                 css: nt.css,
@@ -102,7 +102,7 @@ impl From<NoteTypeSchema11> for NoteType {
                 latex_svg: nt.latexsvg,
                 reqs: nt.req.0.into_iter().map(Into::into).collect(),
                 other: other_to_bytes(&nt.other),
-            }),
+            },
             fields: nt.flds.into_iter().map(Into::into).collect(),
             templates: nt.tmpls.into_iter().map(Into::into).collect(),
         }
@@ -134,17 +134,17 @@ fn bytes_to_other(bytes: &[u8]) -> HashMap<String, Value> {
 
 impl From<NoteType> for NoteTypeSchema11 {
     fn from(p: NoteType) -> Self {
-        let c = p.config.unwrap();
+        let c = p.config;
         NoteTypeSchema11 {
-            id: NoteTypeID(p.id),
+            id: p.id,
             name: p.name,
             kind: if c.kind == 1 {
                 NoteTypeKind::Cloze
             } else {
                 NoteTypeKind::Standard
             },
-            mtime: TimestampSecs(p.mtime_secs as i64),
-            usn: Usn(p.usn),
+            mtime: p.mtime_secs,
+            usn: p.usn,
             sortf: c.sort_field_idx as u16,
             did: if c.target_deck_id == 0 {
                 None
diff --git a/rslib/src/notetype/stock.rs b/rslib/src/notetype/stock.rs
index 8a254d07a..0b5e151cf 100644
--- a/rslib/src/notetype/stock.rs
+++ b/rslib/src/notetype/stock.rs
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@ impl SqliteStorage {
             if idx == StockNoteType::Basic as usize {
                 self.set_config_value(
                     ConfigKey::CurrentNoteTypeID.into(),
-                    &nt.id(),
+                    &nt.id,
                     self.usn(false)?,
                     TimestampSecs::now(),
                 )?;
@@ -43,7 +43,7 @@ fn fieldref<S: AsRef<str>>(name: S) -> String {
 }
 
 pub(crate) fn basic(i18n: &I18n) -> NoteType {
-    let mut nt = NoteType::new();
+    let mut nt = NoteType::default();
     nt.name = i18n.tr(TR::NotetypesBasicName).into();
     let front = i18n.tr(TR::NotetypesFrontField);
     let back = i18n.tr(TR::NotetypesBackField);
@@ -108,15 +108,14 @@ pub(crate) fn basic_optional_reverse(i18n: &I18n) -> NoteType {
 }
 
 pub(crate) fn cloze(i18n: &I18n) -> NoteType {
-    let mut nt = NoteType::new();
+    let mut nt = NoteType::default();
     nt.name = i18n.tr(TR::NotetypesClozeName).into();
     let text = i18n.tr(TR::NotetypesTextField);
     nt.add_field(text.as_ref());
     let fmt = format!("{{{{cloze:{}}}}}", text);
     nt.add_template(nt.name.clone(), fmt.clone(), fmt);
-    let mut config = nt.config.as_mut().unwrap();
-    config.kind = NoteTypeKind::Cloze as i32;
-    config.css += "
+    nt.config.kind = NoteTypeKind::Cloze as i32;
+    nt.config.css += "
 .cloze {
  font-weight: bold;
  color: blue;
diff --git a/rslib/src/search/sqlwriter.rs b/rslib/src/search/sqlwriter.rs
index 9e2150476..f5ee1c6b1 100644
--- a/rslib/src/search/sqlwriter.rs
+++ b/rslib/src/search/sqlwriter.rs
@@ -301,10 +301,10 @@ impl SqlWriter<'_> {
 
         let mut field_map = vec![];
         for nt in note_types.values() {
-            let fields = self.col.storage.get_notetype_fields(nt.id())?;
+            let fields = self.col.storage.get_notetype_fields(nt.id)?;
             for field in &fields {
                 if matches_wildcard(&field.name, field_name) {
-                    field_map.push((nt.id(), field.ord));
+                    field_map.push((nt.id, field.ord));
                 }
             }
         }
diff --git a/rslib/src/storage/notetype/mod.rs b/rslib/src/storage/notetype/mod.rs
index 9a591418d..bd87f2590 100644
--- a/rslib/src/storage/notetype/mod.rs
+++ b/rslib/src/storage/notetype/mod.rs
@@ -3,11 +3,9 @@
 
 use super::SqliteStorage;
 use crate::{
-    backend_proto::{
-        CardTemplate, CardTemplateConfig, NoteField, NoteFieldConfig, NoteType, NoteTypeConfig,
-    },
+    backend_proto::{CardTemplate, CardTemplateConfig, NoteField, NoteFieldConfig, NoteTypeConfig},
     err::{AnkiError, DBErrorKind, Result},
-    notetype::{NoteTypeID, NoteTypeSchema11},
+    notetype::{NoteType, NoteTypeID, NoteTypeSchema11},
     timestamp::TimestampMillis,
 };
 use prost::Message;
@@ -22,7 +20,7 @@ fn row_to_notetype_core(row: &Row) -> Result<NoteType> {
         name: row.get(1)?,
         mtime_secs: row.get(2)?,
         usn: row.get(3)?,
-        config: Some(config),
+        config,
         fields: vec![],
         templates: vec![],
     })
@@ -41,7 +39,7 @@ impl SqliteStorage {
         self.db
             .prepare_cached(include_str!("get_notetype.sql"))?
             .query_and_then(NO_PARAMS, row_to_notetype_core)?
-            .map(|ntres| ntres.map(|nt| (nt.id(), nt)))
+            .map(|ntres| ntres.map(|nt| (nt.id, nt)))
             .collect()
     }
 
@@ -86,7 +84,8 @@ impl SqliteStorage {
         }
     }
 
-    fn get_all_notetype_meta(&self) -> Result<Vec<(NoteTypeID, String)>> {
+    #[allow(dead_code)]
+    fn get_all_notetype_names(&self) -> Result<Vec<(NoteTypeID, String)>> {
         self.db
             .prepare_cached(include_str!("get_notetype_names.sql"))?
             .query_and_then(NO_PARAMS, |row| Ok((row.get(0)?, row.get(1)?)))?
@@ -97,7 +96,7 @@ impl SqliteStorage {
         &self,
     ) -> Result<HashMap<NoteTypeID, NoteTypeSchema11>> {
         let mut nts = HashMap::new();
-        for (ntid, _name) in self.get_all_notetype_meta()? {
+        for (ntid, _name) in self.get_all_notetype_core()? {
             let full = self.get_full_notetype(ntid)?.unwrap();
             nts.insert(ntid, full.into());
         }
@@ -149,24 +148,24 @@ impl SqliteStorage {
         Ok(())
     }
 
-    fn update_notetype_meta(&self, nt: &NoteType) -> Result<()> {
-        assert!(nt.id != 0);
+    fn update_notetype_config(&self, nt: &NoteType) -> Result<()> {
+        assert!(nt.id.0 != 0);
         let mut stmt = self
             .db
-            .prepare_cached(include_str!("update_notetype_meta.sql"))?;
+            .prepare_cached(include_str!("update_notetype_core.sql"))?;
         let mut config_bytes = vec![];
-        nt.config.as_ref().unwrap().encode(&mut config_bytes)?;
+        nt.config.encode(&mut config_bytes)?;
         stmt.execute(params![nt.id, nt.name, nt.mtime_secs, nt.usn, config_bytes])?;
 
         Ok(())
     }
 
     pub(crate) fn add_new_notetype(&self, nt: &mut NoteType) -> Result<()> {
-        assert!(nt.id == 0);
+        assert!(nt.id.0 == 0);
 
         let mut stmt = self.db.prepare_cached(include_str!("add_notetype.sql"))?;
         let mut config_bytes = vec![];
-        nt.config.as_ref().unwrap().encode(&mut config_bytes)?;
+        nt.config.encode(&mut config_bytes)?;
         stmt.execute(params![
             TimestampMillis::now(),
             nt.name,
@@ -174,10 +173,10 @@ impl SqliteStorage {
             nt.usn,
             config_bytes
         ])?;
-        nt.id = self.db.last_insert_rowid();
+        nt.id.0 = self.db.last_insert_rowid();
 
-        self.update_notetype_fields(nt.id(), &nt.fields)?;
-        self.update_notetype_templates(nt.id(), &nt.templates)?;
+        self.update_notetype_fields(nt.id, &nt.fields)?;
+        self.update_notetype_templates(nt.id, &nt.templates)?;
 
         Ok(())
     }
@@ -199,7 +198,7 @@ impl SqliteStorage {
                 }
                 nt.name.push('_');
             }
-            self.update_notetype_meta(&nt)?;
+            self.update_notetype_config(&nt)?;
             self.update_notetype_fields(ntid, &nt.fields)?;
             self.update_notetype_templates(ntid, &nt.templates)?;
         }
diff --git a/rslib/src/storage/notetype/update_notetype_meta.sql b/rslib/src/storage/notetype/update_notetype_core.sql
similarity index 100%
rename from rslib/src/storage/notetype/update_notetype_meta.sql
rename to rslib/src/storage/notetype/update_notetype_core.sql
diff --git a/rslib/src/storage/sqlite.rs b/rslib/src/storage/sqlite.rs
index d0dffe88e..da4878db7 100644
--- a/rslib/src/storage/sqlite.rs
+++ b/rslib/src/storage/sqlite.rs
@@ -21,7 +21,6 @@ fn unicase_compare(s1: &str, s2: &str) -> Ordering {
 }
 
 // fixme: rollback savepoint when tags not changed
-// fixme: switch away from proto for top level struct
 
 // currently public for dbproxy
 #[derive(Debug)]