diff --git a/rslib/src/backend/mod.rs b/rslib/src/backend/mod.rs
index 0a7f33b8e..bb8d5bf03 100644
--- a/rslib/src/backend/mod.rs
+++ b/rslib/src/backend/mod.rs
@@ -78,6 +78,7 @@ fn anki_error_to_proto_error(err: AnkiError, i18n: &I18n) -> pb::BackendError {
         AnkiError::SchemaChange => V::InvalidInput(pb::Empty {}),
         AnkiError::JSONError { info } => V::JsonError(info),
         AnkiError::ProtoError { info } => V::ProtoError(info),
+        AnkiError::NoCardsGenerated => todo!(),
     };
 
     pb::BackendError {
diff --git a/rslib/src/card.rs b/rslib/src/card.rs
index c9ee0467f..6cc5c02ac 100644
--- a/rslib/src/card.rs
+++ b/rslib/src/card.rs
@@ -99,6 +99,15 @@ impl Undoable for UpdateCardUndo {
     }
 }
 
+impl Card {
+    pub fn new(nid: NoteID, ord: u16, deck_id: DeckID) -> Self {
+        let mut card = Card::default();
+        card.nid = nid;
+        card.ord = ord;
+        card.did = deck_id;
+        card
+    }
+}
 impl Collection {
     #[cfg(test)]
     pub(crate) fn get_and_update_card<F, T>(&mut self, cid: CardID, func: F) -> Result<Card>
@@ -127,7 +136,6 @@ impl Collection {
         self.storage.update_card(card)
     }
 
-    #[allow(dead_code)]
     pub(crate) fn add_card(&mut self, card: &mut Card) -> Result<()> {
         if card.id.0 != 0 {
             return Err(AnkiError::invalid_input("card id already set"));
diff --git a/rslib/src/err.rs b/rslib/src/err.rs
index d3d38c920..cee41d4c7 100644
--- a/rslib/src/err.rs
+++ b/rslib/src/err.rs
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@ use std::io;
 
 pub type Result<T> = std::result::Result<T, AnkiError>;
 
-#[derive(Debug, Fail)]
+#[derive(Debug, Fail, PartialEq)]
 pub enum AnkiError {
     #[fail(display = "invalid input: {}", info)]
     InvalidInput { info: String },
@@ -48,6 +48,9 @@ pub enum AnkiError {
 
     #[fail(display = "Operation modifies schema, but schema not marked modified.")]
     SchemaChange,
+
+    #[fail(display = "No cards generated.")]
+    NoCardsGenerated,
 }
 
 // error helpers
diff --git a/rslib/src/media/check.rs b/rslib/src/media/check.rs
index 32b987b4a..58c91f045 100644
--- a/rslib/src/media/check.rs
+++ b/rslib/src/media/check.rs
@@ -404,7 +404,7 @@ where
                 &self.mgr.media_folder,
             )? {
                 // note was modified, needs saving
-                note.prepare_for_update(nt.config.sort_field_idx as usize, usn);
+                note.prepare_for_update(nt, usn)?;
                 self.ctx.storage.update_note(&note)?;
                 collection_modified = true;
             }
diff --git a/rslib/src/notes.rs b/rslib/src/notes.rs
index b40537ffa..b28c585e8 100644
--- a/rslib/src/notes.rs
+++ b/rslib/src/notes.rs
@@ -1,11 +1,16 @@
 // Copyright: Ankitects Pty Ltd and contributors
 // License: GNU AGPL, version 3 or later; http://www.gnu.org/licenses/agpl.html
 
-use crate::err::{AnkiError, Result};
-use crate::notetype::NoteTypeID;
-use crate::text::strip_html_preserving_image_filenames;
-use crate::timestamp::TimestampSecs;
-use crate::{collection::Collection, define_newtype, types::Usn};
+use crate::{
+    card::Card,
+    collection::Collection,
+    define_newtype,
+    err::{AnkiError, Result},
+    notetype::{CardGenContext, NoteField, NoteType, NoteTypeID},
+    text::strip_html_preserving_image_filenames,
+    timestamp::TimestampSecs,
+    types::Usn,
+};
 use num_integer::Integer;
 use std::{collections::HashSet, convert::TryInto};
 
@@ -27,15 +32,15 @@ pub struct Note {
 }
 
 impl Note {
-    pub(crate) fn new(ntid: NoteTypeID, field_count: usize) -> Self {
+    pub(crate) fn new(notetype: &NoteType) -> Self {
         Note {
             id: NoteID(0),
             guid: guid(),
-            ntid,
+            ntid: notetype.id,
             mtime: TimestampSecs(0),
             usn: Usn(0),
             tags: vec![],
-            fields: vec!["".to_string(); field_count],
+            fields: vec!["".to_string(); notetype.fields.len()],
             sort_field: None,
             checksum: None,
         }
@@ -57,15 +62,24 @@ impl Note {
         Ok(())
     }
 
-    pub fn prepare_for_update(&mut self, sort_field_idx: usize, usn: Usn) {
+    pub fn prepare_for_update(&mut self, nt: &NoteType, usn: Usn) -> Result<()> {
+        assert!(nt.id == self.ntid);
+        if nt.fields.len() != self.fields.len() {
+            return Err(AnkiError::invalid_input(format!(
+                "note has {} fields, expected {}",
+                self.fields.len(),
+                nt.fields.len()
+            )));
+        }
+
         let field1_nohtml = strip_html_preserving_image_filenames(&self.fields()[0]);
         let checksum = field_checksum(field1_nohtml.as_ref());
-        let sort_field = if sort_field_idx == 0 {
+        let sort_field = if nt.config.sort_field_idx == 0 {
             field1_nohtml
         } else {
             strip_html_preserving_image_filenames(
                 self.fields
-                    .get(sort_field_idx)
+                    .get(nt.config.sort_field_idx as usize)
                     .map(AsRef::as_ref)
                     .unwrap_or(""),
             )
@@ -74,10 +88,10 @@ impl Note {
         self.checksum = Some(checksum);
         self.mtime = TimestampSecs::now();
         self.usn = usn;
+        Ok(())
     }
 
-    #[allow(dead_code)]
-    pub(crate) fn nonempty_fields(&self) -> HashSet<u16> {
+    pub(crate) fn nonempty_fields<'a>(&self, fields: &'a [NoteField]) -> HashSet<&'a str> {
         self.fields
             .iter()
             .enumerate()
@@ -85,7 +99,7 @@ impl Note {
                 if s.trim().is_empty() {
                     None
                 } else {
-                    Some(ord as u16)
+                    fields.get(ord).map(|f| f.name.as_str())
                 }
             })
             .collect()
@@ -105,7 +119,7 @@ fn guid() -> String {
 
 fn anki_base91(mut n: u64) -> String {
     let table = b"abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyzABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ\
-                 0123456789!#$%&()*+,-./:;<=>?@[]^_`{|}~";
+0123456789!#$%&()*+,-./:;<=>?@[]^_`{|}~";
     let mut buf = String::new();
     while n > 0 {
         let (q, r) = n.div_rem(&(table.len() as u64));
@@ -119,17 +133,50 @@ fn anki_base91(mut n: u64) -> String {
 impl Collection {
     pub fn add_note(&mut self, note: &mut Note) -> Result<()> {
         self.transact(None, |col| {
-            println!("fixme: need to add cards, abort if no cards generated, etc");
-            // fixme: proper index
-            note.prepare_for_update(0, col.usn()?);
-            col.storage.add_note(note)
+            let nt = col
+                .storage
+                .get_full_notetype(note.ntid)?
+                .ok_or_else(|| AnkiError::invalid_input("missing note type"))?;
+
+            let cardgen = CardGenContext::new(&nt, col.usn()?);
+            col.add_note_inner(note, &cardgen)
         })
     }
+
+    pub(crate) fn add_note_inner(
+        &mut self,
+        note: &mut Note,
+        cardgen: &CardGenContext,
+    ) -> Result<()> {
+        let nt = cardgen.notetype;
+        note.prepare_for_update(nt, cardgen.usn)?;
+        let nonempty_fields = note.nonempty_fields(&cardgen.notetype.fields);
+        let cards =
+            cardgen.new_cards_required(&nonempty_fields, nt.target_deck_id(), &Default::default());
+        if cards.is_empty() {
+            return Err(AnkiError::NoCardsGenerated);
+        }
+
+        // add the note
+        self.storage.add_note(note)?;
+        // and its associated cards
+        for (card_ord, target_deck_id) in cards {
+            let mut card = Card::new(note.id, card_ord as u16, target_deck_id);
+            self.add_card(&mut card)?;
+        }
+
+        Ok(())
+    }
 }
 
 #[cfg(test)]
 mod test {
     use super::{anki_base91, field_checksum};
+    use crate::{
+        collection::open_test_collection,
+        err::{AnkiError, Result},
+        search::SortMode,
+    };
 
     #[test]
     fn test_base91() {
@@ -145,4 +192,29 @@ mod test {
         assert_eq!(field_checksum("test"), 2840236005);
         assert_eq!(field_checksum("今日"), 1464653051);
     }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn adding() -> Result<()> {
+        let mut col = open_test_collection();
+        let nt = col.get_notetype_by_name("basic")?.unwrap();
+
+        let mut note = nt.new_note();
+        assert_eq!(col.add_note(&mut note), Err(AnkiError::NoCardsGenerated));
+
+        note.fields[1] = "foo".into();
+        assert_eq!(col.add_note(&mut note), Err(AnkiError::NoCardsGenerated));
+
+        note.fields[0] = "bar".into();
+        col.add_note(&mut note).unwrap();
+
+        assert_eq!(
+            col.search_cards(&format!("nid:{}", note.id), SortMode::NoOrder)
+                .unwrap()
+                .len(),
+            1
+        );
+
+        // fixme: add nt cache, refcount
+        Ok(())
+    }
 }
diff --git a/rslib/src/notetype/cardgeninfo.rs b/rslib/src/notetype/cardgeninfo.rs
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..2b558c2ac
--- /dev/null
+++ b/rslib/src/notetype/cardgeninfo.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,85 @@
+// Copyright: Ankitects Pty Ltd and contributors
+// License: GNU AGPL, version 3 or later; http://www.gnu.org/licenses/agpl.html
+
+use super::NoteType;
+use crate::{decks::DeckID, template::ParsedTemplate, types::Usn};
+use std::collections::HashSet;
+
+/// Info required to determine whether a particular card ordinal should exist,
+/// and which deck it should be placed in.
+pub(crate) struct SingleCardGenContext<'a> {
+    template: Option<ParsedTemplate<'a>>,
+    target_deck_id: Option<DeckID>,
+}
+
+/// Info required to determine which cards should be generated when note added/updated,
+/// and where they should be placed.
+pub(crate) struct CardGenContext<'a> {
+    pub usn: Usn,
+    pub notetype: &'a NoteType,
+    cards: Vec<SingleCardGenContext<'a>>,
+}
+
+impl CardGenContext<'_> {
+    pub(crate) fn new(nt: &NoteType, usn: Usn) -> CardGenContext<'_> {
+        CardGenContext {
+            usn,
+            notetype: &nt,
+            cards: nt
+                .templates
+                .iter()
+                .map(|tmpl| SingleCardGenContext {
+                    template: tmpl.parsed_question(),
+                    target_deck_id: tmpl.target_deck_id(),
+                })
+                .collect(),
+        }
+    }
+
+    /// If template[ord] generates a non-empty question given nonempty_fields, return the provided
+    /// deck id, or an overriden one. If question is empty, return None.
+    pub fn deck_id_if_nonempty(
+        &self,
+        card_ord: usize,
+        nonempty_fields: &HashSet<&str>,
+        target_deck_id: DeckID,
+    ) -> Option<DeckID> {
+        let card = &self.cards[card_ord];
+        let template = match card.template {
+            Some(ref template) => template,
+            None => {
+                // template failed to parse; card can not be generated
+                return None;
+            }
+        };
+
+        if template.renders_with_fields(&nonempty_fields) {
+            Some(card.target_deck_id.unwrap_or(target_deck_id))
+        } else {
+            None
+        }
+    }
+
+    /// Return a list of (ordinal, deck id) for any new cards not in existing_ords
+    /// that are non-empty, and thus need to be added.
+    pub fn new_cards_required(
+        &self,
+        nonempty_fields: &HashSet<&str>,
+        target_deck_id: DeckID,
+        existing_ords: &HashSet<u16>,
+    ) -> Vec<(usize, DeckID)> {
+        self.cards
+            .iter()
+            .enumerate()
+            .filter_map(|(ord, card)| {
+                let deck_id = card.target_deck_id.unwrap_or(target_deck_id);
+                if existing_ords.contains(&(ord as u16)) {
+                    None
+                } else {
+                    self.deck_id_if_nonempty(ord, nonempty_fields, deck_id)
+                        .map(|did| (ord, did))
+                }
+            })
+            .collect()
+    }
+}
diff --git a/rslib/src/notetype/fields.rs b/rslib/src/notetype/fields.rs
index 051d97576..e2b8cd05e 100644
--- a/rslib/src/notetype/fields.rs
+++ b/rslib/src/notetype/fields.rs
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@
 
 use crate::backend_proto::{NoteField as NoteFieldProto, NoteFieldConfig, OptionalUInt32};
 
+#[derive(Debug)]
 pub struct NoteField {
     pub ord: Option<u32>,
     pub name: String,
diff --git a/rslib/src/notetype/mod.rs b/rslib/src/notetype/mod.rs
index 7b0254b5d..6d1ff0fd8 100644
--- a/rslib/src/notetype/mod.rs
+++ b/rslib/src/notetype/mod.rs
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 // Copyright: Ankitects Pty Ltd and contributors
 // License: GNU AGPL, version 3 or later; http://www.gnu.org/licenses/agpl.html
 
+mod cardgeninfo;
 mod fields;
 mod schema11;
 mod schemachange;
@@ -11,6 +12,7 @@ pub use crate::backend_proto::{
     card_requirement::CardRequirementKind, CardRequirement, CardTemplateConfig, NoteFieldConfig,
     NoteType as NoteTypeProto, NoteTypeConfig, NoteTypeKind,
 };
+pub(crate) use cardgeninfo::CardGenContext;
 pub use fields::NoteField;
 pub use schema11::{CardTemplateSchema11, NoteFieldSchema11, NoteTypeSchema11};
 pub use stock::all_stock_notetypes;
@@ -18,6 +20,7 @@ pub use templates::CardTemplate;
 
 use crate::{
     collection::Collection,
+    decks::DeckID,
     define_newtype,
     err::{AnkiError, Result},
     notes::Note,
@@ -35,6 +38,7 @@ pub(crate) const DEFAULT_CSS: &str = include_str!("styling.css");
 pub(crate) const DEFAULT_LATEX_HEADER: &str = include_str!("header.tex");
 pub(crate) const DEFAULT_LATEX_FOOTER: &str = r"\end{document}";
 
+#[derive(Debug)]
 pub struct NoteType {
     pub id: NoteTypeID,
     pub name: String,
@@ -165,7 +169,11 @@ impl NoteType {
     }
 
     pub fn new_note(&self) -> Note {
-        Note::new(self.id, self.fields.len())
+        Note::new(&self)
+    }
+
+    pub fn target_deck_id(&self) -> DeckID {
+        DeckID(self.config.target_deck_id)
     }
 }
 
@@ -194,4 +202,8 @@ impl Collection {
             Ok(())
         })
     }
+
+    pub fn get_notetype_by_name(&mut self, name: &str) -> Result<Option<NoteType>> {
+        self.storage.get_notetype_by_name(name)
+    }
 }
diff --git a/rslib/src/notetype/schemachange.rs b/rslib/src/notetype/schemachange.rs
index ca8f8f5f7..6f6dce076 100644
--- a/rslib/src/notetype/schemachange.rs
+++ b/rslib/src/notetype/schemachange.rs
@@ -53,7 +53,7 @@ impl Collection {
                 })
                 .map(Into::into)
                 .collect();
-            note.prepare_for_update(nt.config.sort_field_idx as usize, usn);
+            note.prepare_for_update(nt, usn)?;
             self.storage.update_note(&note)?;
         }
         Ok(())
diff --git a/rslib/src/notetype/templates.rs b/rslib/src/notetype/templates.rs
index 954360264..9ca5186d5 100644
--- a/rslib/src/notetype/templates.rs
+++ b/rslib/src/notetype/templates.rs
@@ -3,10 +3,13 @@
 
 use crate::{
     backend_proto::{CardTemplate as CardTemplateProto, CardTemplateConfig, OptionalUInt32},
+    decks::DeckID,
+    template::ParsedTemplate,
     timestamp::TimestampSecs,
     types::Usn,
 };
 
+#[derive(Debug)]
 pub struct CardTemplate {
     pub ord: Option<u32>,
     pub mtime_secs: TimestampSecs,
@@ -15,6 +18,20 @@ pub struct CardTemplate {
     pub config: CardTemplateConfig,
 }
 
+impl CardTemplate {
+    pub(crate) fn parsed_question(&self) -> Option<ParsedTemplate<'_>> {
+        ParsedTemplate::from_text(&self.config.q_format).ok()
+    }
+
+    pub(crate) fn target_deck_id(&self) -> Option<DeckID> {
+        if self.config.target_deck_id > 0 {
+            Some(DeckID(self.config.target_deck_id))
+        } else {
+            None
+        }
+    }
+}
+
 impl From<CardTemplate> for CardTemplateProto {
     fn from(t: CardTemplate) -> Self {
         CardTemplateProto {
diff --git a/rslib/src/storage/notetype/mod.rs b/rslib/src/storage/notetype/mod.rs
index 7551e904c..12ac3f48d 100644
--- a/rslib/src/storage/notetype/mod.rs
+++ b/rslib/src/storage/notetype/mod.rs
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@ use crate::{
     timestamp::TimestampMillis,
 };
 use prost::Message;
-use rusqlite::{params, Row, NO_PARAMS};
+use rusqlite::{params, OptionalExtension, Row, NO_PARAMS};
 use std::collections::{HashMap, HashSet};
 use unicase::UniCase;
 
@@ -36,11 +36,16 @@ impl SqliteStorage {
     }
 
     pub(crate) fn get_all_notetype_core(&self) -> Result<HashMap<NoteTypeID, NoteType>> {
-        self.db
+        let mut nts: HashMap<NoteTypeID, NoteType> = 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)))
-            .collect()
+            .collect::<Result<_>>()?;
+        for nt in nts.values_mut() {
+            nt.fields = self.get_notetype_fields(nt.id)?;
+        }
+        Ok(nts)
     }
 
     pub(crate) fn get_notetype_fields(&self, ntid: NoteTypeID) -> Result<Vec<NoteField>> {
@@ -84,6 +89,22 @@ impl SqliteStorage {
         }
     }
 
+    pub(crate) fn get_notetype_id(&self, name: &str) -> Result<Option<NoteTypeID>> {
+        self.db
+            .prepare_cached("select id from notetypes where name = ?")?
+            .query_row(params![name], |row| row.get(0))
+            .optional()
+            .map_err(Into::into)
+    }
+
+    pub fn get_notetype_by_name(&mut self, name: &str) -> Result<Option<NoteType>> {
+        if let Some(id) = self.get_notetype_id(name)? {
+            self.get_full_notetype(id)
+        } else {
+            Ok(None)
+        }
+    }
+
     #[allow(dead_code)]
     fn get_all_notetype_names(&self) -> Result<Vec<(NoteTypeID, String)>> {
         self.db