diff --git a/scopes/storage/common.py b/scopes/storage/common.py
index 969cb7c..6e32844 100644
--- a/scopes/storage/common.py
+++ b/scopes/storage/common.py
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@
 
 """Common utility stuff for the scopes.storage package."""
 
+import base64
 from sqlalchemy import create_engine, MetaData, text
 from sqlalchemy.orm import scoped_session, sessionmaker
 import threading
@@ -41,6 +42,7 @@ class Storage(object):
         self.containers[container.itemFactory.prefix] = container
 
     def getItem(self, uid):
+        uid = base64.urlsafe_b64decode(uid[1:]).decode()
         prefix, id = uid.split('-')
         id = int(id)
         container = self.containers.get(prefix)
diff --git a/scopes/storage/tracking.py b/scopes/storage/tracking.py
index 785e0a1..3e0954b 100644
--- a/scopes/storage/tracking.py
+++ b/scopes/storage/tracking.py
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@ A track consists of a head (index data, metadata)  with a fixed set of fields an
 data (payload) represented as a dict.
 """
 
+import base64
 from datetime import datetime
 from sqlalchemy import Table, Column, Index
 from sqlalchemy import BigInteger, DateTime, Text, func
@@ -28,7 +29,7 @@ class Track(object):
             self.head[self.headFields[ix]] = k
         for k in self.headFields:
             if self.head.get(k) is None:
-                self.heaad[k] = ''
+                self.head[k] = ''
             setattr(self, k, self.head[k])
         self.data = kw.get('data') or {}
         self.timeStamp = kw.get('timeStamp')
@@ -47,7 +48,9 @@ class Track(object):
     def uid(self):
         if self.trackId is None:
             return None
-        return '%s-%d' % (self.prefix, self.trackId)
+        raw = ('%s-%d' % (self.prefix, self.trackId)).encode()
+        return 'b' + base64.urlsafe_b64encode(raw).decode()
+        #return '%s-%d' % (self.prefix, self.trackId)
 
 
 @registerContainerClass
diff --git a/scopes/tests.py b/scopes/tests.py
index 89ee6f4..511b222 100644
--- a/scopes/tests.py
+++ b/scopes/tests.py
@@ -54,13 +54,16 @@ class Test(unittest.TestCase):
                             data=dict(activity='concept'))
         trid02 = tracks.upsert(tr02)
         self.assertEqual(trid02, 31)
-        self.assertEqual(tr02.uid, 'rec-31')
+        self.assertEqual(tr02.uid, 'bcmVjLTMx')
+        #self.assertEqual(tr02.uid, 'rec-31')
         tr02.trackId = trid01
         trid021 = tracks.upsert(tr02)
         self.assertEqual(trid021, trid01)
-        self.assertEqual(tr02.uid, 'rec-' + str(trid01))
+        self.assertEqual(tr02.uid, 'bcmVjLTE=')
+        #self.assertEqual(tr02.uid, 'rec-' + str(trid01))
 
-        tr03 = storage.getItem('rec-31')
+        #tr03 = storage.getItem(b'bcmVjLTE=')
+        tr03 = storage.getItem('bcmVjLTMx')
         self.assertEqual(tr03.trackId, 31)
 
         n = tracks.remove(31)