diff --git a/stand/adb.py b/stand/adb.py
index a091df2..342a1a8 100644
--- a/stand/adb.py
+++ b/stand/adb.py
@@ -26,9 +26,12 @@ class ArcticLibrary:
         return getattr(self.lib, name)
 
 
-    def get_data(self, *args, **kwargs):
+    def get_data(self, symbol, index=None):
+        if index is not None:
+            index = encode_index(index)
+
         try:
-            df = self.lib.read(*args, **kwargs).data
+            df = self.lib.read(symbol, date_range=index).data
         except adb.exceptions.NoSuchVersionException:
             df = pd.DataFrame()
 
@@ -38,11 +41,19 @@ class ArcticLibrary:
         return df
 
 
-    def has_data(self, *args, **kwargs):
+    def has_index(self, symbol, index):
+        index = encode_index(index)
+
         try:
-            return not self.lib.read(*args, columns=[], **kwargs).data.index.empty
+            return not self.lib.read(symbol, date_range=index, columns=[]).data.index.empty
         except adb.exceptions.NoSuchVersionException:
             return False
 
 
 
+def encode_index(index):
+    ts = pd.Timestamp(index) # adb supports update only for timeseries indexes
+    return pd.Index([ts], name="run")
+
+
+
diff --git a/stand/api.py b/stand/api.py
index 0aa4a04..85ab2e8 100644
--- a/stand/api.py
+++ b/stand/api.py
@@ -22,10 +22,7 @@ def get_pgroup(beamline: Beamline, pgroup: PGroup, orient: str = None):
 def append(beamline: Beamline, pgroup: PGroup, run: int, row: dict[str, Any]):
     lib = adb.get(beamline)
 
-    index = pd.Timestamp(run) # adb supports update only for timeseries indexes
-    index = pd.Index([index], name="run")
-
-    run_exists = lib.has_data(pgroup, date_range=index)
+    run_exists = lib.has_index(pgroup, run)
     if run_exists:
         raise HTTPException(HTTPStatus.CONFLICT, f"run {run} exists already in {beamline}/{pgroup}")
 
@@ -33,6 +30,9 @@ def append(beamline: Beamline, pgroup: PGroup, run: int, row: dict[str, Any]):
     timestamp = datetime.fromisoformat(timestamp) if timestamp else datetime.now()
     row = {"timestamp": timestamp, **row} # setdefault would not force timestamp to be the first column
 
+    index = pd.Timestamp(run) # adb supports update only for timeseries indexes
+    index = pd.Index([index], name="run")
+
     df = pd.DataFrame(row, index=index)
     lib.append(pgroup, df)