diff --git a/package-lock.json b/package-lock.json
index 8c0d74a3..281e76e6 100644
--- a/package-lock.json
+++ b/package-lock.json
@@ -1,12 +1,12 @@
 {
   "name": "@soulcraft/brainy",
-  "version": "0.54.2",
+  "version": "0.54.3",
   "lockfileVersion": 3,
   "requires": true,
   "packages": {
     "": {
       "name": "@soulcraft/brainy",
-      "version": "0.54.2",
+      "version": "0.54.3",
       "license": "MIT",
       "dependencies": {
         "@aws-sdk/client-s3": "^3.540.0",
diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index f99215dd..a5890d81 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 {
   "name": "@soulcraft/brainy",
-  "version": "0.54.2",
+  "version": "0.54.3",
   "description": "A vector graph database using HNSW indexing with Origin Private File System storage",
   "main": "dist/index.js",
   "module": "dist/index.js",
diff --git a/src/brainyData.ts b/src/brainyData.ts
index ed4ce79f..557d5913 100644
--- a/src/brainyData.ts
+++ b/src/brainyData.ts
@@ -1428,8 +1428,9 @@ export class BrainyData<T = any> implements BrainyDataInterface<T> {
         // Ignore errors loading existing statistics
       }
 
-      // Initialize metadata index if not in write-only mode
-      if (!this.writeOnly) {
+      // Initialize metadata index unless in read-only mode
+      // Write-only mode NEEDS metadata indexing for search capability!
+      if (!this.readOnly) {
         this.metadataIndex = new MetadataIndexManager(
           this.storage!,
           this.config.metadataIndex
@@ -1909,8 +1910,8 @@ export class BrainyData<T = any> implements BrainyDataInterface<T> {
 
           await this.storage!.saveMetadata(id, metadataToSave)
 
-          // Update metadata index
-          if (this.metadataIndex && !this.readOnly && !this.frozen) {
+          // Update metadata index (write-only mode should build indices!)
+          if (this.metadataIndex && !this.frozen) {
             await this.metadataIndex.addToIndex(id, metadataToSave)
           }
 
@@ -3362,8 +3363,8 @@ export class BrainyData<T = any> implements BrainyDataInterface<T> {
         // Get metadata before removing for index cleanup
         const existingMetadata = await this.storage!.getMetadata(actualId)
         
-        // Remove from metadata index
-        if (this.metadataIndex && existingMetadata && !this.readOnly && !this.frozen) {
+        // Remove from metadata index (write-only mode should update indices!)
+        if (this.metadataIndex && existingMetadata && !this.frozen) {
           await this.metadataIndex.removeFromIndex(actualId, existingMetadata)
         }
         
@@ -3478,8 +3479,8 @@ export class BrainyData<T = any> implements BrainyDataInterface<T> {
       // Update metadata
       await this.storage!.saveMetadata(id, metadata)
 
-      // Update metadata index
-      if (this.metadataIndex && !this.readOnly && !this.frozen) {
+      // Update metadata index (write-only mode should build indices!)
+      if (this.metadataIndex && !this.frozen) {
         // Remove old metadata from index if it exists
         const oldMetadata = await this.storage!.getMetadata(id)
         if (oldMetadata) {
diff --git a/src/storage/adapters/s3CompatibleStorage.ts b/src/storage/adapters/s3CompatibleStorage.ts
index fb1ab43f..f068196c 100644
--- a/src/storage/adapters/s3CompatibleStorage.ts
+++ b/src/storage/adapters/s3CompatibleStorage.ts
@@ -400,7 +400,7 @@ export class S3CompatibleStorage extends BaseStorage {
     
     // Check environment variable override
     const envThreshold = process.env.BRAINY_BUFFER_THRESHOLD
-    const threshold = envThreshold ? parseInt(envThreshold) : 1  // Default to 1!
+    const threshold = envThreshold ? parseInt(envThreshold) : 0  // Default to 0 for immediate activation!
     
     // Force enable from environment
     if (process.env.BRAINY_FORCE_BUFFERING === 'true') {
@@ -411,15 +411,16 @@ export class S3CompatibleStorage extends BaseStorage {
     const backpressureStatus = this.backpressure.getStatus()
     const socketMetrics = this.socketManager.getMetrics()
     
-    // MUCH more aggressive detection - trigger on almost any load
+    // EXTREMELY aggressive detection - activate on ANY load
     const shouldEnableHighVolume = 
       this.forceHighVolumeMode ||                           // Environment override
-      backpressureStatus.queueLength > threshold ||        // Configurable threshold
-      socketMetrics.pendingRequests > threshold ||         // Socket pressure
-      this.pendingOperations > threshold ||                // Any pending ops
-      socketMetrics.socketUtilization > 0.1 ||             // Even 10% socket usage
-      (socketMetrics.requestsPerSecond > 10) ||            // High request rate
-      (this.consecutiveErrors > 0)                         // Any errors at all
+      backpressureStatus.queueLength >= threshold ||       // Configurable threshold (>= 0 by default!)
+      socketMetrics.pendingRequests >= threshold ||        // Socket pressure
+      this.pendingOperations >= threshold ||               // Any pending ops
+      socketMetrics.socketUtilization >= 0.01 ||           // Even 1% socket usage
+      (socketMetrics.requestsPerSecond >= 1) ||            // Any request rate
+      (this.consecutiveErrors >= 0) ||                     // Always true - any system activity
+      true                                                  // FORCE ENABLE for emergency debugging
     
     if (shouldEnableHighVolume && !this.highVolumeMode) {
       this.highVolumeMode = true
@@ -2241,7 +2242,7 @@ export class S3CompatibleStorage extends BaseStorage {
     const year = date.getUTCFullYear()
     const month = String(date.getUTCMonth() + 1).padStart(2, '0')
     const day = String(date.getUTCDate()).padStart(2, '0')
-    return `${this.indexPrefix}${STATISTICS_KEY}_${year}${month}${day}.json`
+    return `${this.systemPrefix}${STATISTICS_KEY}_${year}${month}${day}.json`
   }
 
   /**