diff --git a/src/komodo_gateway.h b/src/komodo_gateway.h
index a6c9a4766..f9d058799 100644
--- a/src/komodo_gateway.h
+++ b/src/komodo_gateway.h
@@ -703,6 +703,17 @@ int32_t komodo_kvsearch(int32_t current_height,uint32_t *flagsp,int32_t *heightp
     return(retval);
 }
 
+int32_t komodo_kvcmp(uint8_t *refvalue,uint16_t refvaluesize,uint8_t *value,uint16_t valuesize)
+{
+    if ( refvalue == 0 && value == 0 )
+        return(0);
+    else if ( refvalue == 0 || value == 0 )
+        return(-1);
+    else if ( refvaluesize != valuesize )
+        return(-1);
+    else return(memcmp(refvalue,value,valuesize);
+}
+
 const char *komodo_opreturn(int32_t height,uint64_t value,uint8_t *opretbuf,int32_t opretlen,uint256 txid,uint16_t vout,char *source)
 {
     uint8_t rmd160[20],rmd160s[64*20],addrtype,shortflag,pubkey33[33]; int32_t didstats,i,j,n,len,tokomodo,kmdheight,otherheights[64],kmdheights[64]; int8_t baseids[64]; char base[4],coinaddr[64],destaddr[64]; uint256 txids[64]; uint16_t vouts[64]; uint64_t convtoshis,seed; int64_t fee,fiatoshis,komodoshis,checktoshis,values[64],srcvalues[64]; struct pax_transaction *pax,*pax2; struct komodo_state *basesp; double diff; uint32_t flags;
@@ -723,7 +734,7 @@ const char *komodo_opreturn(int32_t height,uint64_t value,uint8_t *opretbuf,int3
     tokomodo = (komodo_is_issuer() == 0);
     if ( opretbuf[0] == 'K' && opretlen != 40 )
     {
-        uint16_t keylen,valuesize; uint8_t *key,*valueptr; struct komodo_kv *ptr;
+        uint16_t keylen,valuesize,newflag = 0,cmpval = 1; uint8_t *key,*valueptr; struct komodo_kv *ptr;
         iguana_rwnum(0,&opretbuf[1],sizeof(keylen),&keylen);
         iguana_rwnum(0,&opretbuf[3],sizeof(valuesize),&valuesize);
         iguana_rwnum(0,&opretbuf[5],sizeof(kmdheight),&kmdheight);
@@ -732,6 +743,7 @@ const char *komodo_opreturn(int32_t height,uint64_t value,uint8_t *opretbuf,int3
         valueptr = &key[keylen];
         if ( (fee= ((flags>>2)+1)*(opretlen * opretlen / keylen)) < 100000 )
             fee = 100000;
+        // 6a164b040005006a00000000000000746573743834393333
         printf("fee %.8f vs %.8f flags.%d keylen.%d valuesize.%d height.%d (%02x %02x %02x) (%02x %02x %02x)\n",(double)fee/COIN,(double)value/COIN,flags,keylen,valuesize,kmdheight,key[0],key[1],key[2],valueptr[0],valueptr[1],valueptr[2]);
         if ( value >= fee )
         {
@@ -742,20 +754,23 @@ const char *komodo_opreturn(int32_t height,uint64_t value,uint8_t *opretbuf,int3
                 if ( ptr == 0 )
                 {
                     ptr = (struct komodo_kv *)calloc(1,sizeof(*ptr));
-                    ptr->flags = flags;
                     ptr->key = (uint8_t *)calloc(1,keylen);
                     ptr->keylen = keylen;
                     memcpy(ptr->key,key,keylen);
+                    newflag = 1;
                     HASH_ADD_KEYPTR(hh,KOMODO_KV,ptr->key,ptr->keylen,ptr);
                 }
-                else if ( (ptr->flags & KOMODO_KVPROTECTED) == 0 )
+                if ( newflag != 0 || (ptr->flags & KOMODO_KVPROTECTED) == 0 || (cmpval= komodo_kvcmp(ptr->value,ptr->valuesize,value,valuesize)) == 0 )
                 {
-                    if ( ptr->value != 0 )
-                        free(ptr->value), ptr->value = 0;
-                    if ( (ptr->valuesize= valuesize) != 0 )
+                    if ( cmpval != 0 )
                     {
-                        ptr->value = (uint8_t *)calloc(1,valuesize);
-                        memcpy(ptr->value,valueptr,valuesize);
+                        if ( ptr->value != 0 )
+                            free(ptr->value), ptr->value = 0;
+                        if ( (ptr->valuesize= valuesize) != 0 )
+                        {
+                            ptr->value = (uint8_t *)calloc(1,valuesize);
+                            memcpy(ptr->value,valueptr,valuesize);
+                        }
                     }
                     ptr->height = kmdheight;
                     ptr->flags = flags;
diff --git a/src/wallet/rpcwallet.cpp b/src/wallet/rpcwallet.cpp
index 113dc7936..2c04a53e0 100644
--- a/src/wallet/rpcwallet.cpp
+++ b/src/wallet/rpcwallet.cpp
@@ -488,6 +488,7 @@ int32_t iguana_rwnum(int32_t rwflag,uint8_t *serialized,int32_t len,void *endian
 int32_t komodo_isrealtime(int32_t *kmdheightp);
 int32_t pax_fiatstatus(uint64_t *available,uint64_t *deposited,uint64_t *issued,uint64_t *withdrawn,uint64_t *approved,uint64_t *redeemed,char *base);
 int32_t komodo_kvsearch(int32_t current_height,uint32_t *flagsp,int32_t *heightp,uint8_t value[IGUANA_MAXSCRIPTSIZE],uint8_t *key,int32_t keylen);
+int32_t komodo_kvcmp(uint8_t *refvalue,uint16_t refvaluesize,uint8_t *value,uint16_t valuesize);
 
 Value paxdeposit(const Array& params, bool fHelp)
 {
@@ -565,7 +566,7 @@ Value paxwithdraw(const Array& params, bool fHelp)
 Value kvupdate(const Array& params, bool fHelp)
 {
     CWalletTx wtx; Object ret;
-    uint8_t keyvalue[IGUANA_MAXSCRIPTSIZE],opretbuf[IGUANA_MAXSCRIPTSIZE]; int32_t duration,opretlen,height; uint16_t keylen,valuesize=0; uint8_t *key,*value=0; uint32_t flags,tmpflags; struct komodo_kv *ptr; uint64_t fee;
+    uint8_t keyvalue[IGUANA_MAXSCRIPTSIZE],opretbuf[IGUANA_MAXSCRIPTSIZE]; int32_t duration,opretlen,height; uint16_t keylen,valuesize=0,refvaluesize=0; uint8_t *key,*value=0; uint32_t flags,tmpflags; struct komodo_kv *ptr; uint64_t fee;
     if (fHelp || params.size() < 2 )
         throw runtime_error("kvupdate key value [flags]");
     if (!EnsureWalletIsAvailable(fHelp))
@@ -573,13 +574,18 @@ Value kvupdate(const Array& params, bool fHelp)
     if ( params.size() == 3 )
     {
         flags = atoi(params[2].get_str().c_str());
-        printf("flags.%d (%s)\n",flags,params[2].get_str().c_str());
+        //printf("flags.%d (%s)\n",flags,params[2].get_str().c_str());
     } else flags = 0;
     LOCK2(cs_main, pwalletMain->cs_wallet);
     if ( (keylen= (int32_t)strlen(params[0].get_str().c_str())) > 0 )
     {
         key = (uint8_t *)params[0].get_str().c_str();
-        if ( (valuesize= komodo_kvsearch(chainActive.Tip()->nHeight,&tmpflags,&height,&keyvalue[keylen],key,keylen)) >= 0 && (tmpflags & KOMODO_KVPROTECTED) != 0 )
+        if ( params.size() >= 2 && params[1].get_str().c_str() != 0 )
+        {
+            value = (uint8_t *)params[1].get_str().c_str();
+            valuesize = (int32_t)strlen(params[1].get_str().c_str());
+        }
+        if ( (refvaluesize= komodo_kvsearch(chainActive.Tip()->nHeight,&tmpflags,&height,&keyvalue[keylen],key,keylen)) >= 0 && (tmpflags & KOMODO_KVPROTECTED) != 0 && komodo_kvcmp(refvaluesize==0?0:&keyvalue[keylen],refvaluesize,value,valuesize) != 0 )
         {
             ret.push_back(Pair("error",(char *)"cant modify write once key"));
             return ret;
@@ -594,8 +600,6 @@ Value kvupdate(const Array& params, bool fHelp)
         ret.push_back(Pair("keylen",(int64_t)keylen));
         if ( params.size() >= 2 && params[1].get_str().c_str() != 0 )
         {
-            value = (uint8_t *)params[1].get_str().c_str();
-            valuesize = (int32_t)strlen(params[1].get_str().c_str());
             ret.push_back(Pair("value",params[1].get_str()));
             ret.push_back(Pair("valuesize",valuesize));
         }