diff --git a/zero.Core/Api/RevisionsApi.cs b/zero.Core/Api/RevisionsApi.cs
index e416879b..1ddaab3d 100644
--- a/zero.Core/Api/RevisionsApi.cs
+++ b/zero.Core/Api/RevisionsApi.cs
@@ -81,7 +81,7 @@ namespace zero.Core.Api
         {
           revision.User = new RevisionUser()
           {
-            AvatarId = user.AvatarId?.Id,
+            AvatarId = user.AvatarId,
             Id = user.Id,
             Name = user.Name
           };
diff --git a/zero.Core/Collections/CollectionBase.cs b/zero.Core/Collections/CollectionBase.cs
index 1ce1c61b..f3b56e78 100644
--- a/zero.Core/Collections/CollectionBase.cs
+++ b/zero.Core/Collections/CollectionBase.cs
@@ -98,28 +98,6 @@ namespace zero.Core.Collections
     }
 
 
-    /// <inheritdoc />
-    public void ResetScope()
-    {
-      Database = Store.ResolvedDatabase;
-    }
-
-
-    /// <inheritdoc />
-    public async Task Scoped(string scope, Func<Task> action)
-    {
-      if (scope.IsNullOrEmpty())
-      {
-        await action();
-        return;
-      }
-
-      ApplyScope(scope);
-      await action();
-      ResetScope();
-    }
-
-
     /// <inheritdoc />
     public virtual async Task<T> GetById(string id)
     {
@@ -460,16 +438,6 @@ namespace zero.Core.Collections
     /// </summary>
     void ApplyScope(string scope);
 
-    /// <summary>
-    /// Resets the scope to the initial value
-    /// </summary>
-    void ResetScope();
-
-    /// <summary>
-    /// Execute scoped actions
-    /// </summary>
-    Task Scoped(string scope, Func<Task> action);
-
     /// <summary>
     /// Get an entity by Id
     /// </summary>
diff --git a/zero.Core/Entities/Applications/Application.cs b/zero.Core/Entities/Applications/Application.cs
index ce6c7001..87bd341a 100644
--- a/zero.Core/Entities/Applications/Application.cs
+++ b/zero.Core/Entities/Applications/Application.cs
@@ -19,10 +19,10 @@ namespace zero.Core.Entities
     public string Email { get; set; }
 
     /// <inheritdoc />
-    public Ref ImageId { get; set; }
+    public MediaRef ImageId { get; set; }
 
     /// <inheritdoc />
-    public Ref IconId { get; set; }
+    public MediaRef IconId { get; set; }
 
     /// <inheritdoc />
     public Uri[] Domains { get; set; } = new Uri[] { };
@@ -53,12 +53,12 @@ namespace zero.Core.Entities
     /// <summary>
     /// Image of the application
     /// </summary>
-    Ref ImageId { get; set; }
+    MediaRef ImageId { get; set; }
 
     /// <summary>
     /// Simple image of the application (can be used as favicon)
     /// </summary>
-    Ref IconId { get; set; }
+    MediaRef IconId { get; set; }
 
     /// <summary>
     /// All assigned domains for this application
diff --git a/zero.Core/Entities/PreviewModel.cs b/zero.Core/Entities/PreviewModel.cs
index 7cbcd6a8..efeb61ca 100644
--- a/zero.Core/Entities/PreviewModel.cs
+++ b/zero.Core/Entities/PreviewModel.cs
@@ -6,8 +6,6 @@
 
     public string Icon { get; set; }
 
-    public Ref Image { get; set; }
-
     public string Text { get; set; }
 
     public string Name { get; set; }
diff --git a/zero.Core/Entities/Refs/MediaRef.cs b/zero.Core/Entities/Refs/MediaRef.cs
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..b610e7fb
--- /dev/null
+++ b/zero.Core/Entities/Refs/MediaRef.cs
@@ -0,0 +1,17 @@
+namespace zero.Core.Entities
+{
+  public class MediaRef : Ref
+  {
+    public bool IsCore { get; set; }
+
+    public MediaRef() : base() { }
+    public MediaRef(string id, bool isCore) : base(id)
+    {
+      IsCore = isCore;
+    }
+
+    public static implicit operator string(MediaRef reference) => reference.Id;
+
+    public static implicit operator MediaRef(string id) => new MediaRef(id, false);
+  }
+}
diff --git a/zero.Core/Entities/Refs/Ref.cs b/zero.Core/Entities/Refs/Ref.cs
index c5a963f6..48c3478e 100644
--- a/zero.Core/Entities/Refs/Ref.cs
+++ b/zero.Core/Entities/Refs/Ref.cs
@@ -1,36 +1,36 @@
-using Newtonsoft.Json;
-using zero.Core.Extensions;
-
-namespace zero.Core.Entities
+namespace zero.Core.Entities
 {
+  public class Ref<T> : Ref where T : IZeroIdEntity
+  {
+    public Ref() : base() { }
+    public Ref(string id) : base(id) { }
+
+    public static implicit operator Ref<T>(string id) => new Ref<T>(id);
+
+    public static implicit operator string(Ref<T> reference) => reference.Id;
+  }
+
+
   public class Ref
   {
-    public string Id { get; set; }
-
-    [JsonProperty("Core")]
-    public bool IsCore { get; set; }
-
     public Ref() { }
 
-    public Ref(string id) : this()
+    public Ref(string id)
     {
       Id = id;
     }
 
-    public Ref(string id, bool isCore) : this(id)
-    {
-      IsCore = isCore;
-    }
+    public string Id { get; set; }
 
 
     public override string ToString()
     {
-      return (IsCore ? "core:" : string.Empty) + Id;
+      return Id;
     }
 
-    public static Ref Create(string id, bool isCore = false)
-    {
-      return id.IsNullOrWhiteSpace() ? null : new Ref(id, isCore);
-    }
+
+    public static implicit operator Ref(string id) => new Ref(id);
+
+    public static implicit operator string(Ref reference) => reference.Id;
   }
 }
diff --git a/zero.Core/Entities/Refs/ValueRef.cs b/zero.Core/Entities/Refs/ValueRef.cs
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..b3782db8
--- /dev/null
+++ b/zero.Core/Entities/Refs/ValueRef.cs
@@ -0,0 +1,42 @@
+namespace zero.Core.Entities
+{
+  public class ValueRef<T> : ValueRef<T, string> where T : IZeroIdEntity
+  {
+    public ValueRef() : base() { }
+    public ValueRef(string id, string value) : base(id, value) { }
+
+    public static implicit operator string(ValueRef<T> reference) => reference.Id;
+  }
+
+
+  public class ValueRef<TEntity, TValue> : Ref where TEntity : IZeroIdEntity
+  {
+    public ValueRef() : base() { }
+    public ValueRef(string id, TValue value) : base(id)
+    {
+      Value = value;
+    }
+
+    public TValue Value { get; set; }
+
+    public static implicit operator string(ValueRef<TEntity, TValue> reference) => reference.Id;
+  }
+
+  //public class ValueRef : Ref
+  //{
+  //  public ValueRef() : base() { }
+
+  //  public ValueRef(string id, string value) : base(id)
+  //  {
+  //    Value = value;
+  //  }
+
+  //  public string Value { get; set; }
+
+
+  //  public override string ToString()
+  //  {
+  //    return (Id, Value).ToString();
+  //  }
+  //}
+}
diff --git a/zero.Core/Entities/User/BackofficeUser.cs b/zero.Core/Entities/User/BackofficeUser.cs
index ebe1b1ec..74f426dc 100644
--- a/zero.Core/Entities/User/BackofficeUser.cs
+++ b/zero.Core/Entities/User/BackofficeUser.cs
@@ -32,7 +32,7 @@ namespace zero.Core.Entities
     public string SecurityStamp { get; set; }
 
     /// <inheritdoc/>
-    public Ref AvatarId { get; set; }
+    public MediaRef AvatarId { get; set; }
 
     /// <inheritdoc/>
     public string LanguageId { get; set; }
@@ -99,7 +99,7 @@ namespace zero.Core.Entities
     /// <summary>
     /// Avatar image
     /// </summary>
-    Ref AvatarId { get; set; }
+    MediaRef AvatarId { get; set; }
 
     /// <summary>
     /// Backoffice display language
diff --git a/zero.Core/Extensions/ObjectExtensions.cs b/zero.Core/Extensions/ObjectExtensions.cs
index 34c5b613..c62b534c 100644
--- a/zero.Core/Extensions/ObjectExtensions.cs
+++ b/zero.Core/Extensions/ObjectExtensions.cs
@@ -21,12 +21,12 @@ namespace zero.Core.Extensions
     public static T Clone<T>(this T obj)
     {
       Type type = obj.GetType();
-      return (T)JsonConvert.DeserializeObject(JsonConvert.SerializeObject(obj), type);
+      return (T)JsonConvert.DeserializeObject(JsonConvert.SerializeObject(obj, new RefJsonConverter()), type, new RefJsonConverter());
     }
 
     public static T CloneLax<T>(this object obj)
     {
-      return JsonConvert.DeserializeObject<T>(JsonConvert.SerializeObject(obj));
+      return JsonConvert.DeserializeObject<T>(JsonConvert.SerializeObject(obj, new RefJsonConverter()), new RefJsonConverter());
     }
   }
 }
diff --git a/zero.Core/Extensions/RavenDocumentStoreExtensions.cs b/zero.Core/Extensions/RavenDocumentStoreExtensions.cs
index 2bce6ed7..8f889893 100644
--- a/zero.Core/Extensions/RavenDocumentStoreExtensions.cs
+++ b/zero.Core/Extensions/RavenDocumentStoreExtensions.cs
@@ -15,6 +15,7 @@ namespace zero.Core.Extensions
 {
   public static class RavenDocumentStoreExtensions
   {
+    const char DOT = '.';
     /// <summary>
     /// Setup conventions for the document store
     /// </summary>
@@ -24,7 +25,7 @@ namespace zero.Core.Extensions
 
       Type dbConventionType = typeof(IZeroDbConventions);
 
-      store.Conventions.IdentityPartsSeparator = '.';
+      store.Conventions.IdentityPartsSeparator = DOT;
 
       store.Conventions.RegisterAsyncIdConvention<IZeroEntity>((_, entity) =>
       {
@@ -39,6 +40,15 @@ namespace zero.Core.Extensions
         return store.Conventions.AsyncDocumentIdGenerator(_, entity);
       });
 
+      (store.Conventions.Serialization as NewtonsoftJsonSerializationConventions).CustomizeJsonDeserializer = x =>
+      {
+        x.Converters.Add(new RefJsonConverter());
+      };
+      (store.Conventions.Serialization as NewtonsoftJsonSerializationConventions).CustomizeJsonSerializer = x =>
+      {
+        x.Converters.Add(new RefJsonConverter());
+      };
+
       store.Conventions.FindCollectionName = type =>
       {
         Type finalType = type;
diff --git a/zero.Core/Utils/RefJsonConverter.cs b/zero.Core/Utils/RefJsonConverter.cs
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..fb4b7b17
--- /dev/null
+++ b/zero.Core/Utils/RefJsonConverter.cs
@@ -0,0 +1,61 @@
+using Newtonsoft.Json;
+using Newtonsoft.Json.Linq;
+using System;
+using zero.Core.Entities;
+using zero.Core.Extensions;
+
+namespace zero.Core.Utils
+{
+  public class RefJsonConverter : JsonConverter
+  {
+    private readonly Type type;
+
+    public RefJsonConverter()
+    {
+      type = typeof(Ref<>);
+    }
+
+
+    public override bool CanRead => true;
+
+    public override bool CanWrite => true;
+
+    public override bool CanConvert(Type objectType) => objectType.IsGenericType && objectType.GetGenericTypeDefinition() == type;
+
+
+    public override void WriteJson(JsonWriter writer, object value, JsonSerializer serializer)
+    {
+      string id = null;
+
+      if (value is Ref)
+      {
+        id = (value as Ref).Id;
+      }
+
+      if (id.IsNullOrEmpty())
+      {
+        writer.WriteNull();
+      }
+      else
+      {
+        writer.WriteValue(id);
+      }
+    }
+
+
+    public override object ReadJson(JsonReader reader, Type objectType, object existingValue, JsonSerializer serializer)
+    {
+      if (!(reader.Value is string))
+      {
+        return null;
+      }
+
+      if (((string)reader.Value).IsNullOrEmpty())
+      {
+        return null;
+      }
+
+      return Activator.CreateInstance(objectType, new object[1] { reader.Value });
+    }
+  }
+}
diff --git a/zero.Web.UI/App/components/pickers/mediaPicker/mediapicker.vue b/zero.Web.UI/App/components/pickers/mediaPicker/mediapicker.vue
index d168289e..63a207b7 100644
--- a/zero.Web.UI/App/components/pickers/mediaPicker/mediapicker.vue
+++ b/zero.Web.UI/App/components/pickers/mediaPicker/mediapicker.vue
@@ -69,7 +69,7 @@
 
     props: {
       value: {
-        type: [Array, Object, String],
+        type: [Array, String],
         default: null
       },
       disabled: {
diff --git a/zero.Web.UI/App/editor/fields/media.vue b/zero.Web.UI/App/editor/fields/media.vue
index dd8e20c3..a30d63e1 100644
--- a/zero.Web.UI/App/editor/fields/media.vue
+++ b/zero.Web.UI/App/editor/fields/media.vue
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@
   export default {
     props: {
       value: {
-        type: [String, Object, Array],
+        type: [String, Array],
         default: null
       },
       disabled: {
diff --git a/zero.Web.UI/app/api/media.js b/zero.Web.UI/app/api/media.js
index 28a42953..5e0b09d8 100644
--- a/zero.Web.UI/app/api/media.js
+++ b/zero.Web.UI/app/api/media.js
@@ -23,11 +23,6 @@ const upload = async (file, folderId, onProgress, isTemporary) =>
 
 const getImageSource = (id, thumb, shared) =>
 {
-  if (typeof id === 'object')
-  {
-    shared = id.isCore;
-    id = id.id;
-  }
   if (!id || id.indexOf('http') === 0)
   {
     return id;
diff --git a/zero.Web/Controllers/UsersController.cs b/zero.Web/Controllers/UsersController.cs
index a75b4262..ed4f27de 100644
--- a/zero.Web/Controllers/UsersController.cs
+++ b/zero.Web/Controllers/UsersController.cs
@@ -47,7 +47,7 @@ namespace zero.Web.Controllers
       return Previews(await Api.GetByIds(ids.ToArray()), item => new PreviewModel()
       {
         Id = item.Id,
-        Image = item.AvatarId,
+        Icon = item.AvatarId,
         Name = item.Name
       });
     }
diff --git a/zero.Web/Models/UserEditModel.cs b/zero.Web/Models/UserEditModel.cs
index eb34831b..3425009b 100644
--- a/zero.Web/Models/UserEditModel.cs
+++ b/zero.Web/Models/UserEditModel.cs
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@ namespace zero.Web.Models
 
     public bool IsEmailConfirmed { get; set; }
 
-    public Ref AvatarId { get; set; }
+    public string AvatarId { get; set; }
 
     public string LanguageId { get; set; }
 
diff --git a/zero.Web/ViewHelpers/ZeroMediaHelper.cs b/zero.Web/ViewHelpers/ZeroMediaHelper.cs
index 6282910e..c309a4ca 100644
--- a/zero.Web/ViewHelpers/ZeroMediaHelper.cs
+++ b/zero.Web/ViewHelpers/ZeroMediaHelper.cs
@@ -6,7 +6,6 @@ using zero.Core.Api;
 using zero.Core.Entities;
 using zero.Core.Routing;
 using zero.Core.Extensions;
-using zero.Core.Collections;
 
 namespace zero.Web.ViewHelpers
 {
@@ -14,7 +13,7 @@ namespace zero.Web.ViewHelpers
   {
     HttpContext HttpContext;
 
-    IMediaCollection MediaCollection;
+    IMediaApi MediaApi;
 
     /// <summary>
     /// Media cache for repetitive queries within an HTTP request
@@ -22,10 +21,10 @@ namespace zero.Web.ViewHelpers
     Dictionary<string, IMedia> Cache { get; set; } = new Dictionary<string, IMedia>();
 
 
-    public ZeroMediaHelper(IHttpContextAccessor httpContextAccessor, IMediaCollection mediaCollection)
+    public ZeroMediaHelper(IHttpContextAccessor httpContextAccessor, IMediaApi mediaApi)
     {
       HttpContext = httpContextAccessor.HttpContext;
-      MediaCollection = mediaCollection;
+      MediaApi = mediaApi;
     }
 
 
@@ -39,30 +38,7 @@ namespace zero.Web.ViewHelpers
 
       if (!Cache.TryGetValue(id, out IMedia media))
       {
-        media = await MediaCollection.GetById(id);
-        Cache.Add(id, media);
-      }
-
-      return media;
-    }
-
-
-    /// <inheritdoc />
-    public async Task<IMedia> GetById(Ref reference)
-    {
-      if (reference == null)
-      {
-        return null;
-      }
-
-      string id = reference.ToString();
-
-      if (!Cache.TryGetValue(id, out IMedia media))
-      {
-        await MediaCollection.Scoped(reference.IsCore ? "shared" : null, async() =>
-        {
-          media = await MediaCollection.GetById(reference.Id);
-        });
+        media = await MediaApi.GetById(id);
         Cache.Add(id, media);
       }
 
@@ -90,7 +66,7 @@ namespace zero.Web.ViewHelpers
 
       if (remoteIds.Count > 0)
       {
-        Dictionary<string, IMedia> remoteItems = await MediaCollection.GetByIds(remoteIds.ToArray());
+        Dictionary<string, IMedia> remoteItems = await MediaApi.GetById(remoteIds);
 
         foreach (var item in remoteItems)
         {
@@ -103,39 +79,6 @@ namespace zero.Web.ViewHelpers
     }
 
 
-    /// <inheritdoc />
-    public async Task<Dictionary<string, IMedia>> GetByIds(Ref[] references)
-    {
-      HashSet<Ref> remoteIds = new HashSet<Ref>();
-      Dictionary<string, IMedia> items = new Dictionary<string, IMedia>();
-
-      foreach (Ref reference in references)
-      {
-        string id = reference.ToString();
-
-        if (Cache.TryGetValue(id, out IMedia media))
-        {
-          items.Add(id, media);
-        }
-        else
-        {
-          remoteIds.Add(reference);
-        }
-      }
-
-      if (remoteIds.Count > 0)
-      {
-        foreach (Ref reference in remoteIds)
-        {
-          // TODO this is super unperformant as we are switching scopes per request here
-          items.Add(reference.Id, await GetById(reference));
-        }
-      }
-
-      return items;
-    }
-
-
     /// <inheritdoc />
     public async Task<string> GetUrl(string id, bool isAbsolute = false)
     {
@@ -144,28 +87,12 @@ namespace zero.Web.ViewHelpers
     }
 
 
-    /// <inheritdoc />
-    public async Task<string> GetUrl(Ref reference, bool isAbsolute = false)
-    {
-      IMedia media = await GetById(reference);
-      return media?.Source;
-    }
-
-
     /// <inheritdoc />
     public async Task<Dictionary<string, string>> GetUrls(string[] ids, bool isAbsolute = false)
     {
       Dictionary<string, IMedia> medias = await GetByIds(ids);
       return medias.ToDictionary(x => x.Key, x => x.Value?.Source);
     }
-
-
-    /// <inheritdoc />
-    public async Task<Dictionary<string, string>> GetUrls(Ref[] references, bool isAbsolute = false)
-    {
-      Dictionary<string, IMedia> medias = await GetByIds(references);
-      return medias.ToDictionary(x => x.Key, x => x.Value?.Source);
-    }
   }
 
 
@@ -190,25 +117,5 @@ namespace zero.Web.ViewHelpers
     /// Get source for media items
     /// </summary>
     Task<Dictionary<string, string>> GetUrls(string[] ids, bool isAbsolute = false);
-
-    /// <summary>
-    /// Get media by Id
-    /// </summary>
-    Task<IMedia> GetById(Ref reference);
-
-    /// <summary>
-    /// Get media items by Ids
-    /// </summary>
-    Task<Dictionary<string, IMedia>> GetByIds(Ref[] references);
-
-    /// <summary>
-    /// Get source for a media item
-    /// </summary>
-    Task<string> GetUrl(Ref reference, bool isAbsolute = false);
-
-    /// <summary>
-    /// Get source for media items
-    /// </summary>
-    Task<Dictionary<string, string>> GetUrls(Ref[] references, bool isAbsolute = false);
   }
 }