diff --git a/app/Http/Controllers/DashController.php b/app/Http/Controllers/DashController.php
index 9f652b2..e6a0925 100644
--- a/app/Http/Controllers/DashController.php
+++ b/app/Http/Controllers/DashController.php
@@ -88,7 +88,7 @@ class DashController extends Controller
         $title;
         $page                    = [];
         $views                   = [];
-        $mode == 'edit' ? $page  = $this->pages->getById($uuid) : $page = [];
+        $mode == 'edit' ? $page  = $this->pages->getByUuid($uuid) : $page = [];
         $mode == 'edit' ? $title = $page['title'] : $title = 'Add New';
         $mode == 'edit' ? $views = $this->themes->getCustomViews($page['layout']) : $views[] = 'page';
 
diff --git a/app/Http/Controllers/ThemeController.php b/app/Http/Controllers/ThemeController.php
index 18edc37..4dd59e5 100644
--- a/app/Http/Controllers/ThemeController.php
+++ b/app/Http/Controllers/ThemeController.php
@@ -56,14 +56,14 @@ class ThemeController extends Controller
                 $page;
                 if ($view == 'index') {
                     $template = $currentTheme . '.index';
-                    $page     = $this->pages->getBySlug('first');
+                    $page     = $this->pages->getById(0);
                 } else {
                     $template = $currentTheme . '.page';
                     //if coming from theme page, grabs id of latest page
                     if ($id == null) {
-                        $id = $this->getPageID();
+                        $uuid = $this->getPageUUID();
                     }
-                    $page = $this->pages->getById($id);
+                    $page = $this->pages->getByUuid($uuid);
                 }
                 $pageData = $this->sort->page($page);
                 break;
@@ -88,7 +88,7 @@ class ThemeController extends Controller
         }
     }
 
-    private function getPageID()
+    private function getPageUUID()
     {
         $book = $this->pages->getAll();
         $page = $book->where('layout', 'page')->first();
diff --git a/app/Interfaces/PageRepositoryInterface.php b/app/Interfaces/PageRepositoryInterface.php
index 47b4163..5454897 100644
--- a/app/Interfaces/PageRepositoryInterface.php
+++ b/app/Interfaces/PageRepositoryInterface.php
@@ -6,7 +6,9 @@ interface PageRepositoryInterface
 {
     public function getAll();
 
-    public function getByID($uuid);
+    public function getById($id);
+
+    public function getByUuid($uuid);
 
     public function getBySlug($slug);
 
diff --git a/app/Repositories/PageRepository.php b/app/Repositories/PageRepository.php
index fb6cc81..df04577 100644
--- a/app/Repositories/PageRepository.php
+++ b/app/Repositories/PageRepository.php
@@ -45,7 +45,15 @@ class PageRepository implements PageRepositoryInterface
         return $this->pages;
     }
 
-    public function getById($uuid)
+    public function getById($id)
+    {
+        $page = $this->pages->where('id', $id)->first();
+        //quick check to see if layout is set
+        $page['layout'] == '' ? $page['layout'] = 'page' : $page['layout'] = $page['layout'];
+        return $page;
+    }
+
+    public function getByUuid($uuid)
     {
         $page = $this->pages->where('uuid', $uuid)->first();
         //quick check to see if layout is set
@@ -121,6 +129,7 @@ class PageRepository implements PageRepositoryInterface
         $id   = $task != 'create' ? $body->id : $this->settings->getSettings()['library_stats']['current_index'];
         $uuid = $task != 'create' ? $body->uuid : createUUID();
         //set variables post body for saving
+        $body->title   = urlencode($body->title);
         $body->id      = $id;
         $body->uuid    = $uuid;
         $body->path    = $path;
diff --git a/app/Services/Data/SortingService.php b/app/Services/Data/SortingService.php
index 094c3f6..fd701e3 100644
--- a/app/Services/Data/SortingService.php
+++ b/app/Services/Data/SortingService.php
@@ -216,7 +216,7 @@ class SortingService
                     array_push($recent, [
                         'path'    => $item['path'],
                         'slug'    => $item['slug'],
-                        'title'   => $item['title'],
+                        'title'   => urldecode($item['title']),
                         'feature' => $item['feature'],
                     ]);
                 }
@@ -226,7 +226,7 @@ class SortingService
                         array_push($featured, [
                             'path'    => $item['path'],
                             'slug'    => $item['slug'],
-                            'title'   => $item['title'],
+                            'title'   => urldecode($item['title']),
                             'feature' => $item['feature'],
                         ]);
                     }
@@ -237,7 +237,7 @@ class SortingService
             "debug"         => $debug,
             "theme"         => $this->info['theme'],
             "status"        => session('member') != null ? true : false,
-            "title"         => $page['title'],
+            "title"         => urldecode($page['title']),
             "meta"          => $meta,
             "menu"          => $this->settings->getMenu(),
             "info"          => $this->info,
diff --git a/app/Services/Upkeep/InitService.php b/app/Services/Upkeep/InitService.php
index 41cde58..17a6e09 100644
--- a/app/Services/Upkeep/InitService.php
+++ b/app/Services/Upkeep/InitService.php
@@ -88,7 +88,7 @@ class InitService
         //create index file
         //TODO: upate path attribute to use env variable
         $index = [
-            'id'        => 1,
+            'id'        => 0,
             'uuid'      => createUUID(),
             'title'     => 'FIRST!',
             'imageList' => '/assets/images/global/default-bg.jpg',
diff --git a/resources/views/back/page.blade.php b/resources/views/back/page.blade.php
index 7e0ae69..db7454c 100644
--- a/resources/views/back/page.blade.php
+++ b/resources/views/back/page.blade.php
@@ -1,8 +1,7 @@
 @extends('frame')
 
-@section('title', 'The Dash | Editing '. $title)
-
 @php
+    $title = urldecode($title);
     if($mode == 'edit')
     {
         $id = $page['id'];
@@ -30,6 +29,7 @@
         $files = "";
     }
 @endphp
+ @section('title', 'The Dash | Editing '. $title)
 
   @section('main-content')
     <section data-index="{{ $id }}" data-uuid="{{ $uuid }}" data-slug="{{ $slug }}" data-layout="{{ $layout }}" class="file-manager">
diff --git a/resources/views/includes/recent-meta.blade.php b/resources/views/includes/recent-meta.blade.php
index f60fad2..8bd1a81 100644
--- a/resources/views/includes/recent-meta.blade.php
+++ b/resources/views/includes/recent-meta.blade.php
@@ -29,7 +29,10 @@ if($page['featured'] == 'true')
     </strong>
     <hr/>
     <strong>
-        {{ $page['title'] }}
+        @php
+            $title = urldecode($page['title']);
+        @endphp
+        {{ $title }}
     </strong>
     <hr/>
     <button data-active="{{ $menu }}">