diff --git a/databases/mongodb_db.ts b/databases/mongodb_db.ts
index c98cba6c..f70f2f69 100644
--- a/databases/mongodb_db.ts
+++ b/databases/mongodb_db.ts
@@ -17,13 +17,16 @@
 import AbstractDatabase, { type Settings } from "../lib/AbstractDatabase";
 import type { BulkObject } from "./cassandra_db";
 import { MongoClient } from "mongodb";
-import type { Collection, Db } from "mongodb";
+import type { Collection, Db, Filter } from "mongodb";
+
+// Document shape stored in the ueberdb collection. _id is the user-provided string key,
+// not the default ObjectId, so mongodb's generic types need this narrowing.
+type UeberDoc = { _id: string; value: string };
 
 export default class extends AbstractDatabase {
-  public interval: NodeJS.Timer | undefined;
   public database: Db | undefined;
   public client: MongoClient | undefined;
-  public collection: Collection | undefined;
+  public collection: Collection<UeberDoc> | undefined;
   constructor(settings: Settings) {
     super(settings);
     this.settings = settings;
@@ -35,28 +38,12 @@ export default class extends AbstractDatabase {
     if (!this.settings.collection) this.settings.collection = "ueberdb";
   }
 
-  clearPing() {
-    if (this.interval) {
-      clearInterval(this.interval[Symbol.toPrimitive]());
-    }
-  }
-
-  schedulePing() {
-    this.clearPing();
-    this.interval = setInterval(() => {
-      this.database!.command({
-        ping: 1,
-      });
-    }, 10000);
-  }
-
   init(callback: Function) {
     MongoClient.connect(this.settings.url!)
       .then((v) => {
         this.client = v;
         this.database = v.db(this.settings.database);
-        this.schedulePing();
-        this.collection = this.database.collection(this.settings.collection!);
+        this.collection = this.database.collection<UeberDoc>(this.settings.collection!);
         callback(null);
       })
       .catch((v: Error) => {
@@ -65,7 +52,6 @@ export default class extends AbstractDatabase {
   }
 
   get(key: string, callback: Function) {
-    // @ts-ignore
     this.collection!.findOne({ _id: key })
       .then((v) => {
         callback(null, v && v.value);
@@ -74,56 +60,43 @@ export default class extends AbstractDatabase {
         console.log(v);
         callback(v);
       });
-
-    this.schedulePing();
   }
 
   findKeys(key: string, notKey: string, callback: Function) {
-    const selector = {
-      $and: [{ _id: { $regex: `${key.replace(/\*/g, "")}` } }],
+    const escape = (s: string) => s.replace(/[.+?^${}()|[\]\\]/g, "\\$&").replace(/\*/g, ".*");
+    const selector: Filter<UeberDoc> = {
+      $and: [{ _id: { $regex: `^${escape(key)}$` } }],
     };
 
     if (notKey) {
-      // @ts-ignore
-      selector.$and.push({ _id: { $not: { $regex: `${notKey.replace(/\*/g, "")}` } } });
+      selector.$and!.push({ _id: { $not: { $regex: `^${escape(notKey)}$` } } });
     }
 
-    // @ts-ignore
     this.collection!.find(selector)
-      .map((i: any) => i._id)
+      .map((i) => i._id)
       .toArray()
-      .then((r) => {
-        callback(null, r);
-      })
+      .then((r) => callback(null, r))
       .catch((v) => callback(v));
-
-    this.schedulePing();
   }
 
   set(key: string, value: string, callback: Function) {
     if (key.length > 100) {
       callback("Your Key can only be 100 chars");
     } else {
-      // @ts-ignore
       this.collection!.updateMany({ _id: key }, { $set: { value } }, { upsert: true })
         .then(() => callback(null))
         .catch((v) => callback(v));
     }
-
-    this.schedulePing();
   }
 
   remove(key: string, callback: Function) {
-    // @ts-ignore
     this.collection!.deleteOne({ _id: key })
       .then((r) => callback(null, r))
       .catch((v) => callback(v));
-
-    this.schedulePing();
   }
 
   doBulk(bulk: BulkObject[], callback: Function) {
-    const bulkMongo = this.collection!.initializeOrderedBulkOp();
+    const bulkMongo = this.collection!.initializeUnorderedBulkOp();
 
     for (const i in bulk) {
       if (bulk[i].type === "set") {
@@ -144,12 +117,9 @@ export default class extends AbstractDatabase {
       .catch((error: any) => {
         callback(error);
       });
-
-    this.schedulePing();
   }
 
   close(callback: any) {
-    this.clearPing();
     this.client!.close().then((r) => callback(r));
   }
 }