diff --git a/bitcask/bitcask.go b/bitcask/bitcask.go
index b0fc901..1c32e27 100644
--- a/bitcask/bitcask.go
+++ b/bitcask/bitcask.go
@@ -149,8 +149,8 @@ func OpenDB(path string) *DB {
 
 // discover is a helper function to discover and initialize all existing bitcask stores at the path.
 // caller must hold write lock.
-func (db *DB) discover() ([]string, error) {
-	if db.initialized.Load() {
+func (db *DB) discover(force ...bool) ([]string, error) {
+	if db.initialized.Load() && (len(force) == 0 || !force[0]) {
 		stores := make([]string, 0, len(db.store))
 		for store := range db.store {
 			if store == "" {
@@ -158,7 +158,9 @@ func (db *DB) discover() ([]string, error) {
 			}
 			stores = append(stores, store)
 		}
-		return stores, nil
+		if len(stores) > 0 {
+			return stores, nil
+		}
 	}
 	stores := make([]string, 0, len(db.store))
 	errs := make([]error, 0, len(db.store))
@@ -170,6 +172,9 @@ func (db *DB) discover() ([]string, error) {
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, err
 	}
+
+	_ = db._init()
+
 	for _, entry := range entries {
 		if !entry.IsDir() {
 			continue
diff --git a/bitcask/bitcask_backup.go b/bitcask/bitcask_backup.go
index 538f287..be19123 100644
--- a/bitcask/bitcask_backup.go
+++ b/bitcask/bitcask_backup.go
@@ -97,7 +97,7 @@ func (db *DB) RestoreAll(archivePath string) error {
 		return fmt.Errorf("failed to re-init db after restore%s: %w", preBackupPath, err)
 	}
 
-	_, err := db.discover()
+	_, err := db.discover(true)
 	if err != nil {
 		return fmt.Errorf("failed during discover call after restore%s: %w", preBackupPath, err)
 	}
diff --git a/pogreb/pogreb.go b/pogreb/pogreb.go
index b1124c3..c2f29b9 100644
--- a/pogreb/pogreb.go
+++ b/pogreb/pogreb.go
@@ -199,7 +199,6 @@ func (db *DB) allStores() map[string]database.Filer {
 
 // AllStores returns a map of the names of all pogreb datastores and the corresponding Filers.
 func (db *DB) AllStores() map[string]database.Filer {
-
 	db.mu.RLock()
 	ast := db.allStores()
 	db.mu.RUnlock()
@@ -262,8 +261,9 @@ func (db *DB) init() error {
 		return nil
 	}
 	db.mu.Lock()
-	defer db.mu.Unlock()
-	return db._init()
+	err := db._init()
+	db.mu.Unlock()
+	return err
 }
 
 // Destroy will remove a pogreb store and all data associated with it.
@@ -547,6 +547,10 @@ func (db *DB) allMetrics() map[string]*pogreb.Metrics {
 
 func (db *DB) addAllStoresToMeta() {
 	storeMap := db.allStores()
+	if len(storeMap) == 0 {
+		println("no stores to add")
+		return
+	}
 	storeNames := make([]string, 0, len(storeMap))
 	for name := range storeMap {
 		if name == "" {
@@ -572,8 +576,8 @@ func (db *DB) SyncAll() error {
 	return compoundErrors(errs)
 }
 
-func (db *DB) discover() ([]string, error) {
-	if db.initialized.Load() {
+func (db *DB) discover(force ...bool) ([]string, error) {
+	if db.initialized.Load() && (len(force) == 0 || !force[0]) {
 		stores := make([]string, 0, len(db.store))
 		for name := range db.store {
 			if name == "" {
@@ -581,7 +585,9 @@ func (db *DB) discover() ([]string, error) {
 			}
 			stores = append(stores, name)
 		}
-		return stores, nil
+		if len(stores) > 0 {
+			return stores, nil
+		}
 	}
 	stores := make([]string, 0)
 	errs := make([]error, 0)
@@ -592,6 +598,9 @@ func (db *DB) discover() ([]string, error) {
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, err
 	}
+
+	_ = db._init()
+
 	for _, entry := range entries {
 		if !entry.IsDir() {
 			continue
@@ -624,6 +633,7 @@ func (db *DB) discover() ([]string, error) {
 // Discover will discover and initialize all existing bitcask stores at the path opened by [OpenDB].
 func (db *DB) Discover() ([]string, error) {
 	if err := db.init(); err != nil {
+		println("error initializing")
 		return nil, err
 	}
 	db.mu.Lock()
diff --git a/pogreb/pogreb_backup.go b/pogreb/pogreb_backup.go
index f78220c..3b001fc 100644
--- a/pogreb/pogreb_backup.go
+++ b/pogreb/pogreb_backup.go
@@ -97,7 +97,7 @@ func (db *DB) RestoreAll(archivePath string) error {
 		return fmt.Errorf("failed to re-init db after restore%s: %w", preBackupPath, err)
 	}
 
-	_, err := db.discover()
+	_, err := db.discover(true)
 	if err != nil {
 		return fmt.Errorf("failed during discover call after restore%s: %w", preBackupPath, err)
 	}
diff --git a/pogreb/pogreb_test.go b/pogreb/pogreb_test.go
index 352bf49..176e470 100644
--- a/pogreb/pogreb_test.go
+++ b/pogreb/pogreb_test.go
@@ -17,6 +17,13 @@ import (
 func newTestDB(t *testing.T) (string, database.Keeper) {
 	t.Helper()
 	tpath := t.TempDir()
+	t.Cleanup(func() {
+		t.Logf("[CLEANUP] removing temp dir %s", tpath)
+		err := os.RemoveAll(tpath)
+		if err != nil && !errors.Is(err, fs.ErrNotExist) {
+			panic(err.Error())
+		}
+	})
 	tdb := OpenDB(tpath)
 	if tdb == nil {
 		t.Fatalf("failed to open testdb at %s, got nil", tpath)
@@ -35,7 +42,7 @@ func seedRandStores(db database.Keeper, t *testing.T) []string {
 		randstore := c.RandStr(5)
 		err := db.Init(randstore)
 		if err != nil {
-			t.Errorf("failed to initialize store for test SyncAndCloseAll: %e", err)
+			t.Errorf("failed to initialize store for test SyncAndCloseAll: %s", err.Error())
 		}
 		err = seedRandKV(db, randstore)
 		if err != nil {
@@ -93,7 +100,7 @@ func TestDB_Init(t *testing.T) { //nolint:funlen,gocognit,cyclop
 		err := db.With("simple").Put(key, value)
 		t.Logf("Put Value %v at Key %v", string(value), key)
 		if err != nil {
-			t.Fatalf("[FAIL] %e", err)
+			t.Fatalf("[FAIL] %s", err.Error())
 		}
 		gvalue, gerr := db.With("simple").Get(key)
 		if gerr != nil {
@@ -107,16 +114,16 @@ func TestDB_Init(t *testing.T) { //nolint:funlen,gocognit,cyclop
 	t.Run("withNewStoreDoesExist", func(t *testing.T) {
 		nope := db.WithNew("bing")
 		if err := nope.Put([]byte("key"), []byte("value")); err != nil {
-			t.Fatalf("[FAIL] %e", err)
+			t.Fatalf("[FAIL] %s", err.Error())
 		}
 		err := nope.Put([]byte("bing"), []byte("bong"))
 		if err != nil {
-			t.Fatalf("[FAIL] %e", err)
+			t.Fatalf("[FAIL] %s", err.Error())
 		}
 		yup := db.WithNew("bing")
 		res, err := yup.Get([]byte("bing"))
 		if err != nil {
-			t.Errorf("[FAIL] %e", err)
+			t.Errorf("[FAIL] %s", err.Error())
 		}
 		if !bytes.Equal(res, []byte("bong")) {
 			t.Errorf("[FAIL] wanted %v, got %v", string("bong"), string(res))
@@ -147,7 +154,7 @@ func TestDB_Init(t *testing.T) { //nolint:funlen,gocognit,cyclop
 		if err == nil {
 			t.Fatalf("[FAIL] we should have gotten an error from bogus store map entry")
 		}
-		t.Logf("[SUCCESS] got compound error: %e", err)
+		t.Logf("[SUCCESS] got compound error: %s", err.Error())
 	})
 
 	// TODO: make sure sync is ACTUALLY sycing instead of only checking for nil err... ( ._. )
@@ -155,20 +162,20 @@ func TestDB_Init(t *testing.T) { //nolint:funlen,gocognit,cyclop
 	t.Run("syncAll", func(t *testing.T) {
 		err := db.SyncAll()
 		if err != nil {
-			t.Fatalf("[FAIL] got compound error: %e", err)
+			t.Fatalf("[FAIL] got compound error: %s", err.Error())
 		}
 	})
 	t.Run("closeAll", func(t *testing.T) {
 		t.Cleanup(func() {
 			err := os.RemoveAll("./testdata")
 			if err != nil {
-				t.Fatalf("[CLEANUP FAIL] %e", err)
+				t.Fatalf("[CLEANUP FAIL] %s", err.Error())
 			}
 			t.Logf("[CLEANUP] cleaned up ./testdata")
 		})
 		err := db.CloseAll()
 		if err != nil {
-			t.Fatalf("[FAIL] got compound error: %e", err)
+			t.Fatalf("[FAIL] got compound error: %s", err.Error())
 		}
 		db = nil
 	})
@@ -178,12 +185,15 @@ func TestDB_Init(t *testing.T) { //nolint:funlen,gocognit,cyclop
 		names := seedRandStores(db, t)
 		err := db.SyncAndCloseAll()
 		if err != nil {
-			t.Errorf("[FAIL] failed to SyncAndCloseAll: %e", err)
+			t.Fatalf("[FAIL] failed to SyncAndCloseAll: %s", err.Error())
 		}
 		db = OpenDB(tdbp)
-		found, err := db.Discover()
+		found, err := db.(*DB).Discover()
 		if err != nil {
-			t.Errorf("[FAIL] failed to discover stores: %e", err)
+			t.Fatalf("[FAIL] failed to discover stores: %s", err.Error())
+		}
+		if len(found) == 0 {
+			t.Fatalf("[FAIL] found no stores")
 		}
 		for _, n := range names {
 			matched := false
@@ -246,7 +256,7 @@ func Test_Close(t *testing.T) {
 	t.Run("CantCloseBogusStore", func(t *testing.T) {
 		err := db.Close(c.RandStr(55))
 		if !errors.Is(err, ErrBogusStore) {
-			t.Errorf("[FAIL] got err %e, wanted err %e", err, ErrBogusStore)
+			t.Errorf("[FAIL] got err %s, wanted err %s", err.Error(), ErrBogusStore)
 		}
 	})
 }
@@ -264,7 +274,7 @@ func Test_withAll(t *testing.T) {
 	t.Run("withAllNoStores", func(t *testing.T) {
 		err := db.(*DB).withAll(121)
 		if !errors.Is(err, ErrNoStores) {
-			t.Errorf("[FAIL] got err %e, wanted err %e", err, ErrNoStores)
+			t.Errorf("[FAIL] got err %s, wanted err %s", err.Error(), ErrNoStores)
 		}
 	})
 	t.Run("withAllNilMap", func(t *testing.T) {
@@ -278,11 +288,11 @@ func Test_withAll(t *testing.T) {
 	t.Run("withAllBogusAction", func(t *testing.T) {
 		err := db.Init(asdf1)
 		if err != nil {
-			t.Errorf("[FAIL] unexpected error: %e", err)
+			t.Errorf("[FAIL] unexpected error: %s", err.Error())
 		}
 		wAllErr := db.(*DB).withAll(121)
 		if !errors.Is(wAllErr, ErrUnknownAction) {
-			t.Errorf("[FAIL] wanted error %e, got error %e", ErrUnknownAction, err)
+			t.Errorf("[FAIL] wanted error %s, got error %s", ErrUnknownAction.Error(), err)
 		}
 	})
 	t.Run("ListAll", func(t *testing.T) {
@@ -306,15 +316,15 @@ func Test_withAll(t *testing.T) {
 	t.Run("ListAllAndInteract", func(t *testing.T) {
 		err := db.Init(asdf2)
 		if err != nil {
-			t.Errorf("[FAIL] unexpected error: %e", err)
+			t.Errorf("[FAIL] unexpected error: %s", err.Error())
 		}
 		err = db.With(asdf1).Put([]byte("asdf"), []byte("asdf"))
 		if err != nil {
-			t.Errorf("[FAIL] unexpected error: %e", err)
+			t.Errorf("[FAIL] unexpected error: %s", err.Error())
 		}
 		err = db.With(asdf2).Put([]byte("asdf"), []byte("asdf"))
 		if err != nil {
-			t.Errorf("[FAIL] unexpected error: %e", err)
+			t.Errorf("[FAIL] unexpected error: %s", err.Error())
 		}
 		allStores := db.AllStores()
 		if len(allStores) == 0 {
@@ -357,13 +367,18 @@ func Test_withAll(t *testing.T) {
 
 	// initialize store for the defer closure call
 	if err := db.Init(asdf1); err != nil {
-		t.Fatalf("[FAIL] %e", err)
+		t.Fatalf("[FAIL] %s", err.Error())
 	}
 
 }
 
 func Test_WithOptions(t *testing.T) { //nolint:funlen,gocognit,cyclop
 	tpath := t.TempDir()
+	t.Cleanup(func() {
+		if err := os.RemoveAll(tpath); err != nil {
+			panic(err)
+		}
+	})
 	tdb := OpenDB(tpath)
 	if tdb == nil {
 		t.Fatalf("failed to open testdb at %s, got nil", tpath)
@@ -386,9 +401,14 @@ func Test_WithOptions(t *testing.T) { //nolint:funlen,gocognit,cyclop
 }
 func Test_PhonyInit(t *testing.T) {
 	newtmp := t.TempDir()
+	t.Cleanup(func() {
+		if err := os.RemoveAll(newtmp); err != nil {
+			panic(err)
+		}
+	})
 	err := os.MkdirAll(newtmp+"/"+t.Name(), 0755)
 	if err != nil {
-		t.Fatalf("[FAIL] failed to create test directory: %e", err)
+		t.Fatalf("[FAIL] failed to create test directory: %s", err.Error())
 	}
 	err = os.Symlink("/dev/null", filepath.Join(newtmp, t.Name(), "lock"))
 	if err != nil {