diff --git a/packages/nooa-memory/src/nooa_memory/store.py b/packages/nooa-memory/src/nooa_memory/store.py
index e3cfd1e95..526ae38a1 100644
--- a/packages/nooa-memory/src/nooa_memory/store.py
+++ b/packages/nooa-memory/src/nooa_memory/store.py
@@ -341,8 +341,9 @@ def resolve_id(self, id_or_prefix: str) -> str | None:
                 return str(row["id"])
             if len(id_or_prefix) < 6:
                 return None
+            prefix = id_or_prefix.replace("!", "!!").replace("%", "!%").replace("_", "!_")
             rows = self._conn.execute(
-                "SELECT id FROM memories WHERE id LIKE ? LIMIT 2", (id_or_prefix + "%",)
+                "SELECT id FROM memories WHERE id LIKE ? ESCAPE '!' LIMIT 2", (prefix + "%",)
             ).fetchall()
             if len(rows) > 1:
                 raise ValueError(f"memory id prefix {id_or_prefix!r} is ambiguous")
diff --git a/packages/nooa-memory/tests/memory/test_memory_contract.py b/packages/nooa-memory/tests/memory/test_memory_contract.py
index 42f3a41d0..10f9798d3 100644
--- a/packages/nooa-memory/tests/memory/test_memory_contract.py
+++ b/packages/nooa-memory/tests/memory/test_memory_contract.py
@@ -136,11 +136,27 @@ def test_ambiguous_prefix_raises(agent):
 
 
 def test_too_short_prefix_is_not_found(agent):
+    """A prefix shorter than the public minimum cannot select a stored memory."""
     _install(agent)
     agent.remember("something", type="info")
     assert agent.forget("abc") is False  # <6 chars never prefix-matches
 
 
+@pytest.mark.parametrize("prefix", ["%%%%%%", "______"])
+def test_wildcard_prefix_cannot_update_or_forget_memory(agent, prefix):
+    """Wildcard-looking input leaves unrelated memory content and archive state intact."""
+    mgr = _install(agent)
+    try:
+        mid = agent.remember("original fact", type="info")
+        assert agent.update_memory(prefix, content="wrong replacement") is False
+        assert agent.forget(prefix) is False
+        stored = mgr.store.get(mid)
+        assert stored.content == "original fact"
+        assert stored.archived is False
+    finally:
+        mgr.uninstall()
+
+
 # --------------------------------------------------------------------------
 # raise-don't-recover at the tool boundary
 # --------------------------------------------------------------------------
diff --git a/packages/nooa-memory/tests/memory/test_memory_store.py b/packages/nooa-memory/tests/memory/test_memory_store.py
index 73d82d14c..607f7b6be 100644
--- a/packages/nooa-memory/tests/memory/test_memory_store.py
+++ b/packages/nooa-memory/tests/memory/test_memory_store.py
@@ -34,6 +34,7 @@ def _add(store, emb, content, **kw):
 
 
 def test_add_get_roundtrip(store, emb):
+    """Reading a newly stored memory preserves its content and importance."""
     m = _add(store, emb, "deploy uses make ship", type=MemoryType.SKILL, importance=7.0)
     got = store.get(m.id)
     assert got is not None
@@ -42,7 +43,25 @@ def test_add_get_roundtrip(store, emb):
     assert got.importance == 7.0
 
 
+@pytest.mark.parametrize("prefix", ["%%%%%%", "______", "abcde%", "abcde_"])
+def test_resolve_id_does_not_expand_sql_wildcards(store, prefix):
+    """SQL wildcard characters cannot broaden an otherwise nonmatching ID prefix."""
+    store.add(Memory(id="abcdef123456", content="original"))
+    assert store.resolve_id(prefix) is None
+
+
+@pytest.mark.parametrize("character", ["%", "_", "!"])
+def test_resolve_id_matches_literal_special_characters(store, character):
+    """Literal percent, underscore, and escape characters remain valid ID text."""
+    mid = f"abcde{character}123456"
+    store.add(Memory(id=mid, content="literal id"))
+    store.add(Memory(id="abcdef123456", content="different id"))
+    assert store.resolve_id(mid) == mid
+    assert store.resolve_id(mid[:6]) == mid
+
+
 def test_save_persists_mutation(store, emb):
+    """Saving an existing memory persists its updated access metadata."""
     m = _add(store, emb, "fact")
     m.touch()
     m.importance = 9.0