diff --git a/sequencerd/sequence.cpp b/sequencerd/sequence.cpp
index 338b6077..277769bd 100644
--- a/sequencerd/sequence.cpp
+++ b/sequencerd/sequence.cpp
@@ -2891,6 +2891,7 @@ namespace Sequencer {
     if ( this->tcs_preauth_time > 0 ) this->notify_tcs_next_target = true; else this->notify_tcs_next_target = false;
 
     this->arm_readout_flag = true;                  // enables the async_listener to look for the readout and clear the EXPOSE bit
+    this->wait_state_manager.set( Sequencer::SEQ_WAIT_EXPOSE );          // set EXPOSE bit
 
     this->set_imgtype();
 
@@ -2913,7 +2914,6 @@ namespace Sequencer {
     }
 
     error = this->target.update_state( Sequencer::TARGET_EXPOSING );     // set EXPOSE state in database
-    this->wait_state_manager.set( Sequencer::SEQ_WAIT_EXPOSE );          // set EXPOSE bit
 
     return error;
   }
diff --git a/sequencerd/sequencer_interface.cpp b/sequencerd/sequencer_interface.cpp
index 36c07823..070f33fa 100644
--- a/sequencerd/sequencer_interface.cpp
+++ b/sequencerd/sequencer_interface.cpp
@@ -247,7 +247,7 @@ namespace Sequencer {
       std::map<std::string, mysqlx::Value> bindings;
 
       if ( use_id ) {
-        condition = "SET_ID like :setid";
+        condition = "SET_ID = :setid";
         bindings = { { "setid", mysqlx::Value(setid_in) } };
       }
       else {
@@ -403,7 +403,7 @@ namespace Sequencer {
     }
 
     try {
-      const std::string condition("OBSERVATION_ID like :obsid");
+      const std::string condition("OBSERVATION_ID = :obsid");
       const std::string order("OBSERVATION_ID");
       std::map<std::string, mysqlx::Value> bindings = { { "obsid", mysqlx::Value(obsid) } };
 
@@ -533,7 +533,7 @@ namespace Sequencer {
       // Find a row in the SQL active observations table,
       // the next one (in order) where state is state_in.
       //
-      const std::string condition("SET_ID like :setid && STATE like :state");
+      const std::string condition("SET_ID = :setid && STATE like :state");
       const std::string order("OBS_ORDER");
       std::map<std::string, mysqlx::Value> bindings = { { "state", mysqlx::Value(state_in) },
                                                         { "setid", mysqlx::Value(this->setid) } };
@@ -773,7 +773,7 @@ namespace Sequencer {
       // vector identifies the fields to retrieve and is initialized by the TargetInfo()
       // class initializer list.
       //
-      const std::string condition("OBSERVATION_ID like :obsid");
+      const std::string condition("OBSERVATION_ID = :obsid");
       std::map<std::string, mysqlx::Value> bindings = { { "obsid", mysqlx::Value(this->obsid) } };
 
       // read from active targets table