diff --git a/proto/caosdb/entity/v1alpha1/main.proto b/proto/caosdb/entity/v1alpha1/main.proto
index 3501f582b010de7d2c442c8f28a26f371d9566b1..04ed3c23db09930b6912da8e28bdf74258ec0368 100644
--- a/proto/caosdb/entity/v1alpha1/main.proto
+++ b/proto/caosdb/entity/v1alpha1/main.proto
@@ -127,11 +127,8 @@ message Parent {
   string description = 3;
 }
 
-// Request a transaction of an entity by its ID. This can be used to implement
-// a retrieval or deletion.
-message ByIdRequest {
-  // ID of requested entity
-  string id = 1;
+message CountResult {
+  int32 count = 1;
 }
 
 // Response to a retrieve request
@@ -179,9 +176,9 @@ message SingleRetrieveResponse {
 message QueryOrIdRequest {
   oneof wrapped_request {
     // A single id
-    ByIdRequest by_id = 1;
+    string id = 1;
     // A query
-    QueryRequest query = 2;
+    Query query = 2;
   }
 }