diff --git a/Cargo.lock b/Cargo.lock
index 832b4c4..31b7377 100644
--- a/Cargo.lock
+++ b/Cargo.lock
@@ -2585,6 +2585,8 @@ dependencies = [
  "libfj",
  "log",
  "sea-orm",
+ "serde_json",
+ "tokio",
 ]
 
 [[package]]
diff --git a/assets/robocraft/config.json b/assets/robocraft/config.json
index ce2c195..25f4f49 100644
--- a/assets/robocraft/config.json
+++ b/assets/robocraft/config.json
@@ -14521,7 +14521,7 @@
     "factory": {
         "adapter": {
             "variant": "Arc",
-            "uri": "sqlite:../../arc/rc_archive.db?mode=ro"
+            "uri": "sqlite:../data/robocraft/rc_archive.db?mode=rw"
         }
     },
     "settings": {
diff --git a/cdn/src/main.rs b/cdn/src/main.rs
index 1927964..4c8340e 100644
--- a/cdn/src/main.rs
+++ b/cdn/src/main.rs
@@ -32,6 +32,8 @@ async fn main() -> std::io::Result<()> {
             .service(robocraft::brawl_data::get)
             .service(robocraft::campaign_data::get)
             .service(robocraft::factory::arc::get)
+            .service(robocraft::factory::thumbnail::get)
+            .service(robocraft::factory::thumbnail::post)
             .service(robocraft::favicon::get)
     })
     .bind((cli_args.ip, cli_args.port))?
diff --git a/cdn/src/robocraft/factory/arc.rs b/cdn/src/robocraft/factory/arc.rs
index c9c963b..7547b9a 100644
--- a/cdn/src/robocraft/factory/arc.rs
+++ b/cdn/src/robocraft/factory/arc.rs
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@ static ZIP_FILE: std::sync::Mutex<Option<zip::read::ZipArchive<std::io::BufReade
 pub async fn get(cli: Data<crate::cli::CliArgs>, id: Path<u32>) -> HttpResponse {
     let id: u32 = *id;
     let zip_path = std::path::PathBuf::from(&cli.data_robocraft).join("rc_archive_thumbnails.zip");
-    let thumb_dir_path = std::path::PathBuf::from(&cli.data_robocraft).join("factorythumbnails");
+    let thumb_dir_path = std::path::PathBuf::from(&cli.data_robocraft).join(super::THUMBNAIL_DIR);
     try_find_file(zip_path, thumb_dir_path, id).await
 }
 
@@ -79,6 +79,8 @@ fn get_file_in_zip(zip_path: std::path::PathBuf, id: u32) -> zip::result::ZipRes
 }
 
 fn get_file_in_thumbnails(dir: std::path::PathBuf, id: u32) -> std::io::Result<Vec<u8>> {
+    // in case someone has extracted the thumbnail zip
+    // (newly-uploaded vehicles use the general thumbnail CDN endpoint)
     let prefix = format!("{} - ", id);
     for ent in std::fs::read_dir(&dir)? {
         let ent = ent?;
diff --git a/cdn/src/robocraft/factory/mod.rs b/cdn/src/robocraft/factory/mod.rs
index 02d3672..a7f06c2 100644
--- a/cdn/src/robocraft/factory/mod.rs
+++ b/cdn/src/robocraft/factory/mod.rs
@@ -1 +1,4 @@
 pub mod arc;
+pub mod thumbnail;
+
+const THUMBNAIL_DIR: &str = "factorythumbnails";
diff --git a/cdn/src/robocraft/factory/thumbnail.rs b/cdn/src/robocraft/factory/thumbnail.rs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..7e4d252
--- /dev/null
+++ b/cdn/src/robocraft/factory/thumbnail.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,22 @@
+use actix_web::{get, post, web::{Data, Path, Bytes}, Responder};
+
+#[get("/roboshop/Live/{id}")]
+pub async fn get(cli: Data<crate::cli::CliArgs>, id: Path<u32>) -> impl Responder {
+    let path = std::path::PathBuf::from(&cli.data_robocraft).join(super::THUMBNAIL_DIR).join(format!("{}.jpg", id));
+    log::debug!("RC asset at {} (exists? {})", path.display(), path.exists());
+    if path.exists() {
+        actix_files::NamedFile::open_async(path).await
+    } else {
+        log::info!("Not found /roboshop/Live/{} -> {}, using default image", id, path.display());
+        actix_files::NamedFile::open_async(std::path::PathBuf::from(&cli.assets_robocraft).join(super::super::DEFAULT_IMAGE)).await
+    }
+}
+
+#[post("/roboshop/Live/{id}")]
+pub async fn post(cli: Data<crate::cli::CliArgs>, auth: Data<crate::robocraft::IntercomAuth>, id: Path<i32>, body: Bytes, req: actix_web::HttpRequest) -> Result<actix_web::HttpResponse, crate::robocraft::IntercomOpError> {
+    auth.validate(&req, &id.to_string())?;
+    let path = std::path::PathBuf::from(&cli.data_robocraft).join(super::THUMBNAIL_DIR).join(format!("{}.jpg", *id));
+    log::debug!("Saving factory thumbnail for {} to {}: {}B", id, path.display(), body.len());
+    std::fs::write(path, &body).map_err(crate::robocraft::IntercomOpError::Io)?;
+    Ok(actix_web::HttpResponse::NoContent().finish())
+}
diff --git a/rc_core/src/factory/adapter_enum.rs b/rc_core/src/factory/adapter_enum.rs
index 7188c1b..7228824 100644
--- a/rc_core/src/factory/adapter_enum.rs
+++ b/rc_core/src/factory/adapter_enum.rs
@@ -22,19 +22,23 @@ impl oj_rc_factory::VehicleFactoryAdapter for Factory {
         }
     }
 
-    async fn upload(&self, vehicle: oj_rc_factory::VehicleUploadInfo) -> Result<bool, Box<dyn std::error::Error>> {
+    async fn upload(&self, vehicle: oj_rc_factory::VehicleUploadInfo) -> Result<oj_rc_factory::VehicleThumbnailInfo, Box<dyn std::error::Error>> {
         match self {
             Self::Arc(x) => x.upload(vehicle).await,
             Self::Custom(x) => x.upload(vehicle).await,
-            Self::None => Ok(false),
+            Self::None => Ok(oj_rc_factory::VehicleThumbnailInfo {
+                id: i32::MIN,
+                thumbnail: vehicle.thumbnail,
+                needs_upload: false,
+            }),
         }
     }
 }
 
 impl Factory {
-    pub async fn from_config(conf: &crate::persist::FactoryConfig) -> Result<Self, Box<dyn std::error::Error + 'static>> {
+    pub async fn from_config(conf: &crate::persist::FactoryConfig, settings: &crate::persist::config::ServerConfig) -> Result<Self, Box<dyn std::error::Error + 'static>> {
         Ok(match &conf.adapter {
-            crate::persist::AdapterSettings::Arc(x) => Self::Arc(oj_rc_factory::arc::ArcAdapter::init(&x.uri, x.show_expired, x.cdn.clone(), x.override_cdn, x.spoof_username).await?),
+            crate::persist::AdapterSettings::Arc(x) => Self::Arc(oj_rc_factory::arc::ArcAdapter::init(&x.uri, x.show_expired, settings.cdn_url.to_owned(), x.override_cdn, x.spoof_username).await?),
             crate::persist::AdapterSettings::None => Self::None,
         })
     }
diff --git a/rc_core/src/persist/config/cubes_json.rs b/rc_core/src/persist/config/cubes_json.rs
index 6d51cc3..4b2fc0f 100644
--- a/rc_core/src/persist/config/cubes_json.rs
+++ b/rc_core/src/persist/config/cubes_json.rs
@@ -293,8 +293,8 @@ impl <C: Clone + Send> super::ConfigProvider<C> for CubeConfig {
             auto_signup: self.settings.server.auto_signup,
             queue_mode: super::QueueChangeMode::from_persist(self.settings.server.queue_mode.clone()),
             cdn_url: self.settings.server.cdn_url.trim_end_matches('/').to_owned(),
-            auth_url: self.settings.server.auth_url.trim_matches('/').to_owned(),
-            intercom_url: self.settings.server.intercom_url.trim_matches('/').to_owned(),
+            auth_url: self.settings.server.auth_url.trim_end_matches('/').to_owned(),
+            intercom_url: self.settings.server.intercom_url.trim_end_matches('/').to_owned(),
         }
     }
 
@@ -308,7 +308,7 @@ impl <C: Clone + Send> super::ConfigProvider<C> for CubeConfig {
     }
 
     async fn factory(&self) -> Result<crate::factory::Factory, Box<dyn std::error::Error + 'static>> {
-        crate::factory::Factory::from_config(&self.factory).await
+        crate::factory::Factory::from_config(&self.factory, &<Self as super::ConfigProvider<()>>::server_config(self)).await
     }
 
     fn cubes(&self) -> &'_ indexmap::IndexMap<String, crate::persist::Cube> {
diff --git a/rc_core/src/persist/settings.rs b/rc_core/src/persist/settings.rs
index e911e1a..f5f626a 100644
--- a/rc_core/src/persist/settings.rs
+++ b/rc_core/src/persist/settings.rs
@@ -124,7 +124,7 @@ fn default_server_conf() -> ServerSettings {
     }
 }
 
-pub fn default_cdn_root_url() -> String {
+fn default_cdn_root_url() -> String {
     "http://127.0.0.1:8010".to_owned()
 }
 
diff --git a/rc_core/src/persist/user/intercom.rs b/rc_core/src/persist/user/intercom.rs
index 643c9df..a0bcac0 100644
--- a/rc_core/src/persist/user/intercom.rs
+++ b/rc_core/src/persist/user/intercom.rs
@@ -53,6 +53,21 @@ impl super::IntercomUser for super::account_json::UserData {
         Ok(())
     }
 
+    async fn save_factory_thumbnail(&self, factory_id: i32, image: Vec<u8>) -> Result<(), polariton_server::operations::SimpleOpError> {
+        let token = generate_token(factory_id.to_string().as_bytes(), &self.secret);
+        let auth_header_val = format!("Internal {}", token);
+        let url = format!("{}/roboshop/Live/{}", self.cdn, factory_id);
+        if let Err(e) = self.http_client.post(url)
+            .header("Authorization", auth_header_val)
+            .body(image)
+            .send()
+            .await {
+            log::error!("Failed to update factory thumbnail for {} ({}): {}", self.account.public_id, self.account.id, e);
+            return Err((crate::data::error_codes::WebServicesError::UnexpectedError as i16).into());
+        }
+        Ok(())
+    }
+
     async fn webservice_listener(&self) -> Result<super::IntercomListener<IntercomWebServiceUserMessage>, polariton_server::operations::SimpleOpError> {
         self.listen_on_websocket(".oj_services").await
             .map_err(|e| polariton_server::operations::SimpleOpError::with_message(
diff --git a/rc_core/src/persist/user/traits.rs b/rc_core/src/persist/user/traits.rs
index aa0073d..b0b02c3 100644
--- a/rc_core/src/persist/user/traits.rs
+++ b/rc_core/src/persist/user/traits.rs
@@ -336,6 +336,7 @@ pub trait MultiplayerUser: IntercomUser + CommonUser {
 #[async_trait::async_trait]
 pub trait IntercomUser: CommonUser {
     async fn save_custom_avatar(&self, image: Vec<u8>) -> Result<(), polariton_server::operations::SimpleOpError>;
+    async fn save_factory_thumbnail(&self, factory_id: i32, image: Vec<u8>) -> Result<(), polariton_server::operations::SimpleOpError>;
     async fn webservice_listener(&self) -> Result<IntercomListener<super::intercom::IntercomWebServiceUserMessage>, polariton_server::operations::SimpleOpError>;
     async fn show_dev_message(&self, msg: super::intercom::IntercomDevMessage, to: Vec<String>);
     async fn enter_maintenance(&self, msg: super::intercom::IntercomMaintenanceMessage, to: Vec<String>);
diff --git a/rc_core/src/persist/vehicle_factory.rs b/rc_core/src/persist/vehicle_factory.rs
index 63ad49b..669d412 100644
--- a/rc_core/src/persist/vehicle_factory.rs
+++ b/rc_core/src/persist/vehicle_factory.rs
@@ -31,19 +31,12 @@ pub struct ArcFactorySettings {
     pub uri: String,
     #[serde(default = "default_true")]
     pub show_expired: bool,
-    /// should probably end with /roboshop/arc/Live/
-    #[serde(default = "default_arc_live_url")]
-    pub cdn: String,
     #[serde(default)]
     pub override_cdn: bool,
     #[serde(default = "default_true")]
     pub spoof_username: bool,
 }
 
-fn default_arc_live_url() -> String {
-    format!("{}/roboshop/arc/Live/", super::settings::default_cdn_root_url())
-}
-
 fn default_true() -> bool {
     true
 }
diff --git a/rc_factory/src/arc/adapter.rs b/rc_factory/src/arc/adapter.rs
index 33a5048..1bb2189 100644
--- a/rc_factory/src/arc/adapter.rs
+++ b/rc_factory/src/arc/adapter.rs
@@ -1,7 +1,6 @@
 use sea_orm::{ColumnTrait, EntityTrait, PaginatorTrait, QueryFilter, QueryOrder, ActiveModelTrait, Set, TransactionTrait};
 use base64::Engine;
 use std::collections::HashMap;
-use std::path::Path;
 
 pub struct ArcAdapter {
     orm: sea_orm::DatabaseConnection,
@@ -15,11 +14,11 @@ impl ArcAdapter {
     pub async fn init(uri: &str, show_expired: bool, cdn: String, override_cdn: bool, username_spoofing: bool) -> Result<Self, sea_orm::DbErr>{
         log::debug!("Connecting to Archive of RoboCraft (ARC) vehicle factory database URI: {}", uri);
         let db = sea_orm::Database::connect(uri).await?;
-        let good_cdn = if cdn.ends_with('/') { cdn } else { format!("{}/", cdn) };
+        //let good_cdn = cdn.to_owned()format!("{}/roboshop/Live/", cdn);
         let adapter = Self {
             orm: db,
             ignore_expiry: show_expired,
-            cdn: good_cdn,
+            cdn: cdn.to_owned(),
             override_cdn: override_cdn,
             spoof_users: username_spoofing,
         };
@@ -36,7 +35,7 @@ impl ArcAdapter {
 
     fn thumbnail_url(&self, meta: String, id: u32) -> String {
         if self.override_cdn {
-            format!("{}{}", &self.cdn, id)
+            format!("{}/roboshop/arc/Live/{}", &self.cdn, id)
         } else {
             meta
         }
@@ -187,7 +186,7 @@ impl crate::VehicleFactoryAdapter for ArcAdapter {
         Ok(infos)
     }
 
-    async fn upload(&self, vehicle: crate::VehicleUploadInfo) -> Result<bool, Box<dyn std::error::Error>> {
+    async fn upload(&self, vehicle: crate::VehicleUploadInfo) -> Result<crate::VehicleThumbnailInfo, Box<dyn std::error::Error>> {
         let transaction = self.orm.begin().await?;
 
         let cube_amounts = {
@@ -207,17 +206,18 @@ impl crate::VehicleFactoryAdapter for ArcAdapter {
             serde_json::to_string(&str_map).unwrap_or_else(|_| "{}".to_string())
         };
         let cubes = super::entities::robot_cubes::ActiveModel {
+            id: sea_orm::ActiveValue::NotSet,
             cube_data: Set(base64::prelude::BASE64_STANDARD.encode(&vehicle.cube_data)),
             colour_data: Set(base64::prelude::BASE64_STANDARD.encode(&vehicle.colour_data)),
             cube_amounts: Set(cube_amounts),
-            ..Default::default()
         }.insert(&transaction).await?;
 
         let now = chrono::Utc::now();
-        let meta = super::entities::robot_metadata::ActiveModel {
+        let _meta = super::entities::robot_metadata::ActiveModel {
+            id: Set(cubes.id),
             name: Set(vehicle.name),
             description: Set(vehicle.description),
-            thumbnail: Set(format!("{}{}", &self.cdn, cubes.id)),
+            thumbnail: Set("REPLACE ME".to_string()),
             added_by: Set(vehicle.added_by),
             added_by_display_name: Set(vehicle.added_by_display_name),
             added_date: Set(now.format("%Y-%m-%dT%H:%M:%S").to_string()),
@@ -230,16 +230,20 @@ impl crate::VehicleFactoryAdapter for ArcAdapter {
             featured: Set(0),
             combat_rating: Set(3.0),
             cosmetic_rating: Set(3.0),
-            ..Default::default()
         }.insert(&transaction).await?;
+        super::entities::robot_metadata::ActiveModel {
+            id: Set(cubes.id),
+            thumbnail: Set(format!("{}/roboshop/Live/{}", &self.cdn, cubes.id)),
+            ..Default::default()
+        }.update(&transaction).await?;
         transaction.commit().await?;
 
-        let entry_name = format!("{} - {}.jpg", meta.id, meta.name);
-        let thumbnail = vehicle.thumbnail;
-        tokio::task::spawn_blocking(move || {
-           std::fs::write(Path::new("../data/robocraft/factorythumbnails").join(&entry_name), &thumbnail).ok();
-        });
+        let result = crate::VehicleThumbnailInfo {
+            id: cubes.id as i32,
+            thumbnail: vehicle.thumbnail,
+            needs_upload: true,
+        };
 
-        Ok(true)
+        Ok(result)
     }
 }
diff --git a/rc_factory/src/lib.rs b/rc_factory/src/lib.rs
index 6030f05..0d17b7d 100644
--- a/rc_factory/src/lib.rs
+++ b/rc_factory/src/lib.rs
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
 pub mod arc;
 
 mod traits;
-pub use traits::{VehicleFactoryAdapter, VehicleInfo, VehicleQueryInfo, VehicleUploadInfo};
+pub use traits::{VehicleFactoryAdapter, VehicleInfo, VehicleQueryInfo, VehicleUploadInfo, VehicleThumbnailInfo};
diff --git a/rc_factory/src/traits.rs b/rc_factory/src/traits.rs
index 93418ef..85d378b 100644
--- a/rc_factory/src/traits.rs
+++ b/rc_factory/src/traits.rs
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
 pub trait VehicleFactoryAdapter: Send + Sync + 'static {
     async fn vehicle(&self, id: u32) -> Result<Option<(VehicleInfo, VehicleQueryInfo)>, Box<dyn std::error::Error>>;
     async fn list(&self, query: libfj::robocraft::ListQuery) -> Result<Vec<VehicleQueryInfo>, Box<dyn std::error::Error>>;
-    async fn upload(&self, vehicle: VehicleUploadInfo) -> Result<bool, Box<dyn std::error::Error>>;
+    async fn upload(&self, vehicle: VehicleUploadInfo) -> Result<VehicleThumbnailInfo, Box<dyn std::error::Error>>;
 }
 
 #[derive(Debug, Clone)]
@@ -65,3 +65,10 @@ pub struct VehicleUploadInfo {
     pub colour_data: Vec<u8>,
     pub build_version: String,
 }
+
+#[derive(Debug)]
+pub struct VehicleThumbnailInfo {
+    pub id: i32,
+    pub thumbnail: Vec<u8>,
+    pub needs_upload: bool,
+}
diff --git a/rc_services_room/src/operations/crf_upload.rs b/rc_services_room/src/operations/crf_upload.rs
index 57f11b4..f9f4828 100644
--- a/rc_services_room/src/operations/crf_upload.rs
+++ b/rc_services_room/src/operations/crf_upload.rs
@@ -15,11 +15,15 @@ async fn do_handling(params: ParameterTable<()>, user: &crate::UserTy, factory:
             let upload_info = crate::data::crf::UploadData::from_transmissibles(version.string, data)?;
             let user_info = user.user()?;
             let prepared = user_info.prepare_factory_upload(upload_info.into_core()).await?;
-            let success = factory.upload(prepared).await.map_err(|e| {
+            let result = factory.upload(prepared).await.map_err(|e| {
                 log::error!("Failed to upload to factory: {}", e);
                 oj_rc_core::data::error_codes::WebServicesError::UnexpectedError as i16
             })?;
-            params.insert(SUCCESS_PARAM_KEY, Typed::Bool(success));
+            if result.needs_upload {
+                user_info.save_factory_thumbnail(result.id, result.thumbnail).await?;
+            }
+            params.insert(SUCCESS_PARAM_KEY, Typed::Bool(true));
+
         }
     }
     Ok(params.into())
diff --git a/rc_services_room/src/operations/mod.rs b/rc_services_room/src/operations/mod.rs
index 84d2a9b..475a102 100644
--- a/rc_services_room/src/operations/mod.rs
+++ b/rc_services_room/src/operations/mod.rs
@@ -220,5 +220,6 @@ pub fn handler(init_ctx: &crate::InitConfig) -> OperationsHandler<crate::UserTy>
         .add(garage_slot_copy::garage_slot_copy_provider())
         .add(polariton_server::operations::Ack::<12, _>::default()) // TODO handle UpdatePlayerDailyQuestProgressRequest instead of ignoring it
         .add(polariton_server::operations::Ack::<90, _>::default()) // TODO handle SubmitCRFRatingRequest instead of ignoring it
+        //.add(polariton_server::operations::Ack::<97, _>::default()) // TODO handle UpdateShopRobotOffsetRequest instead of ignoring it (this seems to break newly-uploaded vehicles for now)
         .add(steam_promo::steam_promos_provider())
 }