diff --git a/builder/src/types.ts b/builder/src/types.ts
index ef39b60f4..ee7c7fe08 100644
--- a/builder/src/types.ts
+++ b/builder/src/types.ts
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 import { isObj } from "@commontools/utils";
 
-export const ID: symbol = Symbol("ID, unique to the context");
-export const ID_FIELD: symbol = Symbol(
+export const ID: unique symbol = Symbol("ID, unique to the context");
+export const ID_FIELD: unique symbol = Symbol(
   "ID_FIELD, name of sibling that contains id",
 );
 
@@ -108,9 +108,11 @@ export type JSONValue =
   | boolean
   | null
   | JSONValue[]
-  | { [key: string]: JSONValue };
+  | { [key: string]: JSONValue } & { [ID]?: any; [ID_FIELD]?: any };
 
 export type JSONSchema = {
+  readonly [ID]?: any;
+  readonly [ID_FIELD]?: any;
   readonly type?:
     | "object"
     | "array"
diff --git a/runner/src/cell.ts b/runner/src/cell.ts
index 3ea5c7ecd..70749e4dc 100644
--- a/runner/src/cell.ts
+++ b/runner/src/cell.ts
@@ -1,5 +1,10 @@
 import { isStreamAlias, TYPE } from "@commontools/builder";
-import { getTopFrame, ID, type JSONSchema } from "@commontools/builder";
+import {
+  getTopFrame,
+  ID,
+  ID_FIELD,
+  type JSONSchema,
+} from "@commontools/builder";
 import { type DeepKeyLookup, type DocImpl, getDoc, isDoc } from "./doc.ts";
 import {
   createQueryResultProxy,
@@ -103,15 +108,15 @@ import { type Schema } from "@commontools/builder";
  */
 export interface Cell<T> {
   get(): T;
-  set(value: T): void;
-  send(value: T): void;
-  update(values: Partial<T>): void;
+  set(value: Cellify<T> | T): void;
+  send(value: Cellify<T> | T): void;
+  update<V extends Cellify<Partial<T> | Partial<T>>>(
+    values: V extends object ? V : never,
+  ): void;
   push(
     ...value: Array<
-      | (T extends Array<infer U> ? U : any)
-      | DocImpl<T extends Array<infer U> ? U : any>
+      | (T extends Array<infer U> ? (Cellify<U> | U | DocImpl<U>) : any)
       | CellLink
-      | Cell<T extends Array<infer U> ? U : any>
     >
   ): void;
   equals(other: Cell<any>): boolean;
@@ -164,6 +169,26 @@ export interface Cell<T> {
   copyTrap: boolean;
 }
 
+/**
+ * Cellify is a type utility that allows any part of type T to be wrapped in
+ * Cell<>, and allow any part of T that is currently wrapped in Cell<> to be
+ * used unwrapped. This is designed for use with Cell<T> method parameters,
+ * allowing flexibility in how values are passed.
+ */
+export type Cellify<T> =
+  // Handle existing Cell<> types, allowing unwrapping
+  T extends Cell<infer U> ? Cellify<U> | Cell<Cellify<U>>
+    // Handle arrays
+    : T extends Array<infer U> ? Array<Cellify<U>> | Cell<Array<Cellify<U>>>
+    // Handle objects (excluding null), adding optional ID fields
+    : T extends object ?
+        | ({ [K in keyof T]: Cellify<T[K]> } & { [ID]?: any; [ID_FIELD]?: any })
+        | Cell<
+          { [K in keyof T]: Cellify<T[K]> } & { [ID]?: any; [ID_FIELD]?: any }
+        >
+    // Handle primitives
+    : T | Cell<T>;
+
 export interface Stream<T> {
   send(event: T): void;
   sink(callback: (event: T) => Cancel | undefined | void): Cancel;
@@ -359,15 +384,15 @@ function createRegularCell<T>(
 
   const self = {
     get: () => validateAndTransform(doc, path, schema, log, rootSchema),
-    set: (newValue: T) =>
+    set: (newValue: Cellify<T>) =>
       diffAndUpdate(
         resolveLinkToAlias(doc, path, log),
         newValue,
         log,
         getTopFrame()?.cause,
       ),
-    send: (newValue: T) => self.set(newValue),
-    update: (values: Partial<T>) => {
+    send: (newValue: Cellify<T>) => self.set(newValue),
+    update: (values: Cellify<Partial<T>>) => {
       if (typeof values !== "object" || values === null) {
         throw new Error("Can't update with non-object value");
       }
@@ -378,10 +403,8 @@ function createRegularCell<T>(
     },
     push: (
       ...values: Array<
-        | (T extends Array<infer U> ? U : any)
-        | DocImpl<T extends Array<infer U> ? U : any>
+        | (T extends Array<infer U> ? (Cellify<U> | U | DocImpl<U>) : any)
         | CellLink
-        | Cell<T extends Array<infer U> ? U : any>
       >
     ) => {
       // Follow aliases and references, since we want to get to an assumed
diff --git a/runner/test/cell.test.ts b/runner/test/cell.test.ts
index d5a50c7ba..a34e24379 100644
--- a/runner/test/cell.test.ts
+++ b/runner/test/cell.test.ts
@@ -4,13 +4,7 @@ import { type DocImpl, getDoc, isDoc } from "../src/doc.ts";
 import { isCell, isCellLink } from "../src/cell.ts";
 import { isQueryResult } from "../src/query-result-proxy.ts";
 import { type ReactivityLog } from "../src/scheduler.ts";
-import {
-  getTopFrame,
-  ID,
-  JSONSchema,
-  popFrame,
-  pushFrame,
-} from "@commontools/builder";
+import { ID, JSONSchema, popFrame, pushFrame } from "@commontools/builder";
 import { addEventHandler, idle } from "../src/scheduler.ts";
 import { addCommonIDfromObjectID } from "../src/utils.ts";
 
@@ -562,7 +556,7 @@ describe("asCell with schema", () => {
         },
       },
       required: ["name", "age", "tags", "nested"],
-    } satisfies JSONSchema;
+    } as const satisfies JSONSchema;
 
     const cell = c.asCell([], undefined, schema);
     const value = cell.get();
@@ -596,7 +590,7 @@ describe("asCell with schema", () => {
         },
       },
       required: ["id", "metadata"],
-    } satisfies JSONSchema;
+    } as const satisfies JSONSchema;
 
     const value = c.asCell([], undefined, schema).get();
 
@@ -643,7 +637,7 @@ describe("asCell with schema", () => {
         },
       },
       required: ["name", "children"],
-    } satisfies JSONSchema;
+    } as const satisfies JSONSchema;
 
     const value = c.asCell([], undefined, schema).get();
 
@@ -700,7 +694,7 @@ describe("asCell with schema", () => {
         },
       },
       required: ["user"],
-    } satisfies JSONSchema;
+    } as const satisfies JSONSchema;
 
     const cell = c.asCell([], undefined, schema);
     const userCell = cell.key("user");
@@ -831,7 +825,7 @@ describe("asCell with schema", () => {
         },
       },
       required: ["id", "context"],
-    } satisfies JSONSchema;
+    } as const satisfies JSONSchema;
 
     const cell = c.asCell([], undefined, schema);
     const value = cell.get();
@@ -873,7 +867,7 @@ describe("asCell with schema", () => {
         },
       },
       required: ["context"],
-    } satisfies JSONSchema;
+    } as const satisfies JSONSchema;
 
     const cell = c.asCell([], undefined, schema);
     const value = cell.get();
@@ -919,7 +913,7 @@ describe("asCell with schema", () => {
         },
       },
       required: ["context"],
-    } satisfies JSONSchema;
+    } as const satisfies JSONSchema;
 
     const cell = c.asCell([], undefined, schema);
     const value = cell.get();
@@ -965,7 +959,7 @@ describe("asCell with schema", () => {
         },
       },
       required: ["context"],
-    } satisfies JSONSchema;
+    } as const satisfies JSONSchema;
 
     const cell = c.asCell([], undefined, schema);
     const value = cell.get();
@@ -1032,7 +1026,7 @@ describe("asCell with schema", () => {
         },
       },
       required: ["context"],
-    } satisfies JSONSchema;
+    } as const satisfies JSONSchema;
 
     const log = { reads: [], writes: [] } as ReactivityLog;
     const cell = c.asCell([], log, schema);
@@ -1082,7 +1076,7 @@ describe("asCell with schema", () => {
         },
       },
       required: ["items"],
-    } satisfies JSONSchema;
+    } as const satisfies JSONSchema;
 
     const cell = c.asCell([], undefined, schema);
     const itemsCell = cell.key("items");
@@ -1115,7 +1109,7 @@ describe("asCell with schema", () => {
           value: { type: "number" },
         },
       },
-    } satisfies JSONSchema;
+    } as const satisfies JSONSchema;
 
     const cell = c.asCell([], undefined, schema);
 
@@ -1149,7 +1143,7 @@ describe("asCell with schema", () => {
         type: "object",
         properties: { anything: { asCell: true } },
       },
-    } satisfies JSONSchema;
+    } as const satisfies JSONSchema;
 
     const cell = c.asCell([], undefined, schema);
 
@@ -1226,8 +1220,8 @@ describe("asCell with schema", () => {
     const schema = {
       type: "array",
       items: { type: "object", properties: { value: { type: "number" } } },
-      default: [{ [ID]: "test", "value": 10 }, { [ID]: "test2", "value": 20 }],
-    } as JSONSchema;
+      default: [{ [ID]: "test", value: 10 }, { [ID]: "test2", value: 20 }],
+    } as const satisfies JSONSchema;
 
     const c = getDoc({}, "push-to-undefined-schema-stable-id", "test");
     const arrayCell = c.asCell(["items"], undefined, schema);