diff --git a/src/main/java/de/ids_mannheim/korap/core/service/StatisticService.java b/src/main/java/de/ids_mannheim/korap/core/service/StatisticService.java
index 61b8cef..bacedb8 100644
--- a/src/main/java/de/ids_mannheim/korap/core/service/StatisticService.java
+++ b/src/main/java/de/ids_mannheim/korap/core/service/StatisticService.java
@@ -5,10 +5,15 @@
 import org.springframework.beans.factory.annotation.Autowired;
 import org.springframework.stereotype.Service;
 
+import de.ids_mannheim.korap.constant.QueryType;
+import de.ids_mannheim.korap.entity.QueryDO;
 import de.ids_mannheim.korap.exceptions.KustvaktException;
 import de.ids_mannheim.korap.exceptions.StatusCodes;
 import de.ids_mannheim.korap.rewrite.RewriteHandler;
+import de.ids_mannheim.korap.server.KustvaktBaseServer;
+import de.ids_mannheim.korap.service.QueryServiceInterface;
 import de.ids_mannheim.korap.user.User;
+import de.ids_mannheim.korap.utils.ServiceInfo;
 import jakarta.ws.rs.core.HttpHeaders;
 
 @Service
@@ -16,18 +21,35 @@
 
 	@Autowired
 	private RewriteHandler statisticsRewriteHandler;
+	@Autowired
+	private QueryServiceInterface queryService;
 	
 	public String retrieveStatisticsForCorpusQuery (List<String> cqList,
 			String username, HttpHeaders headers, double apiVersion) 
 					throws KustvaktException {
-
+		
+		// Check for single VC reference
+		if (!KustvaktBaseServer.kargs.isLite() && cqList.size() == 1) {
+			String cq = cqList.get(0);
+			if(cq.startsWith("referTo") && !cq.contains("&") && !cq.contains("|")) {
+				QueryDO vc = retrieveVCReference(cqList.get(0), username);
+    	        if (vc != null) {
+    	        	String vcStatistics = vc.getStatistics();
+    	        	if(vcStatistics != null && !vcStatistics.isEmpty()) {
+    	        		return vcStatistics;
+    	        	}
+    	        }
+			}
+		}
+		
 		String json = buildKoralQueryFromCorpusQuery(cqList, apiVersion);
-		//System.out.println("Before:" + json + "\n");
+//		System.out.println("Before:" + json + "\n");
 		if (!cqList.isEmpty() && !combineMultipleCorpusQuery(cqList).isEmpty()) {
 			User user = createUser(username, headers);
 			json = statisticsRewriteHandler.processQuery(json, user, apiVersion);
 		}
-		//System.out.println("After:" + json);
+//		System.out.println("After:" + json);
+		
 		String stats = searchKrill.getStatistics(json);
 
 		if (stats.contains("-1")) {
@@ -35,7 +57,31 @@
 		}
 		return stats;
 	}
-
+	
+	private QueryDO retrieveVCReference (String ref, String username) 
+			throws KustvaktException {
+		// expect something like: referTo "owner/vcName" or referTo "vcName"
+		String[] cqParts = ref.split(" ");
+		String vcOwner = "system";
+		String vcName = "";
+		if (cqParts.length > 1) {
+			vcName = cqParts[1];
+			// remove surrounding quotes, if any
+			if (vcName.startsWith("\"") && vcName.endsWith("\"")) {
+				vcName = vcName.substring(1, vcName.length() - 1);
+			}
+			if (vcName.contains("/")) {
+				String[] names = vcName.split("/");
+				if (names.length == 2) {
+					vcOwner = names[0]; // may not be "system"
+					vcName = names[1];
+				}
+			}
+		}
+		return queryService.searchQueryByName(username, vcName, vcOwner,
+				QueryType.VIRTUAL_CORPUS);
+	}
+	
     public String retrieveStatisticsForKoralQuery (String koralQuery, 
     		double apiVersion)
             throws KustvaktException {
@@ -60,4 +106,4 @@
     public String getIndexFingerprint () {
         return searchKrill.getIndexFingerprint();
     }
-}
+}
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/src/main/java/de/ids_mannheim/korap/service/DummyQueryServiceImpl.java b/src/main/java/de/ids_mannheim/korap/service/DummyQueryServiceImpl.java
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..3dad866
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/main/java/de/ids_mannheim/korap/service/DummyQueryServiceImpl.java
@@ -0,0 +1,14 @@
+package de.ids_mannheim.korap.service;
+
+import de.ids_mannheim.korap.constant.QueryType;
+import de.ids_mannheim.korap.entity.QueryDO;
+
+public class DummyQueryServiceImpl implements QueryServiceInterface {
+
+	@Override
+	public QueryDO searchQueryByName(String username, String vcName,
+			String vcOwner, QueryType queryType) {
+		return null;
+	}
+
+}
diff --git a/src/main/java/de/ids_mannheim/korap/service/QueryService.java b/src/main/java/de/ids_mannheim/korap/service/QueryService.java
index 143beb1..2382221 100644
--- a/src/main/java/de/ids_mannheim/korap/service/QueryService.java
+++ b/src/main/java/de/ids_mannheim/korap/service/QueryService.java
@@ -68,7 +68,7 @@
  *
  */
 @Service
-public class QueryService extends BasicService {
+public class QueryService extends BasicService implements QueryServiceInterface {
 
     public static Logger jlog = LogManager.getLogger(QueryService.class);
 
@@ -178,6 +178,29 @@
 			return null;
 		}
 	}
+	
+	private String computeStatisticsForVC (QueryType queryType, boolean isCached,
+			double apiVersion, String queryName, String koralQuery)
+			throws KustvaktException {
+        if (queryType.equals(QueryType.VIRTUAL_CORPUS)) {
+        	if (isCached) {
+                String kq = updateKoralQueryForCachedVC (apiVersion, queryName);
+                return krill.getStatistics(kq);
+            }
+        	else {
+        		return krill.getStatistics(koralQuery); 
+        	}
+        }
+        return null;
+	}
+    
+	private String updateKoralQueryForCachedVC (double apiVersion,
+			String queryName) throws KustvaktException {
+    	KoralCollectionQueryBuilder koral = 
+        		new KoralCollectionQueryBuilder(apiVersion);
+        koral.with("referTo " + queryName);
+        return koral.toJSON();
+	}
 
     public void deleteQueryByName (String deletedBy, String queryName,
             String createdBy, QueryType type) throws KustvaktException {
@@ -334,7 +357,7 @@
         }
 
         String koralQuery = computeKoralQuery(query, apiVersion);
-        storeQuery(username, queryName, query.getType(), query.getQueryType(),
+        storeQuery(null,username, queryName, query.getType(), query.getQueryType(),
                 koralQuery, query.getDefinition(), query.getDescription(),
                 query.getStatus(), query.isCached(), queryCreator,
                 query.getQuery(), query.getQueryLanguage(), apiVersion);
@@ -368,16 +391,6 @@
         return null;
     }
 
-    public void storeQuery (String username, String queryName,
-            ResourceType type, QueryType queryType, String koralQuery,
-            String definition, String description, String status,
-            boolean isCached, String queryCreator, String query,
-            String queryLanguage, double apiVersion) throws KustvaktException {
-        storeQuery(null, username, queryName, type, queryType, koralQuery,
-                definition, description, status, isCached, queryCreator, query,
-                queryLanguage, apiVersion);
-    }
-    
     public void storeQuery (QueryDO existingQuery, String username, String queryName,
             ResourceType type, QueryType queryType, String koralQuery,
             String definition, String description, String status,
@@ -418,6 +431,8 @@
             jlog.debug("Storing query: " + queryName + "in the database ");
         }
 
+        // EM: statistics is not updated for *non named-vc*, should we skip it 
+        // so statistics should always be computed on the fly for them?
 		String statistics = computeStatisticsForVC(queryType, isCached,
 				apiVersion, queryName, koralQuery);        
         int queryId = 0;
@@ -453,29 +468,6 @@
         }
     }
     
-	private String computeStatisticsForVC (QueryType queryType, boolean isCached,
-			double apiVersion, String queryName, String koralQuery)
-			throws KustvaktException {
-        if (queryType.equals(QueryType.VIRTUAL_CORPUS)) {
-        	if (isCached) {
-                String kq = updateKoralQueryForCachedVC (apiVersion, queryName);
-                return krill.getStatistics(kq);
-            }
-        	else {
-        		return krill.getStatistics(koralQuery); 
-        	}
-        }
-        return null;
-	}
-    
-	private String updateKoralQueryForCachedVC (double apiVersion,
-			String queryName) throws KustvaktException {
-    	KoralCollectionQueryBuilder koral = 
-        		new KoralCollectionQueryBuilder(apiVersion);
-        koral.with("referTo " + queryName);
-        return koral.toJSON();
-	}
-    
 	public void updateVCStatistics (QueryDO existingQuery, String statistics)
 			throws KustvaktException {
 		queryDao.editQuery(existingQuery, null, null, null, null, null, null,
@@ -768,9 +760,10 @@
         QueryDO query = searchQueryByName(username, queryName, createdBy,
                 queryType);
 
-        String statistics = null;
+        String statistics = query.getStatistics();
         String json = "";
-		if (query.getQueryType().equals(QueryType.VIRTUAL_CORPUS)) {
+		if (query.getQueryType().equals(QueryType.VIRTUAL_CORPUS) && 
+				(statistics == null || statistics.isEmpty())) {
 			if (query.isCached()) {
 				List<String> cqList = new ArrayList<>(1);
 				cqList.add("referTo " + query.getName());
diff --git a/src/main/java/de/ids_mannheim/korap/service/QueryServiceInterface.java b/src/main/java/de/ids_mannheim/korap/service/QueryServiceInterface.java
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..cc0c425
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/main/java/de/ids_mannheim/korap/service/QueryServiceInterface.java
@@ -0,0 +1,25 @@
+package de.ids_mannheim.korap.service;
+
+import de.ids_mannheim.korap.constant.QueryType;
+import de.ids_mannheim.korap.entity.QueryDO;
+import de.ids_mannheim.korap.exceptions.KustvaktException;
+
+/**
+ * Minimal interface exposing the query lookup used by other components.
+ */
+public interface QueryServiceInterface {
+
+    /**
+     * Search for a query (virtual corpus or stored query) by name and owner.
+     *
+     * @param username the user performing the lookup (for access checks)
+     * @param vcName   the query name (virtual corpus name)
+     * @param vcOwner  the owner/creator of the query (e.g. "system" or username)
+     * @param queryType the type of query to look up
+     * @return the matching QueryDO
+     * @throws KustvaktException on not found or authorization problems
+     */
+    QueryDO searchQueryByName(String username, String vcName,
+                              String vcOwner, QueryType queryType)
+            throws KustvaktException;
+}
diff --git a/src/test/java/de/ids_mannheim/korap/web/controller/StatisticsControllerTest.java b/src/test/java/de/ids_mannheim/korap/web/controller/StatisticsControllerTest.java
index 41d20a4..3a9cef0 100644
--- a/src/test/java/de/ids_mannheim/korap/web/controller/StatisticsControllerTest.java
+++ b/src/test/java/de/ids_mannheim/korap/web/controller/StatisticsControllerTest.java
@@ -60,6 +60,22 @@
         assertEquals(11,node.get("documents").asInt());
 	}
 
+    // EM: same results with login because availability rewrite is omitted 
+    // for statistics
+    @Test
+    public void testGetStatisticsProtectedVCWithoutLogin () throws KustvaktException {
+    	String corpusQuery = "availability=QAO-NC-LOC:ids";
+        Response response = target().path(API_VERSION).path("statistics")
+                .queryParam("cq", corpusQuery).request()
+                .get();
+        assert Status.OK.getStatusCode() == response.getStatus();
+        
+        String ent = response.readEntity(String.class);
+        JsonNode node = JsonUtils.readTree(ent);
+        assertEquals(2,node.get("documents").asInt());
+        assertEquals(69056, node.at("/tokens").asInt());
+	}
+
     @Test
     public void testStatisticsWithCq () throws KustvaktException {
         Response response = target().path(API_VERSION).path("statistics")
@@ -75,6 +91,19 @@
         assertTrue(node.at("/warnings").isMissingNode());
     }
 
+    @Test
+    public void testGetStatisticsWithVC ()
+            throws IOException, KustvaktException {
+        String corpusQuery = "referTo system-vc";
+        Response response = target().path(API_VERSION).path("statistics")
+                .queryParam("cq", corpusQuery).request().get();
+        assert Status.OK.getStatusCode() == response.getStatus();
+        String ent = response.readEntity(String.class);
+        JsonNode node = JsonUtils.readTree(ent);
+        assertEquals(7,node.get("documents").asInt());
+        assertEquals(279402,node.get("tokens").asInt());
+    }
+
 
     @Test
     public void testGetStatisticsWithcorpusQuery1 ()
diff --git a/src/test/resources/test-config-lite.xml b/src/test/resources/test-config-lite.xml
index 0a3451d..ec689d9 100644
--- a/src/test/resources/test-config-lite.xml
+++ b/src/test/resources/test-config-lite.xml
@@ -184,6 +184,8 @@
 	<!-- Services -->
 	<bean id="scopeService"
 		class="de.ids_mannheim.korap.oauth2.service.DummyOAuth2ScopeServiceImpl" />
+	<bean id="queryService"
+		class="de.ids_mannheim.korap.service.DummyQueryServiceImpl" />
 
 	<!-- DAO -->
 	<bean id="adminDao"
diff --git a/src/test/resources/test-config.xml b/src/test/resources/test-config.xml
index 05311db..aad2bbe 100644
--- a/src/test/resources/test-config.xml
+++ b/src/test/resources/test-config.xml
@@ -238,8 +238,7 @@
 	</bean>
 	
 	<util:list id="statisticsRewriteTasks"
-		value-type="de.ids_mannheim.korap.rewrite.RewriteTask">
-		<ref bean="foundryRewrite" />
+		value-type="de.ids_mannheim.korap.rewrite.RewriteTask">		
 		<ref bean="timeoutRewrite" />
 		<ref bean="virtualCorpusRewrite" />
 		<ref bean="queryReferenceRewrite" />