diff --git a/packages/random/README.md b/packages/random/README.md
index 50efc5e09c..832b158a11 100644
--- a/packages/random/README.md
+++ b/packages/random/README.md
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@
 [![Mastodon Follow](https://img.shields.io/mastodon/follow/109331703950160316?domain=https%3A%2F%2Fmastodon.thi.ng&style=social)](https://mastodon.thi.ng/@toxi)
 
 > [!NOTE]
-> This is one of 194 standalone projects, maintained as part
+> This is one of 197 standalone projects, maintained as part
 > of the [@thi.ng/umbrella](https://github.com/thi-ng/umbrella/) monorepo
 > and anti-framework.
 >
@@ -62,7 +62,6 @@ Partially ported from C implementations taken from [c.thi.ng](http://c.thi.ng).
 - [`randomID()`](https://github.com/thi-ng/umbrella/tree/develop/packages/random/src/random-id.ts)
 - [`weightedRandom()` / `weightedRandomKey()`](https://github.com/thi-ng/umbrella/tree/develop/packages/random/src/weighted-random.ts)
 - [`uniqueIndices()` / `uniqueValuesFrom()`](https://github.com/thi-ng/umbrella/tree/develop/packages/random/src/unique-indices.ts)
-- [`uuidv4Bytes()` / `uuid()`](https://github.com/thi-ng/umbrella/tree/develop/packages/random/src/uuid.ts)
 
 ## Status
 
@@ -104,14 +103,12 @@ For Node.js REPL:
 const rnd = await import("@thi.ng/random");
 ```
 
-Package sizes (brotli'd, pre-treeshake): ESM: 2.02 KB
+Package sizes (brotli'd, pre-treeshake): ESM: 1.92 KB
 
 ## Dependencies
 
 - [@thi.ng/api](https://github.com/thi-ng/umbrella/tree/develop/packages/api)
-- [@thi.ng/checks](https://github.com/thi-ng/umbrella/tree/develop/packages/checks)
 - [@thi.ng/errors](https://github.com/thi-ng/umbrella/tree/develop/packages/errors)
-- [@thi.ng/hex](https://github.com/thi-ng/umbrella/tree/develop/packages/hex)
 
 ## Usage examples
 
diff --git a/packages/random/package.json b/packages/random/package.json
index a781a41107..4cae61ebe8 100644
--- a/packages/random/package.json
+++ b/packages/random/package.json
@@ -37,9 +37,7 @@
 	},
 	"dependencies": {
 		"@thi.ng/api": "^8.11.6",
-		"@thi.ng/checks": "^3.6.8",
-		"@thi.ng/errors": "^2.5.12",
-		"@thi.ng/hex": "^2.3.50"
+		"@thi.ng/errors": "^2.5.12"
 	},
 	"devDependencies": {
 		"@microsoft/api-extractor": "^7.47.0",
@@ -62,7 +60,6 @@
 		"typedarray",
 		"typescript",
 		"weighted",
-		"uuid",
 		"uniform"
 	],
 	"publishConfig": {
diff --git a/packages/random/src/crypto.ts b/packages/random/src/crypto.ts
index 6984584938..ff5eed4382 100644
--- a/packages/random/src/crypto.ts
+++ b/packages/random/src/crypto.ts
@@ -4,8 +4,8 @@ import { randomBytes } from "./random-bytes.js";
 
 /**
  * Currently browser only, a `window.crypto` backed {@link IRandom}
- * implementation. Random values are buffered to minimize overhead. Buffer size
- * is configurable via ctor.
+ * implementation. Random values are repeatedly buffered to minimize overhead.
+ * Buffer size is configurable via ctor.
  *
  * @remarks
  * Internally uses {@link randomBytes} to source values, which falls back to
diff --git a/packages/random/src/index.ts b/packages/random/src/index.ts
index b032b0c4fa..02794f4d68 100644
--- a/packages/random/src/index.ts
+++ b/packages/random/src/index.ts
@@ -14,7 +14,6 @@ export * from "./sfc32.js";
 export * from "./smush32.js";
 export * from "./system.js";
 export * from "./unique-indices.js";
-export * from "./uuid.js";
 export * from "./weighted-probability.js";
 export * from "./weighted-random.js";
 export * from "./xorshift128.js";
diff --git a/packages/random/src/random-bytes.ts b/packages/random/src/random-bytes.ts
index 16d4d67bec..2ad337950e 100644
--- a/packages/random/src/random-bytes.ts
+++ b/packages/random/src/random-bytes.ts
@@ -1,4 +1,3 @@
-import { hasCrypto } from "@thi.ng/checks/has-crypto";
 import type { IRandom } from "./api.js";
 import { SYSTEM } from "./system.js";
 
@@ -32,9 +31,10 @@ export const randomBytesFrom = (
  * @param start -
  * @param end -
  */
-export const randomBytes = hasCrypto()
-	? (buf: Uint8Array, start = 0, end = buf.length) => (
-			window.crypto.getRandomValues(buf.subarray(start, end)), buf
-	  )
-	: (buf: Uint8Array, start?: number, end?: number) =>
-			randomBytesFrom(SYSTEM, buf, start, end);
+export const randomBytes =
+	typeof window !== "undefined" && window["crypto"] !== undefined
+		? (buf: Uint8Array, start = 0, end = buf.length) => (
+				window.crypto.getRandomValues(buf.subarray(start, end)), buf
+		  )
+		: (buf: Uint8Array, start?: number, end?: number) =>
+				randomBytesFrom(SYSTEM, buf, start, end);
diff --git a/packages/random/src/uuid.ts b/packages/random/src/uuid.ts
deleted file mode 100644
index 867aa56da5..0000000000
--- a/packages/random/src/uuid.ts
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,32 +0,0 @@
-import { uuid as $uuid } from "@thi.ng/hex";
-import type { IRandom } from "./api.js";
-import { randomBytes, randomBytesFrom } from "./random-bytes.js";
-
-/**
- * Depending on if `rnd` is given, uses {@link randomBytesFrom} or
- * {@link randomBytes} to fill given (optional) byte array with a new UUIDv4.
- * Creates new Uint8Array if none given.
- *
- * @param buf -
- * @param rnd -
- */
-export const uuidv4Bytes = (buf?: Uint8Array, rnd?: IRandom) => {
-	buf = buf || new Uint8Array(16);
-	buf = rnd ? randomBytesFrom(rnd, buf) : randomBytes(buf);
-	buf[6] = 0x40 | (buf[6] & 0x0f);
-	buf[8] = 0x80 | (buf[8] & 0x3f);
-	return buf;
-};
-
-/** @internal */
-const __buf = new Uint8Array(16);
-
-/**
- * Returns a UUID string, either from given byte array, or if omitted, using a
- * new UUID v4 produced by {@link uuidv4Bytes}.
- *
- * @param id - byte array
- * @param i - start index
- */
-export const uuid = (id?: ArrayLike<number>, i = 0) =>
-	$uuid(id || uuidv4Bytes(__buf), i);
diff --git a/packages/random/test/uuid.test.ts b/packages/random/test/uuid.test.ts
deleted file mode 100644
index 4f8472fe13..0000000000
--- a/packages/random/test/uuid.test.ts
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,22 +0,0 @@
-import { expect, test } from "bun:test";
-import { Xoshiro128, uuid, uuidv4Bytes } from "../src/index.js";
-
-test("from seeded rnd", () => {
-	const rnd = new Xoshiro128();
-	let buf = uuidv4Bytes(undefined, rnd);
-	expect(buf).toEqual(
-		new Uint8Array([
-			157, 255, 141, 148, 201, 143, 77, 74, 163, 71, 204, 243, 50, 107,
-			98, 44,
-		])
-	);
-	expect(uuid(buf)).toBe("9dff8d94-c98f-4d4a-a347-ccf3326b622c");
-	buf = uuidv4Bytes(undefined, rnd);
-	expect(buf).toEqual(
-		new Uint8Array([
-			147, 9, 138, 29, 127, 233, 67, 121, 173, 249, 45, 60, 153, 190, 193,
-			197,
-		])
-	);
-	expect(uuid(buf)).toBe("93098a1d-7fe9-4379-adf9-2d3c99bec1c5");
-});
diff --git a/packages/random/tpl.readme.md b/packages/random/tpl.readme.md
index 4f0654d2a4..c1c338e0f8 100644
--- a/packages/random/tpl.readme.md
+++ b/packages/random/tpl.readme.md
@@ -37,7 +37,6 @@ Partially ported from C implementations taken from [c.thi.ng](http://c.thi.ng).
 - [`randomID()`](https://github.com/thi-ng/umbrella/tree/develop/packages/random/src/random-id.ts)
 - [`weightedRandom()` / `weightedRandomKey()`](https://github.com/thi-ng/umbrella/tree/develop/packages/random/src/weighted-random.ts)
 - [`uniqueIndices()` / `uniqueValuesFrom()`](https://github.com/thi-ng/umbrella/tree/develop/packages/random/src/unique-indices.ts)
-- [`uuidv4Bytes()` / `uuid()`](https://github.com/thi-ng/umbrella/tree/develop/packages/random/src/uuid.ts)
 
 {{meta.status}}