diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index 84a8f398..b165753a 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 # Changelog
+
 ## [Unreleased]
 
 ### Added
@@ -37,6 +38,7 @@
 - `haiku.rag.capabilities.EvidenceState`: the state base `RAGState` and `AnalysisState` derive from, with `begin_invocation()` for the per-question reset. `RAGCapabilityBase.evidence_record()` and `citation_index()` expose what a capability recorded, so a host reads it without reaching into `capability.state`.
 - The `haiku.rag` package declares the `jina` extra, so `provider: jina-local` is supported by declaration rather than through `cross-encoder`'s transitive `transformers` and `torch`. Raises the full package's torch floor to 2.0.
 - `providers.docling_serve.timeout` (default 300 seconds), forwarded to the docling-serve client's per-request timeout.
+- `lancedb.databases`: a name-to-location mapping for searching several databases at once, mutually exclusive with `lancedb.uri`. `client.search(..., sources=[...])` selects which to search, `sources=None` searches all of them, and `SearchResult.source` carries the configured name a result came from. Candidates are fused by the configured reranker over the union, or by reciprocal rank fusion when none is configured.
 
 ### Changed
 
diff --git a/haiku_rag_slim/haiku/rag/client/__init__.py b/haiku_rag_slim/haiku/rag/client/__init__.py
index e97dd695..2df90d77 100644
--- a/haiku_rag_slim/haiku/rag/client/__init__.py
+++ b/haiku_rag_slim/haiku/rag/client/__init__.py
@@ -19,6 +19,7 @@ from haiku.rag.config import AppConfig, get_config
 from haiku.rag.converters import get_converter
 from haiku.rag.reranking import get_reranker
 from haiku.rag.store.engine import Store
+from haiku.rag.store.exceptions import SourceUnavailableError
 from haiku.rag.store.models.chunk import Chunk, SearchResult, SearchType
 from haiku.rag.store.models.document import Document
 from haiku.rag.store.models.document_item import extract_items
@@ -71,6 +72,7 @@ class HaikuRAG:
         skip_validation: bool = False,
         create: bool = False,
         read_only: bool = False,
+        sources: list[str] | None = None,
     ):
         """Initialize the RAG client with a database path.
 
@@ -81,6 +83,9 @@ class HaikuRAG:
             skip_validation: Whether to skip configuration validation on database load.
             create: Whether to create the database if it doesn't exist.
             read_only: Whether to open the database in read-only mode.
+            sources: Names from ``config.lancedb.databases`` this client covers.
+                None means all of them. Ignored when a single ``uri`` is
+                configured.
         """
         self._config = config if config is not None else get_config()
         if db_path is None:
@@ -93,6 +98,11 @@ class HaikuRAG:
         self._vacuum_tasks: set[asyncio.Task] = set()
         self._last_vacuum_at: float | None = None
         self._vacuum_dirty = False
+        self._requested_sources = sources
+        self._clients: dict[str, HaikuRAG] = {}
+        self._federated: dict[str, str] = {}
+        self._clients_lock = asyncio.Lock()
+        self._source: str | None = None
 
     @property
     def is_read_only(self) -> bool:
@@ -113,30 +123,157 @@ class HaikuRAG:
         """
         return get_reranker(config=self._config)
 
-    async def __aenter__(self):
-        """Async context manager entry — initializes store and repositories."""
-        self.store = Store(
-            self._db_path,
-            config=self._config,
-            skip_validation=self._skip_validation,
-            create=self._create,
-            read_only=self._read_only,
+    @staticmethod
+    def _locate(location: str) -> tuple[str, "Path | None"]:
+        """Split a configured location into (uri, db_path).
+
+        A value with a scheme is a `lancedb.uri`; anything else is a local path.
+        Routing a local path through `uri` would have `ConnectionMode` classify it
+        as object storage, which opens it without the existence check a local
+        database gets.
+        """
+        if "://" in location:
+            return location, None
+        return "", Path(location)
+
+    def _selected(self) -> dict[str, str]:
+        """The configured databases this client covers, name to location."""
+        declared = self._config.lancedb.databases
+        if not declared:
+            return {}
+        if self._requested_sources is not None and not self._requested_sources:
+            raise ValueError(
+                "sources=[] selects no database; pass None for all of them"
+            )
+        names = (
+            list(declared)
+            if self._requested_sources is None
+            else list(self._requested_sources)
         )
-        # If _initialize fails mid-way (e.g. migration check raises after
-        # connect), close the store so we don't leak the LanceDB connection —
-        # __aexit__ won't run because the `async with` never entered.
+        missing = [n for n in names if n not in declared]
+        if missing:
+            raise KeyError(
+                f"unknown database(s) {', '.join(sorted(missing))}; "
+                f"configured: {', '.join(sorted(declared))}"
+            )
+        return {n: declared[n] for n in names}
+
+    async def __aenter__(self):
+        """Async context manager entry — initializes store and repositories.
+
+        A client covering several databases opens none of them here: which are
+        searched is a per-query choice, so they open on first use. `store` and the
+        repositories stay unset in that case, since they have no unambiguous
+        meaning across a set.
+        """
+        selected = self._selected()
+        if len(selected) > 1:
+            self._federated = selected
+            return self
+        if selected:
+            [(self._source, location)] = selected.items()
+            uri, db_path = self._locate(location)
+            self._config = self._config.model_copy(deep=True)
+            self._config.lancedb.databases = {}
+            self._config.lancedb.uri = uri
+            if db_path is not None:
+                self._db_path = db_path
+
+        failure: str | None = None
         try:
-            await self.store._initialize()
-        except BaseException:
-            self.store.close()
-            raise
+            self.store = Store(
+                self._db_path,
+                config=self._config,
+                skip_validation=self._skip_validation,
+                create=self._create,
+                read_only=self._read_only,
+            )
+            # If _initialize fails mid-way (e.g. migration check raises after
+            # connect), close the store so we don't leak the LanceDB connection —
+            # __aexit__ won't run because the `async with` never entered.
+            try:
+                await self.store._initialize()
+            except BaseException:
+                self.store.close()
+                raise
+        except Exception as error:
+            # A legacy `uri` or `db_path` client has no name to report instead, so
+            # its error passes through as it always has.
+            if self._source is None:
+                raise
+            failure = type(error).__name__
+        if failure is not None:
+            # Raised outside the except block on purpose. A database named in
+            # config is reported by name, and the original spells out the path or
+            # the bucket: `from None` would only stop it being *printed*, leaving
+            # it on `__context__` for anything that walks the chain.
+            raise SourceUnavailableError(
+                f"database {self._source!r} could not be opened: {failure}"
+            )
         self.document_repository = DocumentRepository(self.store)
         self.chunk_repository = ChunkRepository(self.store)
         self.document_item_repository = DocumentItemRepository(self.store)
         return self
 
+    async def clients_for(self, names: list[str]) -> list["HaikuRAG"]:
+        """The clients for these databases, opening any not yet open.
+
+        Opening is per query rather than at entry: a set of 25 configured
+        databases is typically queried a few at a time, and a database nobody
+        asked for must not be able to fail a query, or be opened for nothing.
+        """
+        unknown = [n for n in names if n not in self._federated]
+        if unknown:
+            raise KeyError(
+                f"unknown database(s) {', '.join(sorted(unknown))}; configured: "
+                f"{', '.join(sorted(self._federated))}"
+            )
+        async with self._clients_lock:
+            for name in names:
+                if name not in self._clients:
+                    self._clients[name] = await self._open_client(
+                        name, self._federated[name]
+                    )
+        return [self._clients[n] for n in names]
+
+    async def _open_client(self, name: str, location: str) -> "HaikuRAG":
+        uri, db_path = self._locate(location)
+        config = self._config.model_copy(deep=True)
+        config.lancedb.databases = {}
+        config.lancedb.uri = uri
+        client = HaikuRAG(
+            db_path,
+            config=config,
+            skip_validation=self._skip_validation,
+            read_only=self._read_only,
+        )
+        client._source = name
+        return await client.__aenter__()
+
+    async def _close_clients(self) -> None:
+        for client in self._clients.values():
+            try:
+                await client.__aexit__(None, None, None)
+            except Exception:
+                logger.debug("Closing a database failed on teardown", exc_info=True)
+        self._clients.clear()
+
     async def __aexit__(self, exc_type, exc_val, exc_tb):  # noqa: ARG002
         """Async context manager exit."""
+        # Branch on what this client covers, not on what it happened to open:
+        # a federating client that answered no query has nothing open and no
+        # store either.
+        if self._federated:
+            await self._close_clients()
+            # The set shares one reranker, this client's, so this is the only
+            # place it is closed — and only if a text query ever built it.
+            reranker = self.__dict__.get("reranker")
+            if reranker is not None:
+                try:
+                    await reranker.aclose()
+                except Exception:
+                    logger.debug("Closing the reranker failed", exc_info=True)
+            return False
         await self._await_vacuum_tasks()
         # Best-effort: __aexit__ may run during exception unwinding, and a
         # raising close must not mask the original exception. The reranker is
@@ -463,10 +600,27 @@ class HaikuRAG:
         search_type: SearchType | None = None,
         filter: str | None = None,
         include_images: bool = True,
+        sources: list[str] | None = None,
     ) -> list[SearchResult]:
-        from haiku.rag.client.search import search
+        from haiku.rag.client.search import search, search_sources
 
-        return await search(self, query, limit, search_type, filter, include_images)
+        if self._federated:
+            return await search_sources(
+                self, query, limit, search_type, filter, include_images, sources
+            )
+        if sources is not None and not sources:
+            return []
+        if sources is not None and sources != [self._source]:
+            raise KeyError(
+                f"unknown database(s) {', '.join(sources) or '(none)'}; this "
+                f"client covers {self._source or 'a single unnamed database'}"
+            )
+        results = await search(self, query, limit, search_type, filter, include_images)
+        # A database named in config keeps its name even when it is the only one
+        # this client covers. Only a legacy single `uri` leaves source unset.
+        for result in results:
+            result.source = self._source
+        return results
 
     async def expand_context(
         self,
diff --git a/haiku_rag_slim/haiku/rag/client/search.py b/haiku_rag_slim/haiku/rag/client/search.py
index c47d9b98..d8336de1 100644
--- a/haiku_rag_slim/haiku/rag/client/search.py
+++ b/haiku_rag_slim/haiku/rag/client/search.py
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
+import asyncio
 import base64
 from collections.abc import Sequence
 from typing import TYPE_CHECKING
@@ -38,7 +39,9 @@ async def search(
     if limit is None:
         limit = client._config.search.limit
 
-    candidates = await _fetch(client, query, limit, search_type, filter)
+    candidates = await _fetch(
+        client, query, _fetch_limit(client, query, limit), search_type, filter
+    )
     chunk_results = await _rank(client, query, candidates, limit)
 
     results = [SearchResult.from_chunk(chunk, score) for chunk, score in chunk_results]
@@ -50,10 +53,132 @@ async def search(
     return results
 
 
+async def search_sources(
+    client: "HaikuRAG",
+    query: "str | bytes | PILImage.Image",
+    limit: int | None = None,
+    search_type: SearchType | None = None,
+    filter: str | None = None,
+    include_images: bool = True,
+    sources: list[str] | None = None,
+) -> list[SearchResult]:
+    """Search several databases and fuse their results into one ranked list.
+
+    Fetch, fuse, truncate, then enrich: enrichment runs on the survivors through
+    the database each came from, so it costs the same as a single-database search
+    rather than multiplying by the number searched.
+    """
+    if limit is None:
+        limit = client._config.search.limit
+
+    names = list(client._federated) if sources is None else list(sources)
+    if not names:
+        return []
+    selected = await client.clients_for(names)
+
+    # One over-fetch decision, and one reranker, for the whole set.
+    fetch_limit = _fetch_limit(client, query, limit)
+    per_source = await asyncio.gather(
+        *(_fetch(c, query, fetch_limit, search_type, filter) for c in selected)
+    )
+
+    ranked = await _fuse(client, selected, query, per_source, limit)
+
+    results: list[SearchResult] = []
+    for owner, chunk, score in ranked:
+        result = SearchResult.from_chunk(chunk, score)
+        result.source = owner._source
+        results.append(result)
+    results = _dedup_picture_chunks(results)
+
+    if include_images:
+        by_owner: dict[str, list[SearchResult]] = {}
+        for result in results:
+            if result.source:
+                by_owner.setdefault(result.source, []).append(result)
+        await asyncio.gather(
+            *(
+                _populate_image_data(client._clients[name], owned)
+                for name, owned in by_owner.items()
+            )
+        )
+
+    return results
+
+
+async def _fuse(
+    federator: "HaikuRAG",
+    clients: list["HaikuRAG"],
+    query: "str | bytes | PILImage.Image",
+    per_source: list[list[tuple[Chunk, float]]],
+    limit: int,
+) -> list[tuple["HaikuRAG", Chunk, float]]:
+    """One ranked list from several, keeping each candidate's owner.
+
+    A configured reranker scores the union directly, which is what makes ranking
+    across databases tractable: it compares query against document and does not
+    care where a candidate came from. Without one, reciprocal rank fusion over the
+    per-database rankings, since scores from separate indexes are not comparable.
+    """
+    owned = [
+        (client, chunk, score)
+        for client, candidates in zip(clients, per_source, strict=True)
+        for chunk, score in candidates
+    ]
+    if not owned:
+        return []
+
+    # An image query has no text for a reranker to score against, and the check
+    # precedes `reranker`, which builds the reranker on first access.
+    if isinstance(query, str):
+        reranker = federator.reranker
+        if reranker is not None:
+            chunks = [chunk for _, chunk, _ in owned]
+            if federator._config.reranking.multimodal:
+                await asyncio.gather(
+                    *(
+                        _attach_picture_data(
+                            c, [chunk for owner, chunk, _ in owned if owner is c]
+                        )
+                        for c in clients
+                    )
+                )
+            reranked = await reranker.rerank(query, chunks, top_n=limit)
+            owner_of = {id(chunk): client for client, chunk, _ in owned}
+            return [(owner_of[id(chunk)], chunk, score) for chunk, score in reranked]
+
+    scored: list[tuple[float, HaikuRAG, Chunk]] = []
+    for client, candidates in zip(clients, per_source, strict=True):
+        for rank, (chunk, _) in enumerate(candidates):
+            scored.append((1.0 / (_RRF_K + rank + 1), client, chunk))
+    scored.sort(key=lambda item: item[0], reverse=True)
+    return [(client, chunk, score) for score, client, chunk in scored[:limit]]
+
+
+# Reciprocal rank fusion's smoothing constant, the value the literature uses.
+_RRF_K = 60
+
+
 # Candidates per requested result when a reranker will re-order them.
 _RERANK_OVERFETCH = 10
 
 
+def _fetch_limit(
+    client: "HaikuRAG",
+    query: "str | bytes | PILImage.Image",
+    limit: int,
+) -> int:
+    """How many candidates to fetch per database.
+
+    Only a text query with a reranker over-fetches: an image query keeps its
+    vector ranking, and the type is checked before `reranker`, which loads model
+    weights for a local one on first access.
+    """
+    if not isinstance(query, str):
+        return limit
+    return limit * _RERANK_OVERFETCH if client.reranker else limit
+
+
 async def _fetch(
     client: "HaikuRAG",
     query: "str | bytes | PILImage.Image",
@@ -63,17 +188,14 @@ async def _fetch(
 ) -> list[tuple[Chunk, float]]:
     """Candidates from one database, ranked by that database.
 
-    Over-fetches when a reranker will re-order them. Separate from `_rank` so a
-    caller searching several databases can fuse their candidates before anything
-    is ranked or enriched.
+    `limit` is how many to fetch, already including any over-fetch the caller
+    wants. Deciding that here would have each database consult its own reranker,
+    and a local reranker loads model weights per instance.
     """
     if isinstance(query, str):
         if search_type is None:
             search_type = "hybrid"
-        fetch_limit = limit * _RERANK_OVERFETCH if client.reranker else limit
-        return await client.chunk_repository.search(
-            query, fetch_limit, search_type, filter
-        )
+        return await client.chunk_repository.search(query, limit, search_type, filter)
 
     embedder = client.embedder
     if not embedder.supports_images:
diff --git a/haiku_rag_slim/haiku/rag/config/models.py b/haiku_rag_slim/haiku/rag/config/models.py
index 181f70b9..06074531 100644
--- a/haiku_rag_slim/haiku/rag/config/models.py
+++ b/haiku_rag_slim/haiku/rag/config/models.py
@@ -101,16 +101,30 @@ class LanceDBConfig(ConfigModel):
     never re-checks, so a long-lived reader never sees another process's writes.
     The cache sizes are per process, since the session is shared across
     connections.
+
+    `databases` maps a name to a location, for searching several at once. The
+    name is what results and citations carry, so a location never leaves the
+    configuration. Mutually exclusive with `uri`.
     """
 
     uri: str = ""
     api_key: str = ""
     region: str = ""
     storage_options: dict[str, str] = Field(default_factory=dict)
+    databases: dict[str, str] = Field(default_factory=dict)
     read_consistency_interval_seconds: float | None = Field(default=30, ge=0)
     index_cache_size_bytes: int | None = Field(default=None, ge=0)
     metadata_cache_size_bytes: int | None = Field(default=None, ge=0)
 
+    @model_validator(mode="after")
+    def _one_way_of_naming_databases(self) -> "LanceDBConfig":
+        if self.uri and self.databases:
+            raise ValueError(
+                "lancedb.uri and lancedb.databases are mutually exclusive: "
+                "use uri for one database, databases for several"
+            )
+        return self
+
 
 class EmbeddingsConfig(ConfigModel):
     model: EmbeddingModelConfig = Field(default_factory=EmbeddingModelConfig)
diff --git a/haiku_rag_slim/haiku/rag/store/__init__.py b/haiku_rag_slim/haiku/rag/store/__init__.py
index fe1d3c1f..564e9a69 100644
--- a/haiku_rag_slim/haiku/rag/store/__init__.py
+++ b/haiku_rag_slim/haiku/rag/store/__init__.py
@@ -1,4 +1,14 @@
-from .exceptions import MigrationRequiredError, ReadOnlyError
+from .exceptions import (
+    MigrationRequiredError,
+    ReadOnlyError,
+    SourceUnavailableError,
+)
 from .models import Chunk, Document
 
-__all__ = ["Chunk", "Document", "MigrationRequiredError", "ReadOnlyError"]
+__all__ = [
+    "Chunk",
+    "Document",
+    "MigrationRequiredError",
+    "ReadOnlyError",
+    "SourceUnavailableError",
+]
diff --git a/haiku_rag_slim/haiku/rag/store/exceptions.py b/haiku_rag_slim/haiku/rag/store/exceptions.py
index a811b5c4..20f8d796 100644
--- a/haiku_rag_slim/haiku/rag/store/exceptions.py
+++ b/haiku_rag_slim/haiku/rag/store/exceptions.py
@@ -8,3 +8,12 @@ class MigrationRequiredError(Exception):
     """Database requires migration. Run 'haiku-rag migrate' to upgrade."""
 
     pass
+
+
+class SourceUnavailableError(Exception):
+    """A configured database could not be opened.
+
+    Carries the configured name and never the location: a path or URI in an
+    error message travels into logs and into whatever a consumer renders, and
+    the point of naming databases is that locations stay in the configuration.
+    """
diff --git a/haiku_rag_slim/haiku/rag/store/models/chunk.py b/haiku_rag_slim/haiku/rag/store/models/chunk.py
index 2a75fd4a..f355d614 100644
--- a/haiku_rag_slim/haiku/rag/store/models/chunk.py
+++ b/haiku_rag_slim/haiku/rag/store/models/chunk.py
@@ -136,10 +136,15 @@ class SearchResult(BaseModel):
     ``chunk_meta`` is the anchor chunk's unparsed ``Chunk.metadata`` and does not
     include the metadata of any other chunks merged with it. Never part of
     ``format_for_agent`` output.
+
+    ``source`` names the configured database a result came from, and is None when
+    only one is configured. It is the name from ``lancedb.databases``, never a
+    path or URI, so a location cannot travel in a result, a citation or a log.
     """
 
     content: str
     score: float
+    source: str | None = None
     chunk_id: str | None = None
     chunk_ids: list[str] = []
     chunk_meta: dict = {}
diff --git a/tests/test_multi_db.py b/tests/test_multi_db.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..9668d14f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/test_multi_db.py
@@ -0,0 +1,460 @@
+import pytest
+from docling_core.types.doc.document import DoclingDocument
+from docling_core.types.doc.labels import DocItemLabel
+from pydantic import ValidationError
+
+from haiku.rag.client import HaikuRAG
+from haiku.rag.config import get_config
+from haiku.rag.config.models import AppConfig, LanceDBConfig
+from haiku.rag.store.exceptions import SourceUnavailableError
+from haiku.rag.store.models import Chunk, DocumentItem
+
+
+class TestConfig:
+    def test_databases_and_uri_are_mutually_exclusive(self):
+        with pytest.raises(ValidationError, match="databases"):
+            LanceDBConfig(
+                uri="s3://b/one.lancedb", databases={"one": "s3://b/one.lancedb"}
+            )
+
+    def test_databases_alone_is_fine(self):
+        config = LanceDBConfig(databases={"one": "s3://b/one.lancedb"})
+        assert config.databases == {"one": "s3://b/one.lancedb"}
+
+    def test_uri_alone_is_fine(self):
+        assert LanceDBConfig(uri="s3://b/one.lancedb").databases == {}
+
+
+def _config(tmp_path, names) -> AppConfig:
+    return AppConfig(
+        lancedb=LanceDBConfig(
+            databases={n: str(tmp_path / f"{n}.lancedb") for n in names}
+        )
+    )
+
+
+async def _seed(config, name, contents):
+    """Precomputed embeddings and FTS queries keep the embedder out of the way:
+    these tests are about fusion, not retrieval quality."""
+    dim = get_config().embeddings.model.vector_dim
+    async with HaikuRAG(config=config, create=True, sources=[name]) as rag:
+        for content in contents:
+            doc = DoclingDocument(name=content)
+            doc.add_text(label=DocItemLabel.TEXT, text=content)
+            await rag.import_document(
+                doc,
+                [Chunk(content=content, embedding=[0.1] * dim, order=0)],
+                uri=f"test://{name}/{content}",
+            )
+
+
+class TestFederatedSearch:
+    @pytest.mark.asyncio
+    async def test_results_carry_their_source(self, tmp_path):
+        config = _config(tmp_path, ["alpha", "beta"])
+        await _seed(config, "alpha", ["alpha document about cats"])
+        await _seed(config, "beta", ["beta document about cats"])
+
+        async with HaikuRAG(config=config) as rag:
+            results = await rag.search("cats", limit=10, search_type="fts")
+
+        assert {r.source for r in results} == {"alpha", "beta"}
+        for r in results:
+            assert r.source is not None
+            assert r.source in r.content
+
+    @pytest.mark.asyncio
+    async def test_sources_selects_a_subset(self, tmp_path):
+        config = _config(tmp_path, ["alpha", "beta"])
+        await _seed(config, "alpha", ["alpha document about cats"])
+        await _seed(config, "beta", ["beta document about cats"])
+
+        async with HaikuRAG(config=config) as rag:
+            results = await rag.search(
+                "cats", limit=10, search_type="fts", sources=["alpha"]
+            )
+
+        assert {r.source for r in results} == {"alpha"}
+
+    @pytest.mark.asyncio
+    async def test_unknown_source_is_rejected(self, tmp_path):
+        config = _config(tmp_path, ["alpha"])
+        await _seed(config, "alpha", ["alpha document about cats"])
+
+        async with HaikuRAG(config=config) as rag:
+            with pytest.raises(KeyError, match="nope"):
+                await rag.search("cats", search_type="fts", sources=["nope"])
+
+    @pytest.mark.asyncio
+    async def test_an_unopenable_database_fails_the_query(self, tmp_path):
+        config = _config(tmp_path, ["alpha", "missing"])
+        await _seed(config, "alpha", ["alpha document about cats"])
+
+        with pytest.raises(SourceUnavailableError, match="missing"):
+            async with HaikuRAG(config=config) as rag:
+                await rag.search("cats", search_type="fts")
+
+
+class TestSingleDatabaseUnchanged:
+    @pytest.mark.asyncio
+    async def test_source_is_unset_without_configured_databases(self, temp_db_path):
+        async with HaikuRAG(temp_db_path, create=True) as rag:
+            doc = DoclingDocument(name="one")
+            doc.add_text(label=DocItemLabel.TEXT, text="a document about cats")
+            await rag.import_document(
+                doc,
+                [
+                    Chunk(
+                        content="a document about cats",
+                        embedding=[0.1] * get_config().embeddings.model.vector_dim,
+                        order=0,
+                    )
+                ],
+                uri="test://one",
+            )
+            results = await rag.search("cats", search_type="fts")
+
+        assert results
+        assert all(r.source is None for r in results)
+
+
+class TestLocate:
+    def test_a_scheme_is_a_uri(self):
+        assert HaikuRAG._locate("s3://bucket/one.lancedb") == (
+            "s3://bucket/one.lancedb",
+            None,
+        )
+
+    def test_anything_else_is_a_local_path(self):
+        uri, db_path = HaikuRAG._locate("/data/one.lancedb")
+        assert uri == ""
+        assert db_path is not None and str(db_path) == "/data/one.lancedb"
+
+
+class TestSelection:
+    @pytest.mark.asyncio
+    async def test_unknown_source_at_construction_is_rejected(self, tmp_path):
+        config = _config(tmp_path, ["alpha", "beta"])
+
+        with pytest.raises(KeyError, match="nope"):
+            async with HaikuRAG(config=config, sources=["nope"]):
+                pass
+
+    @pytest.mark.asyncio
+    async def test_unknown_source_across_several_databases_is_rejected(self, tmp_path):
+        config = _config(tmp_path, ["alpha", "beta"])
+        await _seed(config, "alpha", ["alpha document about cats"])
+        await _seed(config, "beta", ["beta document about cats"])
+
+        async with HaikuRAG(config=config) as rag:
+            with pytest.raises(KeyError, match="nope"):
+                await rag.search("cats", search_type="fts", sources=["nope"])
+
+    @pytest.mark.asyncio
+    async def test_no_matches_anywhere_returns_nothing(self, tmp_path):
+        config = _config(tmp_path, ["alpha", "beta"])
+        await _seed(config, "alpha", ["alpha document about cats"])
+        await _seed(config, "beta", ["beta document about cats"])
+
+        async with HaikuRAG(config=config) as rag:
+            assert await rag.search("aardvarks", search_type="fts") == []
+
+
+class StubReranker:
+    """Scores the union, reversing it so the ordering is unmistakably its own."""
+
+    def __init__(self):
+        self.seen: list[str] = []
+
+    async def rerank(self, query, chunks, top_n):
+        self.seen = [c.content for c in chunks]
+        # Whatever the caller attached before handing them over.
+        self.attached = {
+            c.content.split()[0]: c._picture_data
+            for c in chunks
+            if getattr(c, "_picture_data", None)
+        }
+        return [(c, 1.0 - i) for i, c in enumerate(reversed(chunks))][:top_n]
+
+
+class TestRerankerFusion:
+    @pytest.mark.asyncio
+    async def test_the_reranker_scores_the_union_and_owners_survive(
+        self, tmp_path, monkeypatch
+    ):
+        config = _config(tmp_path, ["alpha", "beta"])
+        await _seed(config, "alpha", ["alpha document about cats"])
+        await _seed(config, "beta", ["beta document about cats"])
+
+        stub = StubReranker()
+        monkeypatch.setattr(HaikuRAG, "reranker", property(lambda self: stub))
+
+        async with HaikuRAG(config=config) as rag:
+            results = await rag.search("cats", limit=2, search_type="fts")
+
+        # It saw both databases' candidates, not one database at a time.
+        assert len(stub.seen) == 2
+        assert {c.split()[0] for c in stub.seen} == {"alpha", "beta"}
+        # Each result still knows which database it came from.
+        for r in results:
+            assert r.source is not None
+            assert r.content.startswith(r.source)
+
+    @pytest.mark.asyncio
+    async def test_a_closing_failure_does_not_mask_the_exit(self, tmp_path):
+        config = _config(tmp_path, ["alpha", "beta"])
+        await _seed(config, "alpha", ["alpha document about cats"])
+        await _seed(config, "beta", ["beta document about cats"])
+
+        rag = HaikuRAG(config=config)
+        await rag.__aenter__()
+        await rag.clients_for(["alpha", "beta"])
+
+        async def boom(exc_type, exc_val, exc_tb):
+            raise RuntimeError("close failed")
+
+        rag._clients["alpha"].__aexit__ = boom  # ty: ignore[invalid-assignment]
+
+        await rag.__aexit__(None, None, None)
+
+        assert rag._clients == {}
+
+    @pytest.mark.asyncio
+    async def test_multimodal_reranking_attaches_each_database_own_pictures(
+        self, tmp_path, monkeypatch
+    ):
+        """Picture self_refs repeat across databases exactly as they do across
+        documents, so the pre-rerank attach must stay per database."""
+        config = _config(tmp_path, ["alpha", "beta"])
+        config.reranking.multimodal = True
+        dim = get_config().embeddings.model.vector_dim
+
+        for name in ("alpha", "beta"):
+            async with HaikuRAG(config=config, create=True, sources=[name]) as rag:
+                doc = DoclingDocument(name=name)
+                doc.add_text(label=DocItemLabel.TEXT, text=f"{name} figure of cats")
+                await rag.import_document(
+                    doc,
+                    [
+                        Chunk(
+                            content=f"{name} figure of cats",
+                            embedding=[0.1] * dim,
+                            order=0,
+                            metadata={
+                                "doc_item_refs": ["#/pictures/0"],
+                                "labels": ["picture"],
+                            },
+                        )
+                    ],
+                    uri=f"test://{name}/figure",
+                )
+                [document] = await rag.list_documents()
+                assert document.id is not None
+                await rag.document_item_repository.create_items(
+                    document.id,
+                    [
+                        DocumentItem(
+                            document_id=document.id,
+                            position=0,
+                            self_ref="#/pictures/0",
+                            label="picture",
+                            text=f"caption {name}",
+                            picture_data=f"bytes-{name}".encode(),
+                        )
+                    ],
+                )
+
+        stub = StubReranker()
+        monkeypatch.setattr(HaikuRAG, "reranker", property(lambda self: stub))
+
+        async with HaikuRAG(config=config) as rag:
+            await rag.search("cats", limit=2, search_type="fts")
+
+        assert stub.attached == {"alpha": b"bytes-alpha", "beta": b"bytes-beta"}
+
+
+class TestLazyOpening:
+    @pytest.mark.asyncio
+    async def test_entering_opens_nothing(self, tmp_path):
+        """25 configured databases queried a few at a time must not all open."""
+        config = _config(tmp_path, ["alpha", "beta"])
+        await _seed(config, "alpha", ["alpha document about cats"])
+        await _seed(config, "beta", ["beta document about cats"])
+
+        async with HaikuRAG(config=config) as rag:
+            assert rag._clients == {}
+
+    @pytest.mark.asyncio
+    async def test_only_the_selected_database_opens(self, tmp_path):
+        config = _config(tmp_path, ["alpha", "beta"])
+        await _seed(config, "alpha", ["alpha document about cats"])
+        await _seed(config, "beta", ["beta document about cats"])
+
+        async with HaikuRAG(config=config) as rag:
+            await rag.search("cats", search_type="fts", sources=["alpha"])
+            assert list(rag._clients) == ["alpha"]
+
+    @pytest.mark.asyncio
+    async def test_an_unselected_broken_database_does_not_break_a_query(self, tmp_path):
+        """A database nobody asked for cannot fail a query."""
+        config = _config(tmp_path, ["alpha", "missing"])
+        await _seed(config, "alpha", ["alpha document about cats"])
+
+        async with HaikuRAG(config=config) as rag:
+            results = await rag.search("cats", search_type="fts", sources=["alpha"])
+
+        assert [r.source for r in results] == ["alpha"]
+
+    @pytest.mark.asyncio
+    async def test_a_selected_broken_database_fails_the_query(self, tmp_path):
+        config = _config(tmp_path, ["alpha", "missing"])
+        await _seed(config, "alpha", ["alpha document about cats"])
+
+        async with HaikuRAG(config=config) as rag:
+            with pytest.raises(SourceUnavailableError, match="missing"):
+                await rag.search("cats", search_type="fts")
+
+
+class TestOneNamedDatabase:
+    @pytest.mark.asyncio
+    async def test_a_single_named_database_keeps_its_name(self, tmp_path):
+        """Named in config is named in results, even as the only entry."""
+        config = _config(tmp_path, ["alpha"])
+        await _seed(config, "alpha", ["alpha document about cats"])
+
+        async with HaikuRAG(config=config) as rag:
+            results = await rag.search("cats", search_type="fts")
+
+        assert results
+        assert all(r.source == "alpha" for r in results)
+
+    @pytest.mark.asyncio
+    async def test_selecting_nothing_at_construction_is_rejected(self, tmp_path):
+        config = _config(tmp_path, ["alpha", "beta"])
+
+        with pytest.raises(ValueError, match="selects no database"):
+            async with HaikuRAG(config=config, sources=[]):
+                pass
+
+    @pytest.mark.asyncio
+    async def test_selecting_nothing_means_the_same_with_one_database(self, tmp_path):
+        """`sources=[]` selects nothing whether one database is configured or
+        several, rather than raising on one path and returning nothing on the
+        other."""
+        config = _config(tmp_path, ["alpha"])
+        await _seed(config, "alpha", ["alpha document about cats"])
+
+        async with HaikuRAG(config=config) as rag:
+            assert await rag.search("cats", search_type="fts", sources=[]) == []
+
+    @pytest.mark.asyncio
+    async def test_selecting_nothing_per_query_returns_nothing(self, tmp_path):
+        config = _config(tmp_path, ["alpha", "beta"])
+        await _seed(config, "alpha", ["alpha document about cats"])
+        await _seed(config, "beta", ["beta document about cats"])
+
+        async with HaikuRAG(config=config) as rag:
+            assert await rag.search("cats", search_type="fts", sources=[]) == []
+
+
+class TestOneReranker:
+    @pytest.mark.asyncio
+    async def test_the_set_builds_one_reranker_for_a_text_query(
+        self, tmp_path, monkeypatch
+    ):
+        """Local rerankers load model weights per instance, so a set of
+        databases must build one, not one each."""
+        built = []
+        monkeypatch.setattr(
+            "haiku.rag.client.get_reranker",
+            lambda config: built.append(config) or StubReranker(),
+        )
+
+        config = _config(tmp_path, ["alpha", "beta"])
+        await _seed(config, "alpha", ["alpha document about cats"])
+        await _seed(config, "beta", ["beta document about cats"])
+        built.clear()
+
+        async with HaikuRAG(config=config) as rag:
+            await rag.search("cats", limit=2, search_type="fts")
+
+        assert len(built) == 1, f"built {len(built)} rerankers"
+
+    @pytest.mark.asyncio
+    async def test_an_image_query_builds_no_reranker(self, tmp_path, monkeypatch):
+        """Opening a database must not build one either: an image query has no
+        text to score against and never uses it."""
+        built = []
+        monkeypatch.setattr(
+            "haiku.rag.client.get_reranker",
+            lambda config: built.append(config) or StubReranker(),
+        )
+
+        config = _config(tmp_path, ["alpha", "beta"])
+        await _seed(config, "alpha", ["alpha document about cats"])
+        await _seed(config, "beta", ["beta document about cats"])
+        built.clear()
+
+        async with HaikuRAG(config=config) as rag:
+            await rag.clients_for(["alpha", "beta"])
+
+        assert built == []
+
+    @pytest.mark.asyncio
+    async def test_the_reranker_is_closed_once(self, tmp_path, monkeypatch):
+        """Handing the same object to every database and letting each close it
+        would close it N times, and the federator not at all."""
+        closes = []
+
+        class CountingReranker(StubReranker):
+            async def aclose(self):
+                closes.append(1)
+
+        monkeypatch.setattr(
+            "haiku.rag.client.get_reranker", lambda config: CountingReranker()
+        )
+
+        config = _config(tmp_path, ["alpha", "beta"])
+        await _seed(config, "alpha", ["alpha document about cats"])
+        await _seed(config, "beta", ["beta document about cats"])
+
+        async with HaikuRAG(config=config) as rag:
+            await rag.search("cats", limit=2, search_type="fts")
+
+        assert closes == [1], f"closed {len(closes)} times"
+
+
+class TestFailureNaming:
+    @pytest.mark.asyncio
+    async def test_a_single_named_database_is_reported_by_name(self, tmp_path):
+        """One configured database is still a named one: it must not fall back to
+        the raw error, which spells out the path."""
+        config = _config(tmp_path, ["alpha"])
+
+        with pytest.raises(SourceUnavailableError, match="alpha") as caught:
+            async with HaikuRAG(config=config):
+                pass
+
+        assert str(tmp_path) not in str(caught.value)
+        assert caught.value.__cause__ is None
+
+    @pytest.mark.asyncio
+    async def test_a_legacy_uri_client_keeps_its_error(self, tmp_path):
+        """Nothing named it, so there is no name to report instead."""
+        with pytest.raises(FileNotFoundError):
+            async with HaikuRAG(tmp_path / "nope.lancedb"):
+                pass
+
+    @pytest.mark.asyncio
+    async def test_the_location_is_absent_from_the_whole_chain(self, tmp_path):
+        config = _config(tmp_path, ["alpha", "missing"])
+        await _seed(config, "alpha", ["alpha document about cats"])
+
+        with pytest.raises(SourceUnavailableError) as caught:
+            async with HaikuRAG(config=config) as rag:
+                await rag.search("cats", search_type="fts")
+
+        rendered = str(caught.value)
+        error = caught.value.__cause__ or caught.value.__context__
+        assert "missing.lancedb" not in rendered
+        assert error is None, "the location-bearing cause is still attached"