From 4bc52f0710c7e59afc510bee9b968c60dc25ec46 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: Yiorgis Gozadinos <ggozadinos@gmail.com>
Date: Tue, 9 Jun 2026 15:56:26 +0300
Subject: [PATCH 1/9] Serialize multi-table document writes and bound update
 version churn

---
 haiku_rag_slim/haiku/rag/client/documents.py  | 132 +++++++++---------
 haiku_rag_slim/haiku/rag/store/engine.py      |   1 +
 .../haiku/rag/store/repositories/chunk.py     |  75 ++++++----
 .../haiku/rag/store/repositories/document.py  |  42 +++---
 .../rag/store/repositories/document_item.py   |  25 ++++
 tests/test_client.py                          |  46 ++++++
 tests/test_versioning.py                      |  10 +-
 7 files changed, 218 insertions(+), 113 deletions(-)

diff --git a/haiku_rag_slim/haiku/rag/client/documents.py b/haiku_rag_slim/haiku/rag/client/documents.py
index 02175f7e..50c87aa4 100644
--- a/haiku_rag_slim/haiku/rag/client/documents.py
+++ b/haiku_rag_slim/haiku/rag/client/documents.py
@@ -74,30 +74,31 @@ async def _store_document_with_chunks(
     """
     chunks = await ensure_chunks_embedded(client._config, chunks, client.embedder)
 
-    versions = await client.store.current_table_versions()
+    async with client.store._write_lock:
+        versions = await client.store.current_table_versions()
 
-    created_doc = await client.document_repository.create(document)
+        created_doc = await client.document_repository.create(document)
 
-    try:
-        assert created_doc.id is not None, (
-            "Document ID should not be None after creation"
-        )
-        for order, chunk in enumerate(chunks):
-            chunk.document_id = created_doc.id
-            chunk.order = order
+        try:
+            assert created_doc.id is not None, (
+                "Document ID should not be None after creation"
+            )
+            for order, chunk in enumerate(chunks):
+                chunk.document_id = created_doc.id
+                chunk.order = order
 
-        await client.chunk_repository.create(chunks)
+            await client.chunk_repository.create(chunks)
 
-        items = extract_items(created_doc.id, docling_document)
-        await client.document_item_repository.create_items(created_doc.id, items)
+            items = extract_items(created_doc.id, docling_document)
+            await client.document_item_repository.create_items(created_doc.id, items)
 
-        if client._config.storage.auto_vacuum:
-            client._schedule_vacuum()
+            if client._config.storage.auto_vacuum:
+                client._schedule_vacuum()
 
-        return created_doc
-    except Exception:
-        await client.store.restore_table_versions(versions)
-        raise
+            return created_doc
+        except Exception:
+            await client.store.restore_table_versions(versions)
+            raise
 
 
 async def _update_document_with_chunks(
@@ -124,36 +125,36 @@ async def _update_document_with_chunks(
 
     chunks = await ensure_chunks_embedded(client._config, chunks, client.embedder)
 
-    versions = await client.store.current_table_versions()
+    async with client.store._write_lock:
+        versions = await client.store.current_table_versions()
 
-    await client.chunk_repository.delete_by_document_id(document.id)
+        try:
+            updated_doc = await client.document_repository.update(document)
 
-    try:
-        updated_doc = await client.document_repository.update(document)
+            assert updated_doc.id is not None
+            for order, chunk in enumerate(chunks):
+                chunk.document_id = updated_doc.id
+                chunk.order = order
 
-        assert updated_doc.id is not None
-        for order, chunk in enumerate(chunks):
-            chunk.document_id = updated_doc.id
-            chunk.order = order
+            await client.chunk_repository.replace_for_document(updated_doc.id, chunks)
 
-        await client.chunk_repository.create(chunks)
+            if docling_document is not None:
+                items = extract_items(
+                    updated_doc.id,
+                    docling_document,
+                    existing_picture_data=existing_picture_data,
+                )
+                await client.document_item_repository.replace_for_document(
+                    updated_doc.id, items
+                )
 
-        if docling_document is not None:
-            await client.document_item_repository.delete_by_document_id(updated_doc.id)
-            items = extract_items(
-                updated_doc.id,
-                docling_document,
-                existing_picture_data=existing_picture_data,
-            )
-            await client.document_item_repository.create_items(updated_doc.id, items)
+            if client._config.storage.auto_vacuum:
+                client._schedule_vacuum()
 
-        if client._config.storage.auto_vacuum:
-            client._schedule_vacuum()
-
-        return updated_doc
-    except Exception:
-        await client.store.restore_table_versions(versions)
-        raise
+            return updated_doc
+        except Exception:
+            await client.store.restore_table_versions(versions)
+            raise
 
 
 async def create_document(
@@ -235,33 +236,36 @@ async def _store_documents_with_chunks(
         for _, chunks, _ in prepared
     ]
 
-    versions = await client.store.current_table_versions()
+    async with client.store._write_lock:
+        versions = await client.store.current_table_versions()
 
-    created = await client.document_repository.create([doc for doc, _, _ in prepared])
+        created = await client.document_repository.create(
+            [doc for doc, _, _ in prepared]
+        )
 
-    try:
-        all_chunks: list[Chunk] = []
-        all_items = []
-        for doc, doc_chunks, docling_document in zip(
-            created, embedded, (d for _, _, d in prepared)
-        ):
-            assert doc.id is not None
-            for order, chunk in enumerate(doc_chunks):
-                chunk.document_id = doc.id
-                chunk.order = order
-            all_chunks.extend(doc_chunks)
-            all_items.extend(extract_items(doc.id, docling_document))
+        try:
+            all_chunks: list[Chunk] = []
+            all_items = []
+            for doc, doc_chunks, docling_document in zip(
+                created, embedded, (d for _, _, d in prepared)
+            ):
+                assert doc.id is not None
+                for order, chunk in enumerate(doc_chunks):
+                    chunk.document_id = doc.id
+                    chunk.order = order
+                all_chunks.extend(doc_chunks)
+                all_items.extend(extract_items(doc.id, docling_document))
 
-        await client.chunk_repository.create(all_chunks)
-        await client.document_item_repository.create_all(all_items)
+            await client.chunk_repository.create(all_chunks)
+            await client.document_item_repository.create_all(all_items)
 
-        if client._config.storage.auto_vacuum:
-            client._schedule_vacuum()
+            if client._config.storage.auto_vacuum:
+                client._schedule_vacuum()
 
-        return created
-    except Exception:
-        await client.store.restore_table_versions(versions)
-        raise
+            return created
+        except Exception:
+            await client.store.restore_table_versions(versions)
+            raise
 
 
 async def import_documents(
diff --git a/haiku_rag_slim/haiku/rag/store/engine.py b/haiku_rag_slim/haiku/rag/store/engine.py
index 98bcfac4..1c613745 100644
--- a/haiku_rag_slim/haiku/rag/store/engine.py
+++ b/haiku_rag_slim/haiku/rag/store/engine.py
@@ -345,6 +345,7 @@ class Store:
         self._skip_validation = skip_validation
         self._skip_migration_check = skip_migration_check
         self._vacuum_lock = asyncio.Lock()
+        self._write_lock = asyncio.Lock()
         self._is_new_db = False
 
         # Check if database exists (for local filesystem only)
diff --git a/haiku_rag_slim/haiku/rag/store/repositories/chunk.py b/haiku_rag_slim/haiku/rag/store/repositories/chunk.py
index 7044066d..d2797d08 100644
--- a/haiku_rag_slim/haiku/rag/store/repositories/chunk.py
+++ b/haiku_rag_slim/haiku/rag/store/repositories/chunk.py
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@ from lancedb.rerankers import RRFReranker
 
 from haiku.rag.store.engine import Store, query_to_pydantic
 from haiku.rag.store.models.chunk import Chunk, SearchType
+from haiku.rag.utils import escape_sql_string
 
 logger = logging.getLogger(__name__)
 
@@ -42,6 +43,21 @@ class ChunkRepository:
             return "\n".join(meta.headings) + "\n" + chunk.content
         return chunk.content
 
+    def _to_record(self, chunk: Chunk, chunk_id: str):
+        assert chunk.document_id is not None
+        assert chunk.embedding is not None
+        return self.store.ChunkRecord(
+            id=chunk_id,
+            document_id=chunk.document_id,
+            content=chunk.content,
+            content_fts=self._contextualize_content(chunk),
+            metadata=json.dumps(
+                {k: v for k, v in chunk.metadata.items() if k != "order"}
+            ),
+            order=int(chunk.order),
+            vector=chunk.embedding,
+        )
+
     async def create(self, entity: Chunk | list[Chunk]) -> Chunk | list[Chunk]:
         """Create one or more chunks in the database.
 
@@ -55,18 +71,7 @@ class ChunkRepository:
             assert entity.embedding is not None, "Chunk must have an embedding"
 
             chunk_id = str(uuid4())
-
-            chunk_record = self.store.ChunkRecord(
-                id=chunk_id,
-                document_id=entity.document_id,
-                content=entity.content,
-                content_fts=self._contextualize_content(entity),
-                metadata=json.dumps(
-                    {k: v for k, v in entity.metadata.items() if k != "order"}
-                ),
-                order=int(entity.order),
-                vector=entity.embedding,
-            )
+            chunk_record = self._to_record(entity, chunk_id)
 
             await self.store.chunks_table.add([chunk_record])
 
@@ -88,19 +93,7 @@ class ChunkRepository:
         for chunk in chunks:
             chunk_id = str(uuid4())
 
-            assert chunk.document_id is not None
-            assert chunk.embedding is not None
-            chunk_record = self.store.ChunkRecord(
-                id=chunk_id,
-                document_id=chunk.document_id,
-                content=chunk.content,
-                content_fts=self._contextualize_content(chunk),
-                metadata=json.dumps(
-                    {k: v for k, v in chunk.metadata.items() if k != "order"}
-                ),
-                order=int(chunk.order),
-                vector=chunk.embedding,
-            )
+            chunk_record = self._to_record(chunk, chunk_id)
             chunk_records.append(chunk_record)
             chunk.id = chunk_id
 
@@ -109,6 +102,38 @@ class ChunkRepository:
 
         return chunks
 
+    async def replace_for_document(
+        self, document_id: str, chunks: list[Chunk]
+    ) -> list[Chunk]:
+        """Replace all chunks for a document with one scoped merge operation."""
+        self.store._assert_writable()
+
+        if not chunks:
+            await self.delete_by_document_id(document_id)
+            return []
+
+        for chunk in chunks:
+            assert chunk.document_id == document_id, (
+                "All chunks must belong to the replaced document"
+            )
+            assert chunk.embedding is not None, "All chunks must have embeddings"
+
+        records = []
+        for chunk in chunks:
+            chunk_id = str(uuid4())
+            records.append(self._to_record(chunk, chunk_id))
+            chunk.id = chunk_id
+
+        safe_id = escape_sql_string(document_id)
+        await (
+            self.store.chunks_table.merge_insert(["document_id", "order"])
+            .when_matched_update_all()
+            .when_not_matched_insert_all()
+            .when_not_matched_by_source_delete(f"document_id = '{safe_id}'")
+            .execute(records)
+        )
+        return chunks
+
     async def get_by_id(self, entity_id: str) -> Chunk | None:
         """Get a chunk by its ID."""
         results = await query_to_pydantic(
diff --git a/haiku_rag_slim/haiku/rag/store/repositories/document.py b/haiku_rag_slim/haiku/rag/store/repositories/document.py
index fb06435b..1fec4b72 100644
--- a/haiku_rag_slim/haiku/rag/store/repositories/document.py
+++ b/haiku_rag_slim/haiku/rag/store/repositories/document.py
@@ -62,7 +62,13 @@ class DocumentRepository:
             else datetime.now(),
         )
 
-    def _to_record(self, entity: Document, doc_id: str, now: str) -> DocumentRecord:
+    def _to_record(
+        self,
+        entity: Document,
+        doc_id: str,
+        created_at: str,
+        updated_at: str,
+    ) -> DocumentRecord:
         return DocumentRecord(
             id=doc_id,
             content=entity.content,
@@ -72,8 +78,8 @@ class DocumentRepository:
             docling_document=entity.docling_document,
             docling_pages=entity.docling_pages,
             docling_version=entity.docling_version,
-            created_at=now,
-            updated_at=now,
+            created_at=created_at,
+            updated_at=updated_at,
         )
 
     @overload
@@ -94,7 +100,9 @@ class DocumentRepository:
         if isinstance(entity, Document):
             doc_id = str(uuid4())
             now = datetime.now().isoformat()
-            await self.store.documents_table.add([self._to_record(entity, doc_id, now)])
+            await self.store.documents_table.add(
+                [self._to_record(entity, doc_id, now, now)]
+            )
             entity.id = doc_id
             entity.created_at = datetime.fromisoformat(now)
             entity.updated_at = datetime.fromisoformat(now)
@@ -109,7 +117,7 @@ class DocumentRepository:
         records = []
         for document in documents:
             doc_id = str(uuid4())
-            records.append(self._to_record(document, doc_id, now))
+            records.append(self._to_record(document, doc_id, now, now))
             document.id = doc_id
             document.created_at = created_at
             document.updated_at = created_at
@@ -199,20 +207,16 @@ class DocumentRepository:
         now = datetime.now().isoformat()
         entity.updated_at = datetime.fromisoformat(now)
 
-        # Update the record
-        safe_id = escape_sql_string(entity.id)
-        await self.store.documents_table.update(
-            {
-                "content": entity.content,
-                "uri": entity.uri,
-                "title": entity.title,
-                "metadata": json.dumps(entity.metadata),
-                "docling_document": entity.docling_document,
-                "docling_pages": entity.docling_pages,
-                "docling_version": entity.docling_version,
-                "updated_at": now,
-            },
-            where=f"id = '{safe_id}'",
+        record = self._to_record(
+            entity,
+            entity.id,
+            entity.created_at.isoformat() if entity.created_at else now,
+            now,
+        )
+        await (
+            self.store.documents_table.merge_insert("id")
+            .when_matched_update_all()
+            .execute([record])
         )
 
         return entity
diff --git a/haiku_rag_slim/haiku/rag/store/repositories/document_item.py b/haiku_rag_slim/haiku/rag/store/repositories/document_item.py
index 4e1f5d49..897745cc 100644
--- a/haiku_rag_slim/haiku/rag/store/repositories/document_item.py
+++ b/haiku_rag_slim/haiku/rag/store/repositories/document_item.py
@@ -69,6 +69,31 @@ class DocumentItemRepository:
         records = [self._to_record(item.document_id, item) for item in items]
         await self.store.document_items_table.add(records)
 
+    async def replace_for_document(
+        self, document_id: str, items: list[DocumentItem]
+    ) -> None:
+        """Replace all items for a document with one scoped merge operation."""
+        self.store._assert_writable()
+
+        if not items:
+            await self.delete_by_document_id(document_id)
+            return
+
+        for item in items:
+            assert item.document_id == document_id, (
+                "All items must belong to the replaced document"
+            )
+
+        safe_id = escape_sql_string(document_id)
+        records = [self._to_record(document_id, item) for item in items]
+        await (
+            self.store.document_items_table.merge_insert(["document_id", "self_ref"])
+            .when_matched_update_all()
+            .when_not_matched_insert_all()
+            .when_not_matched_by_source_delete(f"document_id = '{safe_id}'")
+            .execute(records)
+        )
+
     async def get_all_items(self, document_id: str) -> list[DocumentItem]:
         """Get all items for a document, sorted by position."""
         safe_id = escape_sql_string(document_id)
diff --git a/tests/test_client.py b/tests/test_client.py
index 571a9c6f..83d4595b 100644
--- a/tests/test_client.py
+++ b/tests/test_client.py
@@ -861,6 +861,52 @@ async def test_client_import_documents_empty(temp_db_path):
         assert after == before
 
 
+async def test_client_update_document_replaces_rows_with_bounded_versions(
+    temp_db_path,
+):
+    """Updating one document should replace stale rows with bounded versions."""
+    dim = Config.embeddings.model.vector_dim
+
+    async with HaikuRAG(temp_db_path, create=True) as client:
+        created = await client.import_document(
+            _docling_doc("original", "Original body"),
+            [Chunk(content="Original body", embedding=[0.1] * dim, order=0)],
+            uri="mem://replace",
+            title="Replace",
+        )
+        assert created.id is not None
+
+        updated_docling = _docling_doc("updated", "Updated body")
+        updated_chunks = [
+            Chunk(content="Updated body A", embedding=[0.2] * dim, order=0),
+            Chunk(content="Updated body B", embedding=[0.3] * dim, order=1),
+        ]
+
+        before = await client.store.current_table_versions()
+        updated = await client.update_document(
+            created.id,
+            docling_document=updated_docling,
+            chunks=updated_chunks,
+        )
+        after = await client.store.current_table_versions()
+
+        assert updated.id == created.id
+        assert after["documents"] - before["documents"] == 1
+        # Indexed LanceDB tables record one additional physical version for
+        # merge replacement in 0.30.x.
+        assert after["chunks"] - before["chunks"] <= 2
+        assert after["document_items"] - before["document_items"] <= 2
+
+        stored_chunks = await client.chunk_repository.get_by_document_id(created.id)
+        assert [chunk.content for chunk in stored_chunks] == [
+            "Updated body A",
+            "Updated body B",
+        ]
+        stored_items = await client.document_item_repository.get_all_items(created.id)
+        assert len(stored_items) == 1
+        assert stored_items[0].text == "Updated body"
+
+
 @pytest.mark.vcr()
 async def test_client_ask(allow_model_requests, temp_db_path):
     """Test asking questions returns answer and citations (VCR recorded)."""
diff --git a/tests/test_versioning.py b/tests/test_versioning.py
index a23520ac..8dcda789 100644
--- a/tests/test_versioning.py
+++ b/tests/test_versioning.py
@@ -38,14 +38,14 @@ async def test_version_rollback_on_update_failure(temp_db_path):
         base_content = "Base content"
         created = await client.create_document(content=base_content)
 
-        # Patch chunk_repository.create to succeed then fail during update
-        orig_create = client.chunk_repository.create
+        # Patch chunk replacement to succeed then fail during update
+        orig_replace = client.chunk_repository.replace_for_document
 
-        async def succeed_then_fail(chunks):
-            await orig_create(chunks)
+        async def succeed_then_fail(document_id, chunks):
+            await orig_replace(document_id, chunks)
             raise RuntimeError("update fail")
 
-        client.chunk_repository.create = succeed_then_fail
+        client.chunk_repository.replace_for_document = succeed_then_fail
 
         # Attempt update
         with pytest.raises(RuntimeError):

From 3366a6d383e191e27dbe4847dd3d9fdd13a76ee5 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: Yiorgis Gozadinos <ggozadinos@gmail.com>
Date: Wed, 10 Jun 2026 20:31:43 +0300
Subject: [PATCH 2/9] Split meta document attributes into a document_meta table

---
 CHANGELOG.md                                  |   4 +
 haiku_rag_slim/haiku/rag/client/documents.py  |   4 +-
 haiku_rag_slim/haiku/rag/client/rebuild.py    |  26 +-
 haiku_rag_slim/haiku/rag/store/engine.py      |  74 ++++-
 .../haiku/rag/store/repositories/chunk.py     |  22 +-
 .../haiku/rag/store/repositories/document.py  | 261 ++++++++++++------
 .../haiku/rag/store/upgrades/__init__.py      |   4 +
 .../haiku/rag/store/upgrades/v0_57_0.py       |  98 +++++++
 tests/store/__init__.py                       |   0
 tests/store/legacy_documents.py               |  56 ++++
 tests/store/test_document_items.py            |  20 +-
 tests/store/test_document_meta_split.py       | 108 ++++++++
 tests/store/test_v0_48_0_migration.py         |  17 +-
 tests/store/test_v0_50_0_migration.py         |  88 +++---
 tests/store/test_v0_57_0_migration.py         |  98 +++++++
 tests/test_client.py                          |  46 +++
 tests/test_lancedb_connection.py              |   2 +-
 tests/test_rebuild.py                         |  10 +-
 18 files changed, 756 insertions(+), 182 deletions(-)
 create mode 100644 haiku_rag_slim/haiku/rag/store/upgrades/v0_57_0.py
 create mode 100644 tests/store/__init__.py
 create mode 100644 tests/store/legacy_documents.py
 create mode 100644 tests/store/test_document_meta_split.py
 create mode 100644 tests/store/test_v0_57_0_migration.py

diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index 753f3b07..4dfadb23 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -1,6 +1,10 @@
 # Changelog
 ## [Unreleased]
 
+### Changed
+
+- Mutable document attributes (`uri`, `title`, `metadata`, `created_at`, `updated_at`) moved from the `documents` table into a new `document_meta` table (1:1 on `document_id`); metadata/title/`source_revision` updates no longer rewrite the docling blobs. Migration `v0_58_0` relocates existing data and runs a one-time `vacuum` to reclaim prior bloat.
+
 ### Fixed
 
 - Embedded PDF attachment extension is derived from the attachment filename, not the parent's synthetic `...#attachment=<name>` URI; non-PDF attachments (e.g. `.joboptions`) are no longer misrouted to docling's PDF backend, and unsupported extensions are skipped.
diff --git a/haiku_rag_slim/haiku/rag/client/documents.py b/haiku_rag_slim/haiku/rag/client/documents.py
index 50c87aa4..1676eee3 100644
--- a/haiku_rag_slim/haiku/rag/client/documents.py
+++ b/haiku_rag_slim/haiku/rag/client/documents.py
@@ -323,7 +323,7 @@ async def _refresh_doc_metadata(
         updated = True
 
     if updated:
-        return await client.document_repository.update(doc)
+        return await client.document_repository.update_meta(doc)
     return doc
 
 
@@ -730,7 +730,7 @@ async def update_document(
         existing_doc.metadata = metadata
 
     if content is None and chunks is None and docling_document is None:
-        return await client.document_repository.update(existing_doc)
+        return await client.document_repository.update_meta(existing_doc)
 
     if chunks is not None:
         if docling_document is not None:
diff --git a/haiku_rag_slim/haiku/rag/client/rebuild.py b/haiku_rag_slim/haiku/rag/client/rebuild.py
index 25070eb1..6ea1986c 100644
--- a/haiku_rag_slim/haiku/rag/client/rebuild.py
+++ b/haiku_rag_slim/haiku/rag/client/rebuild.py
@@ -192,7 +192,7 @@ async def _rebuild_title_only(
             continue
         if title is not None:
             doc.title = title
-            await client.document_repository.update(doc)
+            await client.document_repository.update_meta(doc)
             assert doc.id is not None
             yield doc.id
 
@@ -490,27 +490,35 @@ async def _flush_rebuild_batch(
     document. Used by RECHUNK and FULL modes after the chunks table has been
     cleared.
     """
-    from haiku.rag.store.engine import DocumentRecord
+    from haiku.rag.store.engine import DocumentMetaRecord, DocumentRecord
 
     if not documents:
         return
 
     now = datetime.now().isoformat()
 
-    # Batch update documents using merge_insert (single LanceDB version)
+    # Batch update documents and document_meta using merge_insert (one LanceDB
+    # version per table). Content+blobs go to documents; mutable attributes go
+    # to document_meta.
     doc_records = []
+    meta_records = []
     for doc in documents:
         assert doc.id is not None
         doc_records.append(
             DocumentRecord(
                 id=doc.id,
                 content=doc.content,
-                uri=doc.uri,
-                title=doc.title,
-                metadata=json.dumps(doc.metadata),
                 docling_document=doc.docling_document,
                 docling_pages=doc.docling_pages,
                 docling_version=doc.docling_version,
+            )
+        )
+        meta_records.append(
+            DocumentMetaRecord(
+                document_id=doc.id,
+                uri=doc.uri,
+                title=doc.title,
+                metadata=json.dumps(doc.metadata),
                 created_at=doc.created_at.isoformat() if doc.created_at else now,
                 updated_at=now,
             )
@@ -521,6 +529,12 @@ async def _flush_rebuild_batch(
         .when_matched_update_all()
         .execute(doc_records)
     )
+    await (
+        client.store.document_meta_table.merge_insert("document_id")
+        .when_matched_update_all()
+        .when_not_matched_insert_all()
+        .execute(meta_records)
+    )
 
     # Batch create all chunks (single LanceDB version)
     if chunks:
diff --git a/haiku_rag_slim/haiku/rag/store/engine.py b/haiku_rag_slim/haiku/rag/store/engine.py
index 1c613745..e988b279 100644
--- a/haiku_rag_slim/haiku/rag/store/engine.py
+++ b/haiku_rag_slim/haiku/rag/store/engine.py
@@ -77,12 +77,20 @@ async def connect_lancedb(
 class DocumentRecord(LanceModel):
     id: str = Field(default_factory=lambda: str(uuid4()))
     content: str
-    uri: str | None = None
-    title: str | None = None
-    metadata: str = Field(default="{}")
     docling_document: bytes | None = None
     docling_pages: bytes | None = None
     docling_version: str | None = None
+
+
+class DocumentMetaRecord(LanceModel):
+    """Mutable, lightweight document attributes, kept separate from the
+    write-once content/blobs in `documents`. Updating these (metadata, title,
+    source_revision) must not rewrite the multi-MB docling row."""
+
+    document_id: str
+    uri: str | None = None
+    title: str | None = None
+    metadata: str = Field(default="{}")
     created_at: str = Field(default_factory=lambda: "")
     updated_at: str = Field(default_factory=lambda: "")
 
@@ -171,7 +179,13 @@ class SettingsRecord(LanceModel):
     settings: str = Field(default="{}")
 
 
-REQUIRED_TABLES: tuple[str, ...] = ("documents", "chunks", "document_items", "settings")
+REQUIRED_TABLES: tuple[str, ...] = (
+    "documents",
+    "document_meta",
+    "chunks",
+    "document_items",
+    "settings",
+)
 
 
 async def get_database_stats(db: lancedb.AsyncConnection) -> dict:
@@ -390,19 +404,18 @@ class Store:
         chunk_vector_dim = stored_vector_dim or self.embedder._vector_dim
         self.ChunkRecord: type[ChunkRecordBase] = create_chunk_model(chunk_vector_dim)
 
-        # Initialize tables (creates them if they don't exist)
-        await self._init_tables()
+        # Initialize tables (creates them if they don't exist). For an existing
+        # DB this raises MigrationRequiredError up front when migrations are
+        # pending, before creating any newly-introduced table.
+        await self._init_tables(is_new_db)
 
         # Checkout tables to historical state if before is specified
         if self._before is not None:
             await self._checkout_tables_before(self._before)
 
-        # Set version for new databases, check migrations for existing ones
-        if is_new_db:
-            if not self._read_only:
-                await self._set_initial_version()
-        elif not self._skip_migration_check:
-            await self._check_migrations()
+        # Set version for new databases.
+        if is_new_db and not self._read_only:
+            await self._set_initial_version()
 
         # Validate config compatibility after connection is established
         if not self._skip_validation:
@@ -493,6 +506,7 @@ class Store:
                 retention = timedelta(seconds=retention_seconds)
                 for table in [
                     self.documents_table,
+                    self.document_meta_table,
                     self.chunks_table,
                     self.document_items_table,
                     self.settings_table,
@@ -553,9 +567,23 @@ class Store:
         settings_repo = SettingsRepository(self)
         await settings_repo.validate_config_compatibility()
 
-    async def _init_tables(self):
+    async def _init_tables(self, is_new_db: bool):
         """Initialize database tables (create if they don't exist)."""
         existing_tables = (await self.db.list_tables()).tables
+
+        # Surface pending migrations BEFORE creating any newly-introduced table.
+        # Otherwise opening a legacy DB would either mutate it (creating an empty
+        # document_meta on open) or raise the wrong ReadOnlyError instead of
+        # telling the user to run `haiku-rag migrate`. The settings table exists
+        # on any non-new DB, which is all _check_migrations needs.
+        if (
+            not is_new_db
+            and not self._skip_migration_check
+            and "settings" in existing_tables
+        ):
+            self.settings_table = await self.db.open_table("settings")
+            await self._check_migrations()
+
         missing_tables = set(REQUIRED_TABLES) - set(existing_tables)
 
         if missing_tables and self._read_only:
@@ -572,6 +600,22 @@ class Store:
                 "documents", schema=get_documents_arrow_schema()
             )
 
+        # Create or open document_meta table (mutable attributes kept out of the
+        # blob-bearing documents row). Indexed by document_id and uri — both are
+        # hot look-up keys (get_by_id, get_by_uri).
+        if "document_meta" in existing_tables:
+            self.document_meta_table = await self.db.open_table("document_meta")
+        else:
+            self.document_meta_table = await self.db.create_table(
+                "document_meta", schema=DocumentMetaRecord
+            )
+            await self.document_meta_table.create_index(
+                "document_id", config=BTree(), replace=True
+            )
+            await self.document_meta_table.create_index(
+                "uri", config=BTree(), replace=True
+            )
+
         # Create or open chunks table
         if "chunks" in existing_tables:
             self.chunks_table = await self.db.open_table("chunks")
@@ -748,6 +792,7 @@ class Store:
         """Capture current versions of key tables for rollback using LanceDB's API."""
         return {
             "documents": await self.documents_table.version(),
+            "document_meta": await self.document_meta_table.version(),
             "chunks": await self.chunks_table.version(),
             "document_items": await self.document_items_table.version(),
             "settings": await self.settings_table.version(),
@@ -761,6 +806,7 @@ class Store:
         """
         self._assert_writable()
         await self.documents_table.restore(int(versions["documents"]))
+        await self.document_meta_table.restore(int(versions["document_meta"]))
         await self.chunks_table.restore(int(versions["chunks"]))
         await self.document_items_table.restore(int(versions["document_items"]))
         await self.settings_table.restore(int(versions["settings"]))
@@ -786,6 +832,7 @@ class Store:
 
         tables = [
             ("documents", self.documents_table),
+            ("document_meta", self.document_meta_table),
             ("chunks", self.chunks_table),
             ("document_items", self.document_items_table),
             ("settings", self.settings_table),
@@ -838,6 +885,7 @@ class Store:
         """
         table_map = {
             "documents": self.documents_table,
+            "document_meta": self.document_meta_table,
             "chunks": self.chunks_table,
             "document_items": self.document_items_table,
             "settings": self.settings_table,
diff --git a/haiku_rag_slim/haiku/rag/store/repositories/chunk.py b/haiku_rag_slim/haiku/rag/store/repositories/chunk.py
index d2797d08..09a0f40a 100644
--- a/haiku_rag_slim/haiku/rag/store/repositories/chunk.py
+++ b/haiku_rag_slim/haiku/rag/store/repositories/chunk.py
@@ -272,14 +272,14 @@ class ChunkRepository:
             # filter in pandas, head(limit)) silently under-returned
             # whenever the top-N window lacked `limit` matching chunks.
             docs_df = await (
-                self.store.documents_table.query()
-                .select(["id"])
+                self.store.document_meta_table.query()
+                .select(["document_id"])
                 .where(filter)
                 .to_pandas()
             )
             if docs_df.empty:
                 return []
-            id_list = ", ".join(f"'{d}'" for d in docs_df["id"])
+            id_list = ", ".join(f"'{d}'" for d in docs_df["document_id"])
             chunk_filter = f"document_id IN ({id_list})"
 
         if query_vector is not None:
@@ -344,11 +344,11 @@ class ChunkRepository:
 
         results = await query_to_pydantic(query, self.store.ChunkRecord)
 
-        # Get document info (only metadata columns, skip content/docling blobs)
+        # Get document info from the mutable attributes table
         doc_rows = await (
-            self.store.documents_table.query()
-            .select(["id", "uri", "title", "metadata"])
-            .where(f"id = '{document_id}'")
+            self.store.document_meta_table.query()
+            .select(["document_id", "uri", "title", "metadata"])
+            .where(f"document_id = '{document_id}'")
             .limit(1)
             .to_list()
         )
@@ -504,14 +504,14 @@ class ChunkRepository:
         documents_map: dict[str, dict] = {}
         if document_ids:
             id_list = "', '".join(document_ids)
-            where_clause = f"id IN ('{id_list}')"
+            where_clause = f"document_id IN ('{id_list}')"
             doc_rows = await (
-                self.store.documents_table.query()
-                .select(["id", "uri", "title", "metadata"])
+                self.store.document_meta_table.query()
+                .select(["document_id", "uri", "title", "metadata"])
                 .where(where_clause)
                 .to_list()
             )
-            documents_map = {str(row["id"]): row for row in doc_rows}
+            documents_map = {str(row["document_id"]): row for row in doc_rows}
 
         # Build final results with document info
         chunks_with_scores = []
diff --git a/haiku_rag_slim/haiku/rag/store/repositories/document.py b/haiku_rag_slim/haiku/rag/store/repositories/document.py
index 1fec4b72..8e18e028 100644
--- a/haiku_rag_slim/haiku/rag/store/repositories/document.py
+++ b/haiku_rag_slim/haiku/rag/store/repositories/document.py
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@ from uuid import uuid4
 from lancedb.index import BTree
 
 from haiku.rag.store.engine import (
+    DocumentMetaRecord,
     DocumentRecord,
     Store,
     get_documents_arrow_schema,
@@ -16,7 +17,20 @@ from haiku.rag.utils import escape_sql_string
 
 
 class DocumentRepository:
-    """Repository for Document operations."""
+    """Repository for Document operations.
+
+    A document is stored across two tables with a strict invariant: every
+    `documents` row (id, content, docling blobs — write-once) has exactly one
+    matching `document_meta` row (uri, title, metadata, timestamps — mutable),
+    keyed by `document_id`. The mutable attributes never live in `documents`,
+    so metadata/title/source_revision updates (`update_meta`) rewrite only the
+    small meta row and never the multi-MB docling blob.
+
+    To preserve the invariant: `create` writes meta then documents and deletes
+    the meta row if the documents write fails; `update_meta` updates matched
+    rows only (no insert — an insert on a missing id would create a ghost
+    surfaced by `list_all`/`count`); `delete` removes both rows.
+    """
 
     def __init__(self, store: Store) -> None:
         self.store = store
@@ -43,45 +57,61 @@ class DocumentRepository:
             self._document_item_repository = DocumentItemRepository(self.store)
         return self._document_item_repository
 
-    def _record_to_document(self, record: DocumentRecord) -> Document:
-        """Convert a DocumentRecord to a Document model."""
+    def _merge_to_document(
+        self, doc: DocumentRecord, meta: DocumentMetaRecord | None
+    ) -> Document:
+        """Merge a `documents` record (content+blobs) with its `document_meta`
+        record (uri/title/metadata/timestamps) into a Document."""
+        created = meta.created_at if meta else ""
+        updated = meta.updated_at if meta else ""
         return Document(
-            id=record.id,
-            content=record.content,
-            uri=record.uri,
-            title=record.title,
-            metadata=json.loads(record.metadata),
-            docling_document=record.docling_document,
-            docling_pages=record.docling_pages,
-            docling_version=record.docling_version,
-            created_at=datetime.fromisoformat(record.created_at)
-            if record.created_at
-            else datetime.now(),
-            updated_at=datetime.fromisoformat(record.updated_at)
-            if record.updated_at
-            else datetime.now(),
+            id=doc.id,
+            content=doc.content,
+            uri=meta.uri if meta else None,
+            title=meta.title if meta else None,
+            metadata=json.loads(meta.metadata) if meta else {},
+            docling_document=doc.docling_document,
+            docling_pages=doc.docling_pages,
+            docling_version=doc.docling_version,
+            created_at=datetime.fromisoformat(created) if created else datetime.now(),
+            updated_at=datetime.fromisoformat(updated) if updated else datetime.now(),
         )
 
-    def _to_record(
+    def _to_documents_record(self, entity: Document, doc_id: str) -> DocumentRecord:
+        return DocumentRecord(
+            id=doc_id,
+            content=entity.content,
+            docling_document=entity.docling_document,
+            docling_pages=entity.docling_pages,
+            docling_version=entity.docling_version,
+        )
+
+    def _to_meta_record(
         self,
         entity: Document,
         doc_id: str,
         created_at: str,
         updated_at: str,
-    ) -> DocumentRecord:
-        return DocumentRecord(
-            id=doc_id,
-            content=entity.content,
+    ) -> DocumentMetaRecord:
+        return DocumentMetaRecord(
+            document_id=doc_id,
             uri=entity.uri,
             title=entity.title,
             metadata=json.dumps(entity.metadata),
-            docling_document=entity.docling_document,
-            docling_pages=entity.docling_pages,
-            docling_version=entity.docling_version,
             created_at=created_at,
             updated_at=updated_at,
         )
 
+    async def _meta_by_id(self, doc_id: str) -> DocumentMetaRecord | None:
+        safe_id = escape_sql_string(doc_id)
+        results = await query_to_pydantic(
+            self.store.document_meta_table.query()
+            .where(f"document_id = '{safe_id}'")
+            .limit(1),
+            DocumentMetaRecord,
+        )
+        return results[0] if results else None
+
     @overload
     async def create(self, entity: Document) -> Document: ...
 
@@ -97,12 +127,29 @@ class DocumentRepository:
         """
         self.store._assert_writable()
 
+        # document_meta is written before documents so the documents row write
+        # is the commit point: time-travel to any documents version always sees
+        # the matching (earlier-written) document_meta row. If the documents
+        # write then fails, delete just the rows we added (not a table-version
+        # restore, which would clobber a concurrent writer's meta write) so a
+        # failed create can't leave a ghost row that list_all/count (which read
+        # document_meta) would surface.
         if isinstance(entity, Document):
             doc_id = str(uuid4())
             now = datetime.now().isoformat()
-            await self.store.documents_table.add(
-                [self._to_record(entity, doc_id, now, now)]
+            await self.store.document_meta_table.add(
+                [self._to_meta_record(entity, doc_id, now, now)]
             )
+            try:
+                await self.store.documents_table.add(
+                    [self._to_documents_record(entity, doc_id)]
+                )
+            except Exception:
+                safe_id = escape_sql_string(doc_id)
+                await self.store.document_meta_table.delete(
+                    f"document_id = '{safe_id}'"
+                )
+                raise
             entity.id = doc_id
             entity.created_at = datetime.fromisoformat(now)
             entity.updated_at = datetime.fromisoformat(now)
@@ -114,15 +161,25 @@ class DocumentRepository:
 
         now = datetime.now().isoformat()
         created_at = datetime.fromisoformat(now)
-        records = []
+        doc_records = []
+        meta_records = []
+        doc_ids = []
         for document in documents:
             doc_id = str(uuid4())
-            records.append(self._to_record(document, doc_id, now, now))
+            doc_ids.append(doc_id)
+            doc_records.append(self._to_documents_record(document, doc_id))
+            meta_records.append(self._to_meta_record(document, doc_id, now, now))
             document.id = doc_id
             document.created_at = created_at
             document.updated_at = created_at
 
-        await self.store.documents_table.add(records)
+        await self.store.document_meta_table.add(meta_records)
+        try:
+            await self.store.documents_table.add(doc_records)
+        except Exception:
+            ids = ", ".join(f"'{escape_sql_string(d)}'" for d in doc_ids)
+            await self.store.document_meta_table.delete(f"document_id IN ({ids})")
+            raise
         return documents
 
     async def get_by_id(self, entity_id: str) -> Document | None:
@@ -136,7 +193,8 @@ class DocumentRepository:
         if not results:
             return None
 
-        return self._record_to_document(results[0])
+        meta = await self._meta_by_id(entity_id)
+        return self._merge_to_document(results[0], meta)
 
     async def get_content(self, entity_id: str) -> str | None:
         """Get only the text content of a document (skips docling blobs)."""
@@ -197,28 +255,43 @@ class DocumentRepository:
             docling_pages=row.get("docling_pages"),
         )
 
-    async def update(self, entity: Document) -> Document:
-        """Update an existing document."""
+    async def update_meta(self, entity: Document) -> Document:
+        """Update only the mutable attributes (uri/title/metadata/updated_at) in
+        `document_meta`. Does NOT touch the `documents` row, so the multi-MB
+        docling blob is never rewritten — this is the blob-bloat fix for
+        metadata/title/source_revision changes."""
         self.store._assert_writable()
-
         assert entity.id, "Document ID is required for update"
 
-        # Update timestamp
         now = datetime.now().isoformat()
         entity.updated_at = datetime.fromisoformat(now)
-
-        record = self._to_record(
-            entity,
-            entity.id,
-            entity.created_at.isoformat() if entity.created_at else now,
-            now,
-        )
+        created = entity.created_at.isoformat() if entity.created_at else now
+        record = self._to_meta_record(entity, entity.id, created, now)
+        # Update only — no insert. Every real document has a document_meta row
+        # from create()/migration; inserting on no-match would manufacture a
+        # ghost row (visible to list_all/count) for an id with no documents row.
         await (
-            self.store.documents_table.merge_insert("id")
+            self.store.document_meta_table.merge_insert("document_id")
             .when_matched_update_all()
             .execute([record])
         )
+        return entity
 
+    async def update(self, entity: Document) -> Document:
+        """Update a document's content+blobs (genuine re-conversion) and its
+        mutable attributes. Rewrites the `documents` row, so use only when the
+        docling content actually changed; for metadata/title-only changes use
+        `update_meta`."""
+        self.store._assert_writable()
+        assert entity.id, "Document ID is required for update"
+
+        doc_record = self._to_documents_record(entity, entity.id)
+        await (
+            self.store.documents_table.merge_insert("id")
+            .when_matched_update_all()
+            .execute([doc_record])
+        )
+        await self.update_meta(entity)
         return entity
 
     async def delete(self, entity_id: str) -> bool:
@@ -234,13 +307,12 @@ class DocumentRepository:
         await self.chunk_repository.delete_by_document_id(entity_id)
         await self.document_item_repository.delete_by_document_id(entity_id)
 
-        # Delete the document
+        # Delete the document row, its mutable attributes
         safe_id = escape_sql_string(entity_id)
         await self.store.documents_table.delete(f"id = '{safe_id}'")
+        await self.store.document_meta_table.delete(f"document_id = '{safe_id}'")
         return True
 
-    _LISTING_COLUMNS = ["id", "title", "uri", "metadata", "created_at", "updated_at"]
-
     async def list_all(
         self,
         limit: int | None = None,
@@ -250,20 +322,21 @@ class DocumentRepository:
     ) -> list[Document]:
         """List all documents with optional pagination and filtering.
 
+        Listing reads `document_meta` (uri/title/metadata/timestamps); the
+        SQL `filter` is evaluated against those columns. When `include_content`
+        is set, the content+blob row is loaded from `documents` and merged in.
+
         Args:
             limit: Maximum number of documents to return.
             offset: Number of documents to skip.
-            filter: Optional SQL WHERE clause to filter documents.
-            include_content: Whether to load content and docling_document.
-                Defaults to False to avoid loading large blobs for listing.
+            filter: Optional SQL WHERE clause over document_meta columns.
+            include_content: Whether to also load content and docling blobs.
 
         Returns:
             List of Document instances matching the criteria.
         """
-        query = self.store.documents_table.query()
+        query = self.store.document_meta_table.query()
 
-        if not include_content:
-            query = query.select(self._LISTING_COLUMNS)
         if filter is not None:
             query = query.where(filter)
         if offset is not None:
@@ -271,50 +344,56 @@ class DocumentRepository:
         if limit is not None:
             query = query.limit(limit)
 
-        if include_content:
-            results = await query_to_pydantic(query, DocumentRecord)
-            return [self._record_to_document(doc) for doc in results]
+        meta_records = await query_to_pydantic(query, DocumentMetaRecord)
 
-        return [
-            Document(
-                id=row["id"],
-                content="",
-                title=row.get("title"),
-                uri=row.get("uri"),
-                metadata=json.loads(row.get("metadata", "{}")),
-                created_at=datetime.fromisoformat(row["created_at"])
-                if row.get("created_at")
-                else datetime.now(),
-                updated_at=datetime.fromisoformat(row["updated_at"])
-                if row.get("updated_at")
-                else datetime.now(),
+        if not include_content:
+            return [
+                self._merge_to_document(DocumentRecord(id=m.document_id, content=""), m)
+                for m in meta_records
+            ]
+
+        documents: list[Document] = []
+        for meta in meta_records:
+            safe_id = escape_sql_string(meta.document_id)
+            doc_results = await query_to_pydantic(
+                self.store.documents_table.query().where(f"id = '{safe_id}'").limit(1),
+                DocumentRecord,
             )
-            for row in await query.to_list()
-        ]
+            doc_record = (
+                doc_results[0]
+                if doc_results
+                else DocumentRecord(id=meta.document_id, content="")
+            )
+            documents.append(self._merge_to_document(doc_record, meta))
+        return documents
 
     async def count(self, filter: str | None = None) -> int:
-        """Count documents with optional filtering.
-
-        Args:
-            filter: Optional SQL WHERE clause to filter documents.
-
-        Returns:
-            Number of documents matching the criteria.
-        """
-        return await self.store.documents_table.count_rows(filter=filter)
+        """Count documents with optional filtering (over document_meta columns)."""
+        return await self.store.document_meta_table.count_rows(filter=filter)
 
     async def get_by_uri(self, uri: str) -> Document | None:
-        """Get a document by its URI."""
+        """Get a document by its URI (resolved via document_meta)."""
         escaped_uri = escape_sql_string(uri)
-        results = await query_to_pydantic(
-            self.store.documents_table.query().where(f"uri = '{escaped_uri}'").limit(1),
-            DocumentRecord,
+        meta_results = await query_to_pydantic(
+            self.store.document_meta_table.query()
+            .where(f"uri = '{escaped_uri}'")
+            .limit(1),
+            DocumentMetaRecord,
         )
 
-        if not results:
+        if not meta_results:
             return None
 
-        return self._record_to_document(results[0])
+        meta = meta_results[0]
+        safe_id = escape_sql_string(meta.document_id)
+        doc_results = await query_to_pydantic(
+            self.store.documents_table.query().where(f"id = '{safe_id}'").limit(1),
+            DocumentRecord,
+        )
+        if not doc_results:
+            return None
+
+        return self._merge_to_document(doc_results[0], meta)
 
     async def delete_all(self) -> None:
         """Delete all documents from the database."""
@@ -344,8 +423,18 @@ class DocumentRepository:
             )
         )
         if count > 0:
-            # Drop and recreate table to clear all data
+            # Drop and recreate tables to clear all data
             await self.store.db.drop_table("documents")
             self.store.documents_table = await self.store.db.create_table(
                 "documents", schema=get_documents_arrow_schema()
             )
+            await self.store.db.drop_table("document_meta")
+            self.store.document_meta_table = await self.store.db.create_table(
+                "document_meta", schema=DocumentMetaRecord
+            )
+            await self.store.document_meta_table.create_index(
+                "document_id", config=BTree(), replace=True
+            )
+            await self.store.document_meta_table.create_index(
+                "uri", config=BTree(), replace=True
+            )
diff --git a/haiku_rag_slim/haiku/rag/store/upgrades/__init__.py b/haiku_rag_slim/haiku/rag/store/upgrades/__init__.py
index 8907f5a2..3c742849 100644
--- a/haiku_rag_slim/haiku/rag/store/upgrades/__init__.py
+++ b/haiku_rag_slim/haiku/rag/store/upgrades/__init__.py
@@ -93,6 +93,9 @@ from haiku.rag.store.upgrades.v0_48_0 import (
 from haiku.rag.store.upgrades.v0_50_0 import (
     upgrade_canonical_metadata_keys as upgrade_0_50_0_canonical_metadata_keys,
 )
+from haiku.rag.store.upgrades.v0_57_0 import (
+    upgrade_split_document_meta as upgrade_0_57_0_split_document_meta,
+)
 
 upgrades.append(upgrade_0_20_0_docling)
 upgrades.append(upgrade_0_23_1_contextualize)
@@ -102,3 +105,4 @@ upgrades.append(upgrade_0_40_0_document_items)
 upgrades.append(upgrade_0_45_0_extract_picture_bytes)
 upgrades.append(upgrade_0_48_0_heading_hierarchy)
 upgrades.append(upgrade_0_50_0_canonical_metadata_keys)
+upgrades.append(upgrade_0_57_0_split_document_meta)
diff --git a/haiku_rag_slim/haiku/rag/store/upgrades/v0_57_0.py b/haiku_rag_slim/haiku/rag/store/upgrades/v0_57_0.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..2e98c473
--- /dev/null
+++ b/haiku_rag_slim/haiku/rag/store/upgrades/v0_57_0.py
@@ -0,0 +1,98 @@
+import logging
+import shutil
+
+from haiku.rag.store.engine import DocumentMetaRecord, Store
+from haiku.rag.store.upgrades import Upgrade
+
+logger = logging.getLogger(__name__)
+
+_LEGACY_COLUMNS = ["uri", "title", "metadata", "created_at", "updated_at"]
+
+
+async def _apply_split_document_meta(store: Store) -> None:
+    """Move the mutable document attributes (uri/title/metadata/created_at/
+    updated_at) out of the blob-bearing `documents` row into `document_meta`.
+
+    After this, a metadata/title/source_revision update writes only the small
+    `document_meta` row instead of rewriting the multi-MB docling blob. The
+    blobs (content, docling_document, docling_pages) stay in `documents`.
+
+    The `document_meta` table itself is created on open by `_init_tables`; this
+    migration populates it and drops the now-relocated columns from `documents`.
+    Idempotent: a re-run after a partial failure skips already-moved rows and
+    skips the column drop if the columns are already gone.
+    """
+    schema = await store.documents_table.schema()
+    present = [c for c in _LEGACY_COLUMNS if c in schema.names]
+
+    if not present:
+        logger.info("documents already split; nothing to move")
+        return
+
+    # Resume support: skip documents whose meta row already exists.
+    existing_meta = {
+        row["document_id"]
+        for row in await store.document_meta_table.query()
+        .select(["document_id"])
+        .to_list()
+    }
+
+    rows = await store.documents_table.query().select(["id", *present]).to_list()
+    records = []
+    for row in rows:
+        if row["id"] in existing_meta:
+            continue
+        meta = row.get("metadata")
+        records.append(
+            DocumentMetaRecord(
+                document_id=row["id"],
+                uri=row.get("uri"),
+                title=row.get("title"),
+                metadata=meta if isinstance(meta, str) and meta else "{}",
+                created_at=row.get("created_at") or "",
+                updated_at=row.get("updated_at") or "",
+            )
+        )
+    if records:
+        logger.info(
+            "Moving attributes for %d document(s) into document_meta", len(records)
+        )
+        await store.document_meta_table.add(records)
+
+    # Drop the relocated columns from documents (a metadata operation — no row
+    # rewrite, so it is cheap and safe even on a near-full disk).
+    logger.info("Dropping %s from documents", ", ".join(present))
+    await store.documents_table.drop_columns(present)
+
+    # Reclaim the bloat accumulated before the fix (superseded docling rows from
+    # past metadata churn). retention=0 is safe ONLY because migrate is
+    # exclusive/single-writer; this must never become normal ingester behaviour.
+    # Compaction rewrites the live blobs once (transient peak ~= current size +
+    # one compacted copy), so skip it (best-effort) when free disk cannot cover
+    # that — the split is already done; the user can run `haiku-rag vacuum`.
+    try:
+        # lancedb's .stats() stub claims TableStatistics but returns a plain dict.
+        stats: dict = await store.documents_table.stats()  # type: ignore[assignment]  # ty: ignore[invalid-assignment]
+        live_bytes = int(stats.get("total_bytes", 0))
+    except Exception:
+        live_bytes = 0
+    free_bytes = shutil.disk_usage(store.db_path).free
+    if live_bytes and free_bytes < live_bytes:
+        logger.warning(
+            "Skipping post-migration vacuum: need ~%.2f GB free to compact the "
+            "documents table, have %.2f GB. Run `haiku-rag vacuum` once you have "
+            "space to reclaim the accumulated bloat.",
+            live_bytes / 1e9,
+            free_bytes / 1e9,
+        )
+        return
+
+    logger.info("Vacuuming to reclaim accumulated document bloat")
+    await store.vacuum(retention_seconds=0)
+
+
+upgrade_split_document_meta = Upgrade(
+    version="0.57.0",
+    apply=_apply_split_document_meta,
+    description="Move mutable document attributes into the document_meta table",
+)
diff --git a/tests/store/__init__.py b/tests/store/__init__.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..e69de29b
diff --git a/tests/store/legacy_documents.py b/tests/store/legacy_documents.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..d8653464
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/store/legacy_documents.py
@@ -0,0 +1,56 @@
+"""Helpers to seed a `documents` table in its pre-0.57 shape.
+
+Before the document_meta split (v0.57.0), the `documents` table carried
+`uri/title/metadata/created_at/updated_at` alongside the content+blobs. The
+migration-chain tests need to reproduce that legacy layout so the older
+migrations (which read `documents.metadata`, etc.) and v0.57.0 itself have the
+columns they operate on.
+"""
+
+from uuid import uuid4
+
+import pyarrow as pa
+from lancedb.pydantic import LanceModel
+from pydantic import Field
+
+from haiku.rag.store.engine import Store
+
+
+class LegacyDocumentRecord(LanceModel):
+    """The pre-0.57 `documents` record (mutable attributes still inline)."""
+
+    id: str = Field(default_factory=lambda: str(uuid4()))
+    content: str
+    uri: str | None = None
+    title: str | None = None
+    metadata: str = Field(default="{}")
+    docling_document: bytes | None = None
+    docling_pages: bytes | None = None
+    docling_version: str | None = None
+    created_at: str = Field(default_factory=lambda: "")
+    updated_at: str = Field(default_factory=lambda: "")
+
+
+def legacy_documents_schema() -> pa.Schema:
+    base = LegacyDocumentRecord.to_arrow_schema()
+    large_binary_columns = {"docling_document", "docling_pages"}
+    return pa.schema(
+        [
+            pa.field(f.name, pa.large_binary()) if f.name in large_binary_columns else f
+            for f in base
+        ]
+    )
+
+
+async def seed_legacy_documents(
+    store: Store, records: list[LegacyDocumentRecord]
+) -> None:
+    """Recreate the `documents` table with the pre-0.57 schema and add records,
+    simulating a database created before the document_meta split."""
+    if "documents" in (await store.db.list_tables()).tables:
+        await store.db.drop_table("documents")
+    store.documents_table = await store.db.create_table(
+        "documents", schema=legacy_documents_schema()
+    )
+    if records:
+        await store.documents_table.add(records)
diff --git a/tests/store/test_document_items.py b/tests/store/test_document_items.py
index f0164146..45a7c6a4 100644
--- a/tests/store/test_document_items.py
+++ b/tests/store/test_document_items.py
@@ -394,6 +394,7 @@ class TestDocumentItemMigration:
         """Test that the v0.40.0 migration populates items for pre-existing documents."""
         from haiku.rag.store.compression import compress_docling_split
         from haiku.rag.store.engine import DocumentRecord
+        from haiku.rag.store.upgrades.v0_40_0 import _apply_populate_document_items
 
         docling_doc = _make_docling_doc()
         json_str = docling_doc.model_dump_json()
@@ -405,7 +406,6 @@ class TestDocumentItemMigration:
             doc_record = DocumentRecord(
                 id="test-doc-1",
                 content="test content",
-                uri="test://doc",
                 docling_document=structure,
                 docling_pages=pages,
                 docling_version=docling_doc.version,
@@ -415,12 +415,11 @@ class TestDocumentItemMigration:
             # Verify no items exist yet
             assert await store.document_items_table.count_rows() == 0
 
-        # Re-open with skip_migration_check and run migration
+        # Re-open and apply the v0.40.0 migration in isolation (the full chain
+        # would also run later migrations that touch documents.metadata, absent
+        # from this docling-only fixture).
         async with Store(temp_db_path, skip_migration_check=True) as store:
-            applied = await store.migrate()
-
-            # Should have applied the v0.40.0 migration
-            assert any("document_items" in desc for desc in applied)
+            await _apply_populate_document_items(store)
 
             # Items should now exist
             item_count = await store.document_items_table.count_rows(
@@ -442,6 +441,7 @@ class TestDocumentItemMigration:
     async def test_migration_skips_documents_without_docling(self, temp_db_path):
         """Test that migration handles documents without docling data."""
         from haiku.rag.store.engine import DocumentRecord
+        from haiku.rag.store.upgrades.v0_40_0 import _apply_populate_document_items
 
         async with Store(temp_db_path, create=True, skip_migration_check=True) as store:
             await store.set_haiku_version("0.39.0")
@@ -452,7 +452,7 @@ class TestDocumentItemMigration:
             await store.documents_table.add([doc_record])
 
         async with Store(temp_db_path, skip_migration_check=True) as store:
-            await store.migrate()
+            await _apply_populate_document_items(store)
 
             # No items should have been created
             assert await store.document_items_table.count_rows() == 0
@@ -705,6 +705,7 @@ class TestPictureDataMigrationBackfill:
 
         from haiku.rag.store.compression import compress_json, decompress_json
         from haiku.rag.store.engine import DocumentItemRecord, DocumentRecord
+        from haiku.rag.store.upgrades.v0_45_0 import _apply_extract_picture_bytes
 
         fake_png = b"\x89PNG\r\n\x1a\nlegacy-picture-bytes-for-test"
         data_uri = "data:image/png;base64," + base64.b64encode(fake_png).decode("ascii")
@@ -756,8 +757,9 @@ class TestPictureDataMigrationBackfill:
             assert "picture_data" not in {f.name for f in schema_before}
 
         async with Store(temp_db_path, skip_migration_check=True) as store:
-            applied = await store.migrate()
-            assert any("picture" in d.lower() for d in applied)
+            # Apply the v0.45.0 migration in isolation (the full chain would also
+            # run later migrations that touch documents.metadata, absent here).
+            await _apply_extract_picture_bytes(store)
 
             # Column was added by the migration
             schema_after = await store.document_items_table.schema()
diff --git a/tests/store/test_document_meta_split.py b/tests/store/test_document_meta_split.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..4d84c85b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/store/test_document_meta_split.py
@@ -0,0 +1,108 @@
+import lancedb
+import pytest
+
+from haiku.rag.store.engine import Store
+from haiku.rag.store.exceptions import MigrationRequiredError
+from haiku.rag.store.models.document import Document
+from haiku.rag.store.repositories.document import DocumentRepository
+from tests.store.legacy_documents import (
+    LegacyDocumentRecord,
+    seed_legacy_documents,
+)
+
+
+@pytest.mark.asyncio
+async def test_create_rolls_back_meta_when_documents_write_fails(temp_db_path):
+    """A failed documents write must not leave an orphan document_meta row that
+    list_all/count would surface (they read document_meta). The rollback must be
+    targeted — it deletes only the failed row, leaving other documents intact."""
+    async with Store(temp_db_path, create=True, skip_migration_check=True) as store:
+        repo = DocumentRepository(store)
+
+        # A pre-existing document that must survive the failed create's rollback.
+        good = await repo.create(Document(content="keep", uri="mem://keep"))
+        assert good.id is not None
+
+        original_add = store.documents_table.add
+
+        async def boom(*_args, **_kwargs):
+            raise RuntimeError("documents write failed")
+
+        store.documents_table.add = boom
+        with pytest.raises(RuntimeError, match="documents write failed"):
+            await repo.create(Document(content="x", uri="mem://ghost"))
+        store.documents_table.add = original_add
+
+        # The ghost's meta row was deleted; the good document is untouched.
+        assert await repo.count() == 1
+        assert [d.id for d in await repo.list_all()] == [good.id]
+        assert await store.document_meta_table.count_rows() == 1
+        assert await repo.get_by_uri("mem://ghost") is None
+        fetched = await repo.get_by_id(good.id)
+        assert fetched is not None and fetched.uri == "mem://keep"
+
+
+@pytest.mark.asyncio
+async def test_update_missing_id_does_not_create_ghost(temp_db_path):
+    """update()/update_meta() for an id with no documents row must not insert a
+    document_meta row — otherwise it would show up in list_all/count while
+    get_by_id returns None."""
+    async with Store(temp_db_path, create=True, skip_migration_check=True) as store:
+        repo = DocumentRepository(store)
+
+        await repo.update(Document(id="missing", content="x", uri="u"))
+
+        assert await repo.count() == 0
+        assert await repo.list_all() == []
+        assert await store.documents_table.count_rows() == 0
+        assert await store.document_meta_table.count_rows() == 0
+        assert await repo.get_by_id("missing") is None
+
+
+@pytest.mark.asyncio
+async def test_opening_legacy_db_raises_migration_without_mutating(temp_db_path):
+    """Opening a pre-0.57 DB (no document_meta) must raise MigrationRequiredError
+    up front — in both writable and read-only mode — and must not mutate the DB
+    by creating the new table on open."""
+    async with Store(temp_db_path, create=True, skip_migration_check=True) as store:
+        await seed_legacy_documents(
+            store,
+            [LegacyDocumentRecord(id="d", content="x", uri="u", metadata="{}")],
+        )
+        # A real pre-0.57 DB has no document_meta table.
+        await store.db.drop_table("document_meta")
+        await store.set_haiku_version("0.56.0")
+
+    # Writable open: pending migration surfaces before any table creation.
+    with pytest.raises(MigrationRequiredError):
+        async with Store(temp_db_path):
+            pass
+
+    # Read-only open: must also be MigrationRequiredError (not ReadOnlyError).
+    with pytest.raises(MigrationRequiredError):
+        async with Store(temp_db_path, read_only=True):
+            pass
+
+    # The failed opens did not create document_meta.
+    raw = await lancedb.connect_async(str(temp_db_path))
+    assert "document_meta" not in (await raw.list_tables()).tables
+
+
+@pytest.mark.asyncio
+async def test_migrate_creates_and_populates_document_meta(temp_db_path):
+    """The migrate path (skip_migration_check) still creates and fills
+    document_meta for a legacy DB."""
+    async with Store(temp_db_path, create=True, skip_migration_check=True) as store:
+        await seed_legacy_documents(
+            store,
+            [LegacyDocumentRecord(id="d", content="x", uri="u", metadata="{}")],
+        )
+        await store.db.drop_table("document_meta")
+        await store.set_haiku_version("0.56.0")
+
+    async with Store(temp_db_path, skip_migration_check=True) as store:
+        await store.migrate()
+        assert "document_meta" in (await store.db.list_tables()).tables
+        repo = DocumentRepository(store)
+        doc = await repo.get_by_id("d")
+        assert doc is not None and doc.uri == "u"
diff --git a/tests/store/test_v0_48_0_migration.py b/tests/store/test_v0_48_0_migration.py
index 7710fa10..8cb594be 100644
--- a/tests/store/test_v0_48_0_migration.py
+++ b/tests/store/test_v0_48_0_migration.py
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@ import pytest
 
 from haiku.rag.store.compression import compress_docling_split
 from haiku.rag.store.engine import DocumentItemRecord, DocumentRecord, Store
+from haiku.rag.store.upgrades.v0_48_0 import _apply_backfill_heading_hierarchy
 
 
 def _docling_with_levels():
@@ -58,8 +59,10 @@ class TestV0_48_0Migration:
             )
 
         async with Store(temp_db_path, skip_migration_check=True) as store:
-            applied = await store.migrate()
-            assert any("0.48.0" in d for d in applied)
+            # Apply the migration in isolation: store.migrate() would run the
+            # whole chain (incl. v0.50.0/v0.57.0 which touch documents.metadata,
+            # absent from this docling-only fixture).
+            await _apply_backfill_heading_hierarchy(store)
 
             rows = await (
                 store.document_items_table.query()
@@ -107,12 +110,8 @@ class TestV0_48_0Migration:
             )
 
         async with Store(temp_db_path, skip_migration_check=True) as store:
-            await store.migrate()
-
-            from haiku.rag.store.upgrades.v0_48_0 import (
-                _apply_backfill_heading_hierarchy,
-            )
-
+            # Apply twice to prove idempotency (in isolation from the chain).
+            await _apply_backfill_heading_hierarchy(store)
             await _apply_backfill_heading_hierarchy(store)
 
             rows = await (
@@ -144,7 +143,7 @@ class TestV0_48_0Migration:
             )
 
         async with Store(temp_db_path, skip_migration_check=True) as store:
-            await store.migrate()
+            await _apply_backfill_heading_hierarchy(store)
             rows = await (
                 store.document_items_table.query()
                 .where("document_id = 'plain'")
diff --git a/tests/store/test_v0_50_0_migration.py b/tests/store/test_v0_50_0_migration.py
index d446f691..f2c8ea3b 100644
--- a/tests/store/test_v0_50_0_migration.py
+++ b/tests/store/test_v0_50_0_migration.py
@@ -2,19 +2,30 @@ import json
 
 import pytest
 
-from haiku.rag.store.engine import DocumentRecord, Store
+from haiku.rag.store.engine import Store
+from haiku.rag.store.upgrades.v0_50_0 import _apply_canonical_metadata_keys
+from tests.store.legacy_documents import (
+    LegacyDocumentRecord,
+    seed_legacy_documents,
+)
 
 
 @pytest.mark.asyncio
 class TestV0_50_0Migration:
-    """v0.50.0 normalises document.metadata to source-agnostic keys."""
+    """v0.50.0 normalises document.metadata to source-agnostic keys.
+
+    Applied in isolation against the pre-0.57 documents schema (metadata still
+    inline), so the assertions read documents.metadata directly. The full chain
+    (where v0.57.0 later relocates metadata to document_meta) is covered by the
+    v0.57.0 migration test.
+    """
 
     async def test_renames_etag_and_content_type(self, temp_db_path):
         async with Store(temp_db_path, create=True, skip_migration_check=True) as store:
-            await store.set_haiku_version("0.48.1")
-            await store.documents_table.add(
+            await seed_legacy_documents(
+                store,
                 [
-                    DocumentRecord(
+                    LegacyDocumentRecord(
                         id="doc-s3",
                         content="x",
                         uri="s3://b/k",
@@ -26,7 +37,7 @@ class TestV0_50_0Migration:
                             }
                         ),
                     ),
-                    DocumentRecord(
+                    LegacyDocumentRecord(
                         id="doc-fs",
                         content="y",
                         uri="file:///tmp/x.md",
@@ -37,12 +48,10 @@ class TestV0_50_0Migration:
                             }
                         ),
                     ),
-                ]
+                ],
             )
 
-        async with Store(temp_db_path, skip_migration_check=True) as store:
-            applied = await store.migrate()
-            assert any("0.50.0" in d for d in applied)
+            await _apply_canonical_metadata_keys(store)
 
             rows = await store.documents_table.query().to_list()
             by_id = {r["id"]: json.loads(r["metadata"]) for r in rows}
@@ -59,10 +68,10 @@ class TestV0_50_0Migration:
 
     async def test_idempotent_on_already_migrated(self, temp_db_path):
         async with Store(temp_db_path, create=True, skip_migration_check=True) as store:
-            await store.set_haiku_version("0.48.1")
-            await store.documents_table.add(
+            await seed_legacy_documents(
+                store,
                 [
-                    DocumentRecord(
+                    LegacyDocumentRecord(
                         id="d",
                         content="x",
                         uri="s3://b/k",
@@ -74,11 +83,10 @@ class TestV0_50_0Migration:
                             }
                         ),
                     )
-                ]
+                ],
             )
 
-        async with Store(temp_db_path, skip_migration_check=True) as store:
-            await store.migrate()
+            await _apply_canonical_metadata_keys(store)
             rows = await store.documents_table.query().to_list()
             assert json.loads(rows[0]["metadata"]) == {
                 "source_revision": "abc",
@@ -91,14 +99,11 @@ class TestV0_50_0Migration:
         quoted-key form. Values that happen to contain the substring `etag` and
         composite key names like `my_etag_key` must not get rewritten."""
         async with Store(temp_db_path, create=True, skip_migration_check=True) as store:
-            await store.set_haiku_version("0.48.1")
-            await store.documents_table.add(
+            await seed_legacy_documents(
+                store,
                 [
-                    # `etag` only appears as a VALUE — no `etag` key. Either
-                    # the LIKE excludes it (no work), or it pulls it in and
-                    # _normalize_metadata leaves it alone. Either way the row
-                    # must end up unchanged.
-                    DocumentRecord(
+                    # `etag` only appears as a VALUE — no `etag` key.
+                    LegacyDocumentRecord(
                         id="value-only",
                         content="x",
                         uri="u1",
@@ -110,8 +115,7 @@ class TestV0_50_0Migration:
                         ),
                     ),
                     # A composite key containing `etag` but not equal to it.
-                    # Must not be rewritten.
-                    DocumentRecord(
+                    LegacyDocumentRecord(
                         id="composite-key",
                         content="x",
                         uri="u2",
@@ -122,11 +126,10 @@ class TestV0_50_0Migration:
                             }
                         ),
                     ),
-                ]
+                ],
             )
 
-        async with Store(temp_db_path, skip_migration_check=True) as store:
-            await store.migrate()
+            await _apply_canonical_metadata_keys(store)
             rows = await store.documents_table.query().to_list()
             by_id = {r["id"]: json.loads(r["metadata"]) for r in rows}
 
@@ -144,30 +147,28 @@ class TestV0_50_0Migration:
         migration: it's logged and skipped, and well-formed rows alongside it
         still get rewritten. The bad row's metadata is left exactly as-is."""
         async with Store(temp_db_path, create=True, skip_migration_check=True) as store:
-            await store.set_haiku_version("0.48.1")
-            await store.documents_table.add(
+            await seed_legacy_documents(
+                store,
                 [
-                    # Contains the substring `"etag"` so the WHERE LIKE pulls
-                    # it in, but it's not valid JSON — json.loads fails.
-                    DocumentRecord(
+                    # Contains the substring `"etag"` so the WHERE LIKE pulls it
+                    # in, but it's not valid JSON — json.loads fails.
+                    LegacyDocumentRecord(
                         id="bad",
                         content="x",
                         uri="u1",
                         metadata='{"etag": broken',
                     ),
-                    DocumentRecord(
+                    LegacyDocumentRecord(
                         id="good",
                         content="x",
                         uri="u2",
                         metadata=json.dumps({"etag": "abc"}),
                     ),
-                ]
+                ],
             )
 
-        async with Store(temp_db_path, skip_migration_check=True) as store:
             # Must not raise.
-            applied = await store.migrate()
-            assert any("0.50.0" in d for d in applied)
+            await _apply_canonical_metadata_keys(store)
 
             rows = await store.documents_table.query().to_list()
             by_id = {r["id"]: r["metadata"] for r in rows}
@@ -179,10 +180,10 @@ class TestV0_50_0Migration:
         """If both legacy and canonical keys are present, the canonical wins
         and the legacy is dropped — defends against partial-migration states."""
         async with Store(temp_db_path, create=True, skip_migration_check=True) as store:
-            await store.set_haiku_version("0.48.1")
-            await store.documents_table.add(
+            await seed_legacy_documents(
+                store,
                 [
-                    DocumentRecord(
+                    LegacyDocumentRecord(
                         id="d",
                         content="x",
                         uri="s3://b/k",
@@ -195,11 +196,10 @@ class TestV0_50_0Migration:
                             }
                         ),
                     )
-                ]
+                ],
             )
 
-        async with Store(temp_db_path, skip_migration_check=True) as store:
-            await store.migrate()
+            await _apply_canonical_metadata_keys(store)
             rows = await store.documents_table.query().to_list()
             meta = json.loads(rows[0]["metadata"])
             assert meta == {
diff --git a/tests/store/test_v0_57_0_migration.py b/tests/store/test_v0_57_0_migration.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..bc39122d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/store/test_v0_57_0_migration.py
@@ -0,0 +1,98 @@
+import json
+
+import pytest
+
+from haiku.rag.store.engine import Store
+from haiku.rag.store.repositories.document import DocumentRepository
+from haiku.rag.store.upgrades.v0_57_0 import _apply_split_document_meta
+from tests.store.legacy_documents import (
+    LegacyDocumentRecord,
+    seed_legacy_documents,
+)
+
+_LEGACY_COLUMNS = {"uri", "title", "metadata", "created_at", "updated_at"}
+
+
+@pytest.mark.asyncio
+class TestV0_57_0Migration:
+    """v0.57.0 moves mutable attributes out of the documents row into
+    document_meta so metadata/title updates stop rewriting the docling blob."""
+
+    async def test_moves_attributes_and_drops_columns(self, temp_db_path):
+        async with Store(temp_db_path, create=True, skip_migration_check=True) as store:
+            await seed_legacy_documents(
+                store,
+                [
+                    LegacyDocumentRecord(
+                        id="doc-1",
+                        content="body one",
+                        uri="s3://b/one",
+                        title="One",
+                        metadata=json.dumps({"source_revision": "r1", "md5": "a"}),
+                        docling_document=b"structure-blob-1",
+                        docling_pages=b"pages-blob-1",
+                        docling_version="1.10.0",
+                        created_at="2026-01-01T00:00:00",
+                        updated_at="2026-01-02T00:00:00",
+                    )
+                ],
+            )
+            await store.set_haiku_version("0.56.0")
+
+        async with Store(temp_db_path, skip_migration_check=True) as store:
+            applied = await store.migrate()
+            assert any("0.57.0" in d for d in applied)
+
+            # Legacy columns dropped from documents; blobs stay.
+            doc_names = {f.name for f in await store.documents_table.schema()}
+            assert _LEGACY_COLUMNS.isdisjoint(doc_names)
+            assert {"id", "content", "docling_document", "docling_pages"} <= doc_names
+
+            # Attributes landed in document_meta.
+            meta_rows = await store.document_meta_table.query().to_list()
+            assert len(meta_rows) == 1
+            row = meta_rows[0]
+            assert row["document_id"] == "doc-1"
+            assert row["uri"] == "s3://b/one"
+            assert row["title"] == "One"
+            assert json.loads(row["metadata"]) == {"source_revision": "r1", "md5": "a"}
+
+            # Full hydration still works (content + metadata + blobs intact).
+            repo = DocumentRepository(store)
+            doc = await repo.get_by_id("doc-1")
+            assert doc is not None
+            assert doc.content == "body one"
+            assert doc.uri == "s3://b/one"
+            assert doc.title == "One"
+            assert doc.metadata == {"source_revision": "r1", "md5": "a"}
+            assert doc.docling_document == b"structure-blob-1"
+            assert doc.docling_pages == b"pages-blob-1"
+            assert doc.docling_version == "1.10.0"
+
+            # Lookup by uri (resolved via document_meta) works too.
+            by_uri = await repo.get_by_uri("s3://b/one")
+            assert by_uri is not None and by_uri.id == "doc-1"
+
+    async def test_idempotent_on_already_split(self, temp_db_path):
+        async with Store(temp_db_path, create=True, skip_migration_check=True) as store:
+            await seed_legacy_documents(
+                store,
+                [
+                    LegacyDocumentRecord(
+                        id="doc-1",
+                        content="body",
+                        uri="u1",
+                        metadata=json.dumps({"source_revision": "r1"}),
+                    )
+                ],
+            )
+            await store.set_haiku_version("0.56.0")
+
+        async with Store(temp_db_path, skip_migration_check=True) as store:
+            await store.migrate()
+            # Re-applying must be a no-op (documents already split).
+            await _apply_split_document_meta(store)
+
+            meta_rows = await store.document_meta_table.query().to_list()
+            assert len(meta_rows) == 1
+            assert meta_rows[0]["document_id"] == "doc-1"
diff --git a/tests/test_client.py b/tests/test_client.py
index 83d4595b..b83aed91 100644
--- a/tests/test_client.py
+++ b/tests/test_client.py
@@ -907,6 +907,52 @@ async def test_client_update_document_replaces_rows_with_bounded_versions(
         assert stored_items[0].text == "Updated body"
 
 
+async def test_metadata_only_update_does_not_advance_documents_table(temp_db_path):
+    """Metadata/title-only updates must not rewrite the heavy documents row.
+
+    This is the blob-bloat fix: source_revision rolling on every ingester sweep
+    used to rewrite the multi-MB docling row each time. Mutable attributes now
+    live in document_meta, so the documents table version must stay frozen while
+    only metadata/title change — and reads must still hydrate the full Document.
+    """
+    dim = Config.embeddings.model.vector_dim
+    config = Config.model_copy(deep=True)
+    config.storage.auto_vacuum = False
+
+    async with HaikuRAG(temp_db_path, config=config, create=True) as client:
+        created = await client.import_document(
+            _docling_doc("doc", "Body text"),
+            [Chunk(content="Body text", embedding=[0.1] * dim, order=0)],
+            uri="mem://meta-bloat",
+            title="Original",
+            metadata={"source_revision": "rev-0"},
+        )
+        assert created.id is not None
+
+        docs_v0 = await client.store.documents_table.version()
+        meta_v0 = await client.store.document_meta_table.version()
+
+        for i in range(1, 6):
+            await client.update_document(
+                created.id,
+                metadata={"source_revision": f"rev-{i}"},
+                title=f"Title {i}",
+            )
+
+        # The heavy documents table must not advance on metadata-only updates.
+        assert await client.store.documents_table.version() == docs_v0
+        # The light document_meta table absorbs the updates.
+        assert await client.store.document_meta_table.version() > meta_v0
+
+        # Reads still hydrate the full document (content + blobs + metadata).
+        fetched = await client.get_document_by_id(created.id)
+        assert fetched is not None
+        assert fetched.metadata["source_revision"] == "rev-5"
+        assert fetched.title == "Title 5"
+        assert fetched.content == "Body text"
+        assert fetched.get_docling_document() is not None
+
+
 @pytest.mark.vcr()
 async def test_client_ask(allow_model_requests, temp_db_path):
     """Test asking questions returns answer and citations (VCR recorded)."""
diff --git a/tests/test_lancedb_connection.py b/tests/test_lancedb_connection.py
index ffc49e52..1d283557 100644
--- a/tests/test_lancedb_connection.py
+++ b/tests/test_lancedb_connection.py
@@ -267,7 +267,7 @@ class TestInitFailureCleanup:
         async def fake_connect(*args, **kwargs):
             return mock_conn
 
-        async def failing_init_tables(self):
+        async def failing_init_tables(self, is_new_db):
             raise RuntimeError("simulated table init failure")
 
         monkeypatch.setattr("haiku.rag.store.engine.connect_lancedb", fake_connect)
diff --git a/tests/test_rebuild.py b/tests/test_rebuild.py
index 1bf9ebd0..9649a625 100644
--- a/tests/test_rebuild.py
+++ b/tests/test_rebuild.py
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@ from typing import TypedDict
 import pytest
 
 from haiku.rag.client import HaikuRAG, RebuildMode
+from haiku.rag.config import Config
 
 
 class ChunkData(TypedDict):
@@ -184,7 +185,14 @@ async def test_rebuild_resumes_phase2_from_staging_after_crash(
         _StagingMarkerRecord,
     )
 
-    async with HaikuRAG(temp_db_path, create=True) as client:
+    # auto_vacuum off: this test drops the chunks table by hand to simulate a
+    # crash, where no background vacuum would be in flight. Leaving it on lets
+    # create_document's scheduled optimize race the raw drop_table ("Directory
+    # not empty").
+    config = Config.model_copy(deep=True)
+    config.storage.auto_vacuum = False
+
+    async with HaikuRAG(temp_db_path, config=config, create=True) as client:
         doc = await client.create_document(content=qa_corpus[0]["document_extracted"])
         assert doc.id is not None
         original_chunks = await client.chunk_repository.get_by_document_id(doc.id)

From df8af5429825954d964542cb351c2de967a46247 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: Yiorgis Gozadinos <ggozadinos@gmail.com>
Date: Thu, 11 Jun 2026 10:29:45 +0300
Subject: [PATCH 3/9] rebase from main

---
 app/backend/pyproject.toml                           |  2 +-
 evaluations/pyproject.toml                           |  2 +-
 haiku_rag_slim/haiku/rag/store/upgrades/__init__.py  |  6 +++---
 .../rag/store/upgrades/{v0_57_0.py => v0_58_0.py}    |  2 +-
 haiku_rag_slim/pyproject.toml                        |  2 +-
 pyproject.toml                                       | 10 +++++-----
 ...0_57_0_migration.py => test_v0_58_0_migration.py} | 12 ++++++------
 uv.lock                                              |  6 +++---
 8 files changed, 21 insertions(+), 21 deletions(-)
 rename haiku_rag_slim/haiku/rag/store/upgrades/{v0_57_0.py => v0_58_0.py} (99%)
 rename tests/store/{test_v0_57_0_migration.py => test_v0_58_0_migration.py} (92%)

diff --git a/app/backend/pyproject.toml b/app/backend/pyproject.toml
index 55a90c26..8d447938 100644
--- a/app/backend/pyproject.toml
+++ b/app/backend/pyproject.toml
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@ dependencies = [
     "uvicorn[standard]>=0.40.0",
     "pydantic-ai-slim[ag-ui,anthropic,openai]>=1.81.0",
     "python-dotenv>=1.2.1",
-    "haiku.rag-slim>=0.57.0",
+    "haiku.rag-slim>=0.58.0",
     "logfire[pydantic-ai]>=3.17.0",
 ]
 
diff --git a/evaluations/pyproject.toml b/evaluations/pyproject.toml
index 2924dfca..f983baec 100644
--- a/evaluations/pyproject.toml
+++ b/evaluations/pyproject.toml
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
 
 name = "haiku.rag-evals"
 description = "Benchmarking and evaluation scripts for haiku.rag"
-version = "0.57.0"
+version = "0.58.0"
 authors = [{ name = "Yiorgis Gozadinos", email = "ggozadinos@gmail.com" }]
 license = { text = "MIT" }
 requires-python = ">=3.12"
diff --git a/haiku_rag_slim/haiku/rag/store/upgrades/__init__.py b/haiku_rag_slim/haiku/rag/store/upgrades/__init__.py
index 3c742849..115f9a1c 100644
--- a/haiku_rag_slim/haiku/rag/store/upgrades/__init__.py
+++ b/haiku_rag_slim/haiku/rag/store/upgrades/__init__.py
@@ -93,8 +93,8 @@ from haiku.rag.store.upgrades.v0_48_0 import (
 from haiku.rag.store.upgrades.v0_50_0 import (
     upgrade_canonical_metadata_keys as upgrade_0_50_0_canonical_metadata_keys,
 )
-from haiku.rag.store.upgrades.v0_57_0 import (
-    upgrade_split_document_meta as upgrade_0_57_0_split_document_meta,
+from haiku.rag.store.upgrades.v0_58_0 import (
+    upgrade_split_document_meta as upgrade_0_58_0_split_document_meta,
 )
 
 upgrades.append(upgrade_0_20_0_docling)
@@ -105,4 +105,4 @@ upgrades.append(upgrade_0_40_0_document_items)
 upgrades.append(upgrade_0_45_0_extract_picture_bytes)
 upgrades.append(upgrade_0_48_0_heading_hierarchy)
 upgrades.append(upgrade_0_50_0_canonical_metadata_keys)
-upgrades.append(upgrade_0_57_0_split_document_meta)
+upgrades.append(upgrade_0_58_0_split_document_meta)
diff --git a/haiku_rag_slim/haiku/rag/store/upgrades/v0_57_0.py b/haiku_rag_slim/haiku/rag/store/upgrades/v0_58_0.py
similarity index 99%
rename from haiku_rag_slim/haiku/rag/store/upgrades/v0_57_0.py
rename to haiku_rag_slim/haiku/rag/store/upgrades/v0_58_0.py
index 2e98c473..38924db2 100644
--- a/haiku_rag_slim/haiku/rag/store/upgrades/v0_57_0.py
+++ b/haiku_rag_slim/haiku/rag/store/upgrades/v0_58_0.py
@@ -92,7 +92,7 @@ async def _apply_split_document_meta(store: Store) -> None:
 
 
 upgrade_split_document_meta = Upgrade(
-    version="0.57.0",
+    version="0.58.0",
     apply=_apply_split_document_meta,
     description="Move mutable document attributes into the document_meta table",
 )
diff --git a/haiku_rag_slim/pyproject.toml b/haiku_rag_slim/pyproject.toml
index 83f1a316..33877d95 100644
--- a/haiku_rag_slim/pyproject.toml
+++ b/haiku_rag_slim/pyproject.toml
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
 
 name = "haiku.rag-slim"
 description = "Opinionated agentic RAG powered by LanceDB, Pydantic AI, and Docling - Minimal dependencies"
-version = "0.57.0"
+version = "0.58.0"
 authors = [{ name = "Yiorgis Gozadinos", email = "ggozadinos@gmail.com" }]
 license = { text = "MIT" }
 readme = { file = "README.md", content-type = "text/markdown" }
diff --git a/pyproject.toml b/pyproject.toml
index 25506992..02ce95de 100644
--- a/pyproject.toml
+++ b/pyproject.toml
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
 
 name = "haiku.rag"
 description = "Opinionated agentic RAG powered by LanceDB, Pydantic AI, and Docling"
-version = "0.57.0"
+version = "0.58.0"
 authors = [{ name = "Yiorgis Gozadinos", email = "ggozadinos@gmail.com" }]
 license = { text = "MIT" }
 readme = { file = "README.md", content-type = "text/markdown" }
@@ -30,7 +30,7 @@ classifiers = [
 ]
 
 dependencies = [
-    "haiku.rag-slim[docling,voyageai,mxbai,cohere,zeroentropy,tui,cross-encoder]==0.57.0",
+    "haiku.rag-slim[docling,voyageai,mxbai,cohere,zeroentropy,tui,cross-encoder]==0.58.0",
 ]
 
 [project.scripts]
@@ -38,9 +38,9 @@ haiku-rag = "haiku.rag.cli:cli"
 
 [project.optional-dependencies]
 tui = ["textual>=8.2.4"]
-s3 = ["haiku.rag-slim[s3]==0.57.0"]
-cross-encoder = ["haiku.rag-slim[cross-encoder]==0.57.0"]
-ingester = ["haiku.rag-slim[ingester]==0.57.0"]
+s3 = ["haiku.rag-slim[s3]==0.58.0"]
+cross-encoder = ["haiku.rag-slim[cross-encoder]==0.58.0"]
+ingester = ["haiku.rag-slim[ingester]==0.58.0"]
 
 [build-system]
 requires = ["hatchling"]
diff --git a/tests/store/test_v0_57_0_migration.py b/tests/store/test_v0_58_0_migration.py
similarity index 92%
rename from tests/store/test_v0_57_0_migration.py
rename to tests/store/test_v0_58_0_migration.py
index bc39122d..0d85d294 100644
--- a/tests/store/test_v0_57_0_migration.py
+++ b/tests/store/test_v0_58_0_migration.py
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@ import pytest
 
 from haiku.rag.store.engine import Store
 from haiku.rag.store.repositories.document import DocumentRepository
-from haiku.rag.store.upgrades.v0_57_0 import _apply_split_document_meta
+from haiku.rag.store.upgrades.v0_58_0 import _apply_split_document_meta
 from tests.store.legacy_documents import (
     LegacyDocumentRecord,
     seed_legacy_documents,
@@ -14,8 +14,8 @@ _LEGACY_COLUMNS = {"uri", "title", "metadata", "created_at", "updated_at"}
 
 
 @pytest.mark.asyncio
-class TestV0_57_0Migration:
-    """v0.57.0 moves mutable attributes out of the documents row into
+class TestV0_58_0Migration:
+    """v0.58.0 moves mutable attributes out of the documents row into
     document_meta so metadata/title updates stop rewriting the docling blob."""
 
     async def test_moves_attributes_and_drops_columns(self, temp_db_path):
@@ -37,11 +37,11 @@ class TestV0_57_0Migration:
                     )
                 ],
             )
-            await store.set_haiku_version("0.56.0")
+            await store.set_haiku_version("0.57.0")
 
         async with Store(temp_db_path, skip_migration_check=True) as store:
             applied = await store.migrate()
-            assert any("0.57.0" in d for d in applied)
+            assert any("0.58.0" in d for d in applied)
 
             # Legacy columns dropped from documents; blobs stay.
             doc_names = {f.name for f in await store.documents_table.schema()}
@@ -86,7 +86,7 @@ class TestV0_57_0Migration:
                     )
                 ],
             )
-            await store.set_haiku_version("0.56.0")
+            await store.set_haiku_version("0.57.0")
 
         async with Store(temp_db_path, skip_migration_check=True) as store:
             await store.migrate()
diff --git a/uv.lock b/uv.lock
index a3983353..7a4be853 100644
--- a/uv.lock
+++ b/uv.lock
@@ -1564,7 +1564,7 @@ wheels = [
 
 [[package]]
 name = "haiku-rag"
-version = "0.57.0"
+version = "0.58.0"
 source = { editable = "." }
 dependencies = [
     { name = "haiku-rag-slim", extra = ["cohere", "cross-encoder", "docling", "mxbai", "tui", "voyageai", "zeroentropy"] },
@@ -1631,7 +1631,7 @@ dev = [
 
 [[package]]
 name = "haiku-rag-evals"
-version = "0.57.0"
+version = "0.58.0"
 source = { editable = "evaluations" }
 dependencies = [
     { name = "datasets" },
@@ -1654,7 +1654,7 @@ requires-dist = [
 
 [[package]]
 name = "haiku-rag-slim"
-version = "0.57.0"
+version = "0.58.0"
 source = { editable = "haiku_rag_slim" }
 dependencies = [
     { name = "docling-core" },

From 5d5d87d44c41dbfd322b77f8eecae1df36ba0c2d Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: Yiorgis Gozadinos <ggozadinos@gmail.com>
Date: Thu, 11 Jun 2026 11:01:31 +0300
Subject: [PATCH 4/9] Throttle background auto-vacuum to at most once per 5
 minutes

---
 CHANGELOG.md                                |  1 +
 haiku_rag_slim/haiku/rag/client/__init__.py | 42 ++++++++++++----
 tests/test_vacuum_debounce.py               | 56 +++++++++++++++++++++
 tests/test_versioning.py                    |  6 +--
 4 files changed, 92 insertions(+), 13 deletions(-)
 create mode 100644 tests/test_vacuum_debounce.py

diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index 4dfadb23..549bee08 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@
 ### Changed
 
 - Mutable document attributes (`uri`, `title`, `metadata`, `created_at`, `updated_at`) moved from the `documents` table into a new `document_meta` table (1:1 on `document_id`); metadata/title/`source_revision` updates no longer rewrite the docling blobs. Migration `v0_58_0` relocates existing data and runs a one-time `vacuum` to reclaim prior bloat.
+- Background auto-vacuum is throttled to at most once per 5 minutes; a final vacuum on close collapses any throttled writes. Sustained ingestion no longer triggers back-to-back compaction of the `documents` table.
 
 ### Fixed
 
diff --git a/haiku_rag_slim/haiku/rag/client/__init__.py b/haiku_rag_slim/haiku/rag/client/__init__.py
index 33d422a5..09f475f1 100644
--- a/haiku_rag_slim/haiku/rag/client/__init__.py
+++ b/haiku_rag_slim/haiku/rag/client/__init__.py
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@ from datetime import datetime
 from enum import Enum
 from functools import cached_property
 from pathlib import Path
+from time import monotonic
 from typing import TYPE_CHECKING, overload
 from urllib.parse import urlparse
 
@@ -40,6 +41,12 @@ if TYPE_CHECKING:
 
 logger = logging.getLogger(__name__)
 
+# Throttle for the background auto-vacuum: under sustained ingestion, scheduling
+# a compaction on every write degenerates into back-to-back optimize() passes
+# that churn the blob-bearing documents table. Fire at most one per interval; a
+# final vacuum on close collapses anything throttled here.
+_VACUUM_MIN_INTERVAL_S = 300.0
+
 
 class RebuildMode(Enum):
     """Mode for rebuilding the database."""
@@ -87,6 +94,8 @@ class HaikuRAG:
         self._read_only = read_only
         self._before = before
         self._vacuum_tasks: set[asyncio.Task] = set()
+        self._last_vacuum_at: float | None = None
+        self._vacuum_dirty = False
 
     @property
     def is_read_only(self) -> bool:
@@ -137,17 +146,20 @@ class HaikuRAG:
         return False
 
     async def _await_vacuum_tasks(self) -> None:
-        """Drain background vacuum work before tearing down the connection.
+        """Drain background vacuum work and run a final collapse before teardown.
 
-        Each create_document / update_document can schedule its own vacuum task;
-        all must be awaited, not just the most recently scheduled one. Vacuum
-        skips when another is already running, so the cleanup for the final
-        writes may have been a no-op. Run one more pass once the in-flight tasks
-        are done to collapse versions created after the last vacuum took the lock.
+        Writes schedule a throttled background vacuum; many are debounced or skip
+        because another vacuum holds the lock. The final pass collapses the
+        versions those left behind. It runs whenever writes happened
+        (``_vacuum_dirty``) — not gated on in-flight tasks remaining, since a
+        debounced run may have scheduled none — but never when nothing was
+        written (so opening + closing a store still never writes).
         """
-        if not self._vacuum_tasks:
+        if self._vacuum_tasks:
+            await asyncio.gather(*self._vacuum_tasks, return_exceptions=True)
+        if not self._vacuum_dirty:
             return
-        await asyncio.gather(*self._vacuum_tasks, return_exceptions=True)
+        self._vacuum_dirty = False
         # __aexit__ runs during exception unwinding; a raising vacuum here would
         # mask the original exception, so the drain stays best-effort.
         try:
@@ -156,7 +168,19 @@ class HaikuRAG:
             logger.debug("Final vacuum on close failed", exc_info=True)
 
     def _schedule_vacuum(self) -> None:
-        """Schedule a background vacuum and track the task for later awaiting."""
+        """Schedule a background vacuum, throttled to at most one per
+        ``_VACUUM_MIN_INTERVAL_S``. Sustained writes would otherwise trigger
+        back-to-back compaction of the blob-bearing documents table. The throttle
+        only skips the background task — ``_vacuum_dirty`` still marks that a
+        final vacuum on close is owed."""
+        self._vacuum_dirty = True
+        now = monotonic()
+        if (
+            self._last_vacuum_at is not None
+            and now - self._last_vacuum_at < _VACUUM_MIN_INTERVAL_S
+        ):
+            return
+        self._last_vacuum_at = now
         task = asyncio.create_task(self.store.vacuum())
         self._vacuum_tasks.add(task)
         task.add_done_callback(self._vacuum_tasks.discard)
diff --git a/tests/test_vacuum_debounce.py b/tests/test_vacuum_debounce.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..c2c8ccc5
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/test_vacuum_debounce.py
@@ -0,0 +1,56 @@
+import asyncio
+
+import pytest
+
+import haiku.rag.client as client_mod
+from haiku.rag.client import HaikuRAG
+
+
+@pytest.mark.asyncio
+async def test_schedule_vacuum_is_debounced(temp_db_path, monkeypatch):
+    """Rapid writes within the throttle window schedule only one background
+    vacuum; once the interval elapses, a new one is scheduled."""
+    t = {"now": 1000.0}
+    monkeypatch.setattr(client_mod, "monotonic", lambda: t["now"])
+
+    async with HaikuRAG(temp_db_path, create=True) as client:
+        calls: list[int] = []
+
+        async def fake_vacuum(*_a, **_k):
+            calls.append(1)
+
+        monkeypatch.setattr(client.store, "vacuum", fake_vacuum)
+
+        for _ in range(3):
+            client._schedule_vacuum()
+        await asyncio.gather(*client._vacuum_tasks)
+        assert len(calls) == 1  # debounced within the interval
+
+        t["now"] += client_mod._VACUUM_MIN_INTERVAL_S + 1
+        client._schedule_vacuum()
+        await asyncio.gather(*client._vacuum_tasks)
+        assert len(calls) == 2  # interval elapsed -> a new vacuum scheduled
+
+
+@pytest.mark.asyncio
+async def test_debounced_writes_still_collapse_on_close(temp_db_path, monkeypatch):
+    """Even when scheduled vacuums after the first are debounced, the writes are
+    marked dirty so the close-time drain runs a final collapse."""
+    t = {"now": 1000.0}
+    monkeypatch.setattr(client_mod, "monotonic", lambda: t["now"])
+    calls: list[int] = []
+
+    async with HaikuRAG(temp_db_path, create=True) as client:
+
+        async def fake_vacuum(*_a, **_k):
+            calls.append(1)
+
+        monkeypatch.setattr(client.store, "vacuum", fake_vacuum)
+
+        client._schedule_vacuum()  # schedules the first background pass
+        client._schedule_vacuum()  # debounced (no task)
+
+        await client._await_vacuum_tasks()
+        # one scheduled background pass + one final collapse on drain
+        assert len(calls) == 2
+        assert client._vacuum_dirty is False
diff --git a/tests/test_versioning.py b/tests/test_versioning.py
index 8dcda789..07b64a3f 100644
--- a/tests/test_versioning.py
+++ b/tests/test_versioning.py
@@ -334,10 +334,8 @@ async def test_close_suppresses_failing_drain_vacuum(temp_db_path, monkeypatch):
         calls.append(1)
         raise RuntimeError("vacuum boom")
 
-    # A finished task in the set forces the drain branch to run.
-    task = asyncio.create_task(asyncio.sleep(0))
-    await task
-    client._vacuum_tasks.add(task)
+    # Writes happened, so close owes a final vacuum — force that drain branch.
+    client._vacuum_dirty = True
     monkeypatch.setattr(client.store, "vacuum", boom)
 
     # Must not raise despite the drain vacuum erroring.

From f2a5ac42467f1b5820f82d632392a5a662f527f1 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: Yiorgis Gozadinos <ggozadinos@gmail.com>
Date: Thu, 11 Jun 2026 11:11:42 +0300
Subject: [PATCH 5/9] Throttle background auto-vacuum to at most once per 5
 minutes

---
 haiku_rag_slim/haiku/rag/client/documents.py | 12 +++++--
 tests/test_vacuum_debounce.py                | 38 ++++++++++++++++++++
 2 files changed, 48 insertions(+), 2 deletions(-)

diff --git a/haiku_rag_slim/haiku/rag/client/documents.py b/haiku_rag_slim/haiku/rag/client/documents.py
index 1676eee3..67def6d9 100644
--- a/haiku_rag_slim/haiku/rag/client/documents.py
+++ b/haiku_rag_slim/haiku/rag/client/documents.py
@@ -323,7 +323,12 @@ async def _refresh_doc_metadata(
         updated = True
 
     if updated:
-        return await client.document_repository.update_meta(doc)
+        result = await client.document_repository.update_meta(doc)
+        # Reclaim the document_meta churn from rolling source_revision sweeps.
+        # The vacuum is debounced, and document_meta is tiny, so this is cheap.
+        if client._config.storage.auto_vacuum:
+            client._schedule_vacuum()
+        return result
     return doc
 
 
@@ -730,7 +735,10 @@ async def update_document(
         existing_doc.metadata = metadata
 
     if content is None and chunks is None and docling_document is None:
-        return await client.document_repository.update_meta(existing_doc)
+        updated = await client.document_repository.update_meta(existing_doc)
+        if client._config.storage.auto_vacuum:
+            client._schedule_vacuum()
+        return updated
 
     if chunks is not None:
         if docling_document is not None:
diff --git a/tests/test_vacuum_debounce.py b/tests/test_vacuum_debounce.py
index c2c8ccc5..2b4176f8 100644
--- a/tests/test_vacuum_debounce.py
+++ b/tests/test_vacuum_debounce.py
@@ -4,6 +4,18 @@ import pytest
 
 import haiku.rag.client as client_mod
 from haiku.rag.client import HaikuRAG
+from haiku.rag.client.documents import _refresh_doc_metadata
+from haiku.rag.config import Config
+from haiku.rag.store.models.chunk import Chunk
+
+
+def _docling_doc(name: str, text: str):
+    from docling_core.types.doc.document import DoclingDocument
+    from docling_core.types.doc.labels import DocItemLabel
+
+    doc = DoclingDocument(name=name)
+    doc.add_text(label=DocItemLabel.TEXT, text=text)
+    return doc
 
 
 @pytest.mark.asyncio
@@ -54,3 +66,29 @@ async def test_debounced_writes_still_collapse_on_close(temp_db_path, monkeypatc
         # one scheduled background pass + one final collapse on drain
         assert len(calls) == 2
         assert client._vacuum_dirty is False
+
+
+@pytest.mark.asyncio
+async def test_metadata_refresh_sweep_schedules_vacuum(temp_db_path):
+    """A source re-sweep that only rolls source_revision (MD5/revision
+    short-circuit) writes document_meta and must still schedule the (debounced)
+    vacuum, so that tiny churn gets reclaimed instead of accumulating."""
+    dim = Config.embeddings.model.vector_dim
+    async with HaikuRAG(temp_db_path, create=True) as client:
+        doc = await client.import_document(
+            _docling_doc("d", "body"),
+            [Chunk(content="body", embedding=[0.1] * dim, order=0)],
+            uri="mem://sweep",
+            metadata={"source_revision": "r1"},
+        )
+        # Isolate the refresh: the import already scheduled a vacuum.
+        client._vacuum_dirty = False
+
+        await _refresh_doc_metadata(
+            client,
+            doc,
+            title=None,
+            user_metadata={},
+            source_metadata={"source_revision": "r2", "md5": "same"},
+        )
+        assert client._vacuum_dirty is True

From 2b8b9477b7e266a79b2948b49602cf85126939dd Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: Yiorgis Gozadinos <ggozadinos@gmail.com>
Date: Thu, 11 Jun 2026 11:17:43 +0300
Subject: [PATCH 6/9] Serialize and roll back the multi-table document delete

---
 haiku_rag_slim/haiku/rag/client/__init__.py |  51 ++++++++--
 tests/store/legacy_documents.py             |  10 +-
 tests/store/test_document_meta_split.py     |   4 +-
 tests/store/test_v0_48_0_migration.py       |   2 +-
 tests/store/test_v0_50_0_migration.py       |   6 +-
 tests/test_client.py                        | 104 ++++++++++++++++++++
 6 files changed, 156 insertions(+), 21 deletions(-)

diff --git a/haiku_rag_slim/haiku/rag/client/__init__.py b/haiku_rag_slim/haiku/rag/client/__init__.py
index 09f475f1..3c86667a 100644
--- a/haiku_rag_slim/haiku/rag/client/__init__.py
+++ b/haiku_rag_slim/haiku/rag/client/__init__.py
@@ -373,18 +373,49 @@ class HaikuRAG:
 
     async def delete_document(self, document_id: str) -> bool:
         """Delete a document by its ID. Cascades to children linked via
-        ``metadata.parent_uri``."""
+        ``metadata.parent_uri``.
+
+        The whole subtree (root + transitive children) is deleted under a single
+        write lock and a single version snapshot, so the cascade is atomic: any
+        failure restores every table to the pre-delete state, and no other write
+        can interleave between deleting a child and its parent.
+        """
         from haiku.rag.client.documents import parent_uri_filter
 
-        doc = await self.get_document_by_id(document_id)
-        if doc is None:
-            return False
-        if doc.uri:
-            children = await self.list_documents(filter=parent_uri_filter(doc.uri))
-            for child in children:
-                if child.id and child.id != document_id:
-                    await self.delete_document(child.id)
-        return await self.document_repository.delete(document_id)
+        async with self.store._write_lock:
+            # Resolve existence and collect the subtree under the lock so two
+            # concurrent deletes of the same id can't both proceed, and children
+            # can't appear or move between collection and deletion. parent_uri
+            # links a child to its parent's uri; walk transitively, guarding
+            # against cycles.
+            ids_to_delete: list[str] = []
+            seen: set[str] = set()
+            queue = [await self.get_document_by_id(document_id)]
+            while queue:
+                doc = queue.pop()
+                if doc is None or doc.id is None or doc.id in seen:
+                    continue
+                seen.add(doc.id)
+                ids_to_delete.append(doc.id)
+                if doc.uri:
+                    queue.extend(
+                        await self.list_documents(filter=parent_uri_filter(doc.uri))
+                    )
+
+            if not ids_to_delete:
+                return False
+
+            versions = await self.store.current_table_versions()
+            try:
+                for doc_id in ids_to_delete:
+                    await self.document_repository.delete(doc_id)
+            except Exception:
+                await self.store.restore_table_versions(versions)
+                raise
+
+        if self._config.storage.auto_vacuum:
+            self._schedule_vacuum()
+        return True
 
     async def list_documents(
         self,
diff --git a/tests/store/legacy_documents.py b/tests/store/legacy_documents.py
index d8653464..f6ba2781 100644
--- a/tests/store/legacy_documents.py
+++ b/tests/store/legacy_documents.py
@@ -1,9 +1,9 @@
-"""Helpers to seed a `documents` table in its pre-0.57 shape.
+"""Helpers to seed a `documents` table in its pre-0.58 shape.
 
-Before the document_meta split (v0.57.0), the `documents` table carried
+Before the document_meta split (v0.58.0), the `documents` table carried
 `uri/title/metadata/created_at/updated_at` alongside the content+blobs. The
 migration-chain tests need to reproduce that legacy layout so the older
-migrations (which read `documents.metadata`, etc.) and v0.57.0 itself have the
+migrations (which read `documents.metadata`, etc.) and v0.58.0 itself have the
 columns they operate on.
 """
 
@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@ from haiku.rag.store.engine import Store
 
 
 class LegacyDocumentRecord(LanceModel):
-    """The pre-0.57 `documents` record (mutable attributes still inline)."""
+    """The pre-0.58 `documents` record (mutable attributes still inline)."""
 
     id: str = Field(default_factory=lambda: str(uuid4()))
     content: str
@@ -45,7 +45,7 @@ def legacy_documents_schema() -> pa.Schema:
 async def seed_legacy_documents(
     store: Store, records: list[LegacyDocumentRecord]
 ) -> None:
-    """Recreate the `documents` table with the pre-0.57 schema and add records,
+    """Recreate the `documents` table with the pre-0.58 schema and add records,
     simulating a database created before the document_meta split."""
     if "documents" in (await store.db.list_tables()).tables:
         await store.db.drop_table("documents")
diff --git a/tests/store/test_document_meta_split.py b/tests/store/test_document_meta_split.py
index 4d84c85b..69038899 100644
--- a/tests/store/test_document_meta_split.py
+++ b/tests/store/test_document_meta_split.py
@@ -61,7 +61,7 @@ async def test_update_missing_id_does_not_create_ghost(temp_db_path):
 
 @pytest.mark.asyncio
 async def test_opening_legacy_db_raises_migration_without_mutating(temp_db_path):
-    """Opening a pre-0.57 DB (no document_meta) must raise MigrationRequiredError
+    """Opening a pre-0.58 DB (no document_meta) must raise MigrationRequiredError
     up front — in both writable and read-only mode — and must not mutate the DB
     by creating the new table on open."""
     async with Store(temp_db_path, create=True, skip_migration_check=True) as store:
@@ -69,7 +69,7 @@ async def test_opening_legacy_db_raises_migration_without_mutating(temp_db_path)
             store,
             [LegacyDocumentRecord(id="d", content="x", uri="u", metadata="{}")],
         )
-        # A real pre-0.57 DB has no document_meta table.
+        # A real pre-0.58 DB has no document_meta table.
         await store.db.drop_table("document_meta")
         await store.set_haiku_version("0.56.0")
 
diff --git a/tests/store/test_v0_48_0_migration.py b/tests/store/test_v0_48_0_migration.py
index 8cb594be..94cdd142 100644
--- a/tests/store/test_v0_48_0_migration.py
+++ b/tests/store/test_v0_48_0_migration.py
@@ -60,7 +60,7 @@ class TestV0_48_0Migration:
 
         async with Store(temp_db_path, skip_migration_check=True) as store:
             # Apply the migration in isolation: store.migrate() would run the
-            # whole chain (incl. v0.50.0/v0.57.0 which touch documents.metadata,
+            # whole chain (incl. v0.50.0/v0.58.0 which touch documents.metadata,
             # absent from this docling-only fixture).
             await _apply_backfill_heading_hierarchy(store)
 
diff --git a/tests/store/test_v0_50_0_migration.py b/tests/store/test_v0_50_0_migration.py
index f2c8ea3b..f53904d6 100644
--- a/tests/store/test_v0_50_0_migration.py
+++ b/tests/store/test_v0_50_0_migration.py
@@ -14,10 +14,10 @@ from tests.store.legacy_documents import (
 class TestV0_50_0Migration:
     """v0.50.0 normalises document.metadata to source-agnostic keys.
 
-    Applied in isolation against the pre-0.57 documents schema (metadata still
+    Applied in isolation against the pre-0.58 documents schema (metadata still
     inline), so the assertions read documents.metadata directly. The full chain
-    (where v0.57.0 later relocates metadata to document_meta) is covered by the
-    v0.57.0 migration test.
+    (where v0.58.0 later relocates metadata to document_meta) is covered by the
+    v0.58.0 migration test.
     """
 
     async def test_renames_etag_and_content_type(self, temp_db_path):
diff --git a/tests/test_client.py b/tests/test_client.py
index b83aed91..b2ebc8a2 100644
--- a/tests/test_client.py
+++ b/tests/test_client.py
@@ -953,6 +953,110 @@ async def test_metadata_only_update_does_not_advance_documents_table(temp_db_pat
         assert fetched.get_docling_document() is not None
 
 
+async def test_delete_marks_vacuum_dirty(temp_db_path):
+    """A delete adds tombstone/table versions, so it must enter the auto-vacuum
+    lifecycle — otherwise a delete-only run closes without a final vacuum."""
+    dim = Config.embeddings.model.vector_dim
+    async with HaikuRAG(temp_db_path, create=True) as client:
+        doc = await client.import_document(
+            _docling_doc("d", "body"),
+            [Chunk(content="body", embedding=[0.1] * dim, order=0)],
+            uri="mem://del",
+        )
+        assert doc.id is not None
+        client._vacuum_dirty = False  # isolate the delete
+
+        assert await client.delete_document(doc.id) is True
+        assert client._vacuum_dirty is True
+
+
+async def test_delete_rolls_back_on_partial_failure(temp_db_path, monkeypatch):
+    """A multi-table delete is atomic: if a later table delete fails, the write
+    lock + version restore bring every table back, leaving no orphaned rows."""
+    dim = Config.embeddings.model.vector_dim
+    config = Config.model_copy(deep=True)
+    config.storage.auto_vacuum = False
+
+    async with HaikuRAG(temp_db_path, config=config, create=True) as client:
+        doc = await client.import_document(
+            _docling_doc("d", "body"),
+            [Chunk(content="body", embedding=[0.1] * dim, order=0)],
+            uri="mem://del",
+            title="T",
+            metadata={"k": "v"},
+        )
+        assert doc.id is not None
+
+        async def boom(*_a, **_k):
+            raise RuntimeError("meta delete failed")
+
+        # Fail the final step (document_meta) after chunks/items/documents deleted.
+        monkeypatch.setattr(client.store.document_meta_table, "delete", boom)
+        with pytest.raises(RuntimeError, match="meta delete failed"):
+            await client.delete_document(doc.id)
+        monkeypatch.undo()
+
+        # Rollback restored every table — the document is fully intact.
+        restored = await client.get_document_by_id(doc.id)
+        assert restored is not None
+        assert restored.title == "T"
+        assert restored.metadata["k"] == "v"
+        assert restored.content == "body"
+        chunks = await client.chunk_repository.get_by_document_id(doc.id)
+        assert len(chunks) == 1
+
+
+async def test_cascade_delete_is_atomic(temp_db_path, monkeypatch):
+    """Deleting a parent cascades to children under one lock + snapshot. If any
+    delete in the subtree fails, the whole subtree is restored — a child isn't
+    left deleted while its parent survives."""
+    dim = Config.embeddings.model.vector_dim
+    config = Config.model_copy(deep=True)
+    config.storage.auto_vacuum = False
+
+    async with HaikuRAG(temp_db_path, config=config, create=True) as client:
+        parent = await client.import_document(
+            _docling_doc("p", "parent"),
+            [Chunk(content="parent", embedding=[0.1] * dim, order=0)],
+            uri="mem://parent",
+        )
+        child = await client.import_document(
+            _docling_doc("c", "child"),
+            [Chunk(content="child", embedding=[0.2] * dim, order=0)],
+            uri="mem://child",
+            metadata={"parent_uri": "mem://parent"},
+        )
+        assert parent.id is not None and child.id is not None
+
+        orig_delete = client.document_repository.delete
+
+        async def delete_failing_on_child(doc_id):
+            if doc_id == child.id:
+                raise RuntimeError("child delete failed")
+            return await orig_delete(doc_id)
+
+        monkeypatch.setattr(
+            client.document_repository, "delete", delete_failing_on_child
+        )
+        with pytest.raises(RuntimeError, match="child delete failed"):
+            await client.delete_document(parent.id)
+        monkeypatch.undo()
+
+        # Atomic: the parent delete was rolled back too — both survive.
+        assert await client.get_document_by_id(parent.id) is not None
+        assert await client.get_document_by_id(child.id) is not None
+        assert await client.count_documents() == 2
+
+
+async def test_delete_missing_id_returns_false_without_vacuum(temp_db_path):
+    """Deleting an id that doesn't exist returns False and owes no vacuum (the
+    existence check is inside the lock, so a no-op delete stays a no-op)."""
+    async with HaikuRAG(temp_db_path, create=True) as client:
+        client._vacuum_dirty = False
+        assert await client.delete_document("does-not-exist") is False
+        assert client._vacuum_dirty is False
+
+
 @pytest.mark.vcr()
 async def test_client_ask(allow_model_requests, temp_db_path):
     """Test asking questions returns answer and citations (VCR recorded)."""

From bfc51b8b281e7e3570170e2712fa4e1806cfa40c Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: Yiorgis Gozadinos <ggozadinos@gmail.com>
Date: Thu, 11 Jun 2026 12:27:44 +0300
Subject: [PATCH 7/9] urface document_meta in info, history, and the inspector

---
 haiku_rag_slim/haiku/rag/app.py                   | 15 +++++++++++++--
 haiku_rag_slim/haiku/rag/cli.py                   |  2 +-
 .../haiku/rag/inspector/widgets/info_modal.py     | 10 ++++++++++
 haiku_rag_slim/haiku/rag/store/engine.py          |  5 +++--
 4 files changed, 27 insertions(+), 5 deletions(-)

diff --git a/haiku_rag_slim/haiku/rag/app.py b/haiku_rag_slim/haiku/rag/app.py
index 98be2d3f..6d39fbb1 100644
--- a/haiku_rag_slim/haiku/rag/app.py
+++ b/haiku_rag_slim/haiku/rag/app.py
@@ -107,7 +107,7 @@ class HaikuRAGApp:  # pragma: no cover
 
         # Per-table row counts and sizes. Missing required tables are
         # reported as "absent" rather than raising.
-        for name in ("documents", "chunks", "document_items"):
+        for name in ("documents", "document_meta", "chunks", "document_items"):
             entry = tables[name]
             if entry.exists:
                 self.console.print(
@@ -155,6 +155,11 @@ class HaikuRAGApp:  # pragma: no cover
                 f"  [repr.attrib_name]versions (documents)[/repr.attrib_name]: "
                 f"{tables['documents'].num_versions}"
             )
+        if tables["document_meta"].exists:
+            self.console.print(
+                f"  [repr.attrib_name]versions (document_meta)[/repr.attrib_name]: "
+                f"{tables['document_meta'].num_versions}"
+            )
         if tables["chunks"].exists:
             self.console.print(
                 f"  [repr.attrib_name]versions (chunks)[/repr.attrib_name]: "
@@ -215,7 +220,13 @@ class HaikuRAGApp:  # pragma: no cover
             skip_migration_check=True,
             before=self.before,
         ) as store:
-            tables = ["documents", "chunks", "settings"]
+            tables = [
+                "documents",
+                "document_meta",
+                "chunks",
+                "document_items",
+                "settings",
+            ]
             if table:
                 if table not in tables:
                     self.console.print(
diff --git a/haiku_rag_slim/haiku/rag/cli.py b/haiku_rag_slim/haiku/rag/cli.py
index 9e7e21ab..3c02ddc4 100644
--- a/haiku_rag_slim/haiku/rag/cli.py
+++ b/haiku_rag_slim/haiku/rag/cli.py
@@ -597,7 +597,7 @@ def history(  # pragma: no cover
         None,
         "--table",
         "-t",
-        help="Specific table to show history for (documents, chunks, settings)",
+        help="Specific table to show history for (documents, document_meta, chunks, document_items, settings)",
     ),
     limit: int | None = typer.Option(
         None,
diff --git a/haiku_rag_slim/haiku/rag/inspector/widgets/info_modal.py b/haiku_rag_slim/haiku/rag/inspector/widgets/info_modal.py
index 0da65169..539b21ca 100644
--- a/haiku_rag_slim/haiku/rag/inspector/widgets/info_modal.py
+++ b/haiku_rag_slim/haiku/rag/inspector/widgets/info_modal.py
@@ -119,6 +119,10 @@ class InfoModal(ModalScreen):
         num_docs = stats["documents"].get("num_rows", 0)
         doc_bytes = stats["documents"].get("total_bytes", 0)
 
+        num_meta = stats["document_meta"].get("num_rows", 0)
+        meta_bytes = stats["document_meta"].get("total_bytes", 0)
+        meta_versions = stats["document_meta"].get("num_versions", 0)
+
         num_chunks = stats["chunks"].get("num_rows", 0)
         chunk_bytes = stats["chunks"].get("total_bytes", 0)
 
@@ -148,6 +152,9 @@ class InfoModal(ModalScreen):
         lines.append(
             f"[bold $accent]documents[/bold $accent]: {num_docs} ({format_bytes(doc_bytes)})"
         )
+        lines.append(
+            f"[bold $accent]document_meta[/bold $accent]: {num_meta} ({format_bytes(meta_bytes)})"
+        )
         lines.append(
             f"[bold $accent]chunks[/bold $accent]: {num_chunks} ({format_bytes(chunk_bytes)})"
         )
@@ -180,6 +187,9 @@ class InfoModal(ModalScreen):
         lines.append(
             f"[bold $accent]versions (documents)[/bold $accent]: {doc_versions}"
         )
+        lines.append(
+            f"[bold $accent]versions (document_meta)[/bold $accent]: {meta_versions}"
+        )
         lines.append(
             f"[bold $accent]versions (chunks)[/bold $accent]: {chunk_versions}"
         )
diff --git a/haiku_rag_slim/haiku/rag/store/engine.py b/haiku_rag_slim/haiku/rag/store/engine.py
index e988b279..860afd6d 100644
--- a/haiku_rag_slim/haiku/rag/store/engine.py
+++ b/haiku_rag_slim/haiku/rag/store/engine.py
@@ -309,7 +309,7 @@ async def gather_database_info(config: AppConfig, db_path: Path) -> DatabaseInfo
             total_bytes=stats[name].get("total_bytes", 0),
             num_versions=stats[name].get("num_versions", 0),
         )
-        for name in ("documents", "chunks", "document_items")
+        for name in ("documents", "document_meta", "chunks", "document_items")
     ]
 
     vector_index = VectorIndexInfo()
@@ -878,7 +878,8 @@ class Store:
         """List version history for a table.
 
         Args:
-            table_name: Name of the table ("documents", "chunks", or "settings")
+            table_name: Name of the table ("documents", "document_meta",
+                "chunks", "document_items", or "settings")
 
         Returns:
             List of version info dicts with "version" and "timestamp" keys

From 6c04dd5881d868b60458c020c676b94311fa26c6 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: Yiorgis Gozadinos <ggozadinos@gmail.com>
Date: Thu, 11 Jun 2026 12:37:32 +0300
Subject: [PATCH 8/9] docs

---
 docs/cli.md                   | 6 +++---
 docs/configuration/storage.md | 2 +-
 docs/python.md                | 8 ++++----
 3 files changed, 8 insertions(+), 8 deletions(-)

diff --git a/docs/cli.md b/docs/cli.md
index 7fe283ad..037d544b 100644
--- a/docs/cli.md
+++ b/docs/cli.md
@@ -275,9 +275,9 @@ Shows:
 - path to the database
 - stored haiku.rag version (from settings)
 - embeddings provider/model and vector dimension
-- number of documents and chunks (with storage sizes)
+- per-table row counts and storage sizes (documents, document_meta, chunks, document_items)
 - vector index status (exists/not created, indexed/unindexed chunks)
-- table versions per table (documents, chunks)
+- table versions per table (documents, document_meta, chunks)
 
 At the end, a separate "Versions" section lists runtime package versions:
 - haiku.rag
@@ -401,7 +401,7 @@ Reduce disk usage by optimizing and pruning old table versions across all tables
 haiku-rag vacuum
 ```
 
-**Automatic Cleanup:** Vacuum runs automatically in the background after document operations. By default, it removes versions older than 1 day (configurable via `storage.vacuum_retention_seconds`), preserving recent versions for concurrent connections. Manual vacuum can be useful for cleanup after bulk operations or to free disk space immediately.
+**Automatic Cleanup:** Vacuum runs automatically in the background after document operations, throttled to at most once every 5 minutes so sustained ingestion does not trigger continuous compaction (a final vacuum runs when the client closes). By default, it removes versions older than 1 day (configurable via `storage.vacuum_retention_seconds`), preserving recent versions for concurrent connections. Manual vacuum can be useful for cleanup after bulk operations or to free disk space immediately.
 
 ## MCP Server
 
diff --git a/docs/configuration/storage.md b/docs/configuration/storage.md
index 380fdc07..40e4d66a 100644
--- a/docs/configuration/storage.md
+++ b/docs/configuration/storage.md
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@ storage:
 ```
 
 - **data_dir**: Directory for local database storage. When empty, uses platform-specific default locations
-- **auto_vacuum**: When enabled (default), automatically runs vacuum after document create/update operations and database rebuilds. Set to `false` to disable automatic vacuuming and rely on manual `haiku-rag vacuum` commands only. Disabling can help avoid potential crashes in high-concurrency scenarios
+- **auto_vacuum**: When enabled (default), automatically runs vacuum after document create/update/delete operations and database rebuilds. Background vacuums are throttled to at most one every 5 minutes, so sustained ingestion does not trigger continuous compaction, and a final vacuum runs when the client closes. Set to `false` to disable automatic vacuuming and rely on manual `haiku-rag vacuum` commands only. Disabling can help avoid potential crashes in high-concurrency scenarios
 - **vacuum_retention_seconds**: When vacuum runs, old table versions older than this threshold are removed. Default: 86400 seconds (1 day). Set to 0 for aggressive cleanup (removes all old versions immediately)
 
 !!! warning "Vacuum Retention Threshold"
diff --git a/docs/python.md b/docs/python.md
index c4cc9f0a..cc028fb1 100644
--- a/docs/python.md
+++ b/docs/python.md
@@ -396,7 +396,7 @@ The `docling_document` provides rich metadata for visual grounding, page numbers
 
 ### Batch Import
 
-Each `create_document*` / `import_document` call writes new versions of the `documents`, `chunks`, and `document_items` tables. Ingesting many documents in a loop therefore creates a table version per document. Use `import_documents()` to write the whole batch in a single version per table:
+Each `create_document*` / `import_document` call writes new versions of the `documents`, `document_meta`, `chunks`, and `document_items` tables. Ingesting many documents in a loop therefore creates a table version per document. Use `import_documents()` to write the whole batch in a single version per table:
 
 ```python
 from haiku.rag.client import DocumentImport
@@ -487,8 +487,8 @@ See [Automatic Title Generation](configuration/processing.md#automatic-title-gen
 
 ### Atomic Writes and Rollback
 
-Document create and update operations take a snapshot of table versions before any write and automatically roll back to that snapshot if something fails (for example, during chunking or embedding). This restores both the `documents` and `chunks` tables to their pre‑operation state using LanceDB’s table versioning.
+Document create, update, and delete operations take a snapshot of table versions before any write and automatically roll back to that snapshot if something fails (for example, during chunking or embedding). This restores the `documents`, `document_meta`, `chunks`, and `document_items` tables to their pre‑operation state using LanceDB’s table versioning. These writes are serialized under a single lock, so the rollback is safe under concurrent ingester workers.
 
-- Applies to: `create_document(...)`, `create_document_from_source(...)`, `update_document(...)`, and internal rebuild/update flows.
-- Scope: Both document rows and all associated chunks are rolled back together.
+- Applies to: `create_document(...)`, `create_document_from_source(...)`, `update_document(...)`, `delete_document(...)` (including the `parent_uri` cascade), and internal rebuild/update flows.
+- Scope: Document rows, their mutable attributes, and all associated chunks and items are rolled back together.
 - Vacuum: Running `vacuum()` later prunes old versions for disk efficiency. Rollbacks occur immediately during the failing operation and are not impacted.

From 885e7b7ce7e0ee4d7a09d5f8638b543ecf81655a Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: Yiorgis Gozadinos <ggozadinos@gmail.com>
Date: Thu, 11 Jun 2026 13:03:24 +0300
Subject: [PATCH 9/9] coverage

---
 .../haiku/rag/store/upgrades/v0_58_0.py       |  4 +-
 tests/store/test_document_meta_split.py       | 53 ++++++++++
 tests/store/test_v0_58_0_migration.py         | 98 +++++++++++++++++++
 3 files changed, 154 insertions(+), 1 deletion(-)

diff --git a/haiku_rag_slim/haiku/rag/store/upgrades/v0_58_0.py b/haiku_rag_slim/haiku/rag/store/upgrades/v0_58_0.py
index 38924db2..99fc78e8 100644
--- a/haiku_rag_slim/haiku/rag/store/upgrades/v0_58_0.py
+++ b/haiku_rag_slim/haiku/rag/store/upgrades/v0_58_0.py
@@ -74,7 +74,9 @@ async def _apply_split_document_meta(store: Store) -> None:
         # lancedb's .stats() stub claims TableStatistics but returns a plain dict.
         stats: dict = await store.documents_table.stats()  # type: ignore[assignment]  # ty: ignore[invalid-assignment]
         live_bytes = int(stats.get("total_bytes", 0))
-    except Exception:
+    except (
+        Exception
+    ):  # pragma: no cover - defensive; stats() failure shouldn't block the split
         live_bytes = 0
     free_bytes = shutil.disk_usage(store.db_path).free
     if live_bytes and free_bytes < live_bytes:
diff --git a/tests/store/test_document_meta_split.py b/tests/store/test_document_meta_split.py
index 69038899..52321d16 100644
--- a/tests/store/test_document_meta_split.py
+++ b/tests/store/test_document_meta_split.py
@@ -106,3 +106,56 @@ async def test_migrate_creates_and_populates_document_meta(temp_db_path):
         repo = DocumentRepository(store)
         doc = await repo.get_by_id("d")
         assert doc is not None and doc.uri == "u"
+
+
+@pytest.mark.asyncio
+async def test_repository_empty_and_missing_id_paths(temp_db_path):
+    """Cover the repository's early-return branches for empty input and
+    missing ids, plus get_content."""
+    async with Store(temp_db_path, create=True, skip_migration_check=True) as store:
+        repo = DocumentRepository(store)
+
+        assert await repo.create([]) == []
+        assert await repo.get_content("nope") is None
+        assert await repo.get_docling_data("nope") is None
+        assert await repo.get_pages_data("nope") is None
+        assert await repo.delete("nope") is False
+
+        doc = await repo.create(Document(content="hello body", uri="u1"))
+        assert doc.id is not None
+        assert await repo.get_content(doc.id) == "hello body"
+
+
+@pytest.mark.asyncio
+async def test_batch_create_rolls_back_meta_on_failure(temp_db_path, monkeypatch):
+    """The list create path also rolls back its document_meta rows if the
+    documents write fails."""
+    async with Store(temp_db_path, create=True, skip_migration_check=True) as store:
+        repo = DocumentRepository(store)
+
+        async def boom(*_a, **_k):
+            raise RuntimeError("documents add failed")
+
+        monkeypatch.setattr(store.documents_table, "add", boom)
+        with pytest.raises(RuntimeError, match="documents add failed"):
+            await repo.create(
+                [Document(content="x", uri="u1"), Document(content="y", uri="u2")]
+            )
+        monkeypatch.undo()
+
+        assert await store.documents_table.count_rows() == 0
+        assert await store.document_meta_table.count_rows() == 0
+
+
+@pytest.mark.asyncio
+async def test_get_by_uri_with_orphan_meta_returns_none(temp_db_path):
+    """Defensive: a document_meta row whose documents row is missing (an
+    invariant violation) resolves to None, not a half-hydrated document."""
+    from haiku.rag.store.engine import DocumentMetaRecord
+
+    async with Store(temp_db_path, create=True, skip_migration_check=True) as store:
+        repo = DocumentRepository(store)
+        await store.document_meta_table.add(
+            [DocumentMetaRecord(document_id="ghost", uri="u-ghost", metadata="{}")]
+        )
+        assert await repo.get_by_uri("u-ghost") is None
diff --git a/tests/store/test_v0_58_0_migration.py b/tests/store/test_v0_58_0_migration.py
index 0d85d294..dab7ac5b 100644
--- a/tests/store/test_v0_58_0_migration.py
+++ b/tests/store/test_v0_58_0_migration.py
@@ -96,3 +96,101 @@ class TestV0_58_0Migration:
             meta_rows = await store.document_meta_table.query().to_list()
             assert len(meta_rows) == 1
             assert meta_rows[0]["document_id"] == "doc-1"
+
+
+@pytest.mark.asyncio
+class TestV0_58_0MigrationEdgeCases:
+    async def test_resume_skips_already_migrated_rows(self, temp_db_path):
+        """A half-finished prior run leaves some document_meta rows; re-running
+        migrates only the rest and never duplicates."""
+        from haiku.rag.store.engine import DocumentMetaRecord
+
+        async with Store(temp_db_path, create=True, skip_migration_check=True) as store:
+            await seed_legacy_documents(
+                store,
+                [
+                    LegacyDocumentRecord(id="a", content="x", uri="u-a", metadata="{}"),
+                    LegacyDocumentRecord(id="b", content="y", uri="u-b", metadata="{}"),
+                ],
+            )
+            # Pretend a prior run already moved doc "a".
+            await store.document_meta_table.add(
+                [DocumentMetaRecord(document_id="a", uri="u-a", metadata="{}")]
+            )
+            await store.set_haiku_version("0.57.0")
+
+        async with Store(temp_db_path, skip_migration_check=True) as store:
+            await store.migrate()
+            rows = await store.document_meta_table.query().to_list()
+            by_id = {r["document_id"]: r for r in rows}
+            assert set(by_id) == {"a", "b"}  # exactly one row each, no duplicates
+            assert len(rows) == 2
+
+    async def test_skips_vacuum_when_disk_is_tight(self, temp_db_path, monkeypatch):
+        """When free disk can't cover one compacted copy, the split still
+        completes but the reclaim vacuum is skipped."""
+        from types import SimpleNamespace
+
+        from haiku.rag.store.upgrades import v0_58_0
+
+        async with Store(temp_db_path, create=True, skip_migration_check=True) as store:
+            await seed_legacy_documents(
+                store,
+                [LegacyDocumentRecord(id="a", content="x", uri="u", metadata="{}")],
+            )
+            await store.set_haiku_version("0.57.0")
+
+        # Pretend almost no free disk so the reclaim vacuum is skipped.
+        monkeypatch.setattr(
+            v0_58_0.shutil,
+            "disk_usage",
+            lambda _p: SimpleNamespace(total=1, used=1, free=1),
+        )
+
+        vacuum_calls: list[int] = []
+
+        async with Store(temp_db_path, skip_migration_check=True) as store:
+            # Force a known nonzero live size so the free<live check is
+            # deterministic (real stats().total_bytes can be 0 for a tiny table).
+            async def fake_stats():
+                return {"total_bytes": 10_000_000}
+
+            monkeypatch.setattr(store.documents_table, "stats", fake_stats)
+
+            orig_vacuum = store.vacuum
+
+            async def tracking_vacuum(*args, **kwargs):
+                vacuum_calls.append(1)
+                return await orig_vacuum(*args, **kwargs)
+
+            monkeypatch.setattr(store, "vacuum", tracking_vacuum)
+
+            await store.migrate()
+            # Split still happened despite the skipped vacuum.
+            names = {f.name for f in await store.documents_table.schema()}
+            assert _LEGACY_COLUMNS.isdisjoint(names)
+            repo = DocumentRepository(store)
+            migrated = await repo.get_by_id("a")
+            assert migrated is not None and migrated.uri == "u"
+
+        assert vacuum_calls == []  # reclaim vacuum was skipped
+
+
+@pytest.mark.asyncio
+async def test_delete_all_clears_document_meta(temp_db_path):
+    """delete_all drops and recreates both documents and document_meta."""
+    from haiku.rag.store.models.document import Document
+
+    async with Store(temp_db_path, create=True) as store:
+        repo = DocumentRepository(store)
+        await repo.create(Document(content="x", uri="u1"))
+        await repo.create(Document(content="y", uri="u2"))
+        assert await store.document_meta_table.count_rows() == 2
+
+        await repo.delete_all()
+
+        assert await store.documents_table.count_rows() == 0
+        assert await store.document_meta_table.count_rows() == 0
+        # Tables are usable again after recreation.
+        await repo.create(Document(content="z", uri="u3"))
+        assert await store.document_meta_table.count_rows() == 1