diff --git a/src/sourmash/sbt.py b/src/sourmash/sbt.py
index 9cae16b693..15c6f06c7a 100644
--- a/src/sourmash/sbt.py
+++ b/src/sourmash/sbt.py
@@ -183,6 +183,7 @@ def __init__(self, factory, *, d=2, storage=None, cache_size=None):
         if cache_size is None:
             cache_size = sys.maxsize
         self._nodescache = _NodesCache(maxsize=cache_size)
+        self.location = None
 
     def signatures(self):
         for k in self.leaves():
@@ -389,7 +390,7 @@ def search(self, query, *args, **kwargs):
             # tree search should always/only return matches above threshold
             assert similarity >= threshold
 
-            results.append((similarity, leaf.data, None))
+            results.append((similarity, leaf.data, self.location))
 
         return results
         
@@ -435,7 +436,7 @@ def gather(self, query, *args, **kwargs):
             containment = query.minhash.contained_by(leaf_mh, True)
 
             assert containment >= threshold, "containment {} not below threshold {}".format(containment, threshold)
-            results.append((containment, leaf.data, None))
+            results.append((containment, leaf.data, self.location))
 
         results.sort(key=lambda x: -x[0])
 
@@ -758,7 +759,9 @@ def load(cls, location, *, leaf_loader=None, storage=None, print_version_warning
             elif storage is None:
                 storage = klass(**jnodes['storage']['args'])
 
-        return loader(jnodes, leaf_loader, dirname, storage, print_version_warning=print_version_warning, cache_size=cache_size)
+        obj = loader(jnodes, leaf_loader, dirname, storage, print_version_warning=print_version_warning, cache_size=cache_size)
+        obj.location = location
+        return obj
 
     @staticmethod
     def _load_v1(jnodes, leaf_loader, dirname, storage, *, print_version_warning=True, cache_size=None):
diff --git a/src/sourmash/search.py b/src/sourmash/search.py
index 08e83bc559..045d567f22 100644
--- a/src/sourmash/search.py
+++ b/src/sourmash/search.py
@@ -85,7 +85,7 @@ def _find_best(dblist, query, threshold_bp):
     threshold_bp = int(threshold_bp / query_scaled) * query_scaled
 
     # search across all databases
-    for (obj, filename) in dblist:
+    for (obj, _) in dblist:
         for cont, match, fname in obj.gather(query, threshold_bp=threshold_bp):
             assert cont                   # all matches should be nonzero.
 
@@ -95,9 +95,7 @@ def _find_best(dblist, query, threshold_bp):
                 # update best match.
                 best_cont = cont
                 best_match = match
-
-                # some objects may not have associated filename (e.g. SBTs)
-                best_filename = fname or filename # @CTB
+                best_filename = fname
 
     if not best_match:
         return None, None, None