diff --git a/index/upside_down/reader.go b/index/upside_down/reader.go
index 9e695cc2..81293104 100644
--- a/index/upside_down/reader.go
+++ b/index/upside_down/reader.go
@@ -239,12 +239,16 @@ func (r *UpsideDownCouchDocIDReader) Next() (index.IndexInternalID, error) {
 }
 
 func (r *UpsideDownCouchDocIDReader) Advance(docID index.IndexInternalID) (index.IndexInternalID, error) {
-	bir := NewBackIndexRow(docID, nil, nil)
-	r.iterator.Seek(bir.Key())
-	key, val, valid := r.iterator.Current()
-	r.onlyPos = sort.SearchStrings(r.only, string(docID))
 
 	if r.onlyMode {
+		r.onlyPos = sort.SearchStrings(r.only, string(docID))
+		if r.onlyPos >= len(r.only) {
+			// advanced to key after our last only key
+			return nil, nil
+		}
+		r.iterator.Seek(NewBackIndexRow([]byte(r.only[r.onlyPos]), nil, nil).Key())
+		key, val, valid := r.iterator.Current()
+
 		var rv index.IndexInternalID
 		for valid && r.onlyPos < len(r.only) {
 			br, err := NewBackIndexRowKV(key, val)
@@ -252,11 +256,16 @@ func (r *UpsideDownCouchDocIDReader) Advance(docID index.IndexInternalID) (index
 				return nil, err
 			}
 			if !bytes.Equal(br.doc, []byte(r.only[r.onlyPos])) {
-				ok := r.nextOnly()
-				if !ok {
+				// the only key we seek'd to didn't exist
+				// now look for the closest key that did exist in only
+				r.onlyPos = sort.SearchStrings(r.only, string(br.doc))
+				if r.onlyPos >= len(r.only) {
+					// advanced to key after our last only key
 					return nil, nil
 				}
+				// now seek to this new only key
 				r.iterator.Seek(NewBackIndexRow([]byte(r.only[r.onlyPos]), nil, nil).Key())
+				key, val, valid = r.iterator.Current()
 				continue
 			} else {
 				rv = append([]byte(nil), br.doc...)
@@ -271,6 +280,9 @@ func (r *UpsideDownCouchDocIDReader) Advance(docID index.IndexInternalID) (index
 			return rv, nil
 		}
 	} else {
+		bir := NewBackIndexRow(docID, nil, nil)
+		r.iterator.Seek(bir.Key())
+		key, val, valid := r.iterator.Current()
 		if valid {
 			br, err := NewBackIndexRowKV(key, val)
 			if err != nil {
diff --git a/index/upside_down/reader_test.go b/index/upside_down/reader_test.go
index 5ca42cf7..333de998 100644
--- a/index/upside_down/reader_test.go
+++ b/index/upside_down/reader_test.go
@@ -306,3 +306,219 @@ func TestCrashBadBackIndexRow(t *testing.T) {
 		t.Fatal(err)
 	}
 }
+
+func TestIndexDocIdOnlyReader(t *testing.T) {
+	defer func() {
+		err := DestroyTest()
+		if err != nil {
+			t.Fatal(err)
+		}
+	}()
+
+	analysisQueue := index.NewAnalysisQueue(1)
+	idx, err := NewUpsideDownCouch(boltdb.Name, boltTestConfig, analysisQueue)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+	err = idx.Open()
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Errorf("error opening index: %v", err)
+	}
+	defer func() {
+		err := idx.Close()
+		if err != nil {
+			t.Fatal(err)
+		}
+	}()
+
+	doc := document.NewDocument("1")
+	err = idx.Update(doc)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Errorf("Error updating index: %v", err)
+	}
+
+	doc = document.NewDocument("3")
+	err = idx.Update(doc)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Errorf("Error updating index: %v", err)
+	}
+
+	doc = document.NewDocument("5")
+	err = idx.Update(doc)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Errorf("Error updating index: %v", err)
+	}
+
+	doc = document.NewDocument("7")
+	err = idx.Update(doc)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Errorf("Error updating index: %v", err)
+	}
+
+	doc = document.NewDocument("9")
+	err = idx.Update(doc)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Errorf("Error updating index: %v", err)
+	}
+
+	indexReader, err := idx.Reader()
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Error(err)
+	}
+	defer func() {
+		err := indexReader.Close()
+		if err != nil {
+			t.Error(err)
+		}
+	}()
+
+	onlyIds := []string{"1", "5", "9"}
+	reader, err := indexReader.DocIDReaderOnly(onlyIds)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Errorf("Error accessing doc id reader: %v", err)
+	}
+	defer func() {
+		err := reader.Close()
+		if err != nil {
+			t.Fatal(err)
+		}
+	}()
+
+	id, err := reader.Next()
+	count := uint64(0)
+	for id != nil {
+		count++
+		id, err = reader.Next()
+	}
+	if count != 3 {
+		t.Errorf("expected 3, got %d", count)
+	}
+
+	// try it again, but jump
+	reader2, err := indexReader.DocIDReaderOnly(onlyIds)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Errorf("Error accessing doc id reader: %v", err)
+	}
+	defer func() {
+		err := reader2.Close()
+		if err != nil {
+			t.Error(err)
+		}
+	}()
+
+	id, err = reader2.Advance(index.IndexInternalID("5"))
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Error(err)
+	}
+	if !id.Equals(index.IndexInternalID("5")) {
+		t.Errorf("expected to find id '5', got '%s'", id)
+	}
+
+	id, err = reader2.Advance(index.IndexInternalID("a"))
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Error(err)
+	}
+	if id != nil {
+		t.Errorf("expected to find id '', got '%s'", id)
+	}
+
+	// some keys aren't actually there
+	onlyIds = []string{"0", "2", "4", "5", "6", "8", "a"}
+	reader3, err := indexReader.DocIDReaderOnly(onlyIds)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Errorf("Error accessing doc id reader: %v", err)
+	}
+	defer func() {
+		err := reader3.Close()
+		if err != nil {
+			t.Error(err)
+		}
+	}()
+
+	id, err = reader3.Next()
+	count = uint64(0)
+	for id != nil {
+		count++
+		id, err = reader3.Next()
+	}
+	if count != 1 {
+		t.Errorf("expected 1, got %d", count)
+	}
+
+	// mix advance and next
+	onlyIds = []string{"0", "1", "3", "5", "6", "9"}
+	reader4, err := indexReader.DocIDReaderOnly(onlyIds)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Errorf("Error accessing doc id reader: %v", err)
+	}
+	defer func() {
+		err := reader4.Close()
+		if err != nil {
+			t.Error(err)
+		}
+	}()
+
+	// first key is "1"
+	id, err = reader4.Next()
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Error(err)
+	}
+	if !id.Equals(index.IndexInternalID("1")) {
+		t.Errorf("expected to find id '1', got '%s'", id)
+	}
+
+	// advancing to key we dont have gives next
+	id, err = reader4.Advance(index.IndexInternalID("2"))
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Error(err)
+	}
+	if !id.Equals(index.IndexInternalID("3")) {
+		t.Errorf("expected to find id '3', got '%s'", id)
+	}
+
+	// next after advance works
+	id, err = reader4.Next()
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Error(err)
+	}
+	if !id.Equals(index.IndexInternalID("5")) {
+		t.Errorf("expected to find id '5', got '%s'", id)
+	}
+
+	// advancing to key we do have works
+	id, err = reader4.Advance(index.IndexInternalID("9"))
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Error(err)
+	}
+	if !id.Equals(index.IndexInternalID("9")) {
+		t.Errorf("expected to find id '9', got '%s'", id)
+	}
+
+	// advance backwards at end
+	id, err = reader4.Advance(index.IndexInternalID("4"))
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Error(err)
+	}
+	if !id.Equals(index.IndexInternalID("5")) {
+		t.Errorf("expected to find id '5', got '%s'", id)
+	}
+
+	// next after advance works
+	id, err = reader4.Next()
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Error(err)
+	}
+	if !id.Equals(index.IndexInternalID("9")) {
+		t.Errorf("expected to find id '9', got '%s'", id)
+	}
+
+	// advance backwards to key that exists, but not in only set
+	id, err = reader4.Advance(index.IndexInternalID("7"))
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Error(err)
+	}
+	if !id.Equals(index.IndexInternalID("9")) {
+		t.Errorf("expected to find id '9', got '%s'", id)
+	}
+
+}