diff --git a/my/core/sqlite.py b/my/core/sqlite.py
index bf62a50..7876ba5 100644
--- a/my/core/sqlite.py
+++ b/my/core/sqlite.py
@@ -1,15 +1,20 @@
 from .common import assert_subpackage; assert_subpackage(__name__)
 
+
+from pathlib import Path
+import shutil
 import sqlite3
+from tempfile import TemporaryDirectory
+
 
 from .common import PathIsh
 
+
 def sqlite_connect_immutable(db: PathIsh) -> sqlite3.Connection:
     # https://www.sqlite.org/draft/uri.html#uriimmutable
     return sqlite3.connect(f'file:{db}?immutable=1', uri=True)
 
 
-from pathlib import Path
 def test_sqlite_connect_immutable(tmp_path: Path) -> None:
     db = str(tmp_path / 'db.sqlite')
     with sqlite3.connect(db) as conn:
@@ -23,3 +28,77 @@ def test_sqlite_connect_immutable(tmp_path: Path) -> None:
     # succeeds without immutable
     with sqlite3.connect(db) as conn:
         conn.execute('DROP TABLE testtable')
+
+
+# TODO come up with a better name?
+def sqlite_copy_and_open(db: PathIsh) -> sqlite3.Connection:
+    """
+    'Snapshots' database and opens by making a deep copy of it including journal/WAL files
+    """
+    dp = Path(db)
+    # TODO make atomic/check mtimes or something
+    dest = sqlite3.connect(':memory:')
+    with TemporaryDirectory() as td:
+        tdir = Path(td)
+        # shm should be recreated from scratch -- safer not to copy perhaps
+        tocopy = [dp] + [p for p in dp.parent.glob(dp.name + '-*') if not p.name.endswith('-shm')]
+        for p in tocopy:
+            shutil.copy(p, tdir / p.name)
+        with sqlite3.connect(tdir / dp.name) as conn:
+            conn.backup(dest)
+    return dest
+
+
+def test_sqlite_read_with_wal(tmp_path: Path) -> None:
+    db = tmp_path / 'db.sqlite'
+    # write a bit
+    with sqlite3.connect(db) as conn:
+        conn.execute('CREATE TABLE testtable (col)')
+        for i in range(5):
+            conn.execute('INSERT INTO testtable (col) VALUES (?)', str(i))
+
+    # write more in WAL mode
+    with sqlite3.connect(db) as conn_db:
+        conn.execute('PRAGMA journal_mode=wal;')
+        for i in range(5, 10):
+            conn_db.execute('INSERT INTO testtable (col) VALUES (?)', str(i))
+        conn_db.execute('COMMIT')
+
+        # make sure it has unflushed stuff in wal
+        wals = list(db.parent.glob('*-wal'))
+        assert len(wals) == 1
+
+        ## now run the tests in separate process to ensure there is no potential for reusing sqlite connections or something
+        from concurrent.futures import ProcessPoolExecutor as Pool
+        with Pool(1) as pool:
+            # merely using it for ctx manager..
+            pool.submit(_test_do_copy         , db).result()
+            pool.submit(_test_do_immutable    , db).result()
+            pool.submit(_test_do_copy_and_open, db).result()
+            pool.submit(_test_open_asis       , db).result()
+
+
+def _test_do_copy(db: Path) -> None:
+    # from a copy without journal can only read previously committed stuff
+    with TemporaryDirectory() as tdir:
+        cdb = Path(tdir) / 'dbcopy.sqlite'
+        shutil.copy(db, cdb)
+        with sqlite3.connect(cdb) as conn_copy:
+            assert len(list(conn_copy.execute('SELECT * FROM testtable'))) == 5
+
+
+def _test_do_immutable(db: Path) -> None:
+    # in readonly mode doesn't touch
+    with sqlite_connect_immutable(db) as conn_imm:
+        assert len(list(conn_imm.execute('SELECT * FROM testtable'))) == 5
+
+
+def _test_do_copy_and_open(db: Path) -> None:
+    with sqlite_copy_and_open(db) as conn_mem:
+        assert len(list(conn_mem.execute('SELECT * FROM testtable'))) == 10
+
+
+def _test_open_asis(db: Path) -> None:
+    # NOTE: this also works... but leaves some potential for DB corruption
+    with sqlite3.connect(db) as conn_db_2:
+        assert len(list(conn_db_2.execute('SELECT * FROM testtable'))) == 10