diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index 9460a80d0dd..4039e355b09 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -1346,6 +1346,7 @@ UNIT_TEST_PROGRAMS += t-reftable-basics
 UNIT_TEST_PROGRAMS += t-reftable-block
 UNIT_TEST_PROGRAMS += t-reftable-merged
 UNIT_TEST_PROGRAMS += t-reftable-pq
+UNIT_TEST_PROGRAMS += t-reftable-reader
 UNIT_TEST_PROGRAMS += t-reftable-readwrite
 UNIT_TEST_PROGRAMS += t-reftable-record
 UNIT_TEST_PROGRAMS += t-reftable-stack
diff --git a/reftable/reader.c b/reftable/reader.c
index f8770990876..6494ce2e327 100644
--- a/reftable/reader.c
+++ b/reftable/reader.c
@@ -328,6 +328,7 @@ static int table_iter_seek_to(struct table_iter *ti, uint64_t off, uint8_t typ)
 	ti->typ = block_reader_type(&ti->br);
 	ti->block_off = off;
 	block_iter_seek_start(&ti->bi, &ti->br);
+	ti->is_finished = 0;
 	return 0;
 }
 
diff --git a/t/unit-tests/t-reftable-merged.c b/t/unit-tests/t-reftable-merged.c
index b8c92fdb365..19e54bdfb8b 100644
--- a/t/unit-tests/t-reftable-merged.c
+++ b/t/unit-tests/t-reftable-merged.c
@@ -194,6 +194,81 @@ static void t_merged_refs(void)
 	reftable_free(bs);
 }
 
+static void t_merged_seek_multiple_times(void)
+{
+	struct reftable_ref_record r1[] = {
+		{
+			.refname = (char *) "a",
+			.update_index = 1,
+			.value_type = REFTABLE_REF_VAL1,
+			.value.val1 = { 1 },
+		},
+		{
+			.refname = (char *) "c",
+			.update_index = 1,
+			.value_type = REFTABLE_REF_VAL1,
+			.value.val1 = { 2 },
+		}
+	};
+	struct reftable_ref_record r2[] = {
+		{
+			.refname = (char *) "b",
+			.update_index = 2,
+			.value_type = REFTABLE_REF_VAL1,
+			.value.val1 = { 3 },
+		},
+		{
+			.refname = (char *) "d",
+			.update_index = 2,
+			.value_type = REFTABLE_REF_VAL1,
+			.value.val1 = { 4 },
+		},
+	};
+	struct reftable_ref_record *refs[] = {
+		r1, r2,
+	};
+	size_t sizes[] = {
+		ARRAY_SIZE(r1), ARRAY_SIZE(r2),
+	};
+	struct strbuf bufs[] = {
+		STRBUF_INIT, STRBUF_INIT,
+	};
+	struct reftable_block_source *sources = NULL;
+	struct reftable_reader **readers = NULL;
+	struct reftable_ref_record rec = { 0 };
+	struct reftable_iterator it = { 0 };
+	struct reftable_merged_table *mt;
+
+	mt = merged_table_from_records(refs, &sources, &readers, sizes, bufs, 2);
+	merged_table_init_iter(mt, &it, BLOCK_TYPE_REF);
+
+	for (size_t i = 0; i < 5; i++) {
+		int err = reftable_iterator_seek_ref(&it, "c");
+		check(!err);
+
+		err = reftable_iterator_next_ref(&it, &rec);
+		check(!err);
+		err = reftable_ref_record_equal(&rec, &r1[1], GIT_SHA1_RAWSZ);
+		check(err == 1);
+
+		err = reftable_iterator_next_ref(&it, &rec);
+		check(!err);
+		err = reftable_ref_record_equal(&rec, &r2[1], GIT_SHA1_RAWSZ);
+		check(err == 1);
+
+		err = reftable_iterator_next_ref(&it, &rec);
+		check(err > 0);
+	}
+
+	for (size_t i = 0; i < ARRAY_SIZE(bufs); i++)
+		strbuf_release(&bufs[i]);
+	readers_destroy(readers, ARRAY_SIZE(refs));
+	reftable_ref_record_release(&rec);
+	reftable_iterator_destroy(&it);
+	reftable_merged_table_free(mt);
+	reftable_free(sources);
+}
+
 static struct reftable_merged_table *
 merged_table_from_log_records(struct reftable_log_record **logs,
 			      struct reftable_block_source **source,
@@ -383,6 +458,7 @@ int cmd_main(int argc UNUSED, const char *argv[] UNUSED)
 	TEST(t_default_write_opts(), "merged table with default write opts");
 	TEST(t_merged_logs(), "merged table with multiple log updates for same ref");
 	TEST(t_merged_refs(), "merged table with multiple updates to same ref");
+	TEST(t_merged_seek_multiple_times(), "merged table can seek multiple times");
 	TEST(t_merged_single_record(), "ref ocurring in only one record can be fetched");
 
 	return test_done();
diff --git a/t/unit-tests/t-reftable-reader.c b/t/unit-tests/t-reftable-reader.c
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..7a46580b6f1
--- /dev/null
+++ b/t/unit-tests/t-reftable-reader.c
@@ -0,0 +1,96 @@
+#include "test-lib.h"
+#include "lib-reftable.h"
+#include "reftable/blocksource.h"
+#include "reftable/reader.h"
+
+static int t_reader_seek_once(void)
+{
+	struct reftable_ref_record records[] = {
+		{
+			.refname = (char *) "refs/heads/main",
+			.value_type = REFTABLE_REF_VAL1,
+			.value.val1 = { 42 },
+		},
+	};
+	struct reftable_block_source source = { 0 };
+	struct reftable_ref_record ref = { 0 };
+	struct reftable_iterator it = { 0 };
+	struct reftable_reader *reader;
+	struct strbuf buf = STRBUF_INIT;
+	int ret;
+
+	t_reftable_write_to_buf(&buf, records, ARRAY_SIZE(records), NULL, 0, NULL);
+	block_source_from_strbuf(&source, &buf);
+
+	ret = reftable_reader_new(&reader, &source, "name");
+	check_int(ret, ==, 0);
+
+	reftable_reader_init_ref_iterator(reader, &it);
+	ret = reftable_iterator_seek_ref(&it, "");
+	check_int(ret, ==, 0);
+	ret = reftable_iterator_next_ref(&it, &ref);
+	check_int(ret, ==, 0);
+
+	ret = reftable_ref_record_equal(&ref, &records[0], 20);
+	check_int(ret, ==, 1);
+
+	ret = reftable_iterator_next_ref(&it, &ref);
+	check_int(ret, ==, 1);
+
+	reftable_ref_record_release(&ref);
+	reftable_iterator_destroy(&it);
+	reftable_reader_decref(reader);
+	strbuf_release(&buf);
+	return 0;
+}
+
+static int t_reader_reseek(void)
+{
+	struct reftable_ref_record records[] = {
+		{
+			.refname = (char *) "refs/heads/main",
+			.value_type = REFTABLE_REF_VAL1,
+			.value.val1 = { 42 },
+		},
+	};
+	struct reftable_block_source source = { 0 };
+	struct reftable_ref_record ref = { 0 };
+	struct reftable_iterator it = { 0 };
+	struct reftable_reader *reader;
+	struct strbuf buf = STRBUF_INIT;
+	int ret;
+
+	t_reftable_write_to_buf(&buf, records, ARRAY_SIZE(records), NULL, 0, NULL);
+	block_source_from_strbuf(&source, &buf);
+
+	ret = reftable_reader_new(&reader, &source, "name");
+	check_int(ret, ==, 0);
+
+	reftable_reader_init_ref_iterator(reader, &it);
+
+	for (size_t i = 0; i < 5; i++) {
+		ret = reftable_iterator_seek_ref(&it, "");
+		check_int(ret, ==, 0);
+		ret = reftable_iterator_next_ref(&it, &ref);
+		check_int(ret, ==, 0);
+
+		ret = reftable_ref_record_equal(&ref, &records[0], GIT_SHA1_RAWSZ);
+		check_int(ret, ==, 1);
+
+		ret = reftable_iterator_next_ref(&it, &ref);
+		check_int(ret, ==, 1);
+	}
+
+	reftable_ref_record_release(&ref);
+	reftable_iterator_destroy(&it);
+	reftable_reader_decref(reader);
+	strbuf_release(&buf);
+	return 0;
+}
+
+int cmd_main(int argc UNUSED, const char *argv[] UNUSED)
+{
+	TEST(t_reader_seek_once(), "reader can seek once");
+	TEST(t_reader_reseek(), "reader can reseek multiple times");
+	return test_done();
+}
