diff --git a/pageindex/filesystem/store.py b/pageindex/filesystem/store.py
index 1cca9ea..85de66b 100644
--- a/pageindex/filesystem/store.py
+++ b/pageindex/filesystem/store.py
@@ -1059,22 +1059,62 @@ class SQLiteFileSystemStore:
         ).fetchone()
         if row:
             return row["file_ref"]
-        row = conn.execute(
-            """
-            SELECT f.file_ref
-            FROM files f
-            JOIN file_folders ff ON ff.file_ref = f.file_ref
-            JOIN folders pf ON pf.folder_id = ff.folder_id
-            WHERE (pf.path || '/' || f.title) = ?
-               OR (pf.path || '/' || f.source_path) = ?
-            LIMIT 1
-            """,
-            (target, target),
-        ).fetchone()
-        if row:
-            return row["file_ref"]
+        virtual_file_ref = self._resolve_virtual_file_ref(conn, target)
+        if virtual_file_ref:
+            return virtual_file_ref
         raise KeyError(f"Unknown file target: {target}")
 
+    def _resolve_virtual_file_ref(self, conn: sqlite3.Connection, target: str) -> str | None:
+        virtual_target = normalize_path(target)
+        rows = conn.execute(
+            """
+            WITH virtual_matches AS (
+                SELECT
+                    f.file_ref,
+                    f.external_id,
+                    f.title,
+                    f.source_path,
+                    pf.path AS folder_path,
+                    (CASE WHEN pf.path = '/' THEN '/' ELSE pf.path || '/' END)
+                        || ltrim(f.title, '/') AS title_virtual_path,
+                    (CASE WHEN pf.path = '/' THEN '/' ELSE pf.path || '/' END)
+                        || ltrim(f.source_path, '/') AS source_virtual_path
+                FROM files f
+                JOIN file_folders ff ON ff.file_ref = f.file_ref
+                JOIN folders pf ON pf.folder_id = ff.folder_id
+                WHERE f.deleted_at IS NULL
+            )
+            SELECT
+                file_ref,
+                external_id,
+                title,
+                source_path,
+                MIN(folder_path) AS folder_path
+            FROM virtual_matches
+            WHERE title_virtual_path = ?
+               OR source_virtual_path = ?
+            GROUP BY file_ref, external_id, title, source_path
+            ORDER BY file_ref
+            LIMIT 2
+            """,
+            (virtual_target, virtual_target),
+        ).fetchall()
+        if not rows:
+            return None
+        if len(rows) > 1:
+            matches = "; ".join(self._virtual_match_summary(row) for row in rows)
+            raise KeyError(f"Ambiguous file target: {target}. Matches: {matches}")
+        return rows[0]["file_ref"]
+
+    @staticmethod
+    def _virtual_match_summary(row: sqlite3.Row) -> str:
+        external_id = row["external_id"] or "-"
+        return (
+            f"file_ref={row['file_ref']} external_id={external_id} "
+            f"folder={row['folder_path']} title={row['title']!r} "
+            f"source_path={row['source_path']!r}"
+        )
+
     def ensure_folder(
         self,
         conn: sqlite3.Connection | None,
diff --git a/tests/test_pifs_path_resolution.py b/tests/test_pifs_path_resolution.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..08cf28f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/test_pifs_path_resolution.py
@@ -0,0 +1,44 @@
+import pytest
+
+
+def test_root_virtual_file_path_resolves_without_double_slash(tmp_path):
+    from pageindex.filesystem import PageIndexFileSystem
+
+    filesystem = PageIndexFileSystem(workspace=tmp_path / "workspace")
+    file_ref = filesystem.register_file(
+        storage_uri="file:///tmp/root-source.txt",
+        source_path="sources/root-source.txt",
+        folder_path="/",
+        external_id="doc_root_title",
+        title="Root Title",
+        content="root content",
+    )
+
+    assert filesystem.store.resolve_file_ref("/Root Title") == file_ref
+
+
+def test_ambiguous_virtual_file_path_raises_clear_error(tmp_path):
+    from pageindex.filesystem import PageIndexFileSystem
+
+    filesystem = PageIndexFileSystem(workspace=tmp_path / "workspace")
+    first_ref = filesystem.register_file(
+        storage_uri="file:///tmp/first.txt",
+        source_path="b/file.txt",
+        folder_path="/a",
+        external_id="doc_first",
+        title="First",
+        content="first content",
+    )
+    second_ref = filesystem.register_file(
+        storage_uri="file:///tmp/second.txt",
+        source_path="second-source.txt",
+        folder_path="/a/b",
+        external_id="doc_second",
+        title="file.txt",
+        content="second content",
+    )
+
+    with pytest.raises(KeyError, match="Ambiguous file target"):
+        filesystem.store.resolve_file_ref("/a/b/file.txt")
+
+    assert first_ref != second_ref