diff --git a/db.go b/db.go
index d8ad656..af2774f 100644
--- a/db.go
+++ b/db.go
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@ import (
 	"fmt"
 	"net/http"
 	"os"
+	"strings"
 	"sync"
 	"time"
 
@@ -75,16 +76,30 @@ func (m *MemDB) NSForToken(ns namespace, tok Token) error {
 // Package fetches the package associated with path.
 func (m *MemDB) Package(pth string) (Package, error) {
 	m.l.RLock()
+	defer m.l.RUnlock()
+
 	pkg, ok := m.Packages[path(pth)]
-	m.l.RUnlock()
+	if ok {
+		return pkg, nil
+	}
+
+	var longest Package
+	for _, p := range m.Packages {
+		if splitPathHasPrefix(strings.Split(pth, "/"), strings.Split(p.Path, "/")) {
+			if len(p.Path) > len(longest.Path) {
+				longest = p
+			}
+		}
+	}
+
 	var err error
-	if !ok {
+	if longest.Path == "" {
 		err = verrors.HTTP{
 			Message: fmt.Sprintf("couldn't find package %q", pth),
 			Code:    http.StatusNotFound,
 		}
 	}
-	return pkg, err
+	return longest, err
 }
 
 // AddPackage adds p into packages table.
diff --git a/db_test.go b/db_test.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..0300686
--- /dev/null
+++ b/db_test.go
@@ -0,0 +1,80 @@
+package vain
+
+import (
+	"errors"
+	"testing"
+)
+
+func TestPartialPackage(t *testing.T) {
+	db, done := TestDB(t)
+	if db == nil {
+		t.Fatalf("could not create temp db")
+	}
+	defer done()
+
+	paths := []path{
+		"a/b",
+		"a/c",
+		"a/d/c",
+		"a/d/e",
+
+		"f/b/c/d",
+		"f/b/c/e",
+	}
+
+	for _, p := range paths {
+		db.Packages[p] = Package{Path: string(p)}
+	}
+
+	tests := []struct {
+		pth string
+		pkg Package
+		err error
+	}{
+		// obvious
+		{
+			pth: "a/b",
+			pkg: db.Packages["a/b"],
+		},
+		{
+			pth: "a/d/c",
+			pkg: db.Packages["a/d/c"],
+		},
+
+		// here we exercise the code that matches closest submatch
+		{
+			pth: "a/b/c",
+			pkg: db.Packages["a/b"],
+		},
+		{
+			pth: "f/b/c/d/e/f/g",
+			pkg: db.Packages["f/b/c/d"],
+		},
+
+		// some errors
+		{
+			pth: "foo",
+			err: errors.New("shouldn't find"),
+		},
+
+		{
+			pth: "a/d/f",
+			err: errors.New("shouldn't find"),
+		},
+	}
+
+	for _, test := range tests {
+		p, err := db.Package(test.pth)
+
+		if got, want := p, test.pkg; got != want {
+			t.Errorf("bad package fetched: got %+v, want %+v", got, want)
+		}
+
+		got := err
+		want := test.err
+		if (got == nil) != (want == nil) {
+			t.Errorf("unexpected error; got %v, want %v", got, want)
+		}
+	}
+
+}