diff --git a/src/sourmash/sbt.py b/src/sourmash/sbt.py
index 62eb604c18..487816d294 100644
--- a/src/sourmash/sbt.py
+++ b/src/sourmash/sbt.py
@@ -390,7 +390,7 @@ def search(self, query, *args, **kwargs):
             # tree search should always/only return matches above threshold
             assert similarity >= threshold
 
-            results.append((similarity, leaf.data, self.location))
+            results.append((similarity, leaf.data, self._location))
 
         return results
         
@@ -436,7 +436,7 @@ def gather(self, query, *args, **kwargs):
             containment = query.minhash.contained_by(leaf_mh, True)
 
             assert containment >= threshold, "containment {} not below threshold {}".format(containment, threshold)
-            results.append((containment, leaf.data, self.location))
+            results.append((containment, leaf.data, self._location))
 
         results.sort(key=lambda x: -x[0])
 
@@ -760,7 +760,7 @@ def load(cls, location, *, leaf_loader=None, storage=None, print_version_warning
                 storage = klass(**jnodes['storage']['args'])
 
         obj = loader(jnodes, leaf_loader, dirname, storage, print_version_warning=print_version_warning, cache_size=cache_size)
-        obj.location = location
+        obj._location = location
         return obj
 
     @staticmethod
diff --git a/tests/test_sbt.py b/tests/test_sbt.py
index 25d864ea83..43f17af343 100644
--- a/tests/test_sbt.py
+++ b/tests/test_sbt.py
@@ -794,6 +794,8 @@ def test_sbt_protein_command_index(c):
 
     results = db2.gather(sig2)
     assert results[0][0] == 1.0
+    assert results[0][2] == db2._location
+    assert results[0][2] == db_out
 
 
 @utils.in_thisdir
@@ -840,6 +842,8 @@ def test_sbt_hp_command_index(c):
 
     results = db2.gather(sig2)
     assert results[0][0] == 1.0
+    assert results[0][2] == db2._location
+    assert results[0][2] == db_out
 
 
 @utils.in_thisdir
@@ -886,6 +890,8 @@ def test_sbt_dayhoff_command_index(c):
 
     results = db2.gather(sig2)
     assert results[0][0] == 1.0
+    assert results[0][2] == db2._location
+    assert results[0][2] == db_out
 
 
 @utils.in_thisdir