diff --git a/src/keri/app/indirecting.py b/src/keri/app/indirecting.py
index e2e1f8875..6c6556bec 100644
--- a/src/keri/app/indirecting.py
+++ b/src/keri/app/indirecting.py
@@ -93,7 +93,7 @@ def setupWitness(hby, alias="witness", mbx=None, aids=None, tcpPort=5631, httpPo
     app.add_route("/", httpEnd)
     receiptEnd = ReceiptEnd(hab=hab, inbound=cues, aids=aids)
     app.add_route("/receipts", receiptEnd)
-    queryEnd = QueryEnd(hab=hab)
+    queryEnd = QueryEnd(hab=hab, reger=reger)
     app.add_route("/query", queryEnd)
     metricsEnd = EscrowEnd(hby=hby, reger=reger)
     app.add_route("/metrics", metricsEnd)
@@ -1202,9 +1202,12 @@ class QueryEnd:
 
      """
 
-    def __init__(self, hab):
+    def __init__(self, hab, reger=None):
         self.hab = hab
-        self.reger = viring.Reger(name=hab.name, db=hab.db, temp=False)
+        # Reuse the witness's shared Reger rather than opening a SECOND LMDB env on the same
+        # reg path — two env handles for one path in a process raise LMDB's "already open in
+        # this process" and abort witness start (matches keri main, which threads the reger in).
+        self.reger = reger if reger is not None else viring.Reger(name=hab.name, db=hab.db, temp=False)
 
     def on_get(self, req, rep):
         """ Handles GET requests to query KEL or TEL events of a pre from a witness.
diff --git a/src/keri/db/dbing.py b/src/keri/db/dbing.py
index 5abfff213..44c2d6723 100644
--- a/src/keri/db/dbing.py
+++ b/src/keri/db/dbing.py
@@ -416,6 +416,18 @@ def reopen(self, readonly=False, **kwa):
         if readonly is not None:
             self.readonly = readonly
 
+        # close self.env if already open so reopen() is idempotent: LMDB raises
+        # "The environment '<path>' is already open in this process" if the same
+        # path is opened twice in one process. The witness start path opens the
+        # reg env at Reger construction and again via its BaserDoer, so without
+        # this close-first the witness aborts at "Starting witness...".
+        if self.env:
+            try:
+                self.env.close()
+            except:  # noqa: E722 - best-effort close before reopen (matches keri main)
+                pass
+
+        self.env = None
         # open lmdb major database instance
         # creates files data.mdb and lock.mdb in .dbDirPath
         self.env = lmdb.open(self.path, max_dbs=self.MaxNamedDBs, map_size=self.MapSize,