diff --git a/docs/2026-06-19-sqlite-axi-design.md b/docs/2026-06-19-sqlite-axi-design.md
index fb407b9..ad7e0b5 100644
--- a/docs/2026-06-19-sqlite-axi-design.md
+++ b/docs/2026-06-19-sqlite-axi-design.md
@@ -33,9 +33,11 @@ if (!statSync(path, { throwIfNoEntry: false })?.isFile()) throw notFound(path);
 const db = new Database(path, { readonly: true });
 ```
 
-A failed `new Database(...)` (corrupt/non-SQLite file) is translated to an AxiError, never a raw
-throw. `node:sqlite` is intentionally avoided for v1 (Stability 1.2 release-candidate; raises the
-engine floor above the Node 18-era baseline).
+Open failures are translated to an AxiError, never a raw throw. Native addon load failures retain
+their cause as `SQLITE_RUNTIME_ERROR`; unreadable, locked, or otherwise unavailable databases use
+`DB_OPEN_ERROR`; and SQLite format or corruption errors use `INVALID_DB`. `node:sqlite` is
+intentionally avoided for v1 (Stability 1.2 release-candidate; raises the engine floor above the
+Node 18-era baseline).
 
 ## Architecture
 
@@ -206,7 +208,10 @@ implementation. Tests cover weird column names and aliases (`select 1 as "a,b"`,
 | --- | --- | --- |
 | No database discovered | `NO_DATABASE` | 1 |
 | Multiple discovered, none chosen | `DB_AMBIGUOUS` | 2 |
-| Path is not a file / not valid SQLite | `NOT_FOUND` / `INVALID_DB` | 1 |
+| Path is not a file | `NOT_FOUND` | 1 |
+| Invalid or corrupt SQLite file | `INVALID_DB` | 1 |
+| Native SQLite addon cannot load | `SQLITE_RUNTIME_ERROR` | 1 |
+| Database is unreadable, locked, or otherwise unavailable | `DB_OPEN_ERROR` | 1 |
 | Unknown table/view (schema/sample) | `NOT_FOUND` | 1 |
 | Non-read-only or multi-statement SQL | `READ_ONLY` | 2 |
 | SQL syntax / execution error | `QUERY_ERROR` | 1 |
diff --git a/src/db.ts b/src/db.ts
index b7d87c5..3575c57 100644
--- a/src/db.ts
+++ b/src/db.ts
@@ -17,8 +17,28 @@ export function openDb(path: string): DB {
     db = new Database(path, { readonly: true });
     // better-sqlite3 opens lazily; force a header read so a non-SQLite file fails here.
     db.prepare("SELECT name FROM sqlite_master LIMIT 1").get();
-  } catch {
+  } catch (error) {
     try { db?.close(); } catch { /* ignore close error */ }
+    const code =
+      error instanceof Error && "code" in error && typeof error.code === "string"
+        ? error.code
+        : "";
+    const message = error instanceof Error ? error.message : String(error);
+    if (code === "ERR_DLOPEN_FAILED") {
+      throw new AxiError(`failed to load SQLite runtime: ${message}`, "SQLITE_RUNTIME_ERROR", [
+        "Reinstall sqlite-axi after changing Node.js versions",
+      ]);
+    }
+    const invalidDatabase =
+      code === "SQLITE_NOTADB" ||
+      code === "SQLITE_FORMAT" ||
+      code === "SQLITE_CORRUPT" ||
+      code.startsWith("SQLITE_CORRUPT_");
+    if (!invalidDatabase) {
+      throw new AxiError(`failed to open SQLite database: ${path}: ${message}`, "DB_OPEN_ERROR", [
+        "Check that the database is readable and not locked",
+      ]);
+    }
     throw new AxiError(`not a valid SQLite database: ${path}`, "INVALID_DB", [
       "Confirm the file is a SQLite database",
     ]);
diff --git a/test/db-open-errors.test.ts b/test/db-open-errors.test.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..2bba777
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/db-open-errors.test.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,64 @@
+import { fileURLToPath } from "node:url";
+import { describe, expect, it, vi } from "vitest";
+
+const { databaseError } = vi.hoisted(() => ({
+  databaseError: { current: undefined as Error | undefined },
+}));
+
+vi.mock("better-sqlite3", () => ({
+  default: class {
+    constructor() {
+      throw databaseError.current;
+    }
+  },
+}));
+
+import { openDb } from "../src/db.js";
+
+function captureOpenError(): unknown {
+  try {
+    openDb(fileURLToPath(import.meta.url));
+  } catch (error) {
+    return error;
+  }
+  throw new Error("expected openDb to throw");
+}
+
+describe("database open errors", () => {
+  it("reports native binding failures as SQLite runtime errors", () => {
+    databaseError.current = Object.assign(
+      new Error("The module was compiled against a different Node.js version"),
+      { code: "ERR_DLOPEN_FAILED" },
+    );
+
+    expect(captureOpenError()).toMatchObject({
+      code: "SQLITE_RUNTIME_ERROR",
+      message: expect.stringContaining("different Node.js version"),
+      suggestions: ["Reinstall sqlite-axi after changing Node.js versions"],
+    });
+  });
+
+  it("reports database availability failures without blaming the file format", () => {
+    databaseError.current = Object.assign(new Error("database is locked"), {
+      code: "SQLITE_BUSY",
+    });
+
+    expect(captureOpenError()).toMatchObject({
+      code: "DB_OPEN_ERROR",
+      message: expect.stringContaining("database is locked"),
+      suggestions: ["Check that the database is readable and not locked"],
+    });
+  });
+
+  it.each(["SQLITE_CORRUPT", "SQLITE_CORRUPT_INDEX", "SQLITE_FORMAT"])(
+    "retains INVALID_DB for %s database errors",
+    (code) => {
+      databaseError.current = Object.assign(new Error("database format is invalid"), { code });
+
+      expect(captureOpenError()).toMatchObject({
+        code: "INVALID_DB",
+        suggestions: ["Confirm the file is a SQLite database"],
+      });
+    },
+  );
+});