diff --git a/include/ircd/db/column.h b/include/ircd/db/column.h
index c0b194309..c72b3eef8 100644
--- a/include/ircd/db/column.h
+++ b/include/ircd/db/column.h
@@ -19,6 +19,7 @@ namespace ircd::db
 	uint32_t id(const column &);
 	const std::string &name(const column &);
 	const descriptor &describe(const column &);
+	std::vector<std::string> files(const column &);
 	size_t file_count(const column &);
 	size_t bytes(const column &);
 
diff --git a/ircd/db.cc b/ircd/db.cc
index faa7e577d..fc29d328b 100644
--- a/ircd/db.cc
+++ b/ircd/db.cc
@@ -7324,6 +7324,28 @@ ircd::db::describe(const column &column)
 	return describe(c);
 }
 
+std::vector<std::string>
+ircd::db::files(const column &column)
+{
+	database::column &c(const_cast<db::column &>(column));
+	database &d(*c.d);
+
+	rocksdb::ColumnFamilyMetaData cfmd;
+	d.d->GetColumnFamilyMetaData(c, &cfmd);
+
+	size_t count(0);
+	for(const auto &level : cfmd.levels)
+		count += level.files.size();
+
+	std::vector<std::string> ret;
+	ret.reserve(count);
+	for(auto &level : cfmd.levels)
+		for(auto &file : level.files)
+			ret.emplace_back(std::move(file.name));
+
+	return ret;
+}
+
 void
 ircd::db::sort(column &column,
                const bool &blocking)