fix: ensure read freshness provider is built into namespace client

python/src/connection.rs

@@ -610,24 +610,38 @@ pub fn connect_namespace_client(
     namespace_client_impl: Option<String>,
     namespace_client_properties: Option<HashMap<String, String>>,
 ) -> PyResult<Connection> {
-    let namespace_client = extract_namespace_arc(py, namespace_client)?;
     let read_consistency_interval = read_consistency_interval.map(Duration::from_secs_f64);
     let namespace_client_pushdown_operations =
         parse_namespace_client_pushdown_operations(namespace_client_pushdown_operations)?;
-    let ns_impl = namespace_client_impl.unwrap_or_else(|| "python".to_string());
     let ns_properties = namespace_client_properties.unwrap_or_default();
     let storage_options = storage_options.unwrap_or_default();
     let session = session.map(|s| s.inner.clone());
 
-    let database = LanceNamespaceDatabase::from_namespace_client(
-        namespace_client,
-        ns_impl,
-        ns_properties,
-        storage_options,
-        read_consistency_interval,
-        session,
-        namespace_client_pushdown_operations,
-    );
+    // Prefer building the namespace natively from (impl, properties) so the
+    // read-freshness provider installed
+    let database = if build_namespace_natively(namespace_client_impl.as_deref(), &ns_properties) {
+        let ns_impl = namespace_client_impl.expect("impl present per build_namespace_natively");
+        crate::runtime::block_on(LanceNamespaceDatabase::connect(
+            &ns_impl,
+            ns_properties,
+            storage_options,
+            read_consistency_interval,
+            session,
+            namespace_client_pushdown_operations,
+        ))
+        .infer_error()?
+    } else {
+        let namespace_client = extract_namespace_arc(py, namespace_client)?;
+        LanceNamespaceDatabase::from_namespace_client(
+            namespace_client,
+            namespace_client_impl.unwrap_or_else(|| "python".to_string()),
+            ns_properties,
+            storage_options,
+            read_consistency_interval,
+            session,
+            namespace_client_pushdown_operations,
+        )
+    };
 
     Ok(Connection::new(LanceConnection::new(
         Arc::new(database),
@@ -635,6 +649,16 @@ pub fn connect_namespace_client(
     )))
 }
 
+/// Whether to build the namespace natively (from impl + properties) instead of
+/// wrapping a pre-built client. Native construction is required for the
+/// read-freshness provider to be installed
+fn build_namespace_natively(
+    namespace_client_impl: Option<&str>,
+    namespace_client_properties: &HashMap<String, String>,
+) -> bool {
+    namespace_client_impl.is_some() && !namespace_client_properties.is_empty()
+}
+
 #[derive(FromPyObject)]
 pub struct PyClientConfig {
     user_agent: String,
@@ -733,3 +757,34 @@ impl From<PyClientConfig> for lancedb::remote::ClientConfig {
         }
     }
 }
+
+#[cfg(test)]
+mod tests {
+    use super::*;
+
+    fn props(pairs: &[(&str, &str)]) -> HashMap<String, String> {
+        pairs
+            .iter()
+            .map(|(k, v)| (k.to_string(), v.to_string()))
+            .collect()
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn native_build_requires_impl_and_properties() {
+        let rest = props(&[("uri", "http://localhost:10024")]);
+
+        // impl + non-empty properties -> build natively (installs the
+        // read-freshness provider so checkout_latest() busts server caches).
+        assert!(build_namespace_natively(Some("rest"), &rest));
+        assert!(build_namespace_natively(
+            Some("dir"),
+            &props(&[("root", "/tmp")])
+        ));
+
+        // No impl: only a pre-built client was handed in -> wrap it as-is.
+        assert!(!build_namespace_natively(None, &rest));
+
+        // Impl but no properties: nothing to build a connection from -> wrap.
+        assert!(!build_namespace_natively(Some("rest"), &HashMap::new()));
+    }
+}