diff --git a/.github/workflows/ci.yml b/.github/workflows/ci.yml
index 115f0e32..8092bd8b 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/ci.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/ci.yml
@@ -107,7 +107,10 @@ jobs:
       - run: pkgx /usr/bin/awk --version
       - run: pkgx +yarnpkg.com yarn --version
       - run: pkgx +yarnpkg.com -- yarn --version
+      # coverage for conflict error messages
       - run: '! pkgx yarn --version'
+      # coverage for display-name resolution
+      - run: pkgx +agg
 
       - name: generate coverage
         run: |
diff --git a/crates/cli/src/main.rs b/crates/cli/src/main.rs
index 2b4f2b2a..19bc451e 100644
--- a/crates/cli/src/main.rs
+++ b/crates/cli/src/main.rs
@@ -41,7 +41,7 @@ async fn main() -> Result<(), Box<dyn Error>> {
 
     let cache_dir = config.pantry_dir.parent().unwrap();
     std::fs::create_dir_all(cache_dir)?;
-    let mut conn = Connection::open(cache_dir.join("pantry.db"))?;
+    let mut conn = Connection::open(cache_dir.join("pantry.2.db"))?;
 
     let spinner = if flags.silent || flags.quiet {
         None
@@ -51,7 +51,7 @@ async fn main() -> Result<(), Box<dyn Error>> {
         Some(spinner)
     };
 
-    let did_sync = if sync::should(&config) {
+    let did_sync = if sync::should(&config)? {
         if let Some(spinner) = &spinner {
             spinner.set_message("syncing pkg-db…");
         }
@@ -263,7 +263,7 @@ impl std::fmt::Display for WhichError {
 impl std::error::Error for WhichError {}
 
 async fn which(cmd: &String, conn: &Connection, pkgs: &[PackageReq]) -> Result<String, WhichError> {
-    let candidates = pantry_db::which(cmd, conn).map_err(WhichError::DbError)?;
+    let candidates = pantry_db::projects_for_symbol(cmd, conn).map_err(WhichError::DbError)?;
     if candidates.len() == 1 {
         Ok(candidates[0].clone())
     } else if candidates.is_empty() {
diff --git a/crates/lib/src/pantry.rs b/crates/lib/src/pantry.rs
index 55a1bd99..3b7d90c4 100644
--- a/crates/lib/src/pantry.rs
+++ b/crates/lib/src/pantry.rs
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@ pub struct PantryEntry {
     pub programs: Vec<String>,
     pub companions: Vec<PackageReq>,
     pub env: HashMap<String, String>,
+    pub display_name: Option<String>,
 }
 
 impl PantryEntry {
@@ -73,12 +74,15 @@ impl PantryEntry {
             HashMap::new()
         };
 
+        let display_name = entry.display_name;
+
         Ok(Self {
             deps,
             project,
             env,
             companions,
             programs,
+            display_name,
         })
     }
 }
@@ -131,6 +135,8 @@ struct RawPantryEntry {
     provides: Option<Provides>,
     companions: Option<Deps>,
     runtime: Option<Runtime>,
+    #[serde(rename = "display-name")]
+    display_name: Option<String>,
 }
 
 #[derive(Debug)]
diff --git a/crates/lib/src/pantry_db.rs b/crates/lib/src/pantry_db.rs
index e2e872c2..9cc1ad6a 100644
--- a/crates/lib/src/pantry_db.rs
+++ b/crates/lib/src/pantry_db.rs
@@ -30,10 +30,15 @@ pub fn cache(config: &Config, conn: &mut Connection) -> Result<(), Box<dyn Error
         project TEXT,
         envline TEXT
     );
+    CREATE TABLE aliases (
+        project TEXT,
+        alias TEXT
+    );
     CREATE INDEX idx_project ON provides(project);
     CREATE INDEX idx_program ON provides(program);
     CREATE INDEX idx_project_dependencies ON dependencies(project);
     CREATE INDEX idx_project_companions ON companions(project);
+    CREATE INDEX idx_alias_project ON aliases(alias);
     ",
     )?;
 
@@ -53,6 +58,13 @@ pub fn cache(config: &Config, conn: &mut Connection) -> Result<(), Box<dyn Error
             )?;
         }
 
+        if let Some(display_name) = pkg.display_name {
+            tx.execute(
+                "INSERT INTO aliases (project, alias) VALUES (?1, ?2);",
+                params![pkg.project, display_name],
+            )?;
+        }
+
         for dep in pkg.deps {
             tx.execute(
                 "INSERT INTO dependencies (project, pkgspec) VALUES (?1, ?2);",
@@ -103,6 +115,24 @@ pub fn which(cmd: &String, conn: &Connection) -> Result<Vec<String>, rusqlite::E
     Ok(rv)
 }
 
+pub fn projects_for_symbol(
+    symbol: &String,
+    conn: &Connection,
+) -> Result<Vec<String>, rusqlite::Error> {
+    let mut stmt = conn.prepare(
+        "
+        SELECT project FROM provides WHERE program = ?1
+        UNION
+        SELECT project FROM aliases WHERE LOWER(alias) = LOWER(?1);",
+    )?;
+    let mut rv = Vec::new();
+    let mut rows = stmt.query(params![symbol])?;
+    while let Some(row) = rows.next()? {
+        rv.push(row.get(0)?);
+    }
+    Ok(rv)
+}
+
 pub fn runtime_env_for_project(
     project: &String,
     conn: &Connection,
diff --git a/crates/lib/src/sync.rs b/crates/lib/src/sync.rs
index c52dcf79..76d47168 100644
--- a/crates/lib/src/sync.rs
+++ b/crates/lib/src/sync.rs
@@ -8,19 +8,14 @@ use tokio_tar::Archive;
 use tokio_util::compat::FuturesAsyncReadCompatExt;
 
 #[allow(clippy::all)]
-pub fn should(config: &Config) -> bool {
+pub fn should(config: &Config) -> Result<bool, Box<dyn Error>> {
     if !config.pantry_dir.join("projects").is_dir() {
-        true
-    } else if !config
-        .pantry_dir
-        .parent()
-        .unwrap()
-        .join("pantry.db")
-        .is_file()
-    {
-        true
+        Ok(true)
     } else {
-        false
+        let path = config.pantry_dir.parent().unwrap().join("pantry.2.db");
+        // the file always exists because we create the connection
+        // but will be 0 bytes if we need to fill it
+        Ok(std::fs::metadata(&path)?.len() == 0)
     }
 }