diff --git a/src/common/beaglequeuecache.cpp b/src/common/beaglequeuecache.cpp
index 675e6afe..5478bc60 100644
--- a/src/common/beaglequeuecache.cpp
+++ b/src/common/beaglequeuecache.cpp
@@ -68,7 +68,7 @@ bool BeagleQueueCache::getFromCache(const string& udi, Rcl::Doc &dotdoc,
     cf.get(cstr_url, dotdoc.url, cstr_null);
     cf.get(cstr_bgc_mimetype, dotdoc.mimetype, cstr_null);
     cf.get(cstr_fmtime, dotdoc.fmtime, cstr_null);
-    cf.get(cstr_fbytes, dotdoc.fbytes, cstr_null);
+    cf.get(cstr_fbytes, dotdoc.pcbytes, cstr_null);
     dotdoc.sig.clear();
     list<string> names = cf.getNames(cstr_null);
     for (list<string>::const_iterator it = names.begin();
diff --git a/src/index/beaglequeue.cpp b/src/index/beaglequeue.cpp
index c7797318..8542cb09 100644
--- a/src/index/beaglequeue.cpp
+++ b/src/index/beaglequeue.cpp
@@ -242,7 +242,7 @@ bool BeagleQueueIndexer::indexFromCache(const string& udi)
         doc.mimetype = dotdoc.mimetype;
         doc.fmtime = dotdoc.fmtime;
         doc.url = dotdoc.url;
-        doc.fbytes = dotdoc.fbytes;
+        doc.pcbytes = dotdoc.pcbytes;
         doc.sig.clear();
         doc.meta[Rcl::Doc::keybcknd] = "BGL";
         return m_db->addOrUpdate(udi, cstr_null, doc);
@@ -405,7 +405,7 @@ BeagleQueueIndexer::processone(const string &path,
 
         char cbuf[100]; 
         sprintf(cbuf, OFFTPC, stp->st_size);
-        dotdoc.fbytes = cbuf;
+        dotdoc.pcbytes = cbuf;
 
         // Document signature for up to date checks: none. 
         dotdoc.sig.clear();
@@ -452,7 +452,7 @@ BeagleQueueIndexer::processone(const string &path,
 
         char cbuf[100]; 
         sprintf(cbuf, OFFTPC, stp->st_size);
-        doc.fbytes = cbuf;
+        doc.pcbytes = cbuf;
         // Document signature for up to date checks: none. 
         doc.sig.clear();
         doc.url = dotdoc.url;
@@ -466,7 +466,9 @@ BeagleQueueIndexer::processone(const string &path,
     {
         // doc fields not in meta, needing saving to the cache
         dotfile.m_fields.set("fmtime", dotdoc.fmtime, cstr_null);
-        dotfile.m_fields.set("fbytes", dotdoc.fbytes, cstr_null);
+	// fbytes is used for historical reasons, should be pcbytes, but makes
+	// no sense to change.
+        dotfile.m_fields.set(cstr_fbytes, dotdoc.pcbytes, cstr_null);
         dotfile.m_fields.set("udi", udi, cstr_null);
         string fdata;
         file_to_string(path, fdata);
diff --git a/src/index/fsindexer.cpp b/src/index/fsindexer.cpp
index 997cae48..9cd4715f 100644
--- a/src/index/fsindexer.cpp
+++ b/src/index/fsindexer.cpp
@@ -458,7 +458,7 @@ FsIndexer::processone(const std::string &fn, const struct stat *stp,
 
 	char cbuf[100]; 
 	sprintf(cbuf, OFFTPC, stp->st_size);
-	doc.fbytes = cbuf;
+	doc.pcbytes = cbuf;
 	// Document signature for up to date checks: concatenate
 	// m/ctime and size. Looking for changes only, no need to
 	// parseback so no need for reversible formatting. Also set,
@@ -519,7 +519,7 @@ FsIndexer::processone(const std::string &fn, const struct stat *stp,
 
 	char cbuf[100]; 
 	sprintf(cbuf, OFFTPC, stp->st_size);
-	fileDoc.fbytes = cbuf;
+	fileDoc.pcbytes = cbuf;
 	// Document signature for up to date checks.
 	makesig(stp, fileDoc.sig);
 #ifdef IDX_THREADS
diff --git a/src/internfile/Filter.h b/src/internfile/Filter.h
index 13f35572..4ed70a1b 100644
--- a/src/internfile/Filter.h
+++ b/src/internfile/Filter.h
@@ -121,6 +121,16 @@ namespace Dijon
 	 */
 	virtual bool set_document_uri(const std::string &uri) = 0;
 
+	/** Set the document size meta_data element. This is the size
+	    of the immediate containing file (ie, a .doc, a .odt), not
+	    the size of, ie, a containing archive or .gz nor the size
+	    of the extracted text. This is set externally, because the
+	    surrounding code quite often has a better idea about it
+	    (having created a temp file, etc.), and this saves more
+	    stat() calls The value is stored inside metaData, docsize
+	    key
+	*/
+	virtual void set_docsize(size_t size) = 0;
 
 	// Going from one nested document to the next.
 
diff --git a/src/internfile/internfile.cpp b/src/internfile/internfile.cpp
index b6bdeb7c..4c8235c6 100644
--- a/src/internfile/internfile.cpp
+++ b/src/internfile/internfile.cpp
@@ -239,6 +239,8 @@ void FileInterner::init(const string &f, const struct stat *stp, RclConfig *cnf,
             l_mime = *imime;
     }
 
+    size_t docsize = stp->st_size;
+
     if (!l_mime.empty()) {
 	// Has mime: check for a compressed file. If so, create a
 	// temporary uncompressed file, and rerun the mime type
@@ -255,8 +257,16 @@ void FileInterner::init(const string &f, const struct stat *stp, RclConfig *cnf,
 		LOGDEB1(("FileInterner:: after ucomp: m_tdir %s, tfile %s\n", 
 			 m_tdir.dirname(), m_tfile.c_str()));
 		m_fn = m_tfile;
-		// Note: still using the original file's stat. right ?
-		l_mime = mimetype(m_fn, stp, m_cfg, usfci);
+		// Stat the uncompressed file, mainly to get the size
+		struct stat ucstat;
+		if (stat(m_fn.c_str(), &ucstat) != 0) {
+		    LOGERR(("FileInterner: can't stat the uncompressed file"
+			    "[%s] errno %d\n", m_fn.c_str(), errno));
+		    return;
+		} else {
+		    docsize = ucstat.st_size;
+		}
+		l_mime = mimetype(m_fn, &ucstat, m_cfg, usfci);
 		if (l_mime.empty() && imime)
 		    l_mime = *imime;
 	    } else {
@@ -294,6 +304,7 @@ void FileInterner::init(const string &f, const struct stat *stp, RclConfig *cnf,
     reapXAttrs(f);
 #endif //RCL_USE_XATTR
 
+    df->set_docsize(docsize);
     if (!df->set_document_file(m_fn)) {
 	LOGERR(("FileInterner:: error converting %s\n", m_fn.c_str()));
 	return;
@@ -335,6 +346,7 @@ void FileInterner::init(const string &data, RclConfig *cnf,
 			    m_forPreview ? "view" : "index");
 
     bool setres = false;
+    df->set_docsize(data.length());
     if (df->is_data_input_ok(Dijon::Filter::DOCUMENT_STRING)) {
 	setres = df->set_document_string(data);
     } else if (df->is_data_input_ok(Dijon::Filter::DOCUMENT_DATA)) {
@@ -652,17 +664,30 @@ bool FileInterner::dijontorcl(Rcl::Doc& doc)
 	 it != docdata.end(); it++) {
 	if (it->first == cstr_dj_keycontent) {
 	    doc.text = it->second;
+	    if (doc.fbytes.empty()) {
+		// It's normally set by walking the filter stack, in
+		// collectIpathAndMt, which was called before us.  It
+		// can happen that the doc size is still empty at this
+		// point if the last container filter is directly
+		// returning text/plain content, so that there is no
+		// ipath-less filter at the top
+		char cbuf[30];
+		sprintf(cbuf, "%d", int(doc.text.length()));
+		doc.fbytes = cbuf;
+	    }
 	} else if (it->first == cstr_dj_keymd) {
 	    doc.dmtime = it->second;
 	} else if (it->first == cstr_dj_keyorigcharset) {
 	    doc.origcharset = it->second;
-	} else if (it->first == cstr_dj_keymt || it->first == cstr_dj_keycharset) {
+	} else if (it->first == cstr_dj_keymt || 
+		   it->first == cstr_dj_keycharset) {
 	    // don't need/want these.
 	} else {
 	    doc.meta[it->first] = it->second;
 	}
     }
-    if (doc.meta[Rcl::Doc::keyabs].empty() && !doc.meta[cstr_dj_keyds].empty()) {
+    if (doc.meta[Rcl::Doc::keyabs].empty() && 
+	!doc.meta[cstr_dj_keyds].empty()) {
 	doc.meta[Rcl::Doc::keyabs] = doc.meta[cstr_dj_keyds];
 	doc.meta.erase(cstr_dj_keyds);
     }
@@ -670,11 +695,20 @@ bool FileInterner::dijontorcl(Rcl::Doc& doc)
 }
 
 // Collect the ipath from the current path in the document tree.
-// While we're at it, we also set the mimetype and filename, which are special 
-// properties: we want to get them from the topmost doc
-// with an ipath, not the last one which is usually text/plain
-// We also set the author and modification time from the last doc
-// which has them.
+// While we're at it, we also set the mimetype and filename,
+// which are special properties: we want to get them from the topmost
+// doc with an ipath, not the last one which is usually text/plain We
+// also set the author and modification time from the last doc which
+// has them.
+//
+// The docsize is fetched from the first element without an ipath
+// (first non container). If the last element directly returns
+// text/plain so that there is no ipath-less element, the value will
+// be set in dijontorcl(). 
+// 
+// The whole thing is a bit messy but it's not obvious how it should
+// be cleaned up as the "inheritance" rules inside the stack are
+// actually complicated.
 void FileInterner::collectIpathAndMT(Rcl::Doc& doc) const
 {
     LOGDEB2(("FileInterner::collectIpathAndMT\n"));
@@ -702,9 +736,14 @@ void FileInterner::collectIpathAndMT(Rcl::Doc& doc) const
 		hasipath = true;
 		getKeyValue(docdata, cstr_dj_keymt, doc.mimetype);
 		getKeyValue(docdata, cstr_dj_keyfn, doc.utf8fn);
+	    } else {
+		if (doc.fbytes.empty())
+		    getKeyValue(docdata, cstr_dj_keydocsize, doc.fbytes);
 	    }
 	    doc.ipath += colon_hide(ipathel) + cstr_isep;
 	} else {
+	    if (doc.fbytes.empty())
+		getKeyValue(docdata, cstr_dj_keydocsize, doc.fbytes);
 	    doc.ipath += cstr_isep;
 	}
 	getKeyValue(docdata, cstr_dj_keyauthor, doc.meta[Rcl::Doc::keyau]);
@@ -793,6 +832,7 @@ int FileInterner::addHandler()
 	    txt = &it->second;
     }
     bool setres = false;
+    newflt->set_docsize(txt->length());
     if (newflt->is_data_input_ok(Dijon::Filter::DOCUMENT_STRING)) {
 	setres = newflt->set_document_string(*txt);
     } else if (newflt->is_data_input_ok(Dijon::Filter::DOCUMENT_DATA)) {
diff --git a/src/internfile/mimehandler.h b/src/internfile/mimehandler.h
index 964ec81e..87640a74 100644
--- a/src/internfile/mimehandler.h
+++ b/src/internfile/mimehandler.h
@@ -18,6 +18,8 @@
 #define _MIMEHANDLER_H_INCLUDED_
 #include "autoconfig.h"
 
+#include <stdio.h>
+
 #include <string>
 #include <list>
 using std::string;
@@ -66,6 +68,13 @@ public:
 	return set_document_string(string(cp, sz));
     }
 
+    virtual void set_docsize(size_t size)
+    {
+	char csize[30];
+	sprintf(csize, "%lld", (long long)size);
+	m_metaData[cstr_dj_keydocsize] = csize;
+    }
+
     virtual bool has_documents() const {return m_havedoc;}
 
     // Most doc types are single-doc
diff --git a/src/rcldb/rcldb.cpp b/src/rcldb/rcldb.cpp
index 44c87a6d..c83c043f 100644
--- a/src/rcldb/rcldb.cpp
+++ b/src/rcldb/rcldb.cpp
@@ -210,6 +210,7 @@ bool Db::Native::dbDataToRclDoc(Xapian::docid docid, std::string &data,
 	doc.syntabs = true;
     }
     parms.get(Doc::keyipt, doc.ipath);
+    parms.get(Doc::keypcs, doc.pcbytes);
     parms.get(Doc::keyfs, doc.fbytes);
     parms.get(Doc::keyds, doc.dbytes);
     parms.get(Doc::keysig, doc.sig);
@@ -1254,17 +1255,21 @@ bool Db::addOrUpdate(const string &udi, const string &parent_udi,
     }
     RECORD_APPEND(record, Doc::keyoc, doc.origcharset);
 
+    if (doc.fbytes.empty())
+	doc.fbytes = doc.pcbytes;
     if (!doc.fbytes.empty())
 	RECORD_APPEND(record, Doc::keyfs, doc.fbytes);
+    if (!doc.pcbytes.empty())
+	RECORD_APPEND(record, Doc::keypcs, doc.pcbytes);
+    char sizebuf[30]; 
+    sprintf(sizebuf, "%u", (unsigned int)doc.text.length());
+    RECORD_APPEND(record, Doc::keyds, sizebuf);
+
     // Note that we add the signature both as a value and in the data record
     if (!doc.sig.empty())
 	RECORD_APPEND(record, Doc::keysig, doc.sig);
     newdocument.add_value(VALUE_SIG, doc.sig);
 
-    char sizebuf[30]; 
-    sprintf(sizebuf, "%u", (unsigned int)doc.text.length());
-    RECORD_APPEND(record, Doc::keyds, sizebuf);
-
     if (!doc.ipath.empty())
 	RECORD_APPEND(record, Doc::keyipt, doc.ipath);
 
diff --git a/src/rcldb/rcldoc.cpp b/src/rcldb/rcldoc.cpp
index 070ed505..8a2e9eef 100644
--- a/src/rcldb/rcldoc.cpp
+++ b/src/rcldb/rcldoc.cpp
@@ -27,6 +27,7 @@ namespace Rcl {
     const string Doc::keydmt("dmtime");
     const string Doc::keymt("mtime");
     const string Doc::keyoc("origcharset");
+    const string Doc::keypcs("pcbytes");
     const string Doc::keyfs("fbytes");
     const string Doc::keyds("dbytes");
     const string Doc::keysz("size");
@@ -53,6 +54,7 @@ namespace Rcl {
         LOGDEB(("Rcl::Doc::dump: dmtime: [%s]\n", dmtime.c_str()));
         LOGDEB(("Rcl::Doc::dump: origcharset: [%s]\n", origcharset.c_str()));
         LOGDEB(("Rcl::Doc::dump: syntabs: [%d]\n", syntabs));
+        LOGDEB(("Rcl::Doc::dump: pcbytes: [%s]\n", pcbytes.c_str()));
         LOGDEB(("Rcl::Doc::dump: fbytes: [%s]\n", fbytes.c_str()));
         LOGDEB(("Rcl::Doc::dump: dbytes: [%s]\n", dbytes.c_str()));
         LOGDEB(("Rcl::Doc::dump: sig: [%s]\n", sig.c_str()));
diff --git a/src/rcldb/rcldoc.h b/src/rcldb/rcldoc.h
index f243a39d..a06dada4 100644
--- a/src/rcldb/rcldoc.h
+++ b/src/rcldb/rcldoc.h
@@ -87,15 +87,20 @@ class Doc {
     // as an indicative prefix at the beginning of the abstract (ugly hack)
     bool   syntabs;      
     
-    // File size. Index: Set by caller prior to Db::Add. Query: set by
-    // rcldb from index doc data. Historically this always has
-    // represented the whole file size (as from stat()), but there
-    // would be a need for a 3rd value for multidoc files (file
-    // size/doc size/ doc text size)
-    string fbytes;       
+    // File size. This is the size of the compressed file or of the
+    // external containing archive.
+    // Index: Set by caller prior to Db::Add. 
+    // Query: not set currently (not stored)
+    string pcbytes;       
 
-    // Doc text size. Index: from text.length(). Query: set by rcldb from
-    // index doc data.
+    // Document size, ie, size of the .odt or .xls.
+    // Index: Set in internfile from the filter stack
+    // Query: set from data record
+    string fbytes;
+
+    // Doc text size. 
+    // Index: from text.length(). 
+    // Query: set by rcldb from index data record
     string dbytes;
 
     // Doc signature. Used for up to date checks. 
@@ -126,6 +131,7 @@ class Doc {
 	origcharset.erase();
 	meta.clear();
 	syntabs = false;
+	pcbytes.erase();
 	fbytes.erase();
 	dbytes.erase();
 	sig.erase();
@@ -163,9 +169,10 @@ class Doc {
     static const string keydmt; // document mtime
     static const string keymt;  // mtime dmtime if set else fmtime
     static const string keyoc;  // original charset
-    static const string keyfs;  // file size
-    static const string keyds;  // document size
-    static const string keysz;  // dbytes if set else fbytes
+    static const string keypcs;  // document outer container size
+    static const string keyfs;  // document size
+    static const string keyds;  // document text size
+    static const string keysz;  // dbytes if set else fbytes else pcbytes
     static const string keysig; // sig
     static const string keyrr;  // relevancy rating
     static const string keycc;  // Collapse count
diff --git a/src/rcldb/rclquery.cpp b/src/rcldb/rclquery.cpp
index 6755d0be..8aa43346 100644
--- a/src/rcldb/rclquery.cpp
+++ b/src/rcldb/rclquery.cpp
@@ -64,7 +64,8 @@ public:
 	: m_fld(docfToDatf(f) + "=") 
     {
 	m_ismtime = !m_fld.compare("dmtime=");
-	m_issize = !m_fld.compare("fbytes=") || !m_fld.compare("dbytes=");
+	m_issize = !m_fld.compare("fbytes=") || !m_fld.compare("dbytes=") ||
+	    !m_fld.compare("pcbytes=");
     }
 
     virtual std::string operator()(const Xapian::Document& xdoc) const