diff --git a/src/documents/conditionals.py b/src/documents/conditionals.py
index 1768525fc..b017f410c 100644
--- a/src/documents/conditionals.py
+++ b/src/documents/conditionals.py
@@ -13,59 +13,7 @@ from documents.caching import CLASSIFIER_VERSION_KEY
 from documents.caching import get_thumbnail_modified_key
 from documents.classifier import DocumentClassifier
 from documents.models import Document
-
-
-def _resolve_effective_doc(pk: int, request) -> Document | None:
-    """
-    Resolve which Document row should be considered for caching keys:
-    - If a version is requested, use that version
-    - If pk is a root doc, use its newest child version if present, else the root.
-    - Else, pk is a version, use that version.
-    Returns None if resolution fails (treat as no-cache).
-    """
-    try:
-        request_doc = Document.objects.only("id", "root_document_id").get(pk=pk)
-    except Document.DoesNotExist:
-        return None
-
-    root_doc = (
-        request_doc
-        if request_doc.root_document_id is None
-        else Document.objects.only("id").get(id=request_doc.root_document_id)
-    )
-
-    version_param = (
-        request.query_params.get("version")
-        if hasattr(request, "query_params")
-        else None
-    )
-    if version_param:
-        try:
-            version_id = int(version_param)
-            candidate = Document.objects.only("id", "root_document_id").get(
-                id=version_id,
-            )
-            if (
-                candidate.id != root_doc.id
-                and candidate.root_document_id != root_doc.id
-            ):
-                return None
-            return candidate
-        except Exception:
-            return None
-
-    # Default behavior: if pk is a root doc, prefer its newest child version
-    if request_doc.root_document_id is None:
-        latest = (
-            Document.objects.filter(root_document=root_doc)
-            .only("id")
-            .order_by("id")
-            .last()
-        )
-        return latest or root_doc
-
-    # pk is already a version
-    return request_doc
+from documents.versioning import resolve_effective_document_by_pk
 
 
 def suggestions_etag(request, pk: int) -> str | None:
@@ -125,7 +73,7 @@ def metadata_etag(request, pk: int) -> str | None:
     Metadata is extracted from the original file, so use its checksum as the
     ETag
     """
-    doc = _resolve_effective_doc(pk, request)
+    doc = resolve_effective_document_by_pk(pk, request).document
     if doc is None:
         return None
     return doc.checksum
@@ -137,7 +85,7 @@ def metadata_last_modified(request, pk: int) -> datetime | None:
     not the modification of the original file, but of the database object, but might as well
     error on the side of more cautious
     """
-    doc = _resolve_effective_doc(pk, request)
+    doc = resolve_effective_document_by_pk(pk, request).document
     if doc is None:
         return None
     return doc.modified
@@ -147,7 +95,7 @@ def preview_etag(request, pk: int) -> str | None:
     """
     ETag for the document preview, using the original or archive checksum, depending on the request
     """
-    doc = _resolve_effective_doc(pk, request)
+    doc = resolve_effective_document_by_pk(pk, request).document
     if doc is None:
         return None
     use_original = (
@@ -163,7 +111,7 @@ def preview_last_modified(request, pk: int) -> datetime | None:
     Uses the documents modified time to set the Last-Modified header.  Not strictly
     speaking correct, but close enough and quick
     """
-    doc = _resolve_effective_doc(pk, request)
+    doc = resolve_effective_document_by_pk(pk, request).document
     if doc is None:
         return None
     return doc.modified
@@ -175,7 +123,7 @@ def thumbnail_last_modified(request: Any, pk: int) -> datetime | None:
     Cache should be (slightly?) faster than filesystem
     """
     try:
-        doc = _resolve_effective_doc(pk, request)
+        doc = resolve_effective_document_by_pk(pk, request).document
         if doc is None:
             return None
         if not doc.thumbnail_path.exists():
@@ -195,5 +143,5 @@ def thumbnail_last_modified(request: Any, pk: int) -> datetime | None:
         )
         cache.set(doc_key, last_modified, CACHE_50_MINUTES)
         return last_modified
-    except Document.DoesNotExist:  # pragma: no cover
+    except (Document.DoesNotExist, OSError):  # pragma: no cover
         return None
diff --git a/src/documents/index.py b/src/documents/index.py
index cdc038b46..709e2bd21 100644
--- a/src/documents/index.py
+++ b/src/documents/index.py
@@ -50,6 +50,7 @@ from documents.models import CustomFieldInstance
 from documents.models import Document
 from documents.models import Note
 from documents.models import User
+from documents.versioning import get_latest_version_for_root
 
 if TYPE_CHECKING:
     from django.db.models import QuerySet
@@ -185,16 +186,11 @@ def update_document(writer: AsyncWriter, doc: Document) -> None:
         only_with_perms_in=["view_document"],
     )
     viewer_ids: str = ",".join([str(u.id) for u in users_with_perms])
-    effective_content = doc.content
-    if doc.root_document_id is None:
-        latest_version = (
-            Document.objects.filter(root_document=doc)
-            .only("content")
-            .order_by("-id")
-            .first()
-        )
-        if latest_version is not None:
-            effective_content = latest_version.content
+    effective_content = (
+        get_latest_version_for_root(doc).content
+        if doc.root_document_id is None
+        else doc.content
+    )
     writer.update_document(
         id=doc.pk,
         title=doc.title,
diff --git a/src/documents/tests/test_version_conditionals.py b/src/documents/tests/test_version_conditionals.py
index af82fe4f0..fd24a2a51 100644
--- a/src/documents/tests/test_version_conditionals.py
+++ b/src/documents/tests/test_version_conditionals.py
@@ -3,12 +3,12 @@ from unittest import mock
 
 from django.test import TestCase
 
-from documents.conditionals import _resolve_effective_doc
 from documents.conditionals import metadata_etag
 from documents.conditionals import preview_etag
 from documents.conditionals import thumbnail_last_modified
 from documents.models import Document
 from documents.tests.utils import DirectoriesMixin
+from documents.versioning import resolve_effective_document_by_pk
 
 
 class TestConditionals(DirectoriesMixin, TestCase):
@@ -56,8 +56,12 @@ class TestConditionals(DirectoriesMixin, TestCase):
             query_params={"version": str(other_version.id)},
         )
 
-        self.assertIsNone(_resolve_effective_doc(root.id, invalid_request))
-        self.assertIsNone(_resolve_effective_doc(root.id, unrelated_request))
+        self.assertIsNone(
+            resolve_effective_document_by_pk(root.id, invalid_request).document,
+        )
+        self.assertIsNone(
+            resolve_effective_document_by_pk(root.id, unrelated_request).document,
+        )
 
     def test_thumbnail_last_modified_uses_effective_document_for_cache_key(
         self,
diff --git a/src/documents/versioning.py b/src/documents/versioning.py
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..c45715350
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/documents/versioning.py
@@ -0,0 +1,120 @@
+from __future__ import annotations
+
+from dataclasses import dataclass
+from enum import Enum
+from typing import Any
+
+from documents.models import Document
+
+
+class VersionResolutionError(str, Enum):
+    INVALID = "invalid"
+    NOT_FOUND = "not_found"
+
+
+@dataclass(frozen=True)
+class VersionResolution:
+    document: Document | None
+    error: VersionResolutionError | None = None
+
+
+def _document_manager(*, include_deleted: bool) -> Any:
+    return Document.global_objects if include_deleted else Document.objects
+
+
+def get_request_version_param(request: Any) -> str | None:
+    if hasattr(request, "query_params"):
+        return request.query_params.get("version")
+    return None
+
+
+def get_root_document(doc: Document, *, include_deleted: bool = False) -> Document:
+    # Use root_document_id to avoid a query when this is already a root.
+    # If root_document isn't available, fall back to the document itself.
+    if doc.root_document_id is None:
+        return doc
+    if doc.root_document is not None:
+        return doc.root_document
+
+    manager = _document_manager(include_deleted=include_deleted)
+    root_doc = manager.only("id").filter(id=doc.root_document_id).first()
+    return root_doc or doc
+
+
+def get_latest_version_for_root(
+    root_doc: Document,
+    *,
+    include_deleted: bool = False,
+) -> Document:
+    manager = _document_manager(include_deleted=include_deleted)
+    latest = manager.filter(root_document=root_doc).order_by("-id").first()
+    return latest or root_doc
+
+
+def resolve_requested_version_for_root(
+    root_doc: Document,
+    request: Any,
+    *,
+    include_deleted: bool = False,
+) -> VersionResolution:
+    version_param = get_request_version_param(request)
+    if not version_param:
+        return VersionResolution(
+            document=get_latest_version_for_root(
+                root_doc,
+                include_deleted=include_deleted,
+            ),
+        )
+
+    try:
+        version_id = int(version_param)
+    except (TypeError, ValueError):
+        return VersionResolution(document=None, error=VersionResolutionError.INVALID)
+
+    manager = _document_manager(include_deleted=include_deleted)
+    candidate = manager.only("id", "root_document_id").filter(id=version_id).first()
+    if candidate is None:
+        return VersionResolution(document=None, error=VersionResolutionError.NOT_FOUND)
+    if candidate.id != root_doc.id and candidate.root_document_id != root_doc.id:
+        return VersionResolution(document=None, error=VersionResolutionError.NOT_FOUND)
+    return VersionResolution(document=candidate)
+
+
+def resolve_effective_document(
+    request_doc: Document,
+    request: Any,
+    *,
+    include_deleted: bool = False,
+) -> VersionResolution:
+    root_doc = get_root_document(request_doc, include_deleted=include_deleted)
+    if get_request_version_param(request) is not None:
+        return resolve_requested_version_for_root(
+            root_doc,
+            request,
+            include_deleted=include_deleted,
+        )
+    if request_doc.root_document_id is None:
+        return VersionResolution(
+            document=get_latest_version_for_root(
+                root_doc,
+                include_deleted=include_deleted,
+            ),
+        )
+    return VersionResolution(document=request_doc)
+
+
+def resolve_effective_document_by_pk(
+    pk: int,
+    request: Any,
+    *,
+    include_deleted: bool = False,
+) -> VersionResolution:
+    manager = _document_manager(include_deleted=include_deleted)
+    request_doc = manager.only("id", "root_document_id").filter(pk=pk).first()
+    if request_doc is None:
+        return VersionResolution(document=None, error=VersionResolutionError.NOT_FOUND)
+    return resolve_effective_document(
+        request_doc,
+        request,
+        include_deleted=include_deleted,
+    )
diff --git a/src/documents/views.py b/src/documents/views.py
index 315da3b81..8a6401943 100644
--- a/src/documents/views.py
+++ b/src/documents/views.py
@@ -206,6 +206,11 @@ from documents.tasks import sanity_check
 from documents.tasks import train_classifier
 from documents.tasks import update_document_parent_tags
 from documents.utils import get_boolean
+from documents.versioning import VersionResolutionError
+from documents.versioning import get_latest_version_for_root
+from documents.versioning import get_request_version_param
+from documents.versioning import get_root_document
+from documents.versioning import resolve_requested_version_for_root
 from paperless import version
 from paperless.celery import app as celery_app
 from paperless.config import AIConfig
@@ -834,14 +839,6 @@ class DocumentViewSet(
         )
         return super().get_serializer(*args, **kwargs)
 
-    @staticmethod
-    def _get_root_doc(doc: Document) -> Document:
-        # Use root_document_id to avoid a query when this is already a root.
-        # If root_document isn't available, fall back to the document itself.
-        if doc.root_document_id is None:
-            return doc
-        return doc.root_document or doc
-
     @extend_schema(
         operation_id="documents_root",
         responses=inline_serializer(
@@ -861,7 +858,7 @@ class DocumentViewSet(
         except Document.DoesNotExist:
             raise Http404
 
-        root_doc = self._get_root_doc(doc)
+        root_doc = get_root_document(doc)
         if request.user is not None and not has_perms_owner_aware(
             request.user,
             "view_document",
@@ -896,7 +893,7 @@ class DocumentViewSet(
         content_doc = (
             self._resolve_file_doc(root_doc, request)
             if "version" in request.query_params
-            else self._get_latest_doc_for_root(root_doc)
+            else get_latest_version_for_root(root_doc)
         )
         content_updated = "content" in request.data
         updated_content = request.data.get("content") if content_updated else None
@@ -967,31 +964,18 @@ class DocumentViewSet(
         )
 
     def _resolve_file_doc(self, root_doc: Document, request):
-        version_param = request.query_params.get("version")
-        if version_param:
-            try:
-                version_id = int(version_param)
-            except (TypeError, ValueError):
+        if get_request_version_param(request):
+            resolution = resolve_requested_version_for_root(
+                root_doc,
+                request,
+                include_deleted=True,
+            )
+            if resolution.error == VersionResolutionError.INVALID:
                 raise NotFound("Invalid version parameter")
-            try:
-                candidate = Document.global_objects.select_related("owner").get(
-                    id=version_id,
-                )
-            except Document.DoesNotExist:
+            if resolution.document is None:
                 raise Http404
-            if (
-                candidate.id != root_doc.id
-                and candidate.root_document_id != root_doc.id
-            ):
-                raise Http404
-            return candidate
-        latest = Document.objects.filter(root_document=root_doc).order_by("id").last()
-        return latest or root_doc
-
-    @staticmethod
-    def _get_latest_doc_for_root(root_doc: Document) -> Document:
-        latest = Document.objects.filter(root_document=root_doc).order_by("-id").first()
-        return latest or root_doc
+            return resolution.document
+        return get_latest_version_for_root(root_doc)
 
     def _get_effective_file_doc(
         self,
@@ -1015,7 +999,7 @@ class DocumentViewSet(
             "owner",
             "root_document",
         ).get(id=pk)
-        root_doc = self._get_root_doc(request_doc)
+        root_doc = get_root_document(request_doc)
         if request.user is not None and not has_perms_owner_aware(
             request.user,
             "view_document",
@@ -1065,7 +1049,7 @@ class DocumentViewSet(
                 "owner",
                 "root_document",
             ).get(pk=pk)
-            root_doc = self._get_root_doc(request_doc)
+            root_doc = get_root_document(request_doc)
             if request.user is not None and not has_perms_owner_aware(
                 request.user,
                 "view_document",
@@ -1251,7 +1235,7 @@ class DocumentViewSet(
                 "owner",
                 "root_document",
             ).get(id=pk)
-            root_doc = self._get_root_doc(request_doc)
+            root_doc = get_root_document(request_doc)
             if request.user is not None and not has_perms_owner_aware(
                 request.user,
                 "view_document",
@@ -1279,7 +1263,7 @@ class DocumentViewSet(
                 "owner",
                 "root_document",
             ).get(id=pk)
-            root_doc = self._get_root_doc(request_doc)
+            root_doc = get_root_document(request_doc)
             if request.user is not None and not has_perms_owner_aware(
                 request.user,
                 "view_document",
@@ -1672,7 +1656,7 @@ class DocumentViewSet(
                 "owner",
                 "root_document",
             ).get(pk=pk)
-            root_doc = self._get_root_doc(root_doc)
+            root_doc = get_root_document(root_doc)
         except Document.DoesNotExist:
             raise Http404