diff --git a/src/proc/mobject/session/placement-index-query-resolver.cpp b/src/proc/mobject/session/placement-index-query-resolver.cpp
index eb7e9686b..5b06caf73 100644
--- a/src/proc/mobject/session/placement-index-query-resolver.cpp
+++ b/src/proc/mobject/session/placement-index-query-resolver.cpp
@@ -275,26 +275,49 @@ namespace session {
         return qID;
       }
     
+    struct
+    UseThisIndex
+      {
+        UseThisIndex (PlacementIndex& idx) : refIndex_(idx) {}
+        
+        PlacementIndex& refIndex_;  
+        PlacementIndex& operator() (void) { return refIndex_; }
+      };
   } //(END) Helpers
   
   
   
   
-  PlacementIndexQueryResolver::PlacementIndexQueryResolver (PIdx theIndex)
-    : index_(theIndex)
+  PlacementIndexQueryResolver::PlacementIndexQueryResolver (PlacementIndex& theIndex)
+    : _getIndex(UseThisIndex (theIndex))
     {
-      defineHandling<MObject>();
-      defineHandling<Clip>();
-      defineHandling<Effect>();
-                       /////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////TICKET #414
-      
-      defineHandling<mobject::test::DummyMO    >();
-      defineHandling<mobject::test::TestSubMO1 >();
-      defineHandling<mobject::test::TestSubMO2 >();
-      defineHandling<mobject::test::TestSubMO21>();
-                       /////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////TICKET #532
+      preGenerateInvocationContext();
     }
   
+  
+  PlacementIndexQueryResolver::PlacementIndexQueryResolver (function<IndexLink> const& accessIndex)
+    : _getIndex(accessIndex)
+    {
+      preGenerateInvocationContext();
+    }
+  
+  
+  void
+  PlacementIndexQueryResolver::preGenerateInvocationContext()
+  {
+    defineHandling<MObject>();
+    defineHandling<Clip>();
+    defineHandling<Effect>();
+                       /////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////TICKET #414
+      
+    defineHandling<mobject::test::DummyMO    >();
+    defineHandling<mobject::test::TestSubMO1 >();
+    defineHandling<mobject::test::TestSubMO2 >();
+    defineHandling<mobject::test::TestSubMO21>();
+                       /////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////TICKET #532
+  }
+      
+
   bool
   PlacementIndexQueryResolver::canHandleQuery(QID qID)  const
   {
@@ -359,12 +382,13 @@ namespace session {
   Explorer*
   PlacementIndexQueryResolver::setupExploration (PID startID, ScopeQueryKind direction)
   {
+    PIdx index = _getIndex(); // access the currently configured PlacementIndex (Session)
     switch (direction)
       {
-      case CONTENTS:  return new DeepExplorer(index_.getReferrers(startID), index_);
-      case CHILDREN:  return new ChildExplorer(index_.getReferrers(startID));
-      case PARENTS:   return new UpExplorer(index_.getScope(startID),index_);
-      case PATH:      return new UpExplorer(index_.find(startID),index_);
+      case CONTENTS:  return new DeepExplorer(index.getReferrers(startID), index);
+      case CHILDREN:  return new ChildExplorer(index.getReferrers(startID));
+      case PARENTS:   return new UpExplorer(index.getScope(startID),index);
+      case PATH:      return new UpExplorer(index.find(startID),index);
       
       default:
         throw lumiera::error::Invalid("unknown query direction");    //////TICKET #197
diff --git a/src/proc/mobject/session/placement-index-query-resolver.hpp b/src/proc/mobject/session/placement-index-query-resolver.hpp
index e4846ec78..7ae60a7b9 100644
--- a/src/proc/mobject/session/placement-index-query-resolver.hpp
+++ b/src/proc/mobject/session/placement-index-query-resolver.hpp
@@ -61,11 +61,15 @@
 #include "proc/mobject/session/query-resolver.hpp"
 #include "proc/mobject/session/scope-query.hpp"
 
+#include <tr1/functional>
 
 
 namespace mobject {
 namespace session {
+ 
+  using std::tr1::function;
   
+  typedef PlacementIndex& IndexLink(void);
   
   class Explorer;
   
@@ -84,9 +88,8 @@ namespace session {
   class PlacementIndexQueryResolver
     : public session::QueryResolver
     {
-      typedef PlacementIndex& PIdx;
       
-      PIdx index_;
+      function<IndexLink> _getIndex;
       
       
       virtual bool canHandleQuery(Goal::QueryID const&)  const;
@@ -96,6 +99,8 @@ namespace session {
       
       Explorer* setupExploration (PlacementIndex::ID startID, ScopeQueryKind direction);
       
+      void preGenerateInvocationContext();
+      
       template<typename MO>
       void defineHandling();
         
@@ -104,7 +109,8 @@ namespace session {
       
       
     public:
-      PlacementIndexQueryResolver (PIdx theIndex);
+      PlacementIndexQueryResolver (PlacementIndex& theIndex);
+      PlacementIndexQueryResolver (function<IndexLink> const& accessIndex);
     };
   
   
diff --git a/src/proc/mobject/session/session-impl.hpp b/src/proc/mobject/session/session-impl.hpp
index 2c9bb572a..1c1a255aa 100644
--- a/src/proc/mobject/session/session-impl.hpp
+++ b/src/proc/mobject/session/session-impl.hpp
@@ -136,6 +136,7 @@ namespace session {
   
   
   
+  
   template<class IMPL>
   struct ServiceAccessPoint<SessionServiceExploreScope, IMPL>
     : IMPL
@@ -152,17 +153,30 @@ namespace session {
           return IMPL::getPlacementIndex().getRoot();
         }
       
-    protected:
-      ServiceAccessPoint<SessionServiceExploreScope, IMPL>()
-        : resolvingWrapper_(IMPL::getPlacementIndex())
-        { }
-      
     private:
       PlacementIndexQueryResolver resolvingWrapper_;
+      
+      /** indirection to use the \em currently defined
+       *  index access point (might be a test mock) */
+      struct
+      AccessCurrentIndex
+        {
+          IMPL& accessPoint_;  
+          PlacementIndex& operator() (void) { return accessPoint_.getPlacementIndex(); }
+          
+          AccessCurrentIndex (IMPL& impl) : accessPoint_(impl) { }
+        };
+      
+    protected:
+      ServiceAccessPoint<SessionServiceExploreScope, IMPL>()
+        : resolvingWrapper_(AccessCurrentIndex (*this))
+        { }
     };
   
   
   
+  
+  
   template<class IMPL>
   struct ServiceAccessPoint<SessionServiceMockIndex, IMPL>
     : IMPL
diff --git a/tests/43session.tests b/tests/43session.tests
index 77dc68817..dcc9dc1ae 100644
--- a/tests/43session.tests
+++ b/tests/43session.tests
@@ -6,10 +6,6 @@ PLANNED "AddClip_test" AddClip_test <<END
 END
 
 
-PLANNED "discovering scopes" ScopeQuery_test <<END
-END
-
-
 TEST "DefsManager_test" DefsManager_test <<END
 return: 0
 END
@@ -92,7 +88,13 @@ out: pID\(\w{8,16}\)
 END
 
 
-TEST "PlacementIndex_test" PlacementIndex_test <<END
+TEST "PlacementRef_test" PlacementRef_test <<END
+out: Placement<.+TestSubMO21.> .......... use-cnt=2
+out: specialAPI()
+END
+
+
+TEST "Placement Index" PlacementIndex_test <<END
 out: ^::Placement<.+session.test.TestClip.+ use-cnt=2
 out: ^ ::Placement<.+session.test.TestClip.+ use-cnt=1
 out: ^ ...1 elements at Level 1
@@ -107,9 +109,19 @@ out: ^...3 elements at Level 0
 END
 
 
-TEST "PlacementRef_test" PlacementRef_test <<END
-out: Placement<.+TestSubMO21.> .......... use-cnt=2
-out: specialAPI()
+TEST "Querying the index" PlacementIndexQuery_test <<END
+out: explore contents depth-first...
+out: Placement<.+TestSubMO21.> .......... use-cnt=1
+out: Placement<.+TestSubMO2.> ........... use-cnt=1
+out: Placement<.+TestSubMO1.> ........... use-cnt=1
+out: Placement<.+DummyMO.> ............... use-cnt=1
+out: path to root starting at Placement<.+TestSubMO1
+out: Placement<.+TestSubMO2.> ........... use-cnt=1
+out: Placement<.+session.Label.> .............. use-cnt=1
+END
+
+
+PLANNED "discovering scopes" ScopeQuery_test <<END
 END
 
 
diff --git a/tests/components/proc/mobject/session/placement-index-query-test.cpp b/tests/components/proc/mobject/session/placement-index-query-test.cpp
index ff39ffe3c..c7c39753f 100644
--- a/tests/components/proc/mobject/session/placement-index-query-test.cpp
+++ b/tests/components/proc/mobject/session/placement-index-query-test.cpp
@@ -92,10 +92,12 @@ namespace test    {
           PlacementMO& root = index->getRoot();          
           PlacementIndexQueryResolver resolver(*index);
           
+          cout << "explore contents depth-first..." << endl;
           discover (ContentsQuery<MObject> (resolver,root));
           
           PlacementMO& elm = *ContentsQuery<TestSubMO1>(resolver,root);                  ////////////////////// TICKET #532
           
+          cout << "path to root starting at " << string(elm) << endl;
           discover (PathQuery<MObject> (resolver,elm));
         }