diff --git a/src/filefetchjob.h b/src/filefetchjob.h
--- a/src/filefetchjob.h
+++ b/src/filefetchjob.h
@@ -23,14 +23,21 @@
 
 #include <KJob>
 #include <QVariantMap>
+#include "ondemandextractor.h"
 
 namespace Baloo {
 
 class FileFetchJob : public KJob
 {
     Q_OBJECT
 public:
-    explicit FileFetchJob(const QStringList& urls, bool canEditAll, QObject* parent = nullptr);
+    enum class UseRealtimeIndexing : char {
+        Disabled = 0,
+        Only,
+        Fallback
+    };
+    explicit FileFetchJob(const QStringList& urls, bool canEditAll,
+        UseRealtimeIndexing useRealtime, QObject* parent = nullptr);
 
     QList<QVariantMap> data() const;
     bool canEditAll() const;
@@ -44,6 +51,8 @@
     QStringList m_urls;
     QList<QVariantMap> m_data;
     bool m_canEditAll;
+    UseRealtimeIndexing m_useRealtime;
+    Private::OnDemandExtractor m_extractor;
 };
 }
 
diff --git a/src/filefetchjob.cpp b/src/filefetchjob.cpp
--- a/src/filefetchjob.cpp
+++ b/src/filefetchjob.cpp
@@ -20,6 +20,7 @@
 
 #include "filefetchjob.h"
 #include "filemetadatautil_p.h"
+#include "widgetsdebug.h"
 
 #include <QFileInfo>
 #include <QTimer>
@@ -29,10 +30,12 @@
 
 using namespace Baloo;
 
-FileFetchJob::FileFetchJob(const QStringList& urls, bool canEditAll, QObject* parent)
+FileFetchJob::FileFetchJob(const QStringList& urls, bool canEditAll,
+    FileFetchJob::UseRealtimeIndexing useRealtime, QObject* parent)
     : KJob(parent)
     , m_urls(urls)
     , m_canEditAll(canEditAll)
+    , m_useRealtime(useRealtime)
 {
 }
 
@@ -44,24 +47,43 @@
 void FileFetchJob::doStart()
 {
     for (const QString& filePath : m_urls) {
-        Baloo::File file(filePath);
-        file.load();
 
-        QVariantMap prop = Baloo::Private::toNamedVariantMap(file.properties());
+        bool extractorRunning = false;
+        KFileMetaData::PropertyMap fileProperties;
+
+        // UseRealtimeIndexing::Fallback: try DB first, then filesystem
+        // UseRealtimeIndexing::Disabled: DB contents only
+        // UseRealtimeIndexing::Only:     DB disabled, use filesystem
+        if (m_useRealtime != UseRealtimeIndexing::Only) {
+            Baloo::File file(filePath);
+            file.load();
+            fileProperties = file.properties();
+            qCDebug(WIDGETS) << filePath << "DB properties:" << fileProperties;
+        }
+        if (fileProperties.empty() && m_useRealtime != UseRealtimeIndexing::Disabled) {
+            extractorRunning = true;
+            m_extractor.process(filePath);
+        }
+
+        QVariantMap prop;
         KFileMetaData::UserMetaData umd(filePath);
 
         if (umd.isSupported()) {
-            // FIXME - check writable
-
-            QVariantMap attributes = Baloo::Private::convertUserMetaData(umd);
-            prop.unite(attributes);
+            prop = Baloo::Private::convertUserMetaData(umd);
         } else {
             m_canEditAll = false;
         }
         if (m_canEditAll) {
             m_canEditAll = QFileInfo(filePath).isWritable();
         }
 
+        if (extractorRunning) {
+            m_extractor.waitFinished();
+            fileProperties = m_extractor.properties();
+            qCDebug(WIDGETS) << filePath << "  properties:" << fileProperties;
+        }
+        prop.unite(Baloo::Private::toNamedVariantMap(fileProperties));
+
         m_data << prop;
     }
 
diff --git a/src/filemetadataprovider.cpp b/src/filemetadataprovider.cpp
--- a/src/filemetadataprovider.cpp
+++ b/src/filemetadataprovider.cpp
@@ -343,22 +343,24 @@
         return;
     }
 
-    // Not indexed or only basic file indexing (no content)
     const QString filePath = url.toLocalFile();
+    FileFetchJob* job;
+
+    // Not indexed or only basic file indexing (no content)
     if (!m_config.fileIndexingEnabled() || !m_config.shouldBeIndexed(filePath)
             || m_config.onlyBasicIndexing()) {
         m_realTimeIndexing = true;
 
-        IndexedDataRetriever *ret = new IndexedDataRetriever(filePath, this);
-        connect(ret, &IndexedDataRetriever::finished, this, &FileMetaDataProvider::slotLoadingFinished);
-        ret->start();
+        job = new FileFetchJob(QStringList{filePath}, true,
+            FileFetchJob::UseRealtimeIndexing::Only, this);
 
     // Fully indexed by Baloo
     } else {
-        FileFetchJob* job = new FileFetchJob(QStringList{filePath}, true, this);
-        connect(job, &FileFetchJob::finished, this, &FileMetaDataProvider::slotFileFetchFinished);
-        job->start();
+        job = new FileFetchJob(QStringList{filePath}, true,
+            FileFetchJob::UseRealtimeIndexing::Fallback, this);
     }
+    connect(job, &FileFetchJob::finished, this, &FileMetaDataProvider::slotFileFetchFinished);
+    job->start();
 }
 
 void FileMetaDataProvider::setFileItems()
@@ -383,7 +385,8 @@
         // Editing only if all URLs are local
         bool canEdit = (urls.size() == m_fileItems.size());
 
-        FileFetchJob* job = new FileFetchJob(urls, canEdit, this);
+        FileFetchJob* job = new FileFetchJob(urls, canEdit,
+            FileFetchJob::UseRealtimeIndexing::Disabled, this);
         connect(job, &FileFetchJob::finished, this, &FileMetaDataProvider::slotFileFetchFinished);
         job->start();
 
diff --git a/src/ondemandextractor.h b/src/ondemandextractor.h
--- a/src/ondemandextractor.h
+++ b/src/ondemandextractor.h
@@ -37,6 +37,7 @@
 
     void process(const QString& filePath);
 
+    bool waitFinished();
     KFileMetaData::PropertyMap properties() const;
 
 Q_SIGNALS:
diff --git a/src/ondemandextractor.cpp b/src/ondemandextractor.cpp
--- a/src/ondemandextractor.cpp
+++ b/src/ondemandextractor.cpp
@@ -62,6 +62,11 @@
     emit fileFinished(QProcess::NormalExit);
 }
 
+bool OnDemandExtractor::waitFinished()
+{
+    return m_process.waitForFinished();
+}
+
 KFileMetaData::PropertyMap OnDemandExtractor::properties() const
 {
     return m_properties;