[GH-ISSUE #17366] issue: Emitting multiple citations merges them into one source #56923

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GiteaMirror · 2026-05-05T20:14:41-05:00

GiteaMirror commented

2026-05-05 20:14:41 -05:00

Originally created by @peterpresenter on GitHub (Sep 11, 2025).
Original GitHub issue: https://github.com/open-webui/open-webui/issues/17366

Check Existing Issues

I have searched for any existing and/or related issues.
I have searched for any existing and/or related discussions.
I am using the latest version of Open WebUI.

Installation Method

Docker

Open WebUI Version

v0.6.28

Ollama Version (if applicable)

No response

Operating System

Windows 11

Browser (if applicable)

No response

Confirmation

I have read and followed all instructions in README.md.
I am using the latest version of both Open WebUI and Ollama.
I have included the browser console logs.
I have included the Docker container logs.
I have provided every relevant configuration, setting, and environment variable used in my setup.
I have clearly listed every relevant configuration, custom setting, environment variable, and command-line option that influences my setup (such as Docker Compose overrides, .env values, browser settings, authentication configurations, etc).
I have documented step-by-step reproduction instructions that are precise, sequential, and leave nothing to interpretation. My steps:
Start with the initial platform/version/OS and dependencies used,
Specify exact install/launch/configure commands,
List URLs visited, user input (incl. example values/emails/passwords if needed),
Describe all options and toggles enabled or changed,
Include any files or environmental changes,
Identify the expected and actual result at each stage,
Ensure any reasonably skilled user can follow and hit the same issue.

Expected Behavior

After emitting multiple citation events in Tool usage it should show multiple different sources below the message.

Actual Behavior

Multiple citations are merged into one source and content is appended to the first one source.

Steps to Reproduce

Run open-webui in docker:
docker run -d -p 3000:8080 -v open-webui:/app/backend/data --name open-webui_test ghcr.io/open-webui/open-webui:v0.6.28
Add following Tool code:

import os
import requests
from pydantic import Field
import time


class Tools:
    def __init__(self):
        self.name = "HybridSearchTool"
        self.citation = False

    async def SearchWithoutDates(
        self,
        user_query: str = Field(
            ...,
            description="User query to perform full hybrid search.",
        ),
        __event_emitter__=None,
    ) -> str:
        """
        Hybrid search tool without limiting results to specific date ranges.
        """
        await __event_emitter__(
            {
                "type": "status",
                "data": {
                    "status": "in_progress",
                    "level": "info",
                    "description": "🔍 Calling hybrid search tool without limiting results to specific date ranges...",
                    "done": False,
                },
            }
        )
        time.sleep(3)
        for i in range(10):
            doc_id = "id" + str(i)
            doc_date = "2025-01-01"
            doc_name = "name" + str(i)
            chunk_text = "text" + str(i)

            # Construct metadata and source
            metadata = [
                {
                    "date_accessed": doc_date,
                    "source": f"Document {doc_name} ({doc_id})",
                    "title": f"Document {doc_name} ({doc_id})",
                }
            ]

            source_url = "https://example.com/doc" + str(i)

            # Build citation dictionary
            citation = {
                "type": "citation",
                "data": {
                    "document": [chunk_text],
                    "metadata": [metadata],
                    "source": {
                        "name": f"Document {doc_name} ({doc_id})",
                        "url": source_url,
                    },
                },
            }

            # Emit the citation 
            await __event_emitter__(citation)
            
        await __event_emitter__(
            {
                "type": "status",
                "data": {
                    "status": "complete",
                    "level": "info",
                    "description": "✅ Finished hybrid search tool call.",
                    "done": True,
                },
            }
        )
        return "EXAMPLE"

Enable tool and write query

Logs & Screenshots

Additional Information

No response

Originally created by @peterpresenter on GitHub (Sep 11, 2025). Original GitHub issue: https://github.com/open-webui/open-webui/issues/17366 ### Check Existing Issues - [x] I have searched for any existing and/or related issues. - [x] I have searched for any existing and/or related discussions. - [x] I am using the latest version of Open WebUI. ### Installation Method Docker ### Open WebUI Version v0.6.28 ### Ollama Version (if applicable) _No response_ ### Operating System Windows 11 ### Browser (if applicable) _No response_ ### Confirmation - [x] I have read and followed all instructions in `README.md`. - [x] I am using the latest version of **both** Open WebUI and Ollama. - [x] I have included the browser console logs. - [x] I have included the Docker container logs. - [x] I have **provided every relevant configuration, setting, and environment variable used in my setup.** - [x] I have clearly **listed every relevant configuration, custom setting, environment variable, and command-line option that influences my setup** (such as Docker Compose overrides, .env values, browser settings, authentication configurations, etc). - [x] I have documented **step-by-step reproduction instructions that are precise, sequential, and leave nothing to interpretation**. My steps: - Start with the initial platform/version/OS and dependencies used, - Specify exact install/launch/configure commands, - List URLs visited, user input (incl. example values/emails/passwords if needed), - Describe all options and toggles enabled or changed, - Include any files or environmental changes, - Identify the expected and actual result at each stage, - Ensure any reasonably skilled user can follow and hit the same issue. ### Expected Behavior After emitting multiple citation events in Tool usage it should show multiple different sources below the message. ### Actual Behavior Multiple citations are merged into one source and content is appended to the first one source. ### Steps to Reproduce 1. Run open-webui in docker: `docker run -d -p 3000:8080 -v open-webui:/app/backend/data --name open-webui_test ghcr.io/open-webui/open-webui:v0.6.28` 2. Add following Tool code: ``` import os import requests from pydantic import Field import time class Tools: def __init__(self): self.name = "HybridSearchTool" self.citation = False async def SearchWithoutDates( self, user_query: str = Field( ..., description="User query to perform full hybrid search.", ), __event_emitter__=None, ) -> str: """ Hybrid search tool without limiting results to specific date ranges. """ await __event_emitter__( { "type": "status", "data": { "status": "in_progress", "level": "info", "description": "🔍 Calling hybrid search tool without limiting results to specific date ranges...", "done": False, }, } ) time.sleep(3) for i in range(10): doc_id = "id" + str(i) doc_date = "2025-01-01" doc_name = "name" + str(i) chunk_text = "text" + str(i) # Construct metadata and source metadata = [ { "date_accessed": doc_date, "source": f"Document {doc_name} ({doc_id})", "title": f"Document {doc_name} ({doc_id})", } ] source_url = "https://example.com/doc" + str(i) # Build citation dictionary citation = { "type": "citation", "data": { "document": [chunk_text], "metadata": [metadata], "source": { "name": f"Document {doc_name} ({doc_id})", "url": source_url, }, }, } # Emit the citation await __event_emitter__(citation) await __event_emitter__( { "type": "status", "data": { "status": "complete", "level": "info", "description": "✅ Finished hybrid search tool call.", "done": True, }, } ) return "EXAMPLE" ``` 3. Enable tool and write query ### Logs & Screenshots <img width="1056" height="421" alt="Image" src="https://github.com/user-attachments/assets/d99e7258-4301-4e02-b74e-2dd636aac0b1" /> <img width="917" height="115" alt="Image" src="https://github.com/user-attachments/assets/65f9f38d-f5dd-4326-846a-8a2dd554fdc2" /> <img width="923" height="455" alt="Image" src="https://github.com/user-attachments/assets/e2dfeec0-ab8d-49b1-981e-8b064c1b6f70" /> ### Additional Information _No response_

GiteaMirror added the bug label 2026-05-05 20:14:41 -05:00

GiteaMirror closed this issue

2026-05-05 20:14:44 -05:00

GiteaMirror commented

2026-05-05 20:14:49 -05:00

@tjbck commented on GitHub (Sep 11, 2025):

Intended behaviour, same id should be merged

@tjbck commented on GitHub (Sep 11, 2025): Intended behaviour, same id should be merged

GiteaMirror commented

2026-05-05 20:14:50 -05:00

@niksubramanian commented on GitHub (Nov 4, 2025):

@tjbck I've ran into the same issue - in the case presented above, there are clearly different ids used for every single field, no?

If it does work as intended, could you clarify which field is used to group?

Thank you, openwebui is a fantastic tool!

@niksubramanian commented on GitHub (Nov 4, 2025): @tjbck I've ran into the same issue - in the case presented above, there are clearly different ids used for every single field, no? If it does work as intended, could you clarify which field is used to group? Thank you, openwebui is a fantastic tool!

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Reference: github-starred/open-webui#56923