diff --git a/DESCRIPTION b/DESCRIPTION
index c444cccf..060be803 100644
--- a/DESCRIPTION
+++ b/DESCRIPTION
@@ -37,7 +37,7 @@ Imports:
     graph,
     Matrix,
     methods,
-    Rarr,
+    Rarr (>= 2.1.9),
     RBGL,
     rlang,
     sf,
diff --git a/R/read.R b/R/read.R
index d59a5215..f56e0054 100644
--- a/R/read.R
+++ b/R/read.R
@@ -51,8 +51,15 @@ NULL
     # https://ngff.openmicroscopy.org/specifications/0.5/index.html#images
     # The name of the array is arbitrary with the ordering defined by
     # by the "multiscales" metadata, but is often a sequence starting at 0.
-    ds <- .validate_multiscales_paths(x, datasets(mdattr))
-    ds <- file.path(x, as.character(ds))
+    if (!any(startsWith(x, c("http://", "https://", "s3://")))) {
+      # Until we have a complete store interface (https://github.com/Huber-group-EMBL/Rarr/pull/176),
+      # only local objects can be fully validated.
+      ds <- .validate_multiscales_paths(x, datasets(mdattr))
+    } else {
+      # For remote objects, we skip validation and assume that the datasets are in the expected location.
+      ds <- datasets(mdattr)
+    } 
+    ds <- paste0(x, ds)
     as <- lapply(ds, ZarrArray)
     list(array=as, mdattr=mdattr)
 }
@@ -77,7 +84,7 @@ readLabel <- function(x, ...) {
 #' @importFrom dplyr sql
 #' @export
 readPoint <- function(x, ...) {
-    pq <- list.files(x, "\\.parquet$", full.names=TRUE)
+    pq <- paste0(x, file.path("points.parquet", "part.0.parquet"))
     md <- read_zarr_attributes(x)
     ax <- unlist(md$axes)
     df <- ddbs_open_dataset(pq, conn=.conn()) |>
@@ -94,7 +101,8 @@ readPoint <- function(x, ...) {
 #' @export
 readShape <- function(x, ...) {
     md <- read_zarr_attributes(x)
-    pq <- list.files(x, "\\.parquet$", full.names=TRUE)
+    # "shapes.parquet" currently hardcoded in SpatialData.io
+    pq <- paste0(x, "shapes.parquet")
     df <- ddbs_open_dataset(pq, conn=.conn(), crs=NA_character_)
     attr(df, "source_path") <- pq
     SpatialDataShape(data=df, meta=SpatialDataAttrs(md))
@@ -134,11 +142,26 @@ readSpatialData <- function(x,
     args <- as.list(environment())[.LAYERS]
     skip <- vapply(args, isFALSE, logical(1))
     
+    x <- Rarr:::.normalize_array_path(x)
+    store_meta <- Rarr:::.read_consolidated_metadata(x)$metadata
+    if (is.null(store_meta)) {
+      store_meta <- Rarr::consolidate_metadata(x, action = "return")
+    }
+
+    # We have to treat v2 and v3 separately in the next 3 lines but we unify them again as `store_groups`.
+    store_groups_v3 <- store_meta[vapply(store_meta, \(.) !is.null(.$node_type) && .$node_type == "group", logical(1))]
+    store_groups_v2 <- store_meta[endsWith(names(store_meta), ".zgroup")]
+    names(store_groups_v2) <- dirname(names(store_groups_v2))
+    store_groups <- names(c(store_groups_v3, store_groups_v2))
+    
     # helper for layer reading
     .readLayer <- \(l) {
-        # 'j' are the paths on disk, 'nms' are their basenames
-        j <- list.dirs(file.path(x, l), recursive=FALSE, full.names=TRUE)
-        nms <- names(j) <- basename(j)
+        j <- store_groups[startsWith(store_groups, paste0(l, "/"))]
+        j <- setNames(
+            paste0(x, j, "/", recycle0 = TRUE),
+            basename(j)
+        )
+        
         opt <- args[[l]]
         if (!isTRUE(opt)) {
             # validate each requested element
diff --git a/inst/extdata/blobs.zarr/zmetadata b/inst/extdata/blobs.zarr/.zmetadata
similarity index 100%
rename from inst/extdata/blobs.zarr/zmetadata
rename to inst/extdata/blobs.zarr/.zmetadata
diff --git a/tests/testthat/test-read.R b/tests/testthat/test-read.R
index 433342d1..367a3a6d 100644
--- a/tests/testthat/test-read.R
+++ b/tests/testthat/test-read.R
@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@ test_that("readElement()", {
     for (l in names(typ)) {
         f <- paste0(toupper(substr(l, 1, 1)), substr(l, 2, nchar(l)-1))
         y <- list.files(file.path(x, l), full.names=TRUE)[1]
+        y <- paste0(y, "/", recycle0 = TRUE)
         expect_is(get(paste0("read", f))(y), typ[l])
     }
 })