diff --git a/src/libhictk/cooler/include/hictk/cooler/impl/multires_cooler_impl.hpp b/src/libhictk/cooler/include/hictk/cooler/impl/multires_cooler_impl.hpp
index cbe072c7..544cba29 100644
--- a/src/libhictk/cooler/include/hictk/cooler/impl/multires_cooler_impl.hpp
+++ b/src/libhictk/cooler/include/hictk/cooler/impl/multires_cooler_impl.hpp
@@ -163,7 +163,7 @@ inline MultiResFile::operator bool() const noexcept { return !!_root_grp; }
 inline std::string MultiResFile::path() const { return (*_root_grp)().getFile().getName(); }
 
 inline auto MultiResFile::chromosomes() const noexcept -> const Reference& {
-  return open(_resolutions.back()).chromosomes();
+  return _chroms;
 }
 
 [[nodiscard]] inline std::uint32_t MultiResFile::compute_base_resolution(
diff --git a/test/units/cooler/multires_cooler_test.cpp b/test/units/cooler/multires_cooler_test.cpp
index 05dad4c9..5fe76e92 100644
--- a/test/units/cooler/multires_cooler_test.cpp
+++ b/test/units/cooler/multires_cooler_test.cpp
@@ -19,6 +19,8 @@ TEST_CASE("MultiResCooler: open read-only", "[cooler][short]") {
 
   auto mclr = MultiResFile(path.string());
 
+  CHECK(mclr.chromosomes().size() == 20);
+  CHECK(mclr.chromosomes().begin()->name() == "1");
   CHECK(mclr.resolutions().size() == 7);
   CHECK(mclr.attributes().format == MCOOL_MAGIC);
   CHECK(mclr.attributes().format_version == 2);