diff --git a/packages/bub-tapestore-otel/src/bub_tapestore_otel/_compat.py b/packages/bub-tapestore-otel/src/bub_tapestore_otel/_compat.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..e3be81b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/bub-tapestore-otel/src/bub_tapestore_otel/_compat.py
@@ -0,0 +1,16 @@
+"""Tape types resolved across bub versions.
+
+bub >= 0.3.10 vendors the tape module as ``bub.tape`` and constructs entries
+from it; older bub sources tapes from ``republic``. Import tape types from
+this module so the whole package agrees on a single resolution order.
+"""
+
+from __future__ import annotations
+
+try:
+    from bub.tape import AsyncTapeStore, TapeEntry, TapeQuery, TapeStore
+except ImportError:
+    from republic import TapeEntry, TapeQuery
+    from republic.tape import AsyncTapeStore, TapeStore
+
+__all__ = ["AsyncTapeStore", "TapeEntry", "TapeQuery", "TapeStore"]
diff --git a/packages/bub-tapestore-otel/src/bub_tapestore_otel/exporter.py b/packages/bub-tapestore-otel/src/bub_tapestore_otel/exporter.py
index 79d44ea..b9f4308 100644
--- a/packages/bub-tapestore-otel/src/bub_tapestore_otel/exporter.py
+++ b/packages/bub-tapestore-otel/src/bub_tapestore_otel/exporter.py
@@ -8,8 +8,9 @@
 from typing import Any
 
 from loguru import logger
-from pydantic import BaseModel, ConfigDict, Field
-from republic import TapeEntry
+from pydantic import BaseModel, ConfigDict, Field, SkipValidation
+
+from bub_tapestore_otel._compat import TapeEntry
 
 FORCE_FLUSH_TIMEOUT_MS = 3_000
 DEFAULT_AGENT_NAME = "bub"
@@ -48,7 +49,9 @@ class TraceMessage(TapeProjectionModel):
 
 class TraceProjection(TapeProjectionModel):
     tape: str
-    entries: list[TapeEntry]
+    # entries may be instances of either bub.tape's or republic's TapeEntry;
+    # validating class identity would silently drop every span on a mismatch.
+    entries: list[SkipValidation[TapeEntry]]
     input_messages: list[TraceMessage]
     output_messages: list[TraceMessage]
     tool_calls: list[ToolCall]
diff --git a/packages/bub-tapestore-otel/src/bub_tapestore_otel/store.py b/packages/bub-tapestore-otel/src/bub_tapestore_otel/store.py
index 5c8be4f..7b3de19 100644
--- a/packages/bub-tapestore-otel/src/bub_tapestore_otel/store.py
+++ b/packages/bub-tapestore-otel/src/bub_tapestore_otel/store.py
@@ -1,12 +1,12 @@
 from __future__ import annotations
 
+import inspect
 from collections.abc import Iterable
 from typing import Protocol
 
 from loguru import logger
-from republic import AsyncTapeStore, TapeEntry, TapeQuery
-from republic.tape import TapeStore
-from republic.tape.store import is_async_tape_store
+
+from bub_tapestore_otel._compat import AsyncTapeStore, TapeEntry, TapeQuery, TapeStore
 
 
 class TapeExporter(Protocol):
@@ -23,17 +23,17 @@ def __init__(self, inner: TapeStore | AsyncTapeStore, exporter: TapeExporter) ->
         self._exporter = exporter
 
     async def list_tapes(self) -> list[str]:
-        if is_async_tape_store(self._inner):
+        if _is_async_tape_store(self._inner):
             return await self._inner.list_tapes()
         return self._inner.list_tapes()
 
     async def fetch_all(self, query: TapeQuery[AsyncTapeStore]) -> Iterable[TapeEntry]:
-        if is_async_tape_store(self._inner):
+        if _is_async_tape_store(self._inner):
             return await self._inner.fetch_all(query)
         return self._inner.fetch_all(query)
 
     async def append(self, tape: str, entry: TapeEntry) -> None:
-        if is_async_tape_store(self._inner):
+        if _is_async_tape_store(self._inner):
             await self._inner.append(tape, entry)
         else:
             self._inner.append(tape, entry)
@@ -43,7 +43,7 @@ async def append(self, tape: str, entry: TapeEntry) -> None:
             logger.opt(exception=True).warning("tapestore.otel.export_failed action=append tape={}", tape)
 
     async def reset(self, tape: str) -> None:
-        if is_async_tape_store(self._inner):
+        if _is_async_tape_store(self._inner):
             await self._inner.reset(tape)
         else:
             self._inner.reset(tape)
@@ -51,3 +51,7 @@ async def reset(self, tape: str) -> None:
             self._exporter.reset(tape)
         except Exception:
             logger.opt(exception=True).warning("tapestore.otel.export_failed action=reset tape={}", tape)
+
+
+def _is_async_tape_store(store: TapeStore | AsyncTapeStore) -> bool:
+    return inspect.iscoroutinefunction(store.append)
diff --git a/packages/bub-tapestore-otel/tests/test_exporter.py b/packages/bub-tapestore-otel/tests/test_exporter.py
index 6f9b474..d2025ee 100644
--- a/packages/bub-tapestore-otel/tests/test_exporter.py
+++ b/packages/bub-tapestore-otel/tests/test_exporter.py
@@ -3,8 +3,8 @@
 from types import SimpleNamespace
 
 import bub_tapestore_otel.exporter as exporter
+from bub_tapestore_otel._compat import TapeEntry
 from bub_tapestore_otel.exporter import OTelTapeExporter, _instrument_trace, _should_flush_batch, build_tape_trace
-from republic import TapeEntry
 
 
 def test_build_tape_trace_exports_genai_and_openinference_llm_attributes() -> None:
@@ -129,6 +129,25 @@ def test_build_tape_trace_falls_back_to_prompt_when_messages_are_missing() -> No
     assert trace.llm_attributes["llm.input_messages.0.message.content"] == "plain prompt"
 
 
+def test_build_tape_trace_accepts_entries_from_a_foreign_tape_entry_class() -> None:
+    # bub >= 0.3.10 constructs entries from bub.tape while older installs use
+    # republic's TapeEntry; validating class identity here would silently drop
+    # every span on a mismatch.
+    entry = SimpleNamespace(
+        kind="event",
+        payload={"name": "loop.step", "data": {"status": "ok", "elapsed_ms": 42}},
+        id="entry-1",
+        date="2026-07-07T00:00:00Z",
+    )
+
+    trace = build_tape_trace("drift__1", [entry])
+
+    assert trace.entries == [entry]
+    assert trace.status == "ok"
+    assert trace.duration_ms == 42
+    assert exporter._step_span_attributes(trace.steps[0])["bub.tape.entry.first_id"] == "entry-1"
+
+
 def test_batch_flushes_on_completed_tape_turn_markers() -> None:
     assert _should_flush_batch(TapeEntry.event("loop.step", data={"status": "ok"}))
     assert _should_flush_batch(TapeEntry.event("loop.step", data={"status": "error"}))
diff --git a/packages/bub-tapestore-otel/tests/test_store.py b/packages/bub-tapestore-otel/tests/test_store.py
index ba43563..7794d25 100644
--- a/packages/bub-tapestore-otel/tests/test_store.py
+++ b/packages/bub-tapestore-otel/tests/test_store.py
@@ -3,8 +3,8 @@
 from collections.abc import Iterable
 
 import pytest
+from bub_tapestore_otel._compat import TapeEntry, TapeQuery
 from bub_tapestore_otel.store import OTelTapeStore
-from republic import TapeEntry, TapeQuery
 
 
 class MemoryStore:
diff --git a/packages/bub-tapestore-sqlite/src/bub_tapestore_sqlite/store.py b/packages/bub-tapestore-sqlite/src/bub_tapestore_sqlite/store.py
index a36326e..97ca7f2 100644
--- a/packages/bub-tapestore-sqlite/src/bub_tapestore_sqlite/store.py
+++ b/packages/bub-tapestore-sqlite/src/bub_tapestore_sqlite/store.py
@@ -7,10 +7,9 @@
 from typing import Any
 
 import aiosqlite
-import bub
 import sqlite_vec
 from any_llm import AnyLLM
-from republic import RepublicError, TapeContext, TapeEntry, TapeQuery
+from republic import RepublicError, TapeEntry, TapeQuery
 from republic.core.errors import ErrorKind
 
 ALLOWED_JOURNAL_MODES = {"DELETE", "TRUNCATE", "PERSIST", "MEMORY", "WAL", "OFF"}
@@ -50,15 +49,8 @@ def __init__(
         synchronous: str = "NORMAL",
         embedding_model: str | None = None,
     ) -> None:
-        from bub.builtin.agent import _build_llm
-        from bub.builtin.settings import AgentSettings
-
         self._path = Path(path)
-        self._llm = _build_llm(  # type: ignore[arg-type]
-            bub.ensure_config(AgentSettings),
-            self,
-            TapeContext(),
-        )
+        self._embedding_client: AnyLLM | None = None
         self._path.parent.mkdir(parents=True, exist_ok=True)
         self._busy_timeout_ms = busy_timeout_ms
         self._journal_mode = normalize_journal_mode(journal_mode)
@@ -200,9 +192,10 @@ async def fetch_all(self, query: TapeQuery) -> Iterable[TapeEntry]:
     async def _compute_embedding(self, texts: list[str]) -> list[list[float]]:
         if self._embedding_model is None:
             raise RuntimeError("No embedding model configured for tape store.")
-        provider, model = self._embedding_model.split(":", 1)
-        llm: AnyLLM = self._llm._core.get_client(provider)
-        response = await llm.aembedding(model, texts)
+        if self._embedding_client is None:
+            self._embedding_client = _build_embedding_client(self._embedding_model)
+        _, model = AnyLLM.split_model_provider(self._embedding_model)
+        response = await self._embedding_client.aembedding(model, texts)
         return self._embedding_response_to_vectors(response)
 
     async def _fetch_by_semantic_query(
@@ -796,3 +789,11 @@ def _raise_missing_for_query(query: TapeQuery) -> None:
             raise RepublicError(
                 ErrorKind.NOT_FOUND, f"Anchor '{query._after_anchor}' was not found."
             )
+
+
+def _build_embedding_client(embedding_model: str) -> AnyLLM:
+    from bub.builtin.settings import load_settings
+
+    provider, _ = AnyLLM.split_model_provider(embedding_model)
+    settings = load_settings()
+    return AnyLLM.create(provider, **settings.model_client_kwargs(provider))
diff --git a/packages/bub-tapestore-sqlite/tests/test_store.py b/packages/bub-tapestore-sqlite/tests/test_store.py
index 4912ebf..70b3e0b 100644
--- a/packages/bub-tapestore-sqlite/tests/test_store.py
+++ b/packages/bub-tapestore-sqlite/tests/test_store.py
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@
 from types import SimpleNamespace
 
 import pytest
-from republic import RepublicError, TapeContext, TapeEntry, TapeQuery
+from republic import RepublicError, TapeEntry, TapeQuery
 
 from bub_tapestore_sqlite.store import SQLiteTapeStore
 
@@ -29,23 +29,15 @@ def _embedding_response(vectors: list[list[float]]) -> SimpleNamespace:
 
 
 def _mock_embedding_client(monkeypatch, fake_aembedding):
-    from bub.builtin import agent as agent_module
-
-    build_calls: list[TapeContext] = []
-
-    def fake_build_llm(settings, tape_store, tape_context):
-        del settings, tape_store
-        assert isinstance(tape_context, TapeContext)
-        build_calls.append(tape_context)
-        return SimpleNamespace(
-            _core=SimpleNamespace(
-                get_client=lambda provider: SimpleNamespace(
-                    aembedding=fake_aembedding,
-                )
-            )
-        )
+    import bub_tapestore_sqlite.store as store_module
+
+    build_calls: list[str] = []
+
+    def fake_build_embedding_client(embedding_model: str):
+        build_calls.append(embedding_model)
+        return SimpleNamespace(aembedding=fake_aembedding)
 
-    monkeypatch.setattr(agent_module, "_build_llm", fake_build_llm)
+    monkeypatch.setattr(store_module, "_build_embedding_client", fake_build_embedding_client)
     return build_calls