diff --git a/src/main/scala/io/qbeast/spark/internal/QbeastOptions.scala b/src/main/scala/io/qbeast/spark/internal/QbeastOptions.scala
index aff3d2ab4..60218f8e7 100644
--- a/src/main/scala/io/qbeast/spark/internal/QbeastOptions.scala
+++ b/src/main/scala/io/qbeast/spark/internal/QbeastOptions.scala
@@ -25,8 +25,6 @@ object QbeastOptions {
   val PATH = "path"
   val STATS = "columnStats"
 
-  private final val keys = Seq(COLUMNS_TO_INDEX, CUBE_SIZE, PATH, STATS)
-
   /**
    * Gets the columns to index from the options
    * @param options the options passed on the dataframe
@@ -99,10 +97,6 @@ object QbeastOptions {
         }))
   }
 
-  def loadQbeastOptions(options: Map[String, String]): Map[String, String] = {
-    options.filter(keys.contains)
-  }
-
   def checkQbeastOptions(options: Map[String, String]): Unit = {
     require(
       options.contains("columnsToIndex") || options.contains("columnstoindex"),
diff --git a/src/main/scala/io/qbeast/spark/internal/sources/catalog/QbeastCatalogUtils.scala b/src/main/scala/io/qbeast/spark/internal/sources/catalog/QbeastCatalogUtils.scala
index 3cfd40a6e..5f25a216c 100644
--- a/src/main/scala/io/qbeast/spark/internal/sources/catalog/QbeastCatalogUtils.scala
+++ b/src/main/scala/io/qbeast/spark/internal/sources/catalog/QbeastCatalogUtils.scala
@@ -5,14 +5,9 @@ package io.qbeast.spark.internal.sources.catalog
 
 import io.qbeast.context.QbeastContext.metadataManager
 import io.qbeast.core.model.QTableID
-import io.qbeast.spark.internal.QbeastOptions.{
-  COLUMNS_TO_INDEX,
-  CUBE_SIZE,
-  checkQbeastOptions,
-  loadQbeastOptions
-}
+import io.qbeast.spark.internal.QbeastOptions._
 import io.qbeast.spark.internal.sources.v2.QbeastTableImpl
-import io.qbeast.spark.table.{IndexedTable, IndexedTableFactory}
+import io.qbeast.spark.table.{IndexedTableFactory}
 import org.apache.hadoop.fs.{FileSystem, Path}
 import org.apache.spark.sql.catalyst.TableIdentifier
 import org.apache.spark.sql.catalyst.analysis.CannotReplaceMissingTableException
@@ -24,6 +19,7 @@ import org.apache.spark.sql.delta.DeltaLog
 import org.apache.spark.sql.execution.datasources.DataSource
 import org.apache.spark.sql.types.StructType
 import org.apache.spark.sql.{
+  AnalysisException,
   AnalysisExceptionFactory,
   DataFrame,
   SaveMode,
@@ -137,51 +133,6 @@ object QbeastCatalogUtils {
     }
   }
 
-  /**
-   * Loads the Qbeast options if necessary
-   * @param tableType the table type
-   * @param indexedTable the indexed table
-   * @param properties the properties
-   * @return
-   */
-  private def loadQbeastRequiredOptions(
-      tableType: CatalogTableType,
-      indexedTable: IndexedTable,
-      properties: Map[String, String]): Map[String, String] = {
-
-    val isExternal = tableType == CatalogTableType.EXTERNAL
-    val containsColumnsToIndex =
-      properties.contains("columnsToIndex") || properties.contains("columnstoindex")
-    if (isExternal && indexedTable.exists) {
-      // IF the table is EXTERNAL and EXISTS physically,
-      // Check and Add Qbeast Properties
-      (containsColumnsToIndex, indexedTable.isConverted) match {
-        case (false, true) =>
-          // If it does NOT contain Qbeast Properties AND is converted, load the latest revision
-          val qbeastSnapshot = metadataManager.loadSnapshot(indexedTable.tableID)
-          val latestRevision = qbeastSnapshot.loadLatestRevision
-          val columnsToIndex = latestRevision.columnTransformers.map(_.columnName).mkString(",")
-          Map(
-            COLUMNS_TO_INDEX -> columnsToIndex,
-            CUBE_SIZE -> latestRevision.desiredCubeSize.toString)
-        case (_, false) =>
-          // If it is NOT converted, throw error
-          throw AnalysisExceptionFactory.create(
-            "The table you are trying to create is not Qbeast Formatted. " +
-              "Please specify the columns to index and the cube size in the options. " +
-              "You can also use the ConvertToQbeastCommand before creating the table.")
-        case _ =>
-          // If it contains Qbeast Properties, check them
-          checkQbeastOptions(properties)
-          loadQbeastOptions(properties)
-      }
-    } else {
-      // If it's NOT external, check the properties
-      checkQbeastOptions(properties)
-      loadQbeastOptions(properties)
-    }
-  }
-
   /**
    * Creates a Table on the Catalog
    * @param ident the Identifier of the table
@@ -230,8 +181,18 @@ object QbeastCatalogUtils {
 
     // Process the parameters/options/configuration sent to the table
     val indexedTable = tableFactory.getIndexedTable(QTableID(loc.toString))
-    val allProperties =
-      properties ++ loadQbeastRequiredOptions(tableType, indexedTable, properties)
+    val allProperties = {
+      if (tableType == CatalogTableType.EXTERNAL && !indexedTable.isConverted)
+        throw AnalysisExceptionFactory.create("This Table is not converted")
+      else {
+        try {
+          checkQbeastOptions(properties)
+          properties // No options added
+        } catch {
+          case _: AnalysisException => properties ++ indexedTable.properties
+        }
+      }
+    }
 
     // Initialize the path option
     val storage = DataSource
diff --git a/src/main/scala/io/qbeast/spark/table/IndexedTable.scala b/src/main/scala/io/qbeast/spark/table/IndexedTable.scala
index 996274184..3bff0c313 100644
--- a/src/main/scala/io/qbeast/spark/table/IndexedTable.scala
+++ b/src/main/scala/io/qbeast/spark/table/IndexedTable.scala
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@ import io.qbeast.core.model._
 import io.qbeast.spark.delta.{CubeDataLoader, StagingDataManager, StagingResolution}
 import io.qbeast.spark.index.QbeastColumns
 import io.qbeast.spark.internal.QbeastOptions
-import io.qbeast.spark.internal.QbeastOptions.{COLUMNS_TO_INDEX, CUBE_SIZE}
+import io.qbeast.spark.internal.QbeastOptions._
 import io.qbeast.spark.internal.sources.QbeastBaseRelation
 import org.apache.spark.qbeast.config.DEFAULT_NUMBER_OF_RETRIES
 import org.apache.spark.sql.delta.actions.FileAction
@@ -43,6 +43,13 @@ trait IndexedTable {
    */
   def tableID: QTableID
 
+  /**
+   * Returns the table properties.
+   *
+   * @return the table properties
+   */
+  def properties: Map[String, String]
+
   /**
    * Saves given data in the table and updates the index. The specified columns are
    * used to define the index when the table is created or overwritten. The append
@@ -154,6 +161,19 @@ private[table] class IndexedTableImpl(
     case _: Exception => false
   }
 
+  override def properties: Map[String, String] = {
+    if (exists && isConverted) {
+      val latestRevision = snapshot.loadLatestRevision
+      Map(
+        COLUMNS_TO_INDEX -> latestRevision.columnTransformers
+          .map(_.columnName)
+          .mkString(","),
+        CUBE_SIZE -> latestRevision.desiredCubeSize.toString)
+    } else {
+      Map.empty
+    }
+  }
+
   private def isNewRevision(qbeastOptions: QbeastOptions, latestRevision: Revision): Boolean = {
     // TODO feature: columnsToIndex may change between revisions
     checkColumnsToMatchSchema(latestRevision)