diff --git a/core/translate/main_loop.rs b/core/translate/main_loop.rs
index ce1a11d2d..7ae7abd62 100644
--- a/core/translate/main_loop.rs
+++ b/core/translate/main_loop.rs
@@ -295,7 +295,7 @@ pub fn open_loop(
     t_ctx: &mut TranslateCtx,
     tables: &[TableReference],
     join_order: &[JoinOrderMember],
-    predicates: &mut [WhereTerm],
+    predicates: &[WhereTerm],
 ) -> Result<()> {
     for (join_index, join) in join_order.iter().enumerate() {
         let table_index = join.original_idx;
@@ -406,7 +406,7 @@ pub fn open_loop(
                                                 &t_ctx.resolver,
                                             )?;
                                             if cinfo.usable && usage.omit {
-                                                predicates[pred_idx].consumed = true;
+                                                predicates[pred_idx].consumed.set(true);
                                             }
                                         }
                                     }
diff --git a/core/translate/optimizer/join.rs b/core/translate/optimizer/join.rs
index 23889b749..b74e746ab 100644
--- a/core/translate/optimizer/join.rs
+++ b/core/translate/optimizer/join.rs
@@ -494,7 +494,7 @@ fn generate_join_bitmasks(table_number_max_exclusive: usize, how_many: usize) ->
 
 #[cfg(test)]
 mod tests {
-    use std::{rc::Rc, sync::Arc};
+    use std::{cell::Cell, rc::Rc, sync::Arc};
 
     use limbo_sqlite3_parser::ast::{self, Expr, Operator, SortOrder, TableInternalId};
 
@@ -1332,7 +1332,7 @@ mod tests {
         WhereTerm {
             expr: Expr::Binary(Box::new(lhs), op, Box::new(rhs)),
             from_outer_join: None,
-            consumed: false,
+            consumed: Cell::new(false),
         }
     }
 
diff --git a/core/translate/optimizer/lift_common_subexpressions.rs b/core/translate/optimizer/lift_common_subexpressions.rs
index b7302cb7e..af06f0c37 100644
--- a/core/translate/optimizer/lift_common_subexpressions.rs
+++ b/core/translate/optimizer/lift_common_subexpressions.rs
@@ -1,3 +1,5 @@
+use std::cell::Cell;
+
 use limbo_sqlite3_parser::ast::{Expr, Operator};
 
 use crate::{
@@ -112,7 +114,7 @@ pub(crate) fn lift_common_subexpressions_from_binary_or_terms(
         if found_non_empty_or_branches {
             // If we found an empty OR branch, we can remove the entire OR term.
             // E.g. (a AND b) OR (a) OR (a AND c) just becomes a.
-            where_clause[i].consumed = true;
+            where_clause[i].consumed.set(true);
         } else {
             assert!(new_or_operands_for_original_term.len() > 1);
             // Update the original WhereTerm's expression with the new OR structure (without common parts).
@@ -124,7 +126,7 @@ pub(crate) fn lift_common_subexpressions_from_binary_or_terms(
             where_clause.push(WhereTerm {
                 expr: common_expr_to_add,
                 from_outer_join: term_from_outer_join,
-                consumed: false,
+                consumed: Cell::new(false),
             });
         }
 
@@ -255,7 +257,7 @@ mod tests {
         let mut where_clause = vec![WhereTerm {
             expr: or_expr,
             from_outer_join: None,
-            consumed: false,
+            consumed: Cell::new(false),
         }];
 
         lift_common_subexpressions_from_binary_or_terms(&mut where_clause)?;
@@ -266,7 +268,7 @@ mod tests {
         // 3. b = 1
         let nonconsumed_terms = where_clause
             .iter()
-            .filter(|term| !term.consumed)
+            .filter(|term| !term.consumed.get())
             .collect::<Vec<_>>();
         assert_eq!(nonconsumed_terms.len(), 3);
         assert_eq!(
@@ -354,7 +356,7 @@ mod tests {
         let mut where_clause = vec![WhereTerm {
             expr: or_expr,
             from_outer_join: None,
-            consumed: false,
+            consumed: Cell::new(false),
         }];
 
         lift_common_subexpressions_from_binary_or_terms(&mut where_clause)?;
@@ -364,7 +366,7 @@ mod tests {
         // 2. a = 1
         let nonconsumed_terms = where_clause
             .iter()
-            .filter(|term| !term.consumed)
+            .filter(|term| !term.consumed.get())
             .collect::<Vec<_>>();
         assert_eq!(nonconsumed_terms.len(), 2);
         assert_eq!(
@@ -421,7 +423,7 @@ mod tests {
         let mut where_clause = vec![WhereTerm {
             expr: or_expr.clone(),
             from_outer_join: None,
-            consumed: false,
+            consumed: Cell::new(false),
         }];
 
         lift_common_subexpressions_from_binary_or_terms(&mut where_clause)?;
@@ -429,7 +431,7 @@ mod tests {
         // Should remain unchanged since no common terms
         let nonconsumed_terms = where_clause
             .iter()
-            .filter(|term| !term.consumed)
+            .filter(|term| !term.consumed.get())
             .collect::<Vec<_>>();
         assert_eq!(nonconsumed_terms.len(), 1);
         assert_eq!(nonconsumed_terms[0].expr, or_expr);
@@ -488,7 +490,7 @@ mod tests {
         let mut where_clause = vec![WhereTerm {
             expr: or_expr,
             from_outer_join: Some(TableInternalId::default()), // Set from_outer_join
-            consumed: false,
+            consumed: Cell::new(false),
         }];
 
         lift_common_subexpressions_from_binary_or_terms(&mut where_clause)?;
@@ -496,7 +498,7 @@ mod tests {
         // Should have 2 terms, both with from_outer_join set
         let nonconsumed_terms = where_clause
             .iter()
-            .filter(|term| !term.consumed)
+            .filter(|term| !term.consumed.get())
             .collect::<Vec<_>>();
         assert_eq!(nonconsumed_terms.len(), 2);
         assert_eq!(
@@ -540,7 +542,7 @@ mod tests {
         let mut where_clause = vec![WhereTerm {
             expr: single_expr.clone(),
             from_outer_join: None,
-            consumed: false,
+            consumed: Cell::new(false),
         }];
 
         lift_common_subexpressions_from_binary_or_terms(&mut where_clause)?;
@@ -548,7 +550,7 @@ mod tests {
         // Should remain unchanged
         let nonconsumed_terms = where_clause
             .iter()
-            .filter(|term| !term.consumed)
+            .filter(|term| !term.consumed.get())
             .collect::<Vec<_>>();
         assert_eq!(nonconsumed_terms.len(), 1);
         assert_eq!(nonconsumed_terms[0].expr, single_expr);
@@ -593,14 +595,14 @@ mod tests {
         let mut where_clause = vec![WhereTerm {
             expr: or_expr,
             from_outer_join: None,
-            consumed: false,
+            consumed: Cell::new(false),
         }];
 
         lift_common_subexpressions_from_binary_or_terms(&mut where_clause)?;
 
         let nonconsumed_terms = where_clause
             .iter()
-            .filter(|term| !term.consumed)
+            .filter(|term| !term.consumed.get())
             .collect::<Vec<_>>();
         assert_eq!(nonconsumed_terms.len(), 1);
         assert_eq!(nonconsumed_terms[0].expr, a_expr);
diff --git a/core/translate/optimizer/mod.rs b/core/translate/optimizer/mod.rs
index 496d5ad38..bcb09a0a0 100644
--- a/core/translate/optimizer/mod.rs
+++ b/core/translate/optimizer/mod.rs
@@ -293,11 +293,13 @@ fn optimize_table_access(
                 let constraint =
                     &constraints_per_table[table_idx].constraints[cref.constraint_vec_pos];
                 assert!(
-                    !where_clause[constraint.where_clause_pos.0].consumed,
+                    !where_clause[constraint.where_clause_pos.0].consumed.get(),
                     "trying to consume a where clause term twice: {:?}",
                     where_clause[constraint.where_clause_pos.0]
                 );
-                where_clause[constraint.where_clause_pos.0].consumed = true;
+                where_clause[constraint.where_clause_pos.0]
+                    .consumed
+                    .set(true);
             }
             if let Some(index) = &access_method.index {
                 table_references[table_idx].op = Operation::Search(Search::Seek {
@@ -355,7 +357,7 @@ fn eliminate_constant_conditions(
         let predicate = &where_clause[i];
         if predicate.expr.is_always_true()? {
             // true predicates can be removed since they don't affect the result
-            where_clause[i].consumed = true;
+            where_clause[i].consumed.set(true);
             i += 1;
         } else if predicate.expr.is_always_false()? {
             // any false predicate in a list of conjuncts (AND-ed predicates) will make the whole list false,
@@ -366,7 +368,7 @@ fn eliminate_constant_conditions(
             }
             where_clause
                 .iter_mut()
-                .for_each(|term| term.consumed = true);
+                .for_each(|term| term.consumed.set(true));
             return Ok(ConstantConditionEliminationResult::ImpossibleCondition);
         } else {
             i += 1;
diff --git a/core/translate/plan.rs b/core/translate/plan.rs
index 0cb071d7e..08946086a 100644
--- a/core/translate/plan.rs
+++ b/core/translate/plan.rs
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@ use core::fmt;
 use limbo_ext::{ConstraintInfo, ConstraintOp};
 use limbo_sqlite3_parser::ast::{self, SortOrder};
 use std::{
+    cell::Cell,
     cmp::Ordering,
     fmt::{Display, Formatter},
     rc::Rc,
@@ -97,12 +98,16 @@ pub struct WhereTerm {
     /// A term may have been consumed e.g. if:
     /// - it has been converted into a constraint in a seek key
     /// - it has been removed due to being trivially true or false
-    pub consumed: bool,
+    ///
+    /// FIXME: this can be made into a simple `bool` once we move the virtual table constraint resolution
+    /// code out of `init_loop()`, because that's the only place that requires a mutable reference to the where clause
+    /// that causes problems to other code that needs immutable references to the where clause.
+    pub consumed: Cell<bool>,
 }
 
 impl WhereTerm {
     pub fn should_eval_before_loop(&self, join_order: &[JoinOrderMember]) -> bool {
-        if self.consumed {
+        if self.consumed.get() {
             return false;
         }
         let Ok(eval_at) = self.eval_at(join_order) else {
@@ -112,7 +117,7 @@ impl WhereTerm {
     }
 
     pub fn should_eval_at_loop(&self, loop_idx: usize, join_order: &[JoinOrderMember]) -> bool {
-        if self.consumed {
+        if self.consumed.get() {
             return false;
         }
         let Ok(eval_at) = self.eval_at(join_order) else {
diff --git a/core/translate/planner.rs b/core/translate/planner.rs
index 5aaf98f01..28c7c1b0e 100644
--- a/core/translate/planner.rs
+++ b/core/translate/planner.rs
@@ -1,3 +1,5 @@
+use std::cell::Cell;
+
 use super::{
     expr::walk_expr,
     plan::{
@@ -514,7 +516,7 @@ pub fn parse_where(
             out_where_clause.push(WhereTerm {
                 expr,
                 from_outer_join: None,
-                consumed: false,
+                consumed: Cell::new(false),
             });
         }
         Ok(())
@@ -775,7 +777,7 @@ fn parse_join<'a>(
                         } else {
                             None
                         },
-                        consumed: false,
+                        consumed: Cell::new(false),
                     });
                 }
             }
@@ -849,7 +851,7 @@ fn parse_join<'a>(
                         } else {
                             None
                         },
-                        consumed: false,
+                        consumed: Cell::new(false),
                     });
                 }
                 using = Some(distinct_names);