diff --git a/core/schema.rs b/core/schema.rs
index 4b259e74f..6a6889732 100644
--- a/core/schema.rs
+++ b/core/schema.rs
@@ -810,6 +810,12 @@ pub struct Index {
     pub columns: Vec<IndexColumn>,
     pub unique: bool,
     pub ephemeral: bool,
+    /// Does the index have a rowid as the last column?
+    /// This is the case for btree indexes (persistent or ephemeral) that
+    /// have been created based on a table with a rowid.
+    /// For example, WITHOUT ROWID tables (not supported in Limbo yet),
+    /// and  SELECT DISTINCT ephemeral indexes will not have a rowid.
+    pub has_rowid: bool,
 }
 
 #[allow(dead_code)]
@@ -863,6 +869,7 @@ impl Index {
                     columns: index_columns,
                     unique,
                     ephemeral: false,
+                    has_rowid: table.has_rowid,
                 })
             }
             _ => todo!("Expected create index statement"),
@@ -925,6 +932,7 @@ impl Index {
                 columns: primary_keys,
                 unique: true,
                 ephemeral: false,
+                has_rowid: table.has_rowid,
             });
         }
 
@@ -956,6 +964,7 @@ impl Index {
                         }],
                         unique: true,
                         ephemeral: false,
+                        has_rowid: table.has_rowid,
                     })
                 } else {
                     None
@@ -1027,6 +1036,7 @@ impl Index {
                         columns: index_cols.collect(),
                         unique: true,
                         ephemeral: false,
+                        has_rowid: table.has_rowid,
                     }
                 });
             indices.extend(unique_set_indices);
diff --git a/core/translate/index.rs b/core/translate/index.rs
index 0fc1528cf..9a8aea937 100644
--- a/core/translate/index.rs
+++ b/core/translate/index.rs
@@ -63,6 +63,7 @@ pub fn translate_create_index(
             .collect(),
         unique: unique_if_not_exists.0,
         ephemeral: false,
+        has_rowid: tbl.has_rowid,
     });
 
     // Allocate the necessary cursors:
diff --git a/core/translate/main_loop.rs b/core/translate/main_loop.rs
index 7d2e05ef2..0589c5fae 100644
--- a/core/translate/main_loop.rs
+++ b/core/translate/main_loop.rs
@@ -101,6 +101,7 @@ pub fn init_loop(
                 pos_in_table: 0,
                 collation: None, // FIXME: this should be inferred from the expression
             }],
+            has_rowid: false,
             unique: false,
         });
         let cursor_id = program.alloc_cursor_id(
diff --git a/core/translate/optimizer/join.rs b/core/translate/optimizer/join.rs
index ec126d2a9..8e5174baa 100644
--- a/core/translate/optimizer/join.rs
+++ b/core/translate/optimizer/join.rs
@@ -633,6 +633,7 @@ mod tests {
             unique: true,
             ephemeral: false,
             root_page: 1,
+            has_rowid: true,
         });
         available_indexes.insert("test_table".to_string(), vec![index]);
 
@@ -697,6 +698,7 @@ mod tests {
             unique: true,
             ephemeral: false,
             root_page: 1,
+            has_rowid: true,
         });
         available_indexes.insert("table1".to_string(), vec![index1]);
 
@@ -807,6 +809,7 @@ mod tests {
                     unique: true,
                     ephemeral: false,
                     root_page: 1,
+                    has_rowid: true,
                 });
                 available_indexes.insert(table_name.to_string(), vec![index]);
             });
@@ -822,6 +825,7 @@ mod tests {
             unique: false,
             ephemeral: false,
             root_page: 1,
+            has_rowid: true,
         });
         let order_id_idx = Arc::new(Index {
             name: "order_items_order_id_idx".to_string(),
@@ -835,6 +839,7 @@ mod tests {
             unique: false,
             ephemeral: false,
             root_page: 1,
+            has_rowid: true,
         });
 
         available_indexes
diff --git a/core/translate/optimizer/mod.rs b/core/translate/optimizer/mod.rs
index af26ac9b8..2664953af 100644
--- a/core/translate/optimizer/mod.rs
+++ b/core/translate/optimizer/mod.rs
@@ -786,6 +786,10 @@ fn ephemeral_index_build(
         ephemeral: true,
         table_name: table_reference.table.get_name().to_string(),
         root_page: 0,
+        has_rowid: table_reference
+            .table
+            .btree()
+            .map_or(false, |btree| btree.has_rowid),
     };
 
     ephemeral_index