diff --git a/core/translate/mod.rs b/core/translate/mod.rs
index 46b9c26eb..3d6aba0ae 100644
--- a/core/translate/mod.rs
+++ b/core/translate/mod.rs
@@ -30,6 +30,7 @@ use crate::storage::sqlite3_ondisk::DatabaseHeader;
 use crate::translate::delete::translate_delete;
 use crate::util::PRIMARY_KEY_AUTOMATIC_INDEX_NAME_PREFIX;
 use crate::vdbe::builder::{CursorType, ProgramBuilderOpts, QueryMode};
+use crate::vdbe::insn::CmpInsFlags;
 use crate::vdbe::{builder::ProgramBuilder, insn::Insn, Program};
 use crate::{bail_parse_error, Connection, LimboError, Result, SymbolTable};
 use insert::translate_insert;
@@ -93,9 +94,7 @@ pub fn translate(
         ast::Stmt::DropTable {
             if_exists,
             tbl_name,
-        } => {
-            translate_drop_table(&mut program, tbl_name, if_exists, schema)?;
-        }
+        } => translate_drop_table(query_mode, tbl_name, if_exists, schema)?,
         ast::Stmt::DropTrigger { .. } => bail_parse_error!("DROP TRIGGER not supported yet"),
         ast::Stmt::DropView { .. } => bail_parse_error!("DROP VIEW not supported yet"),
         ast::Stmt::Pragma(name, body) => pragma::translate_pragma(
@@ -522,11 +521,17 @@ fn translate_create_table(
 }
 
 fn translate_drop_table(
-    program: &mut ProgramBuilder,
+    query_mode: QueryMode,
     tbl_name: ast::QualifiedName,
     if_exists: bool,
     schema: &Schema,
-) -> Result<()> {
+) -> Result<ProgramBuilder> {
+    let mut program = ProgramBuilder::new(ProgramBuilderOpts {
+        query_mode,
+        num_cursors: 1,
+        approx_num_insns: 30,
+        approx_num_labels: 1,
+    });
     let table = schema.get_table(tbl_name.name.0.as_str());
     if table.is_none() {
         if if_exists {
@@ -538,116 +543,7 @@ fn translate_drop_table(
             program.emit_constant_insns();
             program.emit_goto(start_offset);
 
-            return Ok(());
-        }
-        bail_parse_error!("No such table: {}", tbl_name.name.0.as_str());
-    }
-    let table = table.unwrap(); //  safe to do since we have a check before this
-
-    let init_label = program.emit_init();
-    let start_offset = program.offset();
-
-    //  1. Drop the table BTree
-    program.emit_insn(Insn::DropBtree {
-        db: 0,
-        root: table.root_page,
-    });
-
-    //  TODO: Drop indexes?
-
-    //  2. Delete table metadata from sqlite_schema
-    let table_name = "sqlite_schema";
-    let table = schema.get_table(&table_name).unwrap();
-    let sqlite_schema_cursor_id = program.alloc_cursor_id(
-        Some(table_name.to_string()),
-        CursorType::BTreeTable(table.clone()),
-    );
-    program.emit_insn(Insn::OpenWriteAsync {
-        cursor_id: sqlite_schema_cursor_id,
-        root_page: 1,
-    });
-    program.emit_insn(Insn::OpenWriteAwait {});
-
-    //  Rewind to the very beginning of the cursor
-    program.emit_insn(Insn::RewindAsync {
-        cursor_id: sqlite_schema_cursor_id,
-    });
-    let end_metadata_label = program.allocate_label();
-    program.emit_insn(Insn::RewindAwait {
-        cursor_id: sqlite_schema_cursor_id,
-        pc_if_empty: end_metadata_label,
-    });
-    let metadata_loop = program.allocate_label();
-    program.resolve_label(metadata_loop, program.offset());
-
-    //  Load row details
-    let tbl_name_reg = program.alloc_register();
-    program.emit_insn(Insn::Column {
-        cursor_id: sqlite_schema_cursor_id,
-        column: 2,
-        dest: tbl_name_reg,
-    });
-    let string_reg = program.emit_string8_new_reg(tbl_name.name.0.clone());
-    let next_label = program.allocate_label();
-    program.emit_insn(Insn::Ne {
-        lhs: tbl_name_reg,
-        rhs: string_reg,
-        target_pc: next_label,
-        flags: CmpInsFlags::default(),
-    });
-
-    //  Delete matching row
-    program.emit_insn(Insn::DeleteAsync {
-        cursor_id: sqlite_schema_cursor_id,
-    });
-    program.emit_insn(Insn::DeleteAwait {
-        cursor_id: sqlite_schema_cursor_id,
-    });
-
-    //  Move to next row
-    program.resolve_label(next_label, program.offset());
-    program.emit_insn(Insn::NextAsync {
-        cursor_id: sqlite_schema_cursor_id,
-    });
-    program.emit_insn(Insn::NextAwait {
-        cursor_id: sqlite_schema_cursor_id,
-        pc_if_next: metadata_loop,
-    });
-    program.resolve_label(end_metadata_label, program.offset());
-
-    //  Update schema
-    let parse_schema_where_clause = format!("tbl_name = {}", tbl_name.name.0);
-    program.emit_insn(Insn::ParseSchema {
-        db: 0,
-        where_clause: parse_schema_where_clause,
-    });
-
-    program.emit_halt();
-    program.resolve_label(init_label, program.offset());
-    program.emit_transaction(true);
-    program.emit_goto(start_offset);
-
-    Ok(program)
-}
-
-fn translate_drop_table(
-    program: &mut ProgramBuilder,
-    tbl_name: ast::QualifiedName,
-    if_exists: bool,
-    schema: &Schema,
-) -> Result<()> {
-    let table = schema.get_table(tbl_name.name.0.as_str());
-    if table.is_none() {
-        if if_exists {
-            let init_label = program.emit_init();
-            let start_offset = program.offset();
-            program.emit_halt();
-            program.resolve_label(init_label, program.offset());
-            program.emit_transaction(true);
-            program.emit_constant_insns();
-            program.emit_goto(start_offset);
-
-            return Ok(());
+            return Ok(program);
         }
         bail_parse_error!("No such table: {}", tbl_name.name.0.as_str());
     }
@@ -745,7 +641,7 @@ fn translate_drop_table(
 
     program.emit_goto(start_offset);
 
-    Ok(())
+    Ok(program)
 }
 
 enum PrimaryKeyDefinitionType<'a> {