diff --git a/core/lib.rs b/core/lib.rs
index 29b2bb27e..0781c52ee 100644
--- a/core/lib.rs
+++ b/core/lib.rs
@@ -16,8 +16,7 @@ use fallible_iterator::FallibleIterator;
 use pager::Pager;
 use schema::Schema;
 use sqlite3_parser::{ast::Cmd, lexer::sql::Parser};
-use std::sync::Arc;
-use vdbe::Program;
+use std::{borrow::BorrowMut, sync::Arc};
 
 pub use types::Value;
 
@@ -29,12 +28,28 @@ pub struct Database {
 impl Database {
     pub fn open(io: Arc<dyn IO>, path: &str) -> Result<Database> {
         let pager = Arc::new(Pager::open(io.clone(), path)?);
-        let schema = Arc::new(Schema::new());
+        let bootstrap_schema = Arc::new(Schema::new());
         let conn = Connection {
             pager: pager.clone(),
-            schema: schema.clone(),
+            schema: bootstrap_schema.clone(),
         };
-        conn.query("SELECT * FROM sqlite_schema")?;
+        let mut schema = Schema::new();
+        let rows = conn.query("SELECT * FROM sqlite_schema")?;
+        if let Some(mut rows) = rows {
+            while let Some(row) = rows.next()? {
+                let ty = row.get::<String>(0)?;
+                if ty != "table" {
+                    continue;
+                }
+                let name: String = row.get::<String>(1)?;
+                let root_page: i64 = row.get::<i64>(3)?;
+                let sql: String = row.get::<String>(4)?;
+                let table = schema::Table::from_sql(&sql, root_page as usize)?;
+                assert_eq!(table.name, name);
+                schema.add_table(table.name.to_owned(), table);
+            }
+        }
+        let schema = Arc::new(schema);
         Ok(Database { pager, schema })
     }
 
@@ -129,8 +144,7 @@ impl Statement {
         Ok(Rows::new(state, self.program.clone(), self.pager.clone()))
     }
 
-    pub fn reset(&self) {
-    }
+    pub fn reset(&self) {}
 }
 
 pub struct Rows {
diff --git a/core/schema.rs b/core/schema.rs
index 916dab934..74f975562 100644
--- a/core/schema.rs
+++ b/core/schema.rs
@@ -1,4 +1,10 @@
+use anyhow::Result;
 use core::fmt;
+use fallible_iterator::FallibleIterator;
+use sqlite3_parser::{
+    ast::{Cmd, CreateTableBody, Stmt},
+    lexer::sql::Parser,
+};
 use std::collections::HashMap;
 
 pub struct Schema {
@@ -28,6 +34,53 @@ pub struct Table {
 }
 
 impl Table {
+    pub fn from_sql(sql: &str, root_page: usize) -> Result<Table> {
+        let mut parser = Parser::new(sql.as_bytes());
+        let cmd = parser.next()?;
+        match cmd {
+            Some(cmd) => match cmd {
+                Cmd::Stmt(stmt) => match stmt {
+                    Stmt::CreateTable { tbl_name, body, .. } => {
+                        let mut cols = vec![];
+                        match body {
+                            CreateTableBody::ColumnsAndConstraints { columns, .. } => {
+                                for column in columns {
+                                    let name = column.col_name.0.to_string();
+                                    let ty = match column.col_type {
+                                        Some(data_type) => match data_type.name.as_str() {
+                                            "INT" => Type::Integer,
+                                            "REAL" => Type::Real,
+                                            "TEXT" => Type::Text,
+                                            "BLOB" => Type::Blob,
+                                            _ => unreachable!("Unknown type: {:?}", data_type.name),
+                                        },
+                                        None => Type::Null,
+                                    };
+                                    cols.push(Column { name, ty });
+                                }
+                            }
+                            CreateTableBody::AsSelect(_) => todo!(),
+                        };
+                        Ok(Table {
+                            root_page,
+                            name: tbl_name.name.to_string(),
+                            columns: cols,
+                        })
+                    }
+                    _ => {
+                        anyhow::bail!("Expected CREATE TABLE statement");
+                    }
+                },
+                _ => {
+                    anyhow::bail!("Expected CREATE TABLE statement");
+                }
+            },
+            None => {
+                anyhow::bail!("Expected CREATE TABLE statement");
+            }
+        }
+    }
+
     pub fn to_sql(&self) -> String {
         let mut sql = format!("CREATE TABLE {} (\n", self.name);
         for (i, column) in self.columns.iter().enumerate() {
diff --git a/core/types.rs b/core/types.rs
index 00c60064c..9f9a46516 100644
--- a/core/types.rs
+++ b/core/types.rs
@@ -24,6 +24,15 @@ impl FromValue for i64 {
     }
 }
 
+impl FromValue for String {
+    fn from_value(value: &Value) -> Result<Self> {
+        match value {
+            Value::Text(s) => Ok(s.clone()),
+            _ => anyhow::bail!("Expected text value"),
+        }
+    }
+}
+
 #[derive(Debug)]
 pub struct Record {
     pub values: Vec<Value>,