diff --git a/columnq/src/columnq.rs b/columnq/src/columnq.rs
index f6b859d..e698731 100644
--- a/columnq/src/columnq.rs
+++ b/columnq/src/columnq.rs
@@ -254,7 +254,7 @@ impl ColumnQ {
         table_name: &str,
         params: &HashMap<String, String>,
     ) -> Result<Vec<arrow::record_batch::RecordBatch>, QueryError> {
-        query::rest::query_table(&self.dfctx, table_name, params).await
+        query::rest::exec_table_query(&self.dfctx, table_name, params).await
     }
 
     pub fn kv_get(&self, kv_name: &str, key: &str) -> Result<Option<&String>, QueryError> {
diff --git a/columnq/src/query/rest.rs b/columnq/src/query/rest.rs
index 63adf45..b8d9481 100644
--- a/columnq/src/query/rest.rs
+++ b/columnq/src/query/rest.rs
@@ -53,9 +53,9 @@ fn num_parse_err(e: std::num::ParseIntError) -> QueryError {
     }
 }
 
-pub async fn table_query_to_df(
-    dfctx: &datafusion::execution::context::SessionContext,
-    table_name: &str,
+/// Applies a rest query to the provided DataFrame.
+pub fn apply_query(
+    mut df: datafusion::dataframe::DataFrame,
     params: &HashMap<String, String>,
 ) -> Result<datafusion::dataframe::DataFrame, QueryError> {
     lazy_static! {
@@ -63,11 +63,6 @@ pub async fn table_query_to_df(
             Regex::new(r"filter\[(?P<column>.+)\](?P<op>.+)?").unwrap();
     }
 
-    let mut df = dfctx
-        .table(table_name)
-        .await
-        .map_err(|e| QueryError::invalid_table(e, table_name))?;
-
     // filter[col1]eq='foo'
     // filter[col2]lt=2
     for (key, val) in params.iter().filter(|(k, _)| k.starts_with("filter[")) {
@@ -158,7 +153,22 @@ pub async fn table_query_to_df(
     Ok(df)
 }
 
-pub async fn query_table(
+/// Rest query to a DataFrame using the given table name and SessionContext.
+pub async fn table_query_to_df(
+    dfctx: &datafusion::execution::context::SessionContext,
+    table_name: &str,
+    params: &HashMap<String, String>,
+) -> Result<datafusion::dataframe::DataFrame, QueryError> {
+    let df = dfctx
+        .table(table_name)
+        .await
+        .map_err(|e| QueryError::invalid_table(e, table_name))?;
+
+    apply_query(df, params)
+}
+
+/// Executes a rest query using the provided table name and SessionContext.
+pub async fn exec_table_query(
     dfctx: &datafusion::execution::context::SessionContext,
     table_name: &str,
     params: &HashMap<String, String>,
@@ -167,6 +177,17 @@ pub async fn query_table(
     df.collect().await.map_err(QueryError::query_exec)
 }
 
+/// Executes a rest query using the provided DataFrame.
+pub async fn exec_query_with_df(
+    df: datafusion::dataframe::DataFrame,
+    params: &HashMap<String, String>,
+) -> Result<Vec<RecordBatch>, QueryError> {
+    apply_query(df, params)?
+        .collect()
+        .await
+        .map_err(QueryError::query_exec)
+}
+
 #[cfg(test)]
 mod tests {
     use super::*;
@@ -176,6 +197,37 @@ mod tests {
 
     use crate::test_util::*;
 
+    #[tokio::test]
+    async fn simple_query_with_column_aliases() {
+        let mut dfctx = SessionContext::new();
+        register_table_ubuntu_ami(&mut dfctx).await;
+
+        let modified_df = dfctx
+            .table("ubuntu_ami")
+            .await
+            .unwrap()
+            .select(vec![col("ami_id").alias("aid"), col("version").alias("v")])
+            .unwrap();
+
+        let mut params = HashMap::<String, String>::new();
+        params.insert("limit".to_string(), "10".to_string());
+        params.insert("sort".to_string(), "aid".to_string());
+        params.insert("columns".to_string(), "aid,v".to_string());
+
+        let df = apply_query(modified_df.clone(), &params).unwrap();
+
+        let expected_df = modified_df
+            .select(vec![col("aid"), col("v")])
+            .unwrap()
+            .sort(vec![column_sort_expr_asc("aid")])
+            .unwrap()
+            .limit(0, Some(10))
+            .unwrap()
+            .into();
+
+        assert_eq_df(df.into(), expected_df);
+    }
+
     #[tokio::test]
     async fn consistent_and_deterministics_logical_plan() {
         let mut dfctx = SessionContext::new();
@@ -220,7 +272,9 @@ mod tests {
         params.insert("filter[arch]".to_string(), "'amd64'".to_string());
         params.insert("filter[zone]".to_string(), "'us-east-2'".to_string());
 
-        let batches = query_table(&dfctx, "ubuntu_ami", &params).await.unwrap();
+        let batches = exec_table_query(&dfctx, "ubuntu_ami", &params)
+            .await
+            .unwrap();
 
         let batch = &batches[0];
         assert_eq!(