diff --git a/pkg/dataobj/internal/dataset/reader_downloader.go b/pkg/dataobj/internal/dataset/reader_downloader.go
index 271e084744b87..21ff050f21cd0 100644
--- a/pkg/dataobj/internal/dataset/reader_downloader.go
+++ b/pkg/dataobj/internal/dataset/reader_downloader.go
@@ -87,6 +87,7 @@ type readerDownloader struct {
 	inner           Dataset
 	targetCacheSize int
 
+	origColumns                    []Column
 	allColumns, primary, secondary []Column
 
 	dsetRanges rowRanges // Ranges of rows to _include_ in the download.
@@ -135,13 +136,15 @@ func newReaderDownloader(dset Dataset, targetCacheSize int) *readerDownloader {
 // AddColumn must be called matching the order of columns in
 // [ReaderOptions.Columns].
 func (dl *readerDownloader) AddColumn(col Column, primary bool) {
-	col = newReaderColumn(dl, col, primary)
+	wrappedCol := newReaderColumn(dl, col, primary)
+
+	dl.origColumns = append(dl.origColumns, col)
+	dl.allColumns = append(dl.allColumns, wrappedCol)
 
-	dl.allColumns = append(dl.allColumns, col)
 	if primary {
-		dl.primary = append(dl.primary, col)
+		dl.primary = append(dl.primary, wrappedCol)
 	} else {
-		dl.secondary = append(dl.secondary, col)
+		dl.secondary = append(dl.secondary, wrappedCol)
 	}
 }
 
@@ -180,6 +183,25 @@ func (dl *readerDownloader) PrimaryColumns() []Column { return dl.primary }
 // readerDownloader in the order they were added.
 func (dl *readerDownloader) SecondaryColumns() []Column { return dl.secondary }
 
+// initColumnPages populates the pages of all columns in the downloader.
+func (dl *readerDownloader) initColumnPages(ctx context.Context) error {
+	columns := dl.allColumns
+
+	var idx int
+
+	for result := range dl.inner.ListPages(ctx, dl.origColumns) {
+		pages, err := result.Value()
+		if err != nil {
+			return err
+		}
+
+		columns[idx].(*readerColumn).processPages(pages)
+		idx++
+	}
+
+	return nil
+}
+
 // downloadBatch downloads a batch of pages from the inner dataset.
 func (dl *readerDownloader) downloadBatch(ctx context.Context, requestor *readerPage) error {
 	for _, col := range dl.allColumns {
@@ -360,7 +382,7 @@ func (dl *readerDownloader) iterColumnPages(ctx context.Context, primary bool) r
 			for _, col := range phaseColumns {
 				col := col.(*readerColumn)
 				if len(col.pages) == 0 {
-					if err := col.initPages(ctx); err != nil {
+					if err := dl.initColumnPages(ctx); err != nil {
 						return err
 					}
 				} else if pageIndex >= len(col.pages) {
@@ -436,6 +458,7 @@ func (dl *readerDownloader) Reset(dset Dataset, targetCacheSize int) {
 
 	dl.readRange = rowRange{}
 
+	dl.origColumns = sliceclear.Clear(dl.origColumns)
 	dl.allColumns = sliceclear.Clear(dl.allColumns)
 	dl.primary = sliceclear.Clear(dl.primary)
 	dl.secondary = sliceclear.Clear(dl.secondary)
@@ -473,7 +496,7 @@ func (col *readerColumn) ColumnInfo() *ColumnInfo {
 func (col *readerColumn) ListPages(ctx context.Context) result.Seq[Page] {
 	return result.Iter(func(yield func(Page) bool) error {
 		if len(col.pages) == 0 {
-			err := col.initPages(ctx)
+			err := col.dl.initColumnPages(ctx)
 			if err != nil {
 				return err
 			}
@@ -489,15 +512,10 @@ func (col *readerColumn) ListPages(ctx context.Context) result.Seq[Page] {
 	})
 }
 
-func (col *readerColumn) initPages(ctx context.Context) error {
+func (col *readerColumn) processPages(pages Pages) {
 	var startRow uint64
 
-	for result := range col.inner.ListPages(ctx) {
-		innerPage, err := result.Value()
-		if err != nil {
-			return err
-		}
-
+	for _, innerPage := range pages {
 		pageRange := rowRange{
 			Start: startRow,
 			End:   startRow + uint64(innerPage.PageInfo().RowCount) - 1,
@@ -506,8 +524,6 @@ func (col *readerColumn) initPages(ctx context.Context) error {
 
 		col.pages = append(col.pages, newReaderPage(col, innerPage, pageRange))
 	}
-
-	return nil
 }
 
 // GC garbage collects cached data from pages which will no longer be read: any