diff --git a/hyracks-storage-am-btree/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/btree/frames/BTreeFieldPrefixNSMLeafFrame.java b/hyracks-storage-am-btree/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/btree/frames/BTreeFieldPrefixNSMLeafFrame.java
index ead9feb..9710b61 100644
--- a/hyracks-storage-am-btree/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/btree/frames/BTreeFieldPrefixNSMLeafFrame.java
+++ b/hyracks-storage-am-btree/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/btree/frames/BTreeFieldPrefixNSMLeafFrame.java
@@ -715,10 +715,10 @@
         return slotManager.getSlotSize();
     }
 
-    @Override
-    public void setPageTupleFieldCount(int fieldCount) {
-        frameTuple.setFieldCount(fieldCount);
-    }
+    //@Override
+    //public void setPageTupleFieldCount(int fieldCount) {
+    //    frameTuple.setFieldCount(fieldCount);
+    //}
 
     public ITreeIndexTupleWriter getTupleWriter() {
         return tupleWriter;
diff --git a/hyracks-storage-am-btree/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/btree/impls/BTree.java b/hyracks-storage-am-btree/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/btree/impls/BTree.java
index 1b909bb..112fcca 100644
--- a/hyracks-storage-am-btree/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/btree/impls/BTree.java
+++ b/hyracks-storage-am-btree/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/btree/impls/BTree.java
@@ -29,6 +29,7 @@
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.btree.frames.BTreeNSMInteriorFrame;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.common.api.IFreePageManager;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.common.api.IIndexBulkLoadContext;
+import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.common.api.IIndexOpContext;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.common.api.ITreeIndex;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.common.api.ITreeIndexCursor;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.common.api.ITreeIndexFrame;
@@ -40,7 +41,6 @@
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.common.frames.FrameOpSpaceStatus;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.common.impls.TreeDiskOrderScanCursor;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.common.ophelpers.IndexOp;
-import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.common.ophelpers.IndexOpContext;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.common.ophelpers.MultiComparator;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.common.buffercache.IBufferCache;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.common.buffercache.ICachedPage;
@@ -56,7 +56,6 @@
     private final static int rootPage = 1;    
         
     private boolean created = false;
-    private boolean loaded = false;
 
     private final IFreePageManager freePageManager;
     private final IBufferCache bufferCache;    
@@ -95,7 +94,7 @@
 
     @Override
     public void open(int fileId) {
-        this.fileId = fileId;
+    	this.fileId = fileId;
     }
 
     @Override
@@ -115,7 +114,7 @@
     
     @Override
     public void diskOrderScan(ITreeIndexCursor icursor, ITreeIndexFrame leafFrame, ITreeIndexMetaDataFrame metaFrame,
-            IndexOpContext ictx) throws HyracksDataException {
+            IIndexOpContext ictx) throws HyracksDataException {
         TreeDiskOrderScanCursor cursor = (TreeDiskOrderScanCursor) icursor;
         BTreeOpContext ctx = (BTreeOpContext) ictx;
         ctx.reset();
@@ -246,7 +245,7 @@
         }
     }
     
-    private void insertUpdateOrDelete(ITupleReference tuple, IndexOpContext ictx) throws HyracksDataException, TreeIndexException {
+    private void insertUpdateOrDelete(ITupleReference tuple, IIndexOpContext ictx) throws HyracksDataException, TreeIndexException {
         BTreeOpContext ctx = (BTreeOpContext) ictx;
         ctx.reset();
         ctx.pred.setLowKeyComparator(cmp);
@@ -284,12 +283,12 @@
     }
     
     @Override
-    public void insert(ITupleReference tuple, IndexOpContext ictx) throws HyracksDataException, TreeIndexException {
+    public void insert(ITupleReference tuple, IIndexOpContext ictx) throws HyracksDataException, TreeIndexException {
         insertUpdateOrDelete(tuple, ictx);
     }
 
     @Override
-    public void update(ITupleReference tuple, IndexOpContext ictx) throws HyracksDataException, TreeIndexException {
+    public void update(ITupleReference tuple, IIndexOpContext ictx) throws HyracksDataException, TreeIndexException {
         // Updating a tuple's key necessitates deleting the old entry, and inserting the new entry.
         // This call only allows updating of non-key fields.
         // The user of the BTree is responsible for dealing with non-key updates (i.e., doing a delete + insert). 
@@ -300,13 +299,13 @@
     }
     
     @Override
-    public void delete(ITupleReference tuple, IndexOpContext ictx) throws HyracksDataException, TreeIndexException {
+    public void delete(ITupleReference tuple, IIndexOpContext ictx) throws HyracksDataException, TreeIndexException {
         insertUpdateOrDelete(tuple, ictx);
     }
     
     private void insertLeaf(ICachedPage node, int pageId, ITupleReference tuple, BTreeOpContext ctx) throws Exception {
         ctx.leafFrame.setPage(node);
-        ctx.leafFrame.setPageTupleFieldCount(cmp.getFieldCount());
+        //ctx.leafFrame.setPageTupleFieldCount(cmp.getFieldCount());
         int targetTupleIndex = ctx.leafFrame.findInsertTupleIndex(tuple, cmp);
         FrameOpSpaceStatus spaceStatus = ctx.leafFrame.hasSpaceInsert(tuple, cmp);
         switch (spaceStatus) {
@@ -363,7 +362,7 @@
                 IBTreeLeafFrame rightFrame = (IBTreeLeafFrame) leafFrameFactory.createFrame();
                 rightFrame.setPage(rightNode);
                 rightFrame.initBuffer((byte) 0);
-                rightFrame.setPageTupleFieldCount(cmp.getFieldCount());
+                //rightFrame.setPageTupleFieldCount(cmp.getFieldCount());
 
                 int ret = ctx.leafFrame.split(rightFrame, tuple, cmp, ctx.splitKey);
 
@@ -417,7 +416,7 @@
     
     private void updateLeaf(ICachedPage node, int pageId, ITupleReference tuple, BTreeOpContext ctx) throws Exception {
         ctx.leafFrame.setPage(node);
-        ctx.leafFrame.setPageTupleFieldCount(cmp.getFieldCount());
+        //ctx.leafFrame.setPageTupleFieldCount(cmp.getFieldCount());
         int oldTupleIndex = ctx.leafFrame.findUpdateTupleIndex(tuple, cmp);
         FrameOpSpaceStatus spaceStatus = ctx.leafFrame.hasSpaceUpdate(tuple, oldTupleIndex, cmp);
         switch (spaceStatus) {
@@ -463,7 +462,6 @@
     private void insertInterior(ICachedPage node, int pageId, ITupleReference tuple, BTreeOpContext ctx)
             throws Exception {
         ctx.interiorFrame.setPage(node);
-        ctx.interiorFrame.setPageTupleFieldCount(cmp.getKeyFieldCount());
         int targetTupleIndex = ctx.interiorFrame.findInsertTupleIndex(tuple, cmp);
         FrameOpSpaceStatus spaceStatus = ctx.interiorFrame.hasSpaceInsert(tuple, cmp);
         switch (spaceStatus) {
@@ -475,7 +473,6 @@
                     ITreeIndexFrame rightFrame = interiorFrameFactory.createFrame();
                     rightFrame.setPage(rightNode);
                     rightFrame.initBuffer((byte) ctx.interiorFrame.getLevel());
-                    rightFrame.setPageTupleFieldCount(cmp.getKeyFieldCount());
                     // instead of creating a new split key, use the existing
                     // splitKey
                     int ret = ctx.interiorFrame.split(rightFrame, ctx.splitKey.getTuple(), cmp, ctx.splitKey);
@@ -923,12 +920,14 @@
     // assumes btree has been created and opened
     @Override
     public IIndexBulkLoadContext beginBulkLoad(float fillFactor, ITreeIndexFrame leafFrame,
-            ITreeIndexFrame interiorFrame, ITreeIndexMetaDataFrame metaFrame) throws HyracksDataException {
-        if (loaded) {
-            throw new HyracksDataException("Trying to bulk-load BTree but BTree has already been loaded.");
-        }
-        BulkLoadContext ctx = new BulkLoadContext(fillFactor, (IBTreeLeafFrame) leafFrame,
-                (IBTreeInteriorFrame) interiorFrame, metaFrame);
+            ITreeIndexFrame interiorFrame, ITreeIndexMetaDataFrame metaFrame) throws TreeIndexException, HyracksDataException {
+        
+    	if (!isEmptyTree((IBTreeLeafFrame)leafFrame)) {
+    		throw new BTreeException("Trying to Bulk-load a non-empty BTree.");
+    	}
+    	
+        BulkLoadContext ctx = new BulkLoadContext(fillFactor, (IBTreeLeafFrame)leafFrame,
+                (IBTreeInteriorFrame)interiorFrame, metaFrame);
         ctx.nodeFrontiers.get(0).lastTuple.setFieldCount(cmp.getFieldCount());
         ctx.splitKey.getTuple().setFieldCount(cmp.getKeyFieldCount());
         return ctx;
@@ -1008,7 +1007,6 @@
                 bufferCache.unpin(ctx.nodeFrontiers.get(i).page);
             }
         }
-        loaded = true;
     }
 
     @Override
@@ -1059,6 +1057,22 @@
         }
     }
     
+    public boolean isEmptyTree(IBTreeLeafFrame leafFrame) throws HyracksDataException {
+    	ICachedPage rootNode = bufferCache.pin(BufferedFileHandle.getDiskPageId(fileId, rootPage), false);
+        rootNode.acquireReadLatch();
+        try {
+            leafFrame.setPage(rootNode);
+            if (leafFrame.getLevel() == 0 && leafFrame.getTupleCount() == 0) {
+            	return true;
+            } else {
+            	return false;
+            }
+        } finally {
+            rootNode.releaseReadLatch();
+            bufferCache.unpin(rootNode);
+        }
+    }
+    
     @SuppressWarnings("rawtypes") 
     public String printTree(IBTreeLeafFrame leafFrame, IBTreeInteriorFrame interiorFrame, ISerializerDeserializer[] fieldSerdes)
             throws Exception {
diff --git a/hyracks-storage-am-btree/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/btree/impls/BTreeOpContext.java b/hyracks-storage-am-btree/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/btree/impls/BTreeOpContext.java
index 3929433..376bb6f 100644
--- a/hyracks-storage-am-btree/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/btree/impls/BTreeOpContext.java
+++ b/hyracks-storage-am-btree/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/btree/impls/BTreeOpContext.java
@@ -19,11 +19,11 @@
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.btree.api.IBTreeLeafFrame;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.common.api.ITreeIndexCursor;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.common.api.ITreeIndexMetaDataFrame;
+import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.common.api.IIndexOpContext;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.common.ophelpers.IndexOp;
-import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.common.ophelpers.IndexOpContext;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.common.ophelpers.IntArrayList;
 
-public final class BTreeOpContext implements IndexOpContext {
+public final class BTreeOpContext implements IIndexOpContext {
     public IndexOp op;
     public final IBTreeLeafFrame leafFrame;
     public final IBTreeInteriorFrame interiorFrame;
diff --git a/hyracks-storage-am-common/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/common/api/IIndexOpContext.java b/hyracks-storage-am-common/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/common/api/IIndexOpContext.java
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..280ef38
--- /dev/null
+++ b/hyracks-storage-am-common/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/common/api/IIndexOpContext.java
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+package edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.common.api;
+
+public interface IIndexOpContext {
+	void reset();
+}
diff --git a/hyracks-storage-am-common/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/common/api/ITreeIndex.java b/hyracks-storage-am-common/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/common/api/ITreeIndex.java
index 4916da2..8ca7679 100644
--- a/hyracks-storage-am-common/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/common/api/ITreeIndex.java
+++ b/hyracks-storage-am-common/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/common/api/ITreeIndex.java
@@ -18,7 +18,6 @@
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.api.exceptions.HyracksDataException;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.dataflow.common.data.accessors.ITupleReference;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.common.ophelpers.IndexOp;
-import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.common.ophelpers.IndexOpContext;
 
 public interface ITreeIndex {
 	// init:
@@ -32,16 +31,16 @@
 
 	// operations:
 
-	public void insert(ITupleReference tuple, IndexOpContext ictx)
+	public void insert(ITupleReference tuple, IIndexOpContext ictx)
 			throws HyracksDataException, TreeIndexException;
 
-	public void update(ITupleReference tuple, IndexOpContext ictx)
+	public void update(ITupleReference tuple, IIndexOpContext ictx)
 			throws HyracksDataException, TreeIndexException;
 
-	public void delete(ITupleReference tuple, IndexOpContext ictx)
+	public void delete(ITupleReference tuple, IIndexOpContext ictx)
 			throws HyracksDataException, TreeIndexException;
 
-	public IndexOpContext createOpContext(IndexOp op,
+	public IIndexOpContext createOpContext(IndexOp op,
 			ITreeIndexFrame leafFrame, ITreeIndexFrame interiorFrame,
 			ITreeIndexMetaDataFrame metaFrame);
 
@@ -49,7 +48,7 @@
 
 	public IIndexBulkLoadContext beginBulkLoad(float fillFactor,
 			ITreeIndexFrame leafFrame, ITreeIndexFrame interiorFrame,
-			ITreeIndexMetaDataFrame metaFrame) throws HyracksDataException;
+			ITreeIndexMetaDataFrame metaFrame) throws TreeIndexException, HyracksDataException;
 
 	public void bulkLoadAddTuple(IIndexBulkLoadContext ictx,
 			ITupleReference tuple) throws HyracksDataException;
@@ -60,7 +59,7 @@
 	// search:
 	public void diskOrderScan(ITreeIndexCursor icursor,
 			ITreeIndexFrame leafFrame, ITreeIndexMetaDataFrame metaFrame,
-			IndexOpContext ictx) throws HyracksDataException;
+			IIndexOpContext ictx) throws HyracksDataException;
 
 	// utility:
 
diff --git a/hyracks-storage-am-common/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/common/api/ITreeIndexFrame.java b/hyracks-storage-am-common/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/common/api/ITreeIndexFrame.java
index f360ffe..29ee967 100644
--- a/hyracks-storage-am-common/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/common/api/ITreeIndexFrame.java
+++ b/hyracks-storage-am-common/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/common/api/ITreeIndexFrame.java
@@ -25,12 +25,6 @@
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.common.buffercache.ICachedPage;
 
 public interface ITreeIndexFrame {
-    public void setPage(ICachedPage page);
-
-    public ICachedPage getPage();
-
-    public ByteBuffer getBuffer();
-
     public int findInsertTupleIndex(ITupleReference tuple, MultiComparator cmp) throws TreeIndexException;
     
     public void insert(ITupleReference tuple, MultiComparator cmp, int tupleIndex);
@@ -65,6 +59,12 @@
 
     public int getPageLsn();
 
+    public void setPage(ICachedPage page);
+
+    public ICachedPage getPage();
+
+    public ByteBuffer getBuffer();
+    
     // for debugging
     public void printHeader();
 
@@ -88,15 +88,13 @@
 
     public void setLevel(byte level);
 
-    public boolean getSmFlag(); // structure modification flag
+    // structure modification flag
+    public boolean getSmFlag();
 
     public void setSmFlag(boolean smFlag);
 
     public int getSlotSize();
 
-    // TODO: should be removed after new tuple format
-    public void setPageTupleFieldCount(int fieldCount);
-
     // for debugging
     public int getFreeSpaceOff();
 
diff --git a/hyracks-storage-am-common/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/common/dataflow/TreeIndexDiskOrderScanOperatorNodePushable.java b/hyracks-storage-am-common/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/common/dataflow/TreeIndexDiskOrderScanOperatorNodePushable.java
index 0b22148..61250d9 100644
--- a/hyracks-storage-am-common/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/common/dataflow/TreeIndexDiskOrderScanOperatorNodePushable.java
+++ b/hyracks-storage-am-common/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/common/dataflow/TreeIndexDiskOrderScanOperatorNodePushable.java
@@ -27,9 +27,9 @@
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.common.api.ITreeIndexCursor;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.common.api.ITreeIndexFrame;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.common.api.ITreeIndexMetaDataFrame;
+import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.common.api.IIndexOpContext;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.common.frames.LIFOMetaDataFrame;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.common.ophelpers.IndexOp;
-import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.common.ophelpers.IndexOpContext;
 
 public class TreeIndexDiskOrderScanOperatorNodePushable extends
 		AbstractUnaryOutputSourceOperatorNodePushable {
@@ -52,7 +52,7 @@
 				.createDiskOrderScanCursor(cursorFrame);
 		ITreeIndexMetaDataFrame metaFrame = new LIFOMetaDataFrame();
 
-		IndexOpContext diskOrderScanOpCtx = treeIndexOpHelper
+		IIndexOpContext diskOrderScanOpCtx = treeIndexOpHelper
 				.getTreeIndex()
 				.createOpContext(IndexOp.DISKORDERSCAN, cursorFrame, null, null);
 		try {
diff --git a/hyracks-storage-am-common/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/common/dataflow/TreeIndexInsertUpdateDeleteOperatorNodePushable.java b/hyracks-storage-am-common/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/common/dataflow/TreeIndexInsertUpdateDeleteOperatorNodePushable.java
index cc49998..5716371 100644
--- a/hyracks-storage-am-common/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/common/dataflow/TreeIndexInsertUpdateDeleteOperatorNodePushable.java
+++ b/hyracks-storage-am-common/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/common/dataflow/TreeIndexInsertUpdateDeleteOperatorNodePushable.java
@@ -24,9 +24,9 @@
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.dataflow.common.comm.util.FrameUtils;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.dataflow.std.base.AbstractUnaryInputUnaryOutputOperatorNodePushable;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.common.api.ITreeIndex;
+import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.common.api.IIndexOpContext;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.common.frames.LIFOMetaDataFrame;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.common.ophelpers.IndexOp;
-import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.common.ophelpers.IndexOpContext;
 
 public class TreeIndexInsertUpdateDeleteOperatorNodePushable extends
 		AbstractUnaryInputUnaryOutputOperatorNodePushable {
@@ -36,7 +36,7 @@
 	private final IndexOp op;
 	private final PermutingFrameTupleReference tuple = new PermutingFrameTupleReference();
 	private ByteBuffer writeBuffer;
-	private IndexOpContext opCtx;
+	private IIndexOpContext opCtx;
 
 	public TreeIndexInsertUpdateDeleteOperatorNodePushable(
 			AbstractTreeIndexOperatorDescriptor opDesc,
diff --git a/hyracks-storage-am-common/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/common/frames/TreeIndexNSMFrame.java b/hyracks-storage-am-common/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/common/frames/TreeIndexNSMFrame.java
index 910db84..6c02bbe 100644
--- a/hyracks-storage-am-common/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/common/frames/TreeIndexNSMFrame.java
+++ b/hyracks-storage-am-common/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/common/frames/TreeIndexNSMFrame.java
@@ -324,11 +324,6 @@
     }
 
     @Override
-    public void setPageTupleFieldCount(int fieldCount) {
-        frameTuple.setFieldCount(fieldCount);
-    }
-
-    @Override
     public ITreeIndexTupleWriter getTupleWriter() {
         return tupleWriter;
     }
diff --git a/hyracks-storage-am-common/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/common/ophelpers/IndexOpContext.java b/hyracks-storage-am-common/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/common/ophelpers/IndexOpContext.java
deleted file mode 100644
index 9122174..0000000
--- a/hyracks-storage-am-common/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/common/ophelpers/IndexOpContext.java
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,5 +0,0 @@
-package edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.common.ophelpers;
-
-public interface IndexOpContext {
-	void reset();
-}
diff --git a/hyracks-storage-am-invertedindex/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/invertedindex/impls/InvertedIndex.java b/hyracks-storage-am-invertedindex/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/invertedindex/impls/InvertedIndex.java
index 9eab110..3a44032 100644
--- a/hyracks-storage-am-invertedindex/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/invertedindex/impls/InvertedIndex.java
+++ b/hyracks-storage-am-invertedindex/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/invertedindex/impls/InvertedIndex.java
@@ -32,6 +32,7 @@
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.btree.impls.RangePredicate;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.common.api.IIndexBulkLoadContext;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.common.api.ITreeIndexCursor;
+import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.common.api.TreeIndexException;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.common.ophelpers.MultiComparator;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.invertedindex.api.IInvertedListBuilder;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.invertedindex.api.IInvertedListCursor;
@@ -74,7 +75,7 @@
     }
 
     public BulkLoadContext beginBulkLoad(IInvertedListBuilder invListBuilder, int hyracksFrameSize,
-            float btreeFillFactor) throws HyracksDataException {
+            float btreeFillFactor) throws HyracksDataException, TreeIndexException {
         BulkLoadContext ctx = new BulkLoadContext(invListBuilder, hyracksFrameSize, btreeFillFactor);
         ctx.init(rootPageId, fileId);
         return ctx;
@@ -260,7 +261,7 @@
             this.btreeFillFactor = btreeFillFactor;
         }
 
-        public void init(int startPageId, int fileId) throws HyracksDataException {
+        public void init(int startPageId, int fileId) throws HyracksDataException, TreeIndexException {
             btreeBulkLoadCtx = btree.beginBulkLoad(BTree.DEFAULT_FILL_FACTOR,
                     btree.getLeafFrameFactory().createFrame(), btree.getInteriorFrameFactory().createFrame(), btree
                             .getFreePageManager().getMetaDataFrameFactory().createFrame());
diff --git a/hyracks-storage-am-rtree/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/rtree/impls/RTree.java b/hyracks-storage-am-rtree/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/rtree/impls/RTree.java
index 97eefe0..d0afcc7 100644
--- a/hyracks-storage-am-rtree/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/rtree/impls/RTree.java
+++ b/hyracks-storage-am-rtree/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/rtree/impls/RTree.java
@@ -31,11 +31,11 @@
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.common.api.ITreeIndexFrame;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.common.api.ITreeIndexFrameFactory;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.common.api.ITreeIndexMetaDataFrame;
+import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.common.api.IIndexOpContext;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.common.api.IndexType;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.common.frames.FrameOpSpaceStatus;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.common.impls.TreeDiskOrderScanCursor;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.common.ophelpers.IndexOp;
-import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.common.ophelpers.IndexOpContext;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.common.ophelpers.MultiComparator;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.rtree.api.IRTreeFrame;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.rtree.api.IRTreeInteriorFrame;
@@ -246,7 +246,7 @@
     }
 
     @Override
-    public void insert(ITupleReference tuple, IndexOpContext ictx) throws Exception {
+    public void insert(ITupleReference tuple, IIndexOpContext ictx) throws Exception {
         RTreeOpContext ctx = (RTreeOpContext) ictx;
         ctx.reset();
         ctx.setTuple(tuple);
@@ -638,7 +638,7 @@
     }
 
     @Override
-    public void delete(ITupleReference tuple, IndexOpContext ictx) throws Exception {
+    public void delete(ITupleReference tuple, IIndexOpContext ictx) throws Exception {
         RTreeOpContext ctx = (RTreeOpContext) ictx;
         ctx.reset();
         ctx.setTuple(tuple);
@@ -870,7 +870,7 @@
     }
 
     @Override
-    public void update(ITupleReference tuple, IndexOpContext ictx) throws Exception {
+    public void update(ITupleReference tuple, IIndexOpContext ictx) throws Exception {
         throw new Exception("RTree Update not implemented.");
     }
 
@@ -912,7 +912,7 @@
 
     @Override
     public void diskOrderScan(ITreeIndexCursor icursor, ITreeIndexFrame leafFrame, ITreeIndexMetaDataFrame metaFrame,
-            IndexOpContext ictx) throws HyracksDataException {
+            IIndexOpContext ictx) throws HyracksDataException {
         TreeDiskOrderScanCursor cursor = (TreeDiskOrderScanCursor) icursor;
         RTreeOpContext ctx = (RTreeOpContext) ictx;
         ctx.reset();
diff --git a/hyracks-storage-am-rtree/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/rtree/impls/RTreeOpContext.java b/hyracks-storage-am-rtree/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/rtree/impls/RTreeOpContext.java
index fc57019..8e68ffd 100644
--- a/hyracks-storage-am-rtree/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/rtree/impls/RTreeOpContext.java
+++ b/hyracks-storage-am-rtree/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/rtree/impls/RTreeOpContext.java
@@ -18,12 +18,12 @@
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.dataflow.common.data.accessors.ITupleReference;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.common.api.ITreeIndexCursor;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.common.api.ITreeIndexMetaDataFrame;
+import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.common.api.IIndexOpContext;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.common.ophelpers.IndexOp;
-import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.common.ophelpers.IndexOpContext;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.rtree.api.IRTreeInteriorFrame;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.rtree.api.IRTreeLeafFrame;
 
-public final class RTreeOpContext implements IndexOpContext {
+public final class RTreeOpContext implements IIndexOpContext {
 	public final IndexOp op;
 	public final IRTreeInteriorFrame interiorFrame;
 	public final IRTreeLeafFrame leafFrame;
diff --git a/hyracks-tests/hyracks-storage-am-btree-test/src/test/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/btree/util/BTreeTestUtils.java b/hyracks-tests/hyracks-storage-am-btree-test/src/test/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/btree/util/BTreeTestUtils.java
index 4e5644f..7929db1 100644
--- a/hyracks-tests/hyracks-storage-am-btree-test/src/test/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/btree/util/BTreeTestUtils.java
+++ b/hyracks-tests/hyracks-storage-am-btree-test/src/test/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/btree/util/BTreeTestUtils.java
@@ -34,6 +34,7 @@
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.common.api.IIndexBulkLoadContext;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.common.api.ITreeIndexCursor;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.common.api.ITreeIndexMetaDataFrame;
+import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.common.api.TreeIndexException;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.common.impls.TreeDiskOrderScanCursor;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.common.ophelpers.IndexOp;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.common.ophelpers.MultiComparator;
@@ -388,7 +389,7 @@
         bulkLoadCheckTuples(testCtx, numTuples);
     }
     
-    private static void bulkLoadCheckTuples(BTreeTestContext testCtx, int numTuples) throws HyracksDataException {
+    private static void bulkLoadCheckTuples(BTreeTestContext testCtx, int numTuples) throws HyracksDataException, TreeIndexException {
         int numFields = testCtx.getFieldCount();
         ArrayTupleBuilder tupleBuilder = new ArrayTupleBuilder(numFields);
         ArrayTupleReference tuple = new ArrayTupleReference();
diff --git a/hyracks-tests/hyracks-storage-am-invertedindex-test/src/test/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/invertedindex/SearchPerfTest.java b/hyracks-tests/hyracks-storage-am-invertedindex-test/src/test/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/invertedindex/SearchPerfTest.java
index 4ef8855..e6dba19 100644
--- a/hyracks-tests/hyracks-storage-am-invertedindex-test/src/test/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/invertedindex/SearchPerfTest.java
+++ b/hyracks-tests/hyracks-storage-am-invertedindex-test/src/test/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/invertedindex/SearchPerfTest.java
@@ -27,6 +27,7 @@
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.dataflow.common.data.marshalling.IntegerSerializerDeserializer;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.dataflow.common.data.marshalling.UTF8StringSerializerDeserializer;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.btree.impls.BTree;
+import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.common.api.TreeIndexException;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.invertedindex.api.IInvertedIndexSearchModifier;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.invertedindex.api.IInvertedListBuilder;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.invertedindex.impls.FixedSizeElementInvertedListBuilder;
@@ -65,7 +66,7 @@
 		loadData();
 	}
 
-	public void loadData() throws HyracksDataException {
+	public void loadData() throws HyracksDataException, TreeIndexException {
 		tokens.add("compilers");
 		tokens.add("computer");
 		tokens.add("databases");
diff --git a/hyracks-tests/hyracks-storage-am-invertedindex-test/src/test/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/invertedindex/SearchTest.java b/hyracks-tests/hyracks-storage-am-invertedindex-test/src/test/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/invertedindex/SearchTest.java
index c87ce9b..91fb924 100644
--- a/hyracks-tests/hyracks-storage-am-invertedindex-test/src/test/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/invertedindex/SearchTest.java
+++ b/hyracks-tests/hyracks-storage-am-invertedindex-test/src/test/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/invertedindex/SearchTest.java
@@ -14,6 +14,7 @@
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.dataflow.common.data.marshalling.IntegerSerializerDeserializer;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.dataflow.common.data.marshalling.UTF8StringSerializerDeserializer;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.btree.impls.BTree;
+import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.common.api.TreeIndexException;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.invertedindex.api.IInvertedIndexSearchModifier;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.invertedindex.api.IInvertedListBuilder;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.invertedindex.impls.FixedSizeElementInvertedListBuilder;
@@ -112,7 +113,7 @@
 		}
 	}
 
-	public void loadData() throws IOException {
+	public void loadData() throws IOException, TreeIndexException {
 		List<TokenIdPair> pairs = new ArrayList<TokenIdPair>();
 		// generate pairs for subsequent sorting and bulk-loading
 		int id = 0;