diff --git a/hyracks-storage-am-btree/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/btree/compressors/FieldPrefixCompressor.java b/hyracks-storage-am-btree/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/btree/compressors/FieldPrefixCompressor.java
index c0a46a7..3f7bc30 100644
--- a/hyracks-storage-am-btree/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/btree/compressors/FieldPrefixCompressor.java
+++ b/hyracks-storage-am-btree/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/btree/compressors/FieldPrefixCompressor.java
@@ -70,7 +70,7 @@
             return false;
 
         IBinaryComparator[] cmps = cmp.getComparators();
-        int fieldCount = cmp.getFieldCount();
+        int fieldCount = typeTraits.length;
 
         ByteBuffer buf = frame.getBuffer();
         byte[] pageArray = buf.array();
@@ -372,8 +372,7 @@
     private ArrayList<KeyPartition> getKeyPartitions(BTreeFieldPrefixNSMLeafFrame frame, MultiComparator cmp,
             int occurrenceThreshold) {
         IBinaryComparator[] cmps = cmp.getComparators();
-        //int fieldCount = cmp.getKeyFieldCount();
-        int fieldCount = cmp.getFieldCount();
+        int fieldCount = typeTraits.length;
 
         int maxCmps = cmps.length - 1;
         ByteBuffer buf = frame.getBuffer();
diff --git a/hyracks-storage-am-btree/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/btree/dataflow/BTreeSearchOperatorNodePushable.java b/hyracks-storage-am-btree/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/btree/dataflow/BTreeSearchOperatorNodePushable.java
index f53bfd6..bd707c5 100644
--- a/hyracks-storage-am-btree/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/btree/dataflow/BTreeSearchOperatorNodePushable.java
+++ b/hyracks-storage-am-btree/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/btree/dataflow/BTreeSearchOperatorNodePushable.java
@@ -130,7 +130,7 @@
                     highKeySearchCmp);
 
             writeBuffer = treeIndexOpHelper.getHyracksTaskContext().allocateFrame();
-            tb = new ArrayTupleBuilder(btree.getMultiComparator().getFieldCount());
+            tb = new ArrayTupleBuilder(btree.getFieldCount());
             dos = tb.getDataOutput();
             appender = new FrameTupleAppender(treeIndexOpHelper.getHyracksTaskContext().getFrameSize());
             appender.reset(writeBuffer, true);
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 33a1457..dcb7d2f 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
@@ -67,6 +67,9 @@
 
     protected ICachedPage page = null;
     protected ByteBuffer buf = null;
+
+    private final int fieldCount;
+    
     public ITreeIndexFrameCompressor compressor;
     // TODO: Should be protected, but will trigger some refactoring.
     public IPrefixSlotManager slotManager;
@@ -80,6 +83,7 @@
         this.tupleWriter = tupleWriter;
         this.frameTuple = new FieldPrefixTupleReference(tupleWriter.createTupleReference());
         ITypeTrait[] typeTraits = ((TypeAwareTupleWriter) tupleWriter).getTypeTraits();
+        this.fieldCount = typeTraits.length;
         this.framePrefixTuple = new FieldPrefixPrefixTupleReference(typeTraits);
         this.slotManager = new FieldPrefixSlotManager();
         this.compressor = new FieldPrefixCompressor(typeTraits, 0.001f, 2);
@@ -120,8 +124,6 @@
     public boolean compact(MultiComparator cmp) {
         resetSpaceParams();
 
-        frameTuple.setFieldCount(cmp.getFieldCount());
-
         int tupleCount = buf.getInt(tupleCountOff);
 
         // determine start of target free space (depends on assumptions stated
@@ -536,9 +538,7 @@
     public int split(ITreeIndexFrame rightFrame, ITupleReference tuple, MultiComparator cmp, ISplitKey splitKey)
     		throws TreeIndexException {
 
-        BTreeFieldPrefixNSMLeafFrame rf = (BTreeFieldPrefixNSMLeafFrame) rightFrame;
-
-        frameTuple.setFieldCount(cmp.getFieldCount());
+        BTreeFieldPrefixNSMLeafFrame rf = (BTreeFieldPrefixNSMLeafFrame)rightFrame;
 
         ByteBuffer right = rf.getBuffer();
         int tupleCount = getTupleCount();
diff --git a/hyracks-storage-am-btree/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/btree/frames/BTreeNSMLeafFrame.java b/hyracks-storage-am-btree/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/btree/frames/BTreeNSMLeafFrame.java
index a9d9e78..bf4faf6 100644
--- a/hyracks-storage-am-btree/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/btree/frames/BTreeNSMLeafFrame.java
+++ b/hyracks-storage-am-btree/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/btree/frames/BTreeNSMLeafFrame.java
@@ -69,7 +69,6 @@
 
     @Override
     public int findInsertTupleIndex(ITupleReference tuple, MultiComparator cmp) throws TreeIndexException {
-        frameTuple.setFieldCount(cmp.getFieldCount());
         int tupleIndex = slotManager.findTupleIndex(tuple, frameTuple, cmp, FindTupleMode.EXCLUSIVE_ERROR_IF_EXISTS,
                 FindTupleNoExactMatchPolicy.HIGHER_KEY);
         // Error indicator is set if there is an exact match.
@@ -81,7 +80,6 @@
     
     @Override
     public int findUpdateTupleIndex(ITupleReference tuple, MultiComparator cmp) throws TreeIndexException {
-        frameTuple.setFieldCount(cmp.getFieldCount());
         int tupleIndex = slotManager.findTupleIndex(tuple, frameTuple, cmp, FindTupleMode.EXACT,
                 FindTupleNoExactMatchPolicy.HIGHER_KEY);
         // Error indicator is set if there is no exact match.
@@ -93,7 +91,6 @@
     
     @Override
     public int findDeleteTupleIndex(ITupleReference tuple, MultiComparator cmp) throws TreeIndexException {
-        frameTuple.setFieldCount(cmp.getFieldCount());
         int tupleIndex = slotManager.findTupleIndex(tuple, frameTuple, cmp, FindTupleMode.EXACT,
                 FindTupleNoExactMatchPolicy.HIGHER_KEY);
         // Error indicator is set if there is no exact match.
@@ -125,9 +122,6 @@
 
     @Override
     public int split(ITreeIndexFrame rightFrame, ITupleReference tuple, MultiComparator cmp, ISplitKey splitKey) throws TreeIndexException {
-
-        frameTuple.setFieldCount(cmp.getFieldCount());
-
         ByteBuffer right = rightFrame.getBuffer();
         int tupleCount = getTupleCount();
 
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 cf7ed6f..5a782cb 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
@@ -295,7 +295,7 @@
         // 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). 
-        if (cmp.getFieldCount() == cmp.getKeyFieldCount()) {
+        if (getFieldCount() == cmp.getKeyFieldCount()) {
             throw new BTreeNotUpdateableException("Cannot perform updates when the entire tuple forms the key.");
         }
         insertUpdateOrDelete(tuple, ictx);
@@ -308,7 +308,6 @@
     
     private void insertLeaf(ICachedPage node, int pageId, ITupleReference tuple, BTreeOpContext ctx) throws Exception {
         ctx.leafFrame.setPage(node);
-        //ctx.leafFrame.setPageTupleFieldCount(cmp.getFieldCount());
         int targetTupleIndex = ctx.leafFrame.findInsertTupleIndex(tuple, cmp);
         FrameOpSpaceStatus spaceStatus = ctx.leafFrame.hasSpaceInsert(tuple, cmp);
         switch (spaceStatus) {
@@ -418,7 +417,6 @@
     
     private void updateLeaf(ICachedPage node, int pageId, ITupleReference tuple, BTreeOpContext ctx) throws Exception {
         ctx.leafFrame.setPage(node);
-        //ctx.leafFrame.setPageTupleFieldCount(cmp.getFieldCount());
         int oldTupleIndex = ctx.leafFrame.findUpdateTupleIndex(tuple, cmp);
         FrameOpSpaceStatus spaceStatus = ctx.leafFrame.hasSpaceUpdate(tuple, oldTupleIndex, cmp);
         switch (spaceStatus) {
@@ -930,7 +928,7 @@
     	
         BulkLoadContext ctx = new BulkLoadContext(fillFactor, (IBTreeLeafFrame)leafFrame,
                 (IBTreeInteriorFrame)interiorFrame, metaFrame);
-        ctx.nodeFrontiers.get(0).lastTuple.setFieldCount(cmp.getFieldCount());
+        ctx.nodeFrontiers.get(0).lastTuple.setFieldCount(getFieldCount());
         ctx.splitKey.getTuple().setFieldCount(cmp.getKeyFieldCount());
         return ctx;
     }
diff --git a/hyracks-storage-am-btree/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/btree/impls/BTreeRangeSearchCursor.java b/hyracks-storage-am-btree/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/btree/impls/BTreeRangeSearchCursor.java
index 2fd09c8..1072bfb 100644
--- a/hyracks-storage-am-btree/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/btree/impls/BTreeRangeSearchCursor.java
+++ b/hyracks-storage-am-btree/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/btree/impls/BTreeRangeSearchCursor.java
@@ -56,7 +56,7 @@
 
     public BTreeRangeSearchCursor(IBTreeLeafFrame frame) {
         this.frame = frame;
-        this.frameTuple = frame.createTupleReference();
+        this.frameTuple = frame.createTupleReference();        
     }
 
     @Override
@@ -191,10 +191,6 @@
         lowKey = pred.getLowKey();
         highKey = pred.getHighKey();
 
-        // field count must be identical for lowKeyCmp and highKeyCmp (key count
-        // may be different)
-        frameTuple.setFieldCount(lowKeyCmp.getFieldCount());
-
         // init
         lowKeyFtm = FindTupleMode.EXCLUSIVE;
         if (pred.lowKeyInclusive) {
diff --git a/hyracks-storage-am-btree/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/btree/impls/FieldPrefixSlotManager.java b/hyracks-storage-am-btree/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/btree/impls/FieldPrefixSlotManager.java
index c874605..4ebb06a 100644
--- a/hyracks-storage-am-btree/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/btree/impls/FieldPrefixSlotManager.java
+++ b/hyracks-storage-am-btree/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/btree/impls/FieldPrefixSlotManager.java
@@ -79,8 +79,6 @@
         if (frame.getTupleCount() <= 0)
             encodeSlotFields(TUPLE_UNCOMPRESSED, GREATEST_KEY_INDICATOR);
 
-        frameTuple.setFieldCount(multiCmp.getFieldCount());
-
         int prefixMid;
         int prefixBegin = 0;
         int prefixEnd = frame.getPrefixTupleCount() - 1;
diff --git a/hyracks-storage-am-btree/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/btree/impls/FieldPrefixTupleReference.java b/hyracks-storage-am-btree/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/btree/impls/FieldPrefixTupleReference.java
index 09be0bb..9644a3e 100644
--- a/hyracks-storage-am-btree/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/btree/impls/FieldPrefixTupleReference.java
+++ b/hyracks-storage-am-btree/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/btree/impls/FieldPrefixTupleReference.java
@@ -17,6 +17,7 @@
 
     public FieldPrefixTupleReference(ITreeIndexTupleReference helperTuple) {
         this.helperTuple = helperTuple;
+        this.fieldCount = helperTuple.getFieldCount();
     }
 
     @Override
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 7ecaf17..135d5ae 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
@@ -115,8 +115,6 @@
     @Override
     public boolean compact(MultiComparator cmp) {
         resetSpaceParams();
-        frameTuple.setFieldCount(cmp.getFieldCount());
-
         int tupleCount = buf.getInt(tupleCountOff);
         int freeSpace = buf.getInt(freeSpaceOff);
 
@@ -150,14 +148,7 @@
 
     @Override
     public void delete(ITupleReference tuple, MultiComparator cmp, int tupleIndex) {
-        frameTuple.setFieldCount(cmp.getFieldCount());
-        // TODO: Fix me.
-        //int tupleIndex = slotManager.findTupleIndex(tuple, frameTuple, cmp, FindTupleMode.FTM_EXACT,
-        //        FindTupleNoExactMatchPolicy.FTP_HIGHER_KEY);
         int slotOff = slotManager.getSlotOff(tupleIndex);
-        //if (tupleIndex < 0) {
-        //    throw new TreeIndexException("Key to be deleted does not exist.");
-        //}
         int tupleOff = slotManager.getTupleOff(slotOff);
         frameTuple.resetByTupleOffset(buf, tupleOff);
         int tupleSize = tupleWriter.bytesRequired(frameTuple);
@@ -190,7 +181,6 @@
     @Override
     public FrameOpSpaceStatus hasSpaceUpdate(ITupleReference newTuple, int oldTupleIndex, MultiComparator cmp) {
     	frameTuple.resetByTupleIndex(this, oldTupleIndex);
-    	frameTuple.setFieldCount(cmp.getFieldCount());
     	int oldTupleBytes = frameTuple.getTupleSize();
     	int newTupleBytes = tupleWriter.bytesRequired(newTuple);
     	int additionalBytesRequired = newTupleBytes - oldTupleBytes;
diff --git a/hyracks-storage-am-common/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/common/impls/TreeDiskOrderScanCursor.java b/hyracks-storage-am-common/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/common/impls/TreeDiskOrderScanCursor.java
index c3c256e..a67f982 100644
--- a/hyracks-storage-am-common/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/common/impls/TreeDiskOrderScanCursor.java
+++ b/hyracks-storage-am-common/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/common/impls/TreeDiskOrderScanCursor.java
@@ -21,7 +21,6 @@
 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.ITreeIndexTupleReference;
-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;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.common.file.BufferedFileHandle;
@@ -35,7 +34,6 @@
 	private ICachedPage page = null;
 	private ITreeIndexFrame frame = null;
 	private IBufferCache bufferCache = null;
-	private int fieldCount;
 	
 	private ITreeIndexTupleReference frameTuple;
 
@@ -119,9 +117,6 @@
 		page = initialState.getPage();
 		tupleIndex = 0;		
 		frame.setPage(page);
-		MultiComparator lowKeyCmp = searchPred.getLowKeyComparator();
-		fieldCount = lowKeyCmp.getFieldCount();
-		frameTuple.setFieldCount(fieldCount);
 		positionToNextLeaf(false);
 	}
 
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 3a44032..6efee73 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
@@ -248,7 +248,7 @@
             this.invListBuilder = invListBuilder;
             this.tokenCmp = btree.getMultiComparator();
             this.btreeTupleBuffer = ByteBuffer.allocate(hyracksFrameSize);
-            this.btreeTupleBuilder = new ArrayTupleBuilder(tokenCmp.getFieldCount());
+            this.btreeTupleBuilder = new ArrayTupleBuilder(btree.getFieldCount());
             this.btreeTupleAppender = new FrameTupleAppender(hyracksFrameSize);
             // TODO: serde never used, only need correct number of fields
             // tuple contains (token, start page, end page, start offset, num
diff --git a/hyracks-storage-am-rtree/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/rtree/dataflow/RTreeSearchOperatorNodePushable.java b/hyracks-storage-am-rtree/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/rtree/dataflow/RTreeSearchOperatorNodePushable.java
index a1e5162..34a577f 100644
--- a/hyracks-storage-am-rtree/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/rtree/dataflow/RTreeSearchOperatorNodePushable.java
+++ b/hyracks-storage-am-rtree/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/rtree/dataflow/RTreeSearchOperatorNodePushable.java
@@ -111,7 +111,7 @@
                 searchPred = new SearchPredicate(searchKey, cmp);
 
                 writeBuffer = treeIndexOpHelper.getHyracksTaskContext().allocateFrame();
-                tb = new ArrayTupleBuilder(rtree.getCmp().getFieldCount());
+                tb = new ArrayTupleBuilder(rtree.getFieldCount());
                 dos = tb.getDataOutput();
                 appender = new FrameTupleAppender(treeIndexOpHelper.getHyracksTaskContext().getFrameSize());
                 appender.reset(writeBuffer, true);
diff --git a/hyracks-storage-am-rtree/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/rtree/frames/RTreeNSMFrame.java b/hyracks-storage-am-rtree/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/rtree/frames/RTreeNSMFrame.java
index e809884..2c5bfdc 100644
--- a/hyracks-storage-am-rtree/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/rtree/frames/RTreeNSMFrame.java
+++ b/hyracks-storage-am-rtree/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/rtree/frames/RTreeNSMFrame.java
@@ -199,7 +199,6 @@
 	public void computeMBR(ISplitKey splitKey, MultiComparator cmp) {
 		RTreeSplitKey rTreeSplitKey = ((RTreeSplitKey) splitKey);
 		RTreeTypeAwareTupleWriter rTreeTupleWriterLeftFrame = ((RTreeTypeAwareTupleWriter) tupleWriter);
-		frameTuple.setFieldCount(cmp.getFieldCount());
 
 		int tupleOff = slotManager.getTupleOff(slotManager.getSlotEndOff());
 		frameTuple.resetByTupleOffset(buf, tupleOff);
diff --git a/hyracks-storage-am-rtree/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/rtree/frames/RTreeNSMLeafFrame.java b/hyracks-storage-am-rtree/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/rtree/frames/RTreeNSMLeafFrame.java
index 5b4ef49..fb9d430 100644
--- a/hyracks-storage-am-rtree/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/rtree/frames/RTreeNSMLeafFrame.java
+++ b/hyracks-storage-am-rtree/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/rtree/frames/RTreeNSMLeafFrame.java
@@ -37,13 +37,11 @@
 
     @Override
     public int findTupleIndex(ITupleReference tuple, MultiComparator cmp) {
-        frameTuple.setFieldCount(cmp.getFieldCount());
         return slotManager.findTupleIndex(tuple, frameTuple, cmp, null, null);
     }
 
     @Override
     public boolean intersect(ITupleReference tuple, int tupleIndex, MultiComparator cmp) {
-        frameTuple.setFieldCount(cmp.getFieldCount());
         frameTuple.resetByTupleIndex(this, tupleIndex);
         int maxFieldPos = cmp.getKeyFieldCount() / 2;
         for (int i = 0; i < maxFieldPos; i++) {
@@ -222,7 +220,6 @@
 
     @Override
     public void insert(ITupleReference tuple, MultiComparator cmp, int tupleIndex) {
-        frameTuple.setFieldCount(cmp.getFieldCount());
         slotManager.insertSlot(-1, buf.getInt(freeSpaceOff));
         int bytesWritten = tupleWriter.writeTuple(tuple, buf.array(), buf.getInt(freeSpaceOff));
 
@@ -233,7 +230,6 @@
 
     @Override
     public void delete(int tupleIndex, MultiComparator cmp) {
-        frameTuple.setFieldCount(cmp.getFieldCount());
         int slotOff = slotManager.getSlotOff(tupleIndex);
 
         int tupleOff = slotManager.getTupleOff(slotOff);
@@ -253,7 +249,6 @@
     @Override
     public void adjustMBR(ITreeIndexTupleReference[] tuples, MultiComparator cmp) {
         for (int i = 0; i < tuples.length; i++) {
-            tuples[i].setFieldCount(cmp.getFieldCount());
             tuples[i].resetByTupleIndex(this, 0);
         }
 
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 d47ba10..ad6700e 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
@@ -254,8 +254,6 @@
         ctx.splitKey.reset();
         ctx.splitKey.getLeftTuple().setFieldCount(cmp.getKeyFieldCount());
         ctx.splitKey.getRightTuple().setFieldCount(cmp.getKeyFieldCount());
-        //ctx.interiorFrame.setPageTupleFieldCount(cmp.getKeyFieldCount());
-        //ctx.leafFrame.setPageTupleFieldCount(cmp.getFieldCount());
 
         int maxFieldPos = cmp.getKeyFieldCount() / 2;
         for (int i = 0; i < maxFieldPos; i++) {
@@ -466,7 +464,6 @@
                         rightFrame = (IRTreeFrame) leafFrameFactory.createFrame();
                         rightFrame.setPage(rightNode);
                         rightFrame.initBuffer((byte) 0);
-                        //rightFrame.setPageTupleFieldCount(cmp.getFieldCount());
                         ret = ctx.leafFrame.split(rightFrame, tuple, cmp, ctx.splitKey);
                         ctx.leafFrame.setRightPage(rightPageId);
                         rightFrame.setPageNsn(ctx.leafFrame.getPageNsn());
@@ -645,8 +642,6 @@
         ctx.setTuple(tuple);
         ctx.splitKey.reset();
         ctx.splitKey.getLeftTuple().setFieldCount(cmp.getKeyFieldCount());
-        //ctx.interiorFrame.setPageTupleFieldCount(cmp.getKeyFieldCount());
-        //ctx.leafFrame.setPageTupleFieldCount(cmp.getFieldCount());
 
         int tupleIndex = findTupleToDelete(ctx);
 
diff --git a/hyracks-storage-am-rtree/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/rtree/impls/RTreeSearchCursor.java b/hyracks-storage-am-rtree/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/rtree/impls/RTreeSearchCursor.java
index 9d37d86..1d4fb73 100644
--- a/hyracks-storage-am-rtree/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/rtree/impls/RTreeSearchCursor.java
+++ b/hyracks-storage-am-rtree/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/rtree/impls/RTreeSearchCursor.java
@@ -192,7 +192,6 @@
 		}
 
 		pathList.add(this.rootPage, -1, -1);
-		frameTuple.setFieldCount(cmp.getFieldCount());
 		tupleIndex = 0;
 		fetchNextLeafPage();
 	}
diff --git a/hyracks-storage-am-rtree/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/rtree/impls/UnorderedSlotManager.java b/hyracks-storage-am-rtree/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/rtree/impls/UnorderedSlotManager.java
index dc8c758..260cdea 100644
--- a/hyracks-storage-am-rtree/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/rtree/impls/UnorderedSlotManager.java
+++ b/hyracks-storage-am-rtree/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/rtree/impls/UnorderedSlotManager.java
@@ -59,7 +59,7 @@
 					break;
 				}
 			}
-			int remainingFieldCount = multiCmp.getFieldCount()
+			int remainingFieldCount = frameTuple.getFieldCount()
 					- multiCmp.getKeyFieldCount();
 			for (int j = multiCmp.getKeyFieldCount(); j < multiCmp
 					.getKeyFieldCount() + remainingFieldCount; j++) {
diff --git a/hyracks-tests/hyracks-storage-am-btree-test/src/test/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/btree/BTreeStatsTest.java b/hyracks-tests/hyracks-storage-am-btree-test/src/test/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/btree/BTreeStatsTest.java
index 1253c6f..6ca98b4 100644
--- a/hyracks-tests/hyracks-storage-am-btree-test/src/test/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/btree/BTreeStatsTest.java
+++ b/hyracks-tests/hyracks-storage-am-btree-test/src/test/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/btree/BTreeStatsTest.java
@@ -105,7 +105,7 @@
 
         ByteBuffer frame = ctx.allocateFrame();
         FrameTupleAppender appender = new FrameTupleAppender(ctx.getFrameSize());
-        ArrayTupleBuilder tb = new ArrayTupleBuilder(cmp.getFieldCount());
+        ArrayTupleBuilder tb = new ArrayTupleBuilder(fieldCount);
         DataOutput dos = tb.getDataOutput();
 
         ISerializerDeserializer[] recDescSers = { IntegerSerializerDeserializer.INSTANCE,
diff --git a/hyracks-tests/hyracks-storage-am-btree-test/src/test/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/btree/BTreeTest.java b/hyracks-tests/hyracks-storage-am-btree-test/src/test/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/btree/BTreeTest.java
index 3b3819f..be4f5cf 100644
--- a/hyracks-tests/hyracks-storage-am-btree-test/src/test/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/btree/BTreeTest.java
+++ b/hyracks-tests/hyracks-storage-am-btree-test/src/test/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/btree/BTreeTest.java
@@ -137,7 +137,7 @@
 
         ByteBuffer frame = ctx.allocateFrame();
         FrameTupleAppender appender = new FrameTupleAppender(ctx.getFrameSize());
-        ArrayTupleBuilder tb = new ArrayTupleBuilder(cmp.getFieldCount());
+        ArrayTupleBuilder tb = new ArrayTupleBuilder(fieldCount);
         DataOutput dos = tb.getDataOutput();
 
         ISerializerDeserializer[] recDescSers = { IntegerSerializerDeserializer.INSTANCE,
@@ -346,7 +346,7 @@
 
         ByteBuffer frame = ctx.allocateFrame();
         FrameTupleAppender appender = new FrameTupleAppender(ctx.getFrameSize());
-        ArrayTupleBuilder tb = new ArrayTupleBuilder(cmp.getFieldCount());
+        ArrayTupleBuilder tb = new ArrayTupleBuilder(fieldCount);
         DataOutput dos = tb.getDataOutput();
 
         ISerializerDeserializer[] recDescSers = { IntegerSerializerDeserializer.INSTANCE,
@@ -532,7 +532,7 @@
 
         ByteBuffer frame = ctx.allocateFrame();
         FrameTupleAppender appender = new FrameTupleAppender(ctx.getFrameSize());
-        ArrayTupleBuilder tb = new ArrayTupleBuilder(cmp.getFieldCount());
+        ArrayTupleBuilder tb = new ArrayTupleBuilder(fieldCount);
         DataOutput dos = tb.getDataOutput();
 
         ISerializerDeserializer[] recDescSers = { UTF8StringSerializerDeserializer.INSTANCE,
@@ -705,7 +705,7 @@
 
         ByteBuffer frame = ctx.allocateFrame();
         FrameTupleAppender appender = new FrameTupleAppender(ctx.getFrameSize());
-        ArrayTupleBuilder tb = new ArrayTupleBuilder(cmp.getFieldCount());
+        ArrayTupleBuilder tb = new ArrayTupleBuilder(fieldCount);
         DataOutput dos = tb.getDataOutput();
 
         ISerializerDeserializer[] recDescSers = { UTF8StringSerializerDeserializer.INSTANCE,
@@ -908,7 +908,7 @@
 
         ByteBuffer frame = ctx.allocateFrame();
         FrameTupleAppender appender = new FrameTupleAppender(ctx.getFrameSize());
-        ArrayTupleBuilder tb = new ArrayTupleBuilder(cmp.getFieldCount());
+        ArrayTupleBuilder tb = new ArrayTupleBuilder(fieldCount);
         DataOutput dos = tb.getDataOutput();
 
         ISerializerDeserializer[] fieldSerdes = { UTF8StringSerializerDeserializer.INSTANCE,
@@ -1074,7 +1074,7 @@
 
         ByteBuffer frame = ctx.allocateFrame();
         FrameTupleAppender appender = new FrameTupleAppender(ctx.getFrameSize());
-        ArrayTupleBuilder tb = new ArrayTupleBuilder(cmp.getFieldCount());
+        ArrayTupleBuilder tb = new ArrayTupleBuilder(fieldCount);
         DataOutput dos = tb.getDataOutput();
 
         ISerializerDeserializer[] recDescSers = { IntegerSerializerDeserializer.INSTANCE,
@@ -1227,7 +1227,7 @@
 
         ByteBuffer frame = ctx.allocateFrame();
         FrameTupleAppender appender = new FrameTupleAppender(ctx.getFrameSize());
-        ArrayTupleBuilder tb = new ArrayTupleBuilder(cmp.getFieldCount());
+        ArrayTupleBuilder tb = new ArrayTupleBuilder(fieldCount);
         DataOutput dos = tb.getDataOutput();
 
         ISerializerDeserializer[] recDescSers = { IntegerSerializerDeserializer.INSTANCE,
diff --git a/hyracks-tests/hyracks-storage-am-btree-test/src/test/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/btree/RangeSearchCursorTest.java b/hyracks-tests/hyracks-storage-am-btree-test/src/test/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/btree/RangeSearchCursorTest.java
index 9e8a7cd..02b098f 100644
--- a/hyracks-tests/hyracks-storage-am-btree-test/src/test/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/btree/RangeSearchCursorTest.java
+++ b/hyracks-tests/hyracks-storage-am-btree-test/src/test/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/btree/RangeSearchCursorTest.java
@@ -102,7 +102,7 @@
 		btree.create(btreeFileId, leafFrame, metaFrame);
 		btree.open(btreeFileId);
 
-		ArrayTupleBuilder tupleBuilder = new ArrayTupleBuilder(cmp.getFieldCount());
+		ArrayTupleBuilder tupleBuilder = new ArrayTupleBuilder(fieldCount);
 	    ArrayTupleReference tuple = new ArrayTupleReference();
 
 		BTreeOpContext insertOpCtx = btree.createOpContext(IndexOp.INSERT,
@@ -184,7 +184,7 @@
 		btree.create(btreeFileId, leafFrame, metaFrame);
 		btree.open(btreeFileId);
 
-		ArrayTupleBuilder tupleBuilder = new ArrayTupleBuilder(cmp.getFieldCount());
+		ArrayTupleBuilder tupleBuilder = new ArrayTupleBuilder(fieldCount);
         ArrayTupleReference tuple = new ArrayTupleReference();
 
 		BTreeOpContext insertOpCtx = btree.createOpContext(IndexOp.INSERT,
@@ -267,7 +267,7 @@
 		btree.create(btreeFileId, leafFrame, metaFrame);
 		btree.open(btreeFileId);
 
-		ArrayTupleBuilder tupleBuilder = new ArrayTupleBuilder(cmp.getFieldCount());
+		ArrayTupleBuilder tupleBuilder = new ArrayTupleBuilder(fieldCount);
         ArrayTupleReference tuple = new ArrayTupleReference();
 
 		BTreeOpContext insertOpCtx = btree.createOpContext(IndexOp.INSERT,
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 aa363aa..1f28807 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
@@ -440,7 +440,7 @@
     
     @SuppressWarnings("unchecked")
     public static void updateTuples(BTreeTestContext testCtx, int numTuples, Random rnd) throws Exception {
-        int fieldCount = testCtx.btree.getMultiComparator().getFieldCount();
+        int fieldCount = testCtx.btree.getFieldCount();
         int keyFieldCount = testCtx.btree.getMultiComparator().getKeyFieldCount();
         // This is a noop because we can only update non-key fields.
         if (fieldCount == keyFieldCount) {
diff --git a/hyracks-tests/hyracks-storage-am-rtree-test/src/test/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/rtree/RTreeTest.java b/hyracks-tests/hyracks-storage-am-rtree-test/src/test/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/rtree/RTreeTest.java
index 91388f5..71e6327 100644
--- a/hyracks-tests/hyracks-storage-am-rtree-test/src/test/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/rtree/RTreeTest.java
+++ b/hyracks-tests/hyracks-storage-am-rtree-test/src/test/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/rtree/RTreeTest.java
@@ -67,7 +67,6 @@
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.test.support.TestUtils;
 
 public class RTreeTest extends AbstractRTreeTest {
-
 	private static final int PAGE_SIZE = 256;
 	private static final int NUM_PAGES = 10;
 	private static final int MAX_OPEN_FILES = 10;
@@ -145,7 +144,7 @@
 
 		ByteBuffer hyracksFrame = ctx.allocateFrame();
 		FrameTupleAppender appender = new FrameTupleAppender(ctx.getFrameSize());
-		ArrayTupleBuilder tb = new ArrayTupleBuilder(cmp.getFieldCount());
+		ArrayTupleBuilder tb = new ArrayTupleBuilder(fieldCount);
 		DataOutput dos = tb.getDataOutput();
 
 		@SuppressWarnings("rawtypes")
@@ -333,7 +332,7 @@
 
 		ByteBuffer hyracksFrame = ctx.allocateFrame();
 		FrameTupleAppender appender = new FrameTupleAppender(ctx.getFrameSize());
-		ArrayTupleBuilder tb = new ArrayTupleBuilder(cmp.getFieldCount());
+		ArrayTupleBuilder tb = new ArrayTupleBuilder(fieldCount);
 		DataOutput dos = tb.getDataOutput();
 
 		@SuppressWarnings("rawtypes")
@@ -559,7 +558,7 @@
 
 		ByteBuffer hyracksFrame = ctx.allocateFrame();
 		FrameTupleAppender appender = new FrameTupleAppender(ctx.getFrameSize());
-		ArrayTupleBuilder tb = new ArrayTupleBuilder(cmp.getFieldCount());
+		ArrayTupleBuilder tb = new ArrayTupleBuilder(fieldCount);
 		DataOutput dos = tb.getDataOutput();
 
 		@SuppressWarnings("rawtypes")
@@ -756,7 +755,7 @@
 
 		ByteBuffer hyracksFrame = ctx.allocateFrame();
 		FrameTupleAppender appender = new FrameTupleAppender(ctx.getFrameSize());
-		ArrayTupleBuilder tb = new ArrayTupleBuilder(cmp.getFieldCount());
+		ArrayTupleBuilder tb = new ArrayTupleBuilder(fieldCount);
 		DataOutput dos = tb.getDataOutput();
 
 		@SuppressWarnings("rawtypes")
diff --git a/hyracks-tests/hyracks-storage-am-rtree-test/src/test/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/rtree/SearchCursorTest.java b/hyracks-tests/hyracks-storage-am-rtree-test/src/test/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/rtree/SearchCursorTest.java
index b04afe5..341e7b2 100644
--- a/hyracks-tests/hyracks-storage-am-rtree-test/src/test/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/rtree/SearchCursorTest.java
+++ b/hyracks-tests/hyracks-storage-am-rtree-test/src/test/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/rtree/SearchCursorTest.java
@@ -145,7 +145,7 @@
 
 		ByteBuffer hyracksFrame = ctx.allocateFrame();
 		FrameTupleAppender appender = new FrameTupleAppender(ctx.getFrameSize());
-		ArrayTupleBuilder tb = new ArrayTupleBuilder(cmp.getFieldCount());
+		ArrayTupleBuilder tb = new ArrayTupleBuilder(fieldCount);
 		DataOutput dos = tb.getDataOutput();
 
 		@SuppressWarnings("rawtypes")