diff --git a/asterixdb/asterix-algebra/src/main/java/org/apache/asterix/optimizer/rules/PushFieldAccessRule.java b/asterixdb/asterix-algebra/src/main/java/org/apache/asterix/optimizer/rules/PushFieldAccessRule.java
index 371f460..9070de1 100644
--- a/asterixdb/asterix-algebra/src/main/java/org/apache/asterix/optimizer/rules/PushFieldAccessRule.java
+++ b/asterixdb/asterix-algebra/src/main/java/org/apache/asterix/optimizer/rules/PushFieldAccessRule.java
@@ -209,9 +209,10 @@
         ILogicalOperator dataScanOp =
                 getDataScanOp(assignOpRef, assignOp, inputOpRef, inputOp, usedInAccess, produced, context);
         if (dataScanOp != null) {
-            // in this case, we don't need to keep pushing the assign op through all the assign operators below it since
-            // this is unnecessary. we just need to try replacing field access by the primary key if it refers to one
-            return rewriteFieldAccessToPK(context, finalAnnot, assignOp, dataScanOp);
+            // this means the assign op is next to the data-scan op (either was moved or already next to data-scan)
+            // we just need to try replacing field access by the primary key if it refers to one
+            boolean assignMoved = inputOp != dataScanOp;
+            return rewriteFieldAccessToPK(context, finalAnnot, assignOp, dataScanOp) || assignMoved;
         }
         produced.clear();
         if (inputOp.getOperatorTag() == LogicalOperatorTag.GROUP) {
@@ -404,6 +405,15 @@
             // the input to the assign operator is already a data-scan
             return assignInput;
         }
+        ILogicalOperator op = firstInput;
+        // to make the behaviour the same as the recursive call, make sure to add the intermediate assigns to the
+        // already compared set
+        while (op.getOperatorTag() == LogicalOperatorTag.ASSIGN) {
+            context.checkAndAddToAlreadyCompared(assignOp, op);
+            op = op.getInputs().get(0).getValue();
+        }
+        // add the data-scan to the already compared set
+        context.checkAndAddToAlreadyCompared(assignOp, assignInput);
         // move the assign op down, place it above the data-scan
         assignOpRef.setValue(firstInput);
         List<Mutable<ILogicalOperator>> assignInputs = assignOp.getInputs();
diff --git a/asterixdb/asterix-app/src/test/resources/optimizerts/results/nested-index/rtree-index-join/leftouterjoin-probe-pidx-with-join-rtree-sidx_01_ps.plan b/asterixdb/asterix-app/src/test/resources/optimizerts/results/nested-index/rtree-index-join/leftouterjoin-probe-pidx-with-join-rtree-sidx_01_ps.plan
index d696f4d..ee5703a 100644
--- a/asterixdb/asterix-app/src/test/resources/optimizerts/results/nested-index/rtree-index-join/leftouterjoin-probe-pidx-with-join-rtree-sidx_01_ps.plan
+++ b/asterixdb/asterix-app/src/test/resources/optimizerts/results/nested-index/rtree-index-join/leftouterjoin-probe-pidx-with-join-rtree-sidx_01_ps.plan
@@ -23,28 +23,29 @@
                                   -- STREAM_SELECT  |PARTITIONED|
                                     -- STREAM_PROJECT  |PARTITIONED|
                                       -- ASSIGN  |PARTITIONED|
-                                        -- ASSIGN  |PARTITIONED|
-                                          -- STREAM_PROJECT  |PARTITIONED|
-                                            -- ONE_TO_ONE_EXCHANGE  |PARTITIONED|
-                                              -- BTREE_SEARCH (test.TweetMessages.TweetMessages)  |PARTITIONED|
-                                                -- ONE_TO_ONE_EXCHANGE  |PARTITIONED|
-                                                  -- STABLE_SORT [$$86(ASC)]  |PARTITIONED|
-                                                    -- ONE_TO_ONE_EXCHANGE  |PARTITIONED|
-                                                      -- STREAM_PROJECT  |PARTITIONED|
-                                                        -- ONE_TO_ONE_EXCHANGE  |PARTITIONED|
-                                                          -- RTREE_SEARCH (test.TweetMessages.twmSndLocIx)  |PARTITIONED|
-                                                            -- BROADCAST_EXCHANGE  |PARTITIONED|
-                                                              -- ASSIGN  |PARTITIONED|
+                                        -- STREAM_PROJECT  |PARTITIONED|
+                                          -- ASSIGN  |PARTITIONED|
+                                            -- STREAM_PROJECT  |PARTITIONED|
+                                              -- ONE_TO_ONE_EXCHANGE  |PARTITIONED|
+                                                -- BTREE_SEARCH (test.TweetMessages.TweetMessages)  |PARTITIONED|
+                                                  -- ONE_TO_ONE_EXCHANGE  |PARTITIONED|
+                                                    -- STABLE_SORT [$$86(ASC)]  |PARTITIONED|
+                                                      -- ONE_TO_ONE_EXCHANGE  |PARTITIONED|
+                                                        -- STREAM_PROJECT  |PARTITIONED|
+                                                          -- ONE_TO_ONE_EXCHANGE  |PARTITIONED|
+                                                            -- RTREE_SEARCH (test.TweetMessages.twmSndLocIx)  |PARTITIONED|
+                                                              -- BROADCAST_EXCHANGE  |PARTITIONED|
                                                                 -- ASSIGN  |PARTITIONED|
-                                                                  -- STREAM_PROJECT  |PARTITIONED|
-                                                                    -- ASSIGN  |PARTITIONED|
-                                                                      -- STREAM_PROJECT  |PARTITIONED|
-                                                                        -- ASSIGN  |PARTITIONED|
-                                                                          -- ONE_TO_ONE_EXCHANGE  |PARTITIONED|
-                                                                            -- BTREE_SEARCH (test.TweetMessages.TweetMessages)  |PARTITIONED|
-                                                                              -- ONE_TO_ONE_EXCHANGE  |PARTITIONED|
-                                                                                -- ASSIGN  |PARTITIONED|
-                                                                                  -- EMPTY_TUPLE_SOURCE  |PARTITIONED|
+                                                                  -- ASSIGN  |PARTITIONED|
+                                                                    -- STREAM_PROJECT  |PARTITIONED|
+                                                                      -- ASSIGN  |PARTITIONED|
+                                                                        -- STREAM_PROJECT  |PARTITIONED|
+                                                                          -- ASSIGN  |PARTITIONED|
+                                                                            -- ONE_TO_ONE_EXCHANGE  |PARTITIONED|
+                                                                              -- BTREE_SEARCH (test.TweetMessages.TweetMessages)  |PARTITIONED|
+                                                                                -- ONE_TO_ONE_EXCHANGE  |PARTITIONED|
+                                                                                  -- ASSIGN  |PARTITIONED|
+                                                                                    -- EMPTY_TUPLE_SOURCE  |PARTITIONED|
                   -- BROADCAST_EXCHANGE  |PARTITIONED|
                     -- AGGREGATE  |UNPARTITIONED|
                       -- RANDOM_MERGE_EXCHANGE  |PARTITIONED|
@@ -66,25 +67,26 @@
                                             -- STREAM_SELECT  |PARTITIONED|
                                               -- STREAM_PROJECT  |PARTITIONED|
                                                 -- ASSIGN  |PARTITIONED|
-                                                  -- ASSIGN  |PARTITIONED|
-                                                    -- STREAM_PROJECT  |PARTITIONED|
-                                                      -- ONE_TO_ONE_EXCHANGE  |PARTITIONED|
-                                                        -- BTREE_SEARCH (test.TweetMessages.TweetMessages)  |PARTITIONED|
-                                                          -- ONE_TO_ONE_EXCHANGE  |PARTITIONED|
-                                                            -- STABLE_SORT [$$86(ASC)]  |PARTITIONED|
-                                                              -- ONE_TO_ONE_EXCHANGE  |PARTITIONED|
-                                                                -- STREAM_PROJECT  |PARTITIONED|
-                                                                  -- ONE_TO_ONE_EXCHANGE  |PARTITIONED|
-                                                                    -- RTREE_SEARCH (test.TweetMessages.twmSndLocIx)  |PARTITIONED|
-                                                                      -- BROADCAST_EXCHANGE  |PARTITIONED|
-                                                                        -- ASSIGN  |PARTITIONED|
+                                                  -- STREAM_PROJECT  |PARTITIONED|
+                                                    -- ASSIGN  |PARTITIONED|
+                                                      -- STREAM_PROJECT  |PARTITIONED|
+                                                        -- ONE_TO_ONE_EXCHANGE  |PARTITIONED|
+                                                          -- BTREE_SEARCH (test.TweetMessages.TweetMessages)  |PARTITIONED|
+                                                            -- ONE_TO_ONE_EXCHANGE  |PARTITIONED|
+                                                              -- STABLE_SORT [$$86(ASC)]  |PARTITIONED|
+                                                                -- ONE_TO_ONE_EXCHANGE  |PARTITIONED|
+                                                                  -- STREAM_PROJECT  |PARTITIONED|
+                                                                    -- ONE_TO_ONE_EXCHANGE  |PARTITIONED|
+                                                                      -- RTREE_SEARCH (test.TweetMessages.twmSndLocIx)  |PARTITIONED|
+                                                                        -- BROADCAST_EXCHANGE  |PARTITIONED|
                                                                           -- ASSIGN  |PARTITIONED|
-                                                                            -- STREAM_PROJECT  |PARTITIONED|
-                                                                              -- ASSIGN  |PARTITIONED|
-                                                                                -- STREAM_PROJECT  |PARTITIONED|
-                                                                                  -- ASSIGN  |PARTITIONED|
-                                                                                    -- ONE_TO_ONE_EXCHANGE  |PARTITIONED|
-                                                                                      -- BTREE_SEARCH (test.TweetMessages.TweetMessages)  |PARTITIONED|
-                                                                                        -- ONE_TO_ONE_EXCHANGE  |PARTITIONED|
-                                                                                          -- ASSIGN  |PARTITIONED|
-                                                                                            -- EMPTY_TUPLE_SOURCE  |PARTITIONED|
+                                                                            -- ASSIGN  |PARTITIONED|
+                                                                              -- STREAM_PROJECT  |PARTITIONED|
+                                                                                -- ASSIGN  |PARTITIONED|
+                                                                                  -- STREAM_PROJECT  |PARTITIONED|
+                                                                                    -- ASSIGN  |PARTITIONED|
+                                                                                      -- ONE_TO_ONE_EXCHANGE  |PARTITIONED|
+                                                                                        -- BTREE_SEARCH (test.TweetMessages.TweetMessages)  |PARTITIONED|
+                                                                                          -- ONE_TO_ONE_EXCHANGE  |PARTITIONED|
+                                                                                            -- ASSIGN  |PARTITIONED|
+                                                                                              -- EMPTY_TUPLE_SOURCE  |PARTITIONED|
diff --git a/asterixdb/asterix-app/src/test/resources/optimizerts/results/nested-open-index/rtree-index-join/leftouterjoin-probe-pidx-with-join-rtree-sidx_01_ps.plan b/asterixdb/asterix-app/src/test/resources/optimizerts/results/nested-open-index/rtree-index-join/leftouterjoin-probe-pidx-with-join-rtree-sidx_01_ps.plan
index d696f4d..ee5703a 100644
--- a/asterixdb/asterix-app/src/test/resources/optimizerts/results/nested-open-index/rtree-index-join/leftouterjoin-probe-pidx-with-join-rtree-sidx_01_ps.plan
+++ b/asterixdb/asterix-app/src/test/resources/optimizerts/results/nested-open-index/rtree-index-join/leftouterjoin-probe-pidx-with-join-rtree-sidx_01_ps.plan
@@ -23,28 +23,29 @@
                                   -- STREAM_SELECT  |PARTITIONED|
                                     -- STREAM_PROJECT  |PARTITIONED|
                                       -- ASSIGN  |PARTITIONED|
-                                        -- ASSIGN  |PARTITIONED|
-                                          -- STREAM_PROJECT  |PARTITIONED|
-                                            -- ONE_TO_ONE_EXCHANGE  |PARTITIONED|
-                                              -- BTREE_SEARCH (test.TweetMessages.TweetMessages)  |PARTITIONED|
-                                                -- ONE_TO_ONE_EXCHANGE  |PARTITIONED|
-                                                  -- STABLE_SORT [$$86(ASC)]  |PARTITIONED|
-                                                    -- ONE_TO_ONE_EXCHANGE  |PARTITIONED|
-                                                      -- STREAM_PROJECT  |PARTITIONED|
-                                                        -- ONE_TO_ONE_EXCHANGE  |PARTITIONED|
-                                                          -- RTREE_SEARCH (test.TweetMessages.twmSndLocIx)  |PARTITIONED|
-                                                            -- BROADCAST_EXCHANGE  |PARTITIONED|
-                                                              -- ASSIGN  |PARTITIONED|
+                                        -- STREAM_PROJECT  |PARTITIONED|
+                                          -- ASSIGN  |PARTITIONED|
+                                            -- STREAM_PROJECT  |PARTITIONED|
+                                              -- ONE_TO_ONE_EXCHANGE  |PARTITIONED|
+                                                -- BTREE_SEARCH (test.TweetMessages.TweetMessages)  |PARTITIONED|
+                                                  -- ONE_TO_ONE_EXCHANGE  |PARTITIONED|
+                                                    -- STABLE_SORT [$$86(ASC)]  |PARTITIONED|
+                                                      -- ONE_TO_ONE_EXCHANGE  |PARTITIONED|
+                                                        -- STREAM_PROJECT  |PARTITIONED|
+                                                          -- ONE_TO_ONE_EXCHANGE  |PARTITIONED|
+                                                            -- RTREE_SEARCH (test.TweetMessages.twmSndLocIx)  |PARTITIONED|
+                                                              -- BROADCAST_EXCHANGE  |PARTITIONED|
                                                                 -- ASSIGN  |PARTITIONED|
-                                                                  -- STREAM_PROJECT  |PARTITIONED|
-                                                                    -- ASSIGN  |PARTITIONED|
-                                                                      -- STREAM_PROJECT  |PARTITIONED|
-                                                                        -- ASSIGN  |PARTITIONED|
-                                                                          -- ONE_TO_ONE_EXCHANGE  |PARTITIONED|
-                                                                            -- BTREE_SEARCH (test.TweetMessages.TweetMessages)  |PARTITIONED|
-                                                                              -- ONE_TO_ONE_EXCHANGE  |PARTITIONED|
-                                                                                -- ASSIGN  |PARTITIONED|
-                                                                                  -- EMPTY_TUPLE_SOURCE  |PARTITIONED|
+                                                                  -- ASSIGN  |PARTITIONED|
+                                                                    -- STREAM_PROJECT  |PARTITIONED|
+                                                                      -- ASSIGN  |PARTITIONED|
+                                                                        -- STREAM_PROJECT  |PARTITIONED|
+                                                                          -- ASSIGN  |PARTITIONED|
+                                                                            -- ONE_TO_ONE_EXCHANGE  |PARTITIONED|
+                                                                              -- BTREE_SEARCH (test.TweetMessages.TweetMessages)  |PARTITIONED|
+                                                                                -- ONE_TO_ONE_EXCHANGE  |PARTITIONED|
+                                                                                  -- ASSIGN  |PARTITIONED|
+                                                                                    -- EMPTY_TUPLE_SOURCE  |PARTITIONED|
                   -- BROADCAST_EXCHANGE  |PARTITIONED|
                     -- AGGREGATE  |UNPARTITIONED|
                       -- RANDOM_MERGE_EXCHANGE  |PARTITIONED|
@@ -66,25 +67,26 @@
                                             -- STREAM_SELECT  |PARTITIONED|
                                               -- STREAM_PROJECT  |PARTITIONED|
                                                 -- ASSIGN  |PARTITIONED|
-                                                  -- ASSIGN  |PARTITIONED|
-                                                    -- STREAM_PROJECT  |PARTITIONED|
-                                                      -- ONE_TO_ONE_EXCHANGE  |PARTITIONED|
-                                                        -- BTREE_SEARCH (test.TweetMessages.TweetMessages)  |PARTITIONED|
-                                                          -- ONE_TO_ONE_EXCHANGE  |PARTITIONED|
-                                                            -- STABLE_SORT [$$86(ASC)]  |PARTITIONED|
-                                                              -- ONE_TO_ONE_EXCHANGE  |PARTITIONED|
-                                                                -- STREAM_PROJECT  |PARTITIONED|
-                                                                  -- ONE_TO_ONE_EXCHANGE  |PARTITIONED|
-                                                                    -- RTREE_SEARCH (test.TweetMessages.twmSndLocIx)  |PARTITIONED|
-                                                                      -- BROADCAST_EXCHANGE  |PARTITIONED|
-                                                                        -- ASSIGN  |PARTITIONED|
+                                                  -- STREAM_PROJECT  |PARTITIONED|
+                                                    -- ASSIGN  |PARTITIONED|
+                                                      -- STREAM_PROJECT  |PARTITIONED|
+                                                        -- ONE_TO_ONE_EXCHANGE  |PARTITIONED|
+                                                          -- BTREE_SEARCH (test.TweetMessages.TweetMessages)  |PARTITIONED|
+                                                            -- ONE_TO_ONE_EXCHANGE  |PARTITIONED|
+                                                              -- STABLE_SORT [$$86(ASC)]  |PARTITIONED|
+                                                                -- ONE_TO_ONE_EXCHANGE  |PARTITIONED|
+                                                                  -- STREAM_PROJECT  |PARTITIONED|
+                                                                    -- ONE_TO_ONE_EXCHANGE  |PARTITIONED|
+                                                                      -- RTREE_SEARCH (test.TweetMessages.twmSndLocIx)  |PARTITIONED|
+                                                                        -- BROADCAST_EXCHANGE  |PARTITIONED|
                                                                           -- ASSIGN  |PARTITIONED|
-                                                                            -- STREAM_PROJECT  |PARTITIONED|
-                                                                              -- ASSIGN  |PARTITIONED|
-                                                                                -- STREAM_PROJECT  |PARTITIONED|
-                                                                                  -- ASSIGN  |PARTITIONED|
-                                                                                    -- ONE_TO_ONE_EXCHANGE  |PARTITIONED|
-                                                                                      -- BTREE_SEARCH (test.TweetMessages.TweetMessages)  |PARTITIONED|
-                                                                                        -- ONE_TO_ONE_EXCHANGE  |PARTITIONED|
-                                                                                          -- ASSIGN  |PARTITIONED|
-                                                                                            -- EMPTY_TUPLE_SOURCE  |PARTITIONED|
+                                                                            -- ASSIGN  |PARTITIONED|
+                                                                              -- STREAM_PROJECT  |PARTITIONED|
+                                                                                -- ASSIGN  |PARTITIONED|
+                                                                                  -- STREAM_PROJECT  |PARTITIONED|
+                                                                                    -- ASSIGN  |PARTITIONED|
+                                                                                      -- ONE_TO_ONE_EXCHANGE  |PARTITIONED|
+                                                                                        -- BTREE_SEARCH (test.TweetMessages.TweetMessages)  |PARTITIONED|
+                                                                                          -- ONE_TO_ONE_EXCHANGE  |PARTITIONED|
+                                                                                            -- ASSIGN  |PARTITIONED|
+                                                                                              -- EMPTY_TUPLE_SOURCE  |PARTITIONED|