diff --git a/python/python/lancedb/_lancedb.pyi b/python/python/lancedb/_lancedb.pyi
index 4e36bfbfb..db9afda35 100644
--- a/python/python/lancedb/_lancedb.pyi
+++ b/python/python/lancedb/_lancedb.pyi
@@ -228,6 +228,7 @@ class Table:
     def tags(self) -> Tags: ...
     @property
     def branches(self) -> Branches: ...
+    def current_branch(self) -> Optional[str]: ...
     def query(self) -> Query: ...
     def take_offsets(self, offsets: list[int]) -> TakeQuery: ...
     def take_row_ids(self, row_ids: list[int]) -> TakeQuery: ...
diff --git a/python/python/lancedb/table.py b/python/python/lancedb/table.py
index 5f93bb7dd..49c00e1ff 100644
--- a/python/python/lancedb/table.py
+++ b/python/python/lancedb/table.py
@@ -2095,22 +2095,27 @@ class LanceTable(Table):
                 "Please install with `pip install pylance`."
             )
 
+        branch = self.current_branch()
+        version = None if branch is not None else self.version
         if self._namespace_client is not None:
             table_id = self._namespace_path + [self.name]
-            return lance.dataset(
-                version=self.version,
+            ds = lance.dataset(
+                version=version,
                 storage_options=self._conn.storage_options,
                 namespace_client=self._namespace_client,
                 table_id=table_id,
                 **kwargs,
             )
-
-        return lance.dataset(
-            self._dataset_path,
-            version=self.version,
-            storage_options=self._conn.storage_options,
-            **kwargs,
-        )
+        else:
+            ds = lance.dataset(
+                self._dataset_path,
+                version=version,
+                storage_options=self._conn.storage_options,
+                **kwargs,
+            )
+        if branch is not None:
+            ds = ds.checkout_version((branch, self.version))
+        return ds
 
     @property
     def schema(self) -> pa.Schema:
@@ -2185,6 +2190,10 @@ class LanceTable(Table):
         """
         return Branches(self)
 
+    def current_branch(self) -> Optional[str]:
+        """The branch this table handle is scoped to, or ``None`` for ``main``."""
+        return self._table.current_branch()
+
     def checkout(self, version: Union[int, str]):
         """Checkout a version of the table. This is an in-place operation.
 
@@ -4346,12 +4355,20 @@ class AsyncTable:
                 "Please install with `pip install pylance`."
             )
 
-        return lance.dataset(
+        # lance.dataset() can't open a branch directly, so open the base table
+        # and check out the branch ref (a None branch resolves to main).
+        branch = self.current_branch()
+        table_version = await self.version()
+        version = None if branch is not None else table_version
+        ds = lance.dataset(
             await self.uri(),
-            version=await self.version(),
+            version=version,
             storage_options=await self.latest_storage_options(),
             **kwargs,
         )
+        if branch is not None:
+            ds = ds.checkout_version((branch, table_version))
+        return ds
 
     async def to_pandas(self, blob_mode: BlobMode = "lazy", **kwargs) -> "pd.DataFrame":
         """Return the table as a pandas DataFrame.
@@ -5469,6 +5486,10 @@ class AsyncTable:
         """
         return AsyncBranches(self._inner)
 
+    def current_branch(self) -> Optional[str]:
+        """The branch this table handle is scoped to, or ``None`` for ``main``."""
+        return self._inner.current_branch()
+
     async def optimize(
         self,
         *,
diff --git a/python/python/tests/test_table.py b/python/python/tests/test_table.py
index 8548f2e27..084a077ef 100644
--- a/python/python/tests/test_table.py
+++ b/python/python/tests/test_table.py
@@ -969,6 +969,16 @@ def test_open_table_with_branch(tmp_path):
     assert opened.namespace == ["ns1"]
 
 
+def test_branch_to_lance_targets_branch(tmp_path):
+    db = lancedb.connect(tmp_path)
+    table = db.create_table("t", [{"i": 1}])
+    branch = table.branches.create("exp")
+    branch.add([{"i": 2}])  # branch: 2 rows, main: 1 row
+
+    assert branch.to_lance().count_rows() == 2
+    assert table.to_lance().count_rows() == 1
+
+
 @pytest.mark.asyncio
 async def test_async_branches(tmp_path):
     db = await lancedb.connect_async(tmp_path)
diff --git a/python/src/table.rs b/python/src/table.rs
index 5993e035b..cd85d9ad6 100644
--- a/python/src/table.rs
+++ b/python/src/table.rs
@@ -864,6 +864,10 @@ impl Table {
         Ok(Tags::new(self.inner_ref()?.clone()))
     }
 
+    pub fn current_branch(&self) -> PyResult<Option<String>> {
+        Ok(self.inner_ref()?.current_branch())
+    }
+
     #[getter]
     pub fn branches(&self) -> PyResult<Branches> {
         Ok(Branches::new(self.inner_ref()?.clone()))