diff --git a/python/lancedb/query.py b/python/lancedb/query.py
index 9b970f2b..07c022f8 100644
--- a/python/lancedb/query.py
+++ b/python/lancedb/query.py
@@ -78,7 +78,7 @@ class LanceQueryBuilder:
     def to_df(self) -> pd.DataFrame:
         """Execute the query and return the results as a pandas DataFrame.
         """
-        ds = self._table._dataset
+        ds = self._table.to_lance()
         # TODO indexed search
         tbl = ds.to_table(
             columns=self._columns,
@@ -89,4 +89,4 @@ class LanceQueryBuilder:
                 "k": self._limit
             }
         )
-        return tbl.to_pandas()
\ No newline at end of file
+        return tbl.to_pandas()
diff --git a/python/lancedb/table.py b/python/lancedb/table.py
index cbd1e01d..ce0d5fb5 100644
--- a/python/lancedb/table.py
+++ b/python/lancedb/table.py
@@ -108,7 +108,7 @@ class LanceTable:
         return LanceQueryBuilder(self, query)
 
     @classmethod
-    def create(cls, db, name, data, schema):
+    def create(cls, db, name, data, schema=None):
         tbl = LanceTable(db, name)
         data = _sanitize_data(data, schema)
         lance.write_dataset(data, tbl._dataset_uri, mode="create")
@@ -131,10 +131,8 @@ def _sanitize_schema(data: pa.Table, schema: pa.Schema = None) -> pa.Table:
             return data
         # cast the columns to the expected types
         data = data.combine_chunks()
-        return pa.Table.from_arrays([
-            data[name].cast(schema.field(name).type)
-            for name in schema.names
-        ], schema=schema)
+        return pa.Table.from_arrays([data[name] for name in schema.names],
+                                    schema=schema)
     # just check the vector column
     return _sanitize_vector_column(data, vector_column_name=VECTOR_COLUMN_NAME)
 
diff --git a/python/tests/test_db.py b/python/tests/test_db.py
index ba43bcd9..7ce51e71 100644
--- a/python/tests/test_db.py
+++ b/python/tests/test_db.py
@@ -16,6 +16,10 @@ import lancedb
 
 def test_basic(tmp_path):
     db = lancedb.connect(tmp_path)
+
+    assert db.uri == str(tmp_path)
+    assert db.table_names() == []
+
     table = db.create_table("test",
                             data=[{"vector": [3.1, 4.1], "item": "foo", "price": 10.0},
                                   {"vector": [5.9, 26.5], "item": "bar", "price": 20.0}])
@@ -23,6 +27,12 @@ def test_basic(tmp_path):
     assert len(rs) == 1
     assert rs["item"].iloc[0] == "bar"
 
-    rs = table.search([100, 100]).where("price < 15").limit(1).to_df()
+    rs = table.search([100, 100]).where("price < 15").limit(2).to_df()
     assert len(rs) == 1
     assert rs["item"].iloc[0] == "foo"
+
+    assert db.table_names() == ["test"]
+    assert "test" in db
+    assert len(db) == 1
+
+    assert db.open_table("test").name == db["test"].name
diff --git a/python/tests/test_query.py b/python/tests/test_query.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..692debcc
--- /dev/null
+++ b/python/tests/test_query.py
@@ -0,0 +1,59 @@
+#  Copyright 2023 LanceDB Developers
+#
+#  Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
+#  you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+#  You may obtain a copy of the License at
+#      http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+#
+#  Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+#  distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
+#  WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
+#  See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
+#  limitations under the License.
+
+import lance
+from lancedb.query import LanceQueryBuilder
+
+import pandas as pd
+import pyarrow as pa
+
+import pytest
+
+
+class MockTable:
+
+    def __init__(self, tmp_path):
+        self.uri = tmp_path
+
+    def to_lance(self):
+        return lance.dataset(self.uri)
+
+
+@pytest.fixture
+def table(tmp_path) -> MockTable:
+    df = pd.DataFrame({
+        "vector": [[1, 2], [3, 4]],
+        "id": [1, 2],
+        "str_field": ["a", "b"],
+        "float_field": [1.0, 2.0]
+    })
+    schema = pa.schema([pa.field("vector", pa.list_(pa.float32(), list_size=2)),
+                        pa.field("id", pa.int32()),
+                        pa.field("str_field", pa.string()),
+                        pa.field("float_field", pa.float64())])
+    lance.write_dataset(df, tmp_path, schema)
+    return MockTable(tmp_path)
+
+
+def test_query_builder(table):
+    df = LanceQueryBuilder(table, [0, 0]).limit(1).select(["id"]).to_df()
+    assert df["id"].values[0] == 1
+    assert all(df["vector"].values[0] == [1, 2])
+
+
+def test_query_builder_with_filter(table):
+    df = LanceQueryBuilder(table, [0, 0]).where("id = 2").to_df()
+    assert df["id"].values[0] == 2
+    assert all(df["vector"].values[0] == [3, 4])
+
+
diff --git a/python/tests/test_table.py b/python/tests/test_table.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..3050d69b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/python/tests/test_table.py
@@ -0,0 +1,65 @@
+#  Copyright 2023 LanceDB Developers
+#
+#  Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
+#  you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+#  You may obtain a copy of the License at
+#      http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+#
+#  Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+#  distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
+#  WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
+#  See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
+#  limitations under the License.
+
+from pathlib import Path
+
+import pandas as pd
+import pyarrow as pa
+import pytest
+
+from lancedb.table import LanceTable
+
+
+class MockDB:
+
+    def __init__(self, uri: Path):
+        self.uri = uri
+
+
+@pytest.fixture
+def db(tmp_path) -> MockDB:
+    return MockDB(tmp_path)
+
+
+def test_basic(db):
+    ds = LanceTable.create(
+        db, "test",
+        data=[{"vector": [3.1, 4.1], "item": "foo", "price": 10.0},
+              {"vector": [5.9, 26.5], "item": "bar", "price": 20.0}]
+    ).to_lance()
+
+    table = LanceTable(db, "test")
+    assert table.name == "test"
+    assert table.schema == ds.schema
+    assert table.to_lance().to_table() == ds.to_table()
+
+
+def test_add(db):
+    schema = pa.schema([pa.field("vector", pa.list_(pa.float32())),
+                        pa.field("item", pa.string()),
+                        pa.field("price", pa.float32())])
+    expected = pa.Table.from_arrays([
+        pa.array([[3.1, 4.1], [5.9, 26.5]]),
+        pa.array(["foo", "bar"]),
+        pa.array([10.0, 20.0])
+    ], schema=schema)
+    data = [[{"vector": [3.1, 4.1], "item": "foo", "price": 10.0},
+             {"vector": [5.9, 26.5], "item": "bar", "price": 20.0}]]
+    df = pd.DataFrame(data[0])
+    data.append(df)
+    data.append(pa.Table.from_pandas(df, schema=schema))
+
+    for i, d in enumerate(data):
+        tbl = (LanceTable.create(db, f"test_{i}", data=d, schema=schema)
+               .to_lance().to_table())
+        assert expected == tbl