diff --git a/scheduler/scheduler.go b/scheduler/scheduler.go
index c6911edddb..30c496be2c 100644
--- a/scheduler/scheduler.go
+++ b/scheduler/scheduler.go
@@ -189,30 +189,13 @@ func (s *Scheduler) Sync(ctx context.Context, client schema.ClientMeta, tables s
 
 	// send migrate messages first
 	for _, tableOriginal := range tables.FlattenTables() {
-		// var table *schema.Table
-		table := tableOriginal.Copy(nil)
-		if syncClient.deterministicCQID {
-			// No PK adjustment should occur if `_cq_id` is not present in the table
-			cqIDCol := table.Columns.Get(schema.CqIDColumn.Name)
-			if cqIDCol == nil {
-				continue
-			}
-			for i, c := range table.Columns {
-				if c.Name == schema.CqIDColumn.Name {
-					// Ensure that the cq_id column is the primary key
-					table.Columns[i].PrimaryKey = true
-					continue
-				}
-				if !c.PrimaryKey {
-					continue
-				}
-				table.Columns[i].PrimaryKey = false
-			}
+		migrateMessage := &message.SyncMigrateTable{
+			Table: tableOriginal.Copy(nil),
 		}
-
-		res <- &message.SyncMigrateTable{
-			Table: table,
+		if syncClient.deterministicCQID {
+			schema.CqIDAsPK(migrateMessage.Table)
 		}
+		res <- migrateMessage
 	}
 
 	resources := make(chan *schema.Resource)
diff --git a/scheduler/scheduler_test.go b/scheduler/scheduler_test.go
index 31b3e1d8db..254c6b7d6f 100644
--- a/scheduler/scheduler_test.go
+++ b/scheduler/scheduler_test.go
@@ -45,7 +45,7 @@ func testColumnResolverPanic(context.Context, schema.ClientMeta, *schema.Resourc
 
 func testTableSuccessWithData(data []any) *schema.Table {
 	return &schema.Table{
-		Name: "test_table_success",
+		Name: "test_table_success_with_data",
 		Resolver: func(_ context.Context, _ schema.ClientMeta, _ *schema.Resource, res chan<- any) error {
 			res <- data
 			return nil
@@ -74,7 +74,7 @@ func testTableSuccess() *schema.Table {
 
 func testTableSuccessWithPK() *schema.Table {
 	return &schema.Table{
-		Name:     "test_table_success",
+		Name:     "test_table_success_pk",
 		Resolver: testResolverSuccess,
 		Columns: []schema.Column{
 			{
@@ -88,7 +88,7 @@ func testTableSuccessWithPK() *schema.Table {
 
 func testTableSuccessWithCQIDPK() *schema.Table {
 	return &schema.Table{
-		Name:     "test_table_success",
+		Name:     "test_table_success_cq_id",
 		Resolver: testResolverSuccess,
 		Columns: []schema.Column{
 			schema.CqIDColumn,
@@ -411,7 +411,7 @@ func testSyncTable(t *testing.T, tc syncTestCase, strategy Strategy, determinist
 			initialTable := tables.Get(v.Table.Name)
 
 			pks := migratedTable.PrimaryKeys()
-			if deterministicCQID {
+			if deterministicCQID && initialTable.Columns.Get(schema.CqIDColumn.Name) != nil {
 				if len(pks) != 1 {
 					t.Fatalf("expected 1 pk. got %d", len(pks))
 				}
diff --git a/schema/table.go b/schema/table.go
index 6338868379..ab058d7219 100644
--- a/schema/table.go
+++ b/schema/table.go
@@ -124,6 +124,26 @@ func AddCqIDs(table *Table) {
 	}
 }
 
+// CqIDAsPK sets the cq_id column as primary key if it exists
+// and removes the primary key from all other columns
+func CqIDAsPK(t *Table) {
+	cqIDCol := t.Columns.Get(CqIDColumn.Name)
+	if cqIDCol == nil {
+		return
+	}
+	for i, c := range t.Columns {
+		if c.Name == CqIDColumn.Name {
+			// Ensure that the cq_id column is the primary key
+			t.Columns[i].PrimaryKey = true
+			continue
+		}
+		if !c.PrimaryKey {
+			continue
+		}
+		t.Columns[i].PrimaryKey = false
+	}
+}
+
 func NewTablesFromArrowSchemas(schemas []*arrow.Schema) (Tables, error) {
 	tables := make(Tables, len(schemas))
 	for i, schema := range schemas {