diff --git a/Project.toml b/Project.toml
index 69b3baaf2..e55823bb4 100644
--- a/Project.toml
+++ b/Project.toml
@@ -40,6 +40,7 @@ julia = "1"
 IteratorInterfaceExtensions = "^0.1.1, ^1"
 TableTraits = "^0.4.1, ^1"
 Electron = "0.2, 0.3, 0.4, 1"
+DataFrames = "0.19.1"
 
 [extras]
 DelimitedFiles = "8bb1440f-4735-579b-a4ab-409b98df4dab"
diff --git a/src/explorer/buildspecs.jl b/src/explorer/buildspecs.jl
index fadf21797..9886a0d56 100644
--- a/src/explorer/buildspecs.jl
+++ b/src/explorer/buildspecs.jl
@@ -305,13 +305,13 @@ function getdatapart(df, dffields, plottype::Symbol)
 
     # loop over rows and create a dictionary for each row
     if plottype == :multiline
-        cols = (df[1], df[2], df[3])
+        cols = (df[!, 1], df[!, 2], df[!, 3])
         datastring = getmultiline(cols, dffields)
     elseif plottype == :line
-        cols = (df[1], df[2])
+        cols = (df[!, 1], df[!, 2])
         datastring = getline(cols, dffields)
     else
-        cols = (df[1], df[2])
+        cols = (df[!, 1], df[!, 2])
         datastring = getbar(cols, dffields)
     end
 
diff --git a/src/mcs/montecarlo.jl b/src/mcs/montecarlo.jl
index a90f50a2c..7bb38c98c 100644
--- a/src/mcs/montecarlo.jl
+++ b/src/mcs/montecarlo.jl
@@ -63,7 +63,7 @@ function _store_param_results(m::Model, datum_key::Tuple{Symbol, Symbol}, trialn
 
     else
         trial_df = getdataframe(m, comp_name, datum_name)
-        trial_df[:trialnum] = trialnum
+        trial_df[!, :trialnum] .= trialnum
         # println("size of trial_df: $(size(trial_df))")
 
         if haskey(results, datum_key)
diff --git a/src/utils/getdataframe.jl b/src/utils/getdataframe.jl
index a12f99d1c..00aaa8fea 100644
--- a/src/utils/getdataframe.jl
+++ b/src/utils/getdataframe.jl
@@ -15,7 +15,7 @@ function _load_dataframe(m::Model, comp_name::Symbol, item_name::Symbol, df::Uni
     # Create a new df if one was not passed in
     df = df === nothing ? DataFrame() : df
 
-    if haskey(df, item_name)
+    if hasproperty(df, item_name)
         error("An item named $item_name already exists in this DataFrame")
     end
 
@@ -29,7 +29,7 @@ function _load_dataframe(m::Model, comp_name::Symbol, item_name::Symbol, df::Uni
     if num_dims == 1
         dim1name = dims[1]
         dim1 = dimension(md, dim1name)
-        df[dim1name] = collect(keys(dim1))
+        df[!, dim1name] = collect(keys(dim1))
         # @info "dim: $dim1name size(df): $(size(df))"
 
         # df[item_name] = data
@@ -44,9 +44,9 @@ function _load_dataframe(m::Model, comp_name::Symbol, item_name::Symbol, df::Uni
                                 data[1:(last-first+1)], # ignore padding after these values
                                 repeat([missing], inner=length(dim1) - last))
             # @info "len shifted: $(length(shifted_data))"
-            df[item_name] = shifted_data
+            df[!, item_name] = shifted_data
         else
-            df[item_name] = data
+            df[!, item_name] = data
         end
     else
         df = _df_helper(m, comp_name, item_name, dims, data)
@@ -72,8 +72,8 @@ function _df_helper(m::Model, comp_name::Symbol, item_name::Symbol, dims::Vector
         keys2 = collect(keys(dim2))
         len_dim2 = length(dim2)
 
-        df[dim1name] = repeat(keys1, inner = [len_dim2])
-        df[dim2name] = repeat(keys2, outer = [len_dim1])
+        df[!, dim1name] = repeat(keys1, inner = [len_dim2])
+        df[!, dim2name] = repeat(keys2, outer = [len_dim1])
 
         if dim1name == :time && size(data)[1] != len_dim1 #length(time_labels(md))
             ci = compinstance(m.mi, comp_name)
@@ -86,7 +86,7 @@ function _df_helper(m::Model, comp_name::Symbol, item_name::Symbol, dims::Vector
             data = vcat(top, data, bottom)
         end
 
-        df[item_name] = cat([vec(data[i, :]) for i = 1:len_dim1]...; dims=1)
+        df[!, item_name] = cat([vec(data[i, :]) for i = 1:len_dim1]...; dims=1)
     else
 
         # shift the data to be padded with missings if this data is shorter than the model
@@ -109,14 +109,14 @@ function _df_helper(m::Model, comp_name::Symbol, item_name::Symbol, dims::Vector
         for i in 1:size(data)[1]
             indexes[1] = i
             subdf = _df_helper(m, comp_name, item_name, dims[2:end], data[indexes...])
-            subdf[dims[1]] = keys1[i]
+            subdf[!, dims[1]] .= keys1[i]
 
             if i == 1
                 # add required columns in the first iteration
                 df_names = names(df)
                 for name in names(subdf)
                     if ! (name in df_names)
-                        df[name] = []
+                        df[!, name] = []
                     end
                 end
             end
@@ -147,7 +147,7 @@ function getdataframe(m::Model, pairs::Pair{Symbol, Symbol}...)
             error("Can't create DataFrame from items with different dimensions ($comp_name1.$item_name1: $dims vs $comp_name.$item_name: $next_dims)")
         end
         result = getdataframe(m, comp_name, item_name)
-        df = hcat(df, result[[item_name]])      # [[xx]] retrieves a 1 column DataFrame
+        df = hcat(df, result[!, [item_name]])      # [[xx]] retrieves a 1 column DataFrame
     end
 
     return df
diff --git a/test/dependencies/Manifest.toml b/test/dependencies/Manifest.toml
index 09b99e44f..317008093 100644
--- a/test/dependencies/Manifest.toml
+++ b/test/dependencies/Manifest.toml
@@ -350,7 +350,6 @@ version = "0.6.1"
 deps = ["CSVFiles", "Compose", "DataFrames", "DataStructures", "Dates", "DelimitedFiles", "Distributions", "Electron", "ExcelFiles", "FileIO", "FilePaths", "GlobalSensitivityAnalysis", "GraphPlot", "IterTools", "IterableTables", "JSON", "LightGraphs", "LinearAlgebra", "Logging", "MacroTools", "MetaGraphs", "NamedArrays", "Pkg", "ProgressMeter", "Query", "Random", "Serialization", "Statistics", "StatsBase", "StringBuilders", "TableTraits", "VegaLite"]
 path = "../.."
 uuid = "e4e893b0-ee5e-52ea-8111-44b3bdec128c"
-version = "0.8.7-DEV"
 
 [[MimiFUND]]
 deps = ["Dates", "DelimitedFiles", "Distributions", "Mimi", "StatsBase"]
diff --git a/test/mcs/test_defmcs.jl b/test/mcs/test_defmcs.jl
index dea1de722..da31ecaa4 100644
--- a/test/mcs/test_defmcs.jl
+++ b/test/mcs/test_defmcs.jl
@@ -82,7 +82,7 @@ function show_E_Global(year::Int; bins=40)
              @select i
              @collect DataFrame
         end
-    histogram(df[:E_Global], bins=bins, 
+    histogram(df.E_Global, bins=bins, 
               title="Distribution of global emissions in $year",
               xlabel="Emissions")
 end
diff --git a/test/test_getdataframe.jl b/test/test_getdataframe.jl
index 149be6cc3..4dd058b72 100644
--- a/test/test_getdataframe.jl
+++ b/test/test_getdataframe.jl
@@ -60,12 +60,12 @@ run(model1)
 # Regular getdataframe
 df = getdataframe(model1, :testcomp1=>:var1, :testcomp1=>:par1, :testcomp2=>:var2, :testcomp2=>:par2)
 dim = Mimi.dimension(model1, :time)
-@test df[:var1] == df[:par1] == years
-@test all(ismissing, df[:var2][1 : dim[late_first]-1])
-@test all(ismissing, df[:par2][1 : dim[late_first]-1])
-@test df[:var2][dim[late_first] : dim[early_last]] == df[:par2][dim[late_first] : dim[early_last]] == late_first:5:early_last
-@test all(ismissing, df[:var2][dim[years[end]] : dim[early_last]])
-@test all(ismissing, df[:par2][dim[years[end]] : dim[early_last]])
+@test df.var1 == df.par1 == years
+@test all(ismissing, df.var2[1 : dim[late_first]-1])
+@test all(ismissing, df.par2[1 : dim[late_first]-1])
+@test df.var2[dim[late_first] : dim[early_last]] == df.par2[dim[late_first] : dim[early_last]] == late_first:5:early_last
+@test all(ismissing, df.var2[dim[years[end]] : dim[early_last]])
+@test all(ismissing, df.par2[dim[years[end]] : dim[early_last]])
 
 # Test trying to load an item into an existing dataframe where that item key already exists
 @test_throws ErrorException _load_dataframe(model1, :testcomp1, :var1, df)
@@ -123,7 +123,7 @@ df3 = getdataframe(model3, :testcomp3=>:par3)
 @test size(df3) == (length(rates)*length(regions)*length(years), 4)
 
 # Test that times outside the component's time span are padded with `missing` values
-@test all(ismissing, df3[:par3][1 : (length(rates)*length(regions)*(dim[late_first]-1))])
-@test all(ismissing, df3[:par3][end - (length(rates)*length(regions)*(dim[end]-dim[early_last]))+1: end])
+@test all(ismissing, df3.par3[1 : (length(rates)*length(regions)*(dim[late_first]-1))])
+@test all(ismissing, df3.par3[end - (length(rates)*length(regions)*(dim[end]-dim[early_last]))+1: end])
 
 end #module
diff --git a/test/test_mult_getdataframe.jl b/test/test_mult_getdataframe.jl
index 3f766eba6..71516b2bc 100644
--- a/test/test_mult_getdataframe.jl
+++ b/test/test_mult_getdataframe.jl
@@ -164,11 +164,11 @@ run1 = run_my_model()
 
 expanded_get_dataframe = getdataframe(run1, :grosseconomy =>(:YGROSS, :K))
 curr_get_dataframe = getdataframe(run1, :grosseconomy, :YGROSS)
-@test(expanded_get_dataframe[3] == curr_get_dataframe[3])
+@test(expanded_get_dataframe[!, 3] == curr_get_dataframe[!, 3])
 
 expanded_get_dataframe = getdataframe(run1, :grosseconomy => :YGROSS, :emissions => :E)
 curr_get_dataframe = getdataframe(run1, :emissions, :E)
-@test(expanded_get_dataframe[4] == curr_get_dataframe[3])
+@test(expanded_get_dataframe[!, 4] == curr_get_dataframe[!, 3])
 
 
 #################
@@ -196,7 +196,7 @@ run(my_model)
 
 #Regular getdataframe
 dataframe = getdataframe(my_model, :testcomp1 => :var1)
-@test(dataframe[2] == par)
+@test(dataframe[!, 2] == par)
 
 #Test trying to getdataframe from component that does not exist
 @test_throws ErrorException getdataframe(my_model, :testcomp1 => :var2)