diff --git a/.github/workflows/benchmark-main.yml b/.github/workflows/benchmark-main.yml
index e038446cbb..0e32323c76 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/benchmark-main.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/benchmark-main.yml
@@ -7,10 +7,8 @@
 
 name: JMH Benchmarks (Main)
 
-on:
-  push:
-    branches:
-      - main
+# TODO: Make this run on pushes to main once appropriate benchmarks have been written.
+on: [workflow_dispatch]
 
 env:
   JMH_RESULTS_PATH_FROM_ROOT: partiql-lang/build/reports/jmh/results.json
diff --git a/partiql-planner/src/main/kotlin/org/partiql/planner/internal/Env.kt b/partiql-planner/src/main/kotlin/org/partiql/planner/internal/Env.kt
index da8e6ed8fb..510c00d864 100644
--- a/partiql-planner/src/main/kotlin/org/partiql/planner/internal/Env.kt
+++ b/partiql-planner/src/main/kotlin/org/partiql/planner/internal/Env.kt
@@ -58,12 +58,12 @@ internal class Env(private val session: Session) {
         // 1. Search in current catalog and namespace
         var catalog = default
         var path = resolve(identifier)
-        var table = catalog.getTable(session, path)
+        var table = catalog.resolveTable(session, path)?.let { catalog.getTable(session, it) }
 
         // 2. Lookup as a schema-qualified identifier.
         if (table == null && identifier.hasQualifier()) {
             path = identifier
-            table = catalog.getTable(session, path)
+            table = catalog.resolveTable(session, path)?.let { catalog.getTable(session, it) }
         }
 
         // 3. Lookup as a catalog-qualified identifier
@@ -73,7 +73,7 @@ internal class Env(private val session: Session) {
             val tail = parts.drop(1)
             catalog = catalogs.getCatalog(head.getText(), ignoreCase = head.isRegular()) ?: return null
             path = Identifier.of(tail)
-            table = catalog.getTable(session, path)
+            table = catalog.resolveTable(session, path)?.let { catalog.getTable(session, it) }
         }
 
         // !! NOT FOUND !!
diff --git a/partiql-planner/src/test/kotlin/org/partiql/planner/internal/TestCatalog.kt b/partiql-planner/src/test/kotlin/org/partiql/planner/internal/TestCatalog.kt
index 39075fc60b..960c14a661 100644
--- a/partiql-planner/src/test/kotlin/org/partiql/planner/internal/TestCatalog.kt
+++ b/partiql-planner/src/test/kotlin/org/partiql/planner/internal/TestCatalog.kt
@@ -20,15 +20,19 @@ public class TestCatalog private constructor(
     override fun getName(): String = name
 
     override fun getTable(session: Session, name: Name): Table? {
-        return null
+        var curr: Tree = root
+        for (part in name) {
+            curr = curr.get(Identifier.delimited(part).first()) ?: break
+        }
+        return curr.table
     }
 
-    override fun getTable(session: Session, identifier: Identifier): Table? {
+    override fun resolveTable(session: Session, identifier: Identifier): Name? {
         var curr: Tree = root
         for (part in identifier) {
             curr = curr.get(part) ?: break
         }
-        return curr.table
+        return curr.table?.getName()
     }
 
     private class Tree(
diff --git a/partiql-planner/src/test/kotlin/org/partiql/planner/plugins/local/LocalCatalog.kt b/partiql-planner/src/test/kotlin/org/partiql/planner/plugins/local/LocalCatalog.kt
index 70ecea4984..c1cd967db4 100644
--- a/partiql-planner/src/test/kotlin/org/partiql/planner/plugins/local/LocalCatalog.kt
+++ b/partiql-planner/src/test/kotlin/org/partiql/planner/plugins/local/LocalCatalog.kt
@@ -38,7 +38,7 @@ public class LocalCatalog internal constructor(
     /**
      * TODO this doesn't handle ambiguous binding errors or back-tracking for longest prefix searching.
      */
-    override fun getTable(session: Session, identifier: Identifier): Table? {
+    override fun resolveTable(session: Session, identifier: Identifier): Name? {
         val matched = mutableListOf<String>()
         var curr = root
         for (part in identifier) {
@@ -62,8 +62,7 @@ public class LocalCatalog internal constructor(
             return null
         }
         // Remove the extension
-        val name = Name.of(matched)
-        return LocalTable(name, path)
+        return Name.of(matched)
     }
 
     // TODO preserving this logic if catalog regains the listing APIs.
diff --git a/partiql-spi/api/partiql-spi.api b/partiql-spi/api/partiql-spi.api
index 7b9571a09f..4d308d4b52 100644
--- a/partiql-spi/api/partiql-spi.api
+++ b/partiql-spi/api/partiql-spi.api
@@ -73,8 +73,8 @@ public abstract interface class org/partiql/spi/catalog/Catalog {
 	public abstract fun getAggregations (Lorg/partiql/spi/catalog/Session;Ljava/lang/String;)Ljava/util/Collection;
 	public abstract fun getFunctions (Lorg/partiql/spi/catalog/Session;Ljava/lang/String;)Ljava/util/Collection;
 	public abstract fun getName ()Ljava/lang/String;
-	public abstract fun getTable (Lorg/partiql/spi/catalog/Session;Lorg/partiql/spi/catalog/Identifier;)Lorg/partiql/spi/catalog/Table;
 	public abstract fun getTable (Lorg/partiql/spi/catalog/Session;Lorg/partiql/spi/catalog/Name;)Lorg/partiql/spi/catalog/Table;
+	public abstract fun resolveTable (Lorg/partiql/spi/catalog/Session;Lorg/partiql/spi/catalog/Identifier;)Lorg/partiql/spi/catalog/Name;
 }
 
 public final class org/partiql/spi/catalog/Catalog$Builder {
@@ -90,14 +90,13 @@ public final class org/partiql/spi/catalog/Catalog$Companion {
 public final class org/partiql/spi/catalog/Catalog$DefaultImpls {
 	public static fun getAggregations (Lorg/partiql/spi/catalog/Catalog;Lorg/partiql/spi/catalog/Session;Ljava/lang/String;)Ljava/util/Collection;
 	public static fun getFunctions (Lorg/partiql/spi/catalog/Catalog;Lorg/partiql/spi/catalog/Session;Ljava/lang/String;)Ljava/util/Collection;
-	public static fun getTable (Lorg/partiql/spi/catalog/Catalog;Lorg/partiql/spi/catalog/Session;Lorg/partiql/spi/catalog/Identifier;)Lorg/partiql/spi/catalog/Table;
 	public static fun getTable (Lorg/partiql/spi/catalog/Catalog;Lorg/partiql/spi/catalog/Session;Lorg/partiql/spi/catalog/Name;)Lorg/partiql/spi/catalog/Table;
+	public static fun resolveTable (Lorg/partiql/spi/catalog/Catalog;Lorg/partiql/spi/catalog/Session;Lorg/partiql/spi/catalog/Identifier;)Lorg/partiql/spi/catalog/Name;
 }
 
 public abstract interface class org/partiql/spi/catalog/Catalogs {
 	public static final field Companion Lorg/partiql/spi/catalog/Catalogs$Companion;
 	public static fun builder ()Lorg/partiql/spi/catalog/Catalogs$Builder;
-	public static fun empty ()Lorg/partiql/spi/catalog/Catalogs;
 	public abstract fun getCatalog (Ljava/lang/String;Z)Lorg/partiql/spi/catalog/Catalog;
 	public static fun of (Ljava/util/Collection;)Lorg/partiql/spi/catalog/Catalogs;
 	public static fun of ([Lorg/partiql/spi/catalog/Catalog;)Lorg/partiql/spi/catalog/Catalogs;
@@ -111,7 +110,6 @@ public final class org/partiql/spi/catalog/Catalogs$Builder {
 
 public final class org/partiql/spi/catalog/Catalogs$Companion {
 	public final fun builder ()Lorg/partiql/spi/catalog/Catalogs$Builder;
-	public final fun empty ()Lorg/partiql/spi/catalog/Catalogs;
 	public final fun of (Ljava/util/Collection;)Lorg/partiql/spi/catalog/Catalogs;
 	public final fun of ([Lorg/partiql/spi/catalog/Catalog;)Lorg/partiql/spi/catalog/Catalogs;
 }
@@ -126,7 +124,7 @@ public final class org/partiql/spi/catalog/Identifier : java/lang/Iterable, kotl
 	public final fun append (Lorg/partiql/spi/catalog/Identifier;)Lorg/partiql/spi/catalog/Identifier;
 	public final fun append ([Lorg/partiql/spi/catalog/Identifier$Part;)Lorg/partiql/spi/catalog/Identifier;
 	public static final fun delimited (Ljava/lang/String;)Lorg/partiql/spi/catalog/Identifier;
-	public static final fun delimited (Ljava/util/Collection;)Lorg/partiql/spi/catalog/Identifier;
+	public static final fun delimited (Ljava/util/List;)Lorg/partiql/spi/catalog/Identifier;
 	public static final fun delimited ([Ljava/lang/String;)Lorg/partiql/spi/catalog/Identifier;
 	public fun equals (Ljava/lang/Object;)Z
 	public fun forEach (Ljava/util/function/Consumer;)V
@@ -138,10 +136,10 @@ public final class org/partiql/spi/catalog/Identifier : java/lang/Iterable, kotl
 	public fun iterator ()Ljava/util/Iterator;
 	public final fun matches (Ljava/lang/String;Z)Z
 	public static synthetic fun matches$default (Lorg/partiql/spi/catalog/Identifier;Ljava/lang/String;ZILjava/lang/Object;)Z
-	public static final fun of (Ljava/util/Collection;)Lorg/partiql/spi/catalog/Identifier;
+	public static final fun of (Ljava/util/List;)Lorg/partiql/spi/catalog/Identifier;
 	public static final fun of ([Lorg/partiql/spi/catalog/Identifier$Part;)Lorg/partiql/spi/catalog/Identifier;
 	public static final fun regular (Ljava/lang/String;)Lorg/partiql/spi/catalog/Identifier;
-	public static final fun regular (Ljava/util/Collection;)Lorg/partiql/spi/catalog/Identifier;
+	public static final fun regular (Ljava/util/List;)Lorg/partiql/spi/catalog/Identifier;
 	public static final fun regular ([Ljava/lang/String;)Lorg/partiql/spi/catalog/Identifier;
 	public fun spliterator ()Ljava/util/Spliterator;
 	public fun toString ()Ljava/lang/String;
@@ -149,12 +147,12 @@ public final class org/partiql/spi/catalog/Identifier : java/lang/Iterable, kotl
 
 public final class org/partiql/spi/catalog/Identifier$Companion {
 	public final fun delimited (Ljava/lang/String;)Lorg/partiql/spi/catalog/Identifier;
-	public final fun delimited (Ljava/util/Collection;)Lorg/partiql/spi/catalog/Identifier;
+	public final fun delimited (Ljava/util/List;)Lorg/partiql/spi/catalog/Identifier;
 	public final fun delimited ([Ljava/lang/String;)Lorg/partiql/spi/catalog/Identifier;
-	public final fun of (Ljava/util/Collection;)Lorg/partiql/spi/catalog/Identifier;
+	public final fun of (Ljava/util/List;)Lorg/partiql/spi/catalog/Identifier;
 	public final fun of ([Lorg/partiql/spi/catalog/Identifier$Part;)Lorg/partiql/spi/catalog/Identifier;
 	public final fun regular (Ljava/lang/String;)Lorg/partiql/spi/catalog/Identifier;
-	public final fun regular (Ljava/util/Collection;)Lorg/partiql/spi/catalog/Identifier;
+	public final fun regular (Ljava/util/List;)Lorg/partiql/spi/catalog/Identifier;
 	public final fun regular ([Ljava/lang/String;)Lorg/partiql/spi/catalog/Identifier;
 }
 
@@ -186,14 +184,14 @@ public final class org/partiql/spi/catalog/Name : java/lang/Iterable, kotlin/jvm
 	public final fun hasNamespace ()Z
 	public fun hashCode ()I
 	public fun iterator ()Ljava/util/Iterator;
-	public static final fun of (Ljava/util/Collection;)Lorg/partiql/spi/catalog/Name;
+	public static final fun of (Ljava/util/List;)Lorg/partiql/spi/catalog/Name;
 	public static final fun of ([Ljava/lang/String;)Lorg/partiql/spi/catalog/Name;
 	public fun spliterator ()Ljava/util/Spliterator;
 	public fun toString ()Ljava/lang/String;
 }
 
 public final class org/partiql/spi/catalog/Name$Companion {
-	public final fun of (Ljava/util/Collection;)Lorg/partiql/spi/catalog/Name;
+	public final fun of (Ljava/util/List;)Lorg/partiql/spi/catalog/Name;
 	public final fun of ([Ljava/lang/String;)Lorg/partiql/spi/catalog/Name;
 }
 
@@ -210,7 +208,7 @@ public final class org/partiql/spi/catalog/Namespace : java/lang/Iterable, kotli
 	public fun hashCode ()I
 	public final fun isEmpty ()Z
 	public fun iterator ()Ljava/util/Iterator;
-	public static final fun of (Ljava/util/Collection;)Lorg/partiql/spi/catalog/Namespace;
+	public static final fun of (Ljava/util/List;)Lorg/partiql/spi/catalog/Namespace;
 	public static final fun of ([Ljava/lang/String;)Lorg/partiql/spi/catalog/Namespace;
 	public fun spliterator ()Ljava/util/Spliterator;
 	public fun toString ()Ljava/lang/String;
@@ -218,7 +216,7 @@ public final class org/partiql/spi/catalog/Namespace : java/lang/Iterable, kotli
 
 public final class org/partiql/spi/catalog/Namespace$Companion {
 	public final fun empty ()Lorg/partiql/spi/catalog/Namespace;
-	public final fun of (Ljava/util/Collection;)Lorg/partiql/spi/catalog/Namespace;
+	public final fun of (Ljava/util/List;)Lorg/partiql/spi/catalog/Namespace;
 	public final fun of ([Ljava/lang/String;)Lorg/partiql/spi/catalog/Namespace;
 }
 
@@ -257,10 +255,11 @@ public final class org/partiql/spi/catalog/Session$Builder {
 	public final fun catalog (Ljava/lang/String;)Lorg/partiql/spi/catalog/Session$Builder;
 	public final fun catalogs ([Lorg/partiql/spi/catalog/Catalog;)Lorg/partiql/spi/catalog/Session$Builder;
 	public final fun identity (Ljava/lang/String;)Lorg/partiql/spi/catalog/Session$Builder;
-	public final fun namespace (Ljava/util/Collection;)Lorg/partiql/spi/catalog/Session$Builder;
+	public final fun namespace (Ljava/util/List;)Lorg/partiql/spi/catalog/Session$Builder;
 	public final fun namespace (Lorg/partiql/spi/catalog/Namespace;)Lorg/partiql/spi/catalog/Session$Builder;
 	public final fun namespace ([Ljava/lang/String;)Lorg/partiql/spi/catalog/Session$Builder;
 	public final fun property (Ljava/lang/String;Ljava/lang/String;)Lorg/partiql/spi/catalog/Session$Builder;
+	public final fun system (Lorg/partiql/spi/catalog/Catalog;)Lorg/partiql/spi/catalog/Session$Builder;
 }
 
 public final class org/partiql/spi/catalog/Session$Companion {
diff --git a/partiql-spi/src/main/java/org/partiql/spi/catalog/System.java b/partiql-spi/src/main/java/org/partiql/spi/catalog/System.java
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..a1a6a3b461
--- /dev/null
+++ b/partiql-spi/src/main/java/org/partiql/spi/catalog/System.java
@@ -0,0 +1,60 @@
+package org.partiql.spi.catalog;
+
+import org.jetbrains.annotations.NotNull;
+import org.jetbrains.annotations.Nullable;
+import org.partiql.spi.function.Aggregation;
+import org.partiql.spi.function.Builtins;
+import org.partiql.spi.function.Function;
+
+import java.util.Collection;
+
+/**
+ * <p>
+ * This package-private class implements the PartiQL System Catalog.
+ * </p>
+ * <p>
+ * It provides the implementation for the PartiQL System Catalog, which is a built-in catalog
+ * that provides access to the PartiQL language and its built-in functions and aggregations.
+ * </p>
+ * @see Session.Builder
+ */
+final class System implements Catalog {
+
+    @NotNull
+    private static final String NAME = "$system";
+
+    /**
+     * This is a package-private singleton.
+     */
+    static System INSTANCE = new System();
+
+    @NotNull
+    @Override
+    public String getName() {
+        return NAME;
+    }
+
+    @Nullable
+    @Override
+    public Table getTable(@NotNull Session session, @NotNull Name name) {
+        return null;
+    }
+
+    @Nullable
+    @Override
+    public Name resolveTable(@NotNull Session session, @NotNull Identifier identifier) {
+        return null;
+    }
+
+    @NotNull
+    @Override
+    public Collection<Function> getFunctions(@NotNull Session session, @NotNull String name) {
+        return Builtins.INSTANCE.getFunctions(name);
+    }
+
+    @NotNull
+    @Override
+    public Collection<Aggregation> getAggregations(@NotNull Session session, @NotNull String name) {
+        return Builtins.INSTANCE.getAggregations(name);
+    }
+}
diff --git a/partiql-spi/src/main/kotlin/org/partiql/spi/catalog/Catalog.kt b/partiql-spi/src/main/kotlin/org/partiql/spi/catalog/Catalog.kt
index d7233390bb..19a6bcb7eb 100644
--- a/partiql-spi/src/main/kotlin/org/partiql/spi/catalog/Catalog.kt
+++ b/partiql-spi/src/main/kotlin/org/partiql/spi/catalog/Catalog.kt
@@ -41,7 +41,7 @@ public interface Catalog {
      *  2. Invoke getTable("a"."b"."c"."Example"."x")
      *  3. The implementation MUST match "a"."b"."c"."Example" to a.b.c.Example (note "x" does not match a table)
      */
-    public fun getTable(session: Session, identifier: Identifier): Table? = null
+    public fun resolveTable(session: Session, identifier: Identifier): Name? = null
 
     /**
      * Returns a collection of scalar functions in this catalog with the given name, or an empty list if none.
diff --git a/partiql-spi/src/main/kotlin/org/partiql/spi/catalog/Catalogs.kt b/partiql-spi/src/main/kotlin/org/partiql/spi/catalog/Catalogs.kt
index 72d90ed260..32426ea1cd 100644
--- a/partiql-spi/src/main/kotlin/org/partiql/spi/catalog/Catalogs.kt
+++ b/partiql-spi/src/main/kotlin/org/partiql/spi/catalog/Catalogs.kt
@@ -25,20 +25,6 @@ public interface Catalogs {
             return builder().apply { catalogs.forEach { add(it) } }.build()
         }
 
-        /**
-         * A catalog provider that always returns an empty catalog.
-         */
-        @JvmStatic
-        public fun empty(): Catalogs = object : Catalogs {
-            private val EMPTY = object : Catalog {
-                override fun getName(): String = "empty"
-                override fun getTable(session: Session, name: Name): Table? = null
-                override fun getTable(session: Session, identifier: Identifier): Table? = null
-            }
-
-            override fun getCatalog(name: String, ignoreCase: Boolean): Catalog = EMPTY
-        }
-
         @JvmStatic
         public fun builder(): Builder = Builder()
     }
diff --git a/partiql-spi/src/main/kotlin/org/partiql/spi/catalog/Identifier.kt b/partiql-spi/src/main/kotlin/org/partiql/spi/catalog/Identifier.kt
index fd9c7a93dc..bacba281e4 100644
--- a/partiql-spi/src/main/kotlin/org/partiql/spi/catalog/Identifier.kt
+++ b/partiql-spi/src/main/kotlin/org/partiql/spi/catalog/Identifier.kt
@@ -30,7 +30,7 @@ public class Identifier private constructor(
     public fun hasQualifier(): Boolean = qualifier.isNotEmpty()
 
     /**
-     * Returns a collection of the identifier parts.
+     * Returns an ordered collection of the identifier parts.
      */
     public fun getParts(): List<Part> {
         return listOf(*qualifier) + identifier
@@ -195,7 +195,7 @@ public class Identifier private constructor(
         public fun regular(vararg parts: String): Identifier = regular(parts.toList())
 
         @JvmStatic
-        public fun regular(parts: Collection<String>): Identifier {
+        public fun regular(parts: List<String>): Identifier {
             if (parts.isEmpty()) {
                 error("Cannot create an identifier with no parts")
             }
@@ -211,7 +211,7 @@ public class Identifier private constructor(
         public fun delimited(vararg parts: String): Identifier = delimited(parts.toList())
 
         @JvmStatic
-        public fun delimited(parts: Collection<String>): Identifier {
+        public fun delimited(parts: List<String>): Identifier {
             if (parts.isEmpty()) {
                 error("Cannot create an identifier with no parts")
             }
@@ -224,7 +224,7 @@ public class Identifier private constructor(
         public fun of(vararg parts: Part): Identifier = of(parts.toList())
 
         @JvmStatic
-        public fun of(parts: Collection<Part>): Identifier {
+        public fun of(parts: List<Part>): Identifier {
             if (parts.isEmpty()) {
                 error("Cannot create an identifier with no parts")
             }
diff --git a/partiql-spi/src/main/kotlin/org/partiql/spi/catalog/Name.kt b/partiql-spi/src/main/kotlin/org/partiql/spi/catalog/Name.kt
index a089be9f13..5611efd44e 100644
--- a/partiql-spi/src/main/kotlin/org/partiql/spi/catalog/Name.kt
+++ b/partiql-spi/src/main/kotlin/org/partiql/spi/catalog/Name.kt
@@ -88,10 +88,10 @@ public class Name(
         public fun of(vararg names: String): Name = of(names.toList())
 
         /**
-         * Construct a name from a collection of strings.
+         * Construct a name from an ordered collection of strings.
          */
         @JvmStatic
-        public fun of(names: Collection<String>): Name {
+        public fun of(names: List<String>): Name {
             assert(names.size > 0) { "Cannot create an empty name" }
             val namespace = Namespace.of(names.take(names.size - 1))
             val name = names.last()
diff --git a/partiql-spi/src/main/kotlin/org/partiql/spi/catalog/Namespace.kt b/partiql-spi/src/main/kotlin/org/partiql/spi/catalog/Namespace.kt
index 170bf5b989..ee09c06759 100644
--- a/partiql-spi/src/main/kotlin/org/partiql/spi/catalog/Namespace.kt
+++ b/partiql-spi/src/main/kotlin/org/partiql/spi/catalog/Namespace.kt
@@ -92,7 +92,7 @@ public class Namespace private constructor(
         }
 
         @JvmStatic
-        public fun of(levels: Collection<String>): Namespace {
+        public fun of(levels: List<String>): Namespace {
             if (levels.isEmpty()) {
                 return empty()
             }
diff --git a/partiql-spi/src/main/kotlin/org/partiql/spi/catalog/Session.kt b/partiql-spi/src/main/kotlin/org/partiql/spi/catalog/Session.kt
index fd114a82f1..42c633bdc7 100644
--- a/partiql-spi/src/main/kotlin/org/partiql/spi/catalog/Session.kt
+++ b/partiql-spi/src/main/kotlin/org/partiql/spi/catalog/Session.kt
@@ -46,11 +46,8 @@ public interface Session {
          * Returns a [Session] with only the "empty" catalog implementation.
          */
         @JvmStatic
-        public fun empty(): Session = object : Session {
-            override fun getIdentity(): String = "unknown"
-            override fun getCatalog(): String = "empty"
-            override fun getCatalogs(): Catalogs = Catalogs.empty()
-            override fun getNamespace(): Namespace = Namespace.empty()
+        public fun empty(): Session {
+            return builder().catalog(System.INSTANCE.getName()).catalogs().build()
         }
 
         @JvmStatic
@@ -64,6 +61,7 @@ public interface Session {
 
         private var identity: String = "unknown"
         private var catalog: String? = null
+        private var system: Catalog = System.INSTANCE
         private var catalogs: Catalogs.Builder = Catalogs.builder()
         private var namespace: Namespace = Namespace.empty()
         private var properties: MutableMap<String, String> = mutableMapOf()
@@ -88,7 +86,7 @@ public interface Session {
             return this
         }
 
-        public fun namespace(levels: Collection<String>): Builder {
+        public fun namespace(levels: List<String>): Builder {
             this.namespace = Namespace.of(levels)
             return this
         }
@@ -98,6 +96,16 @@ public interface Session {
             return this
         }
 
+        /**
+         * Adds and designates a catalog to always be on the SQL-Path. This [catalog] provides all built-in functions
+         * to the system at hand.
+         * If this is never invoked, a default system catalog is provided.
+         */
+        public fun system(catalog: Catalog): Builder {
+            this.system = catalog
+            return this
+        }
+
         /**
          * Adds catalogs to this session.
          */
@@ -110,16 +118,24 @@ public interface Session {
 
         public fun build(): Session = object : Session {
 
-            private val _catalogs = catalogs.build()
+            private val _catalogs: Catalogs
+            private val systemCatalogNamespace: Namespace = Namespace.of(system.getName())
 
             init {
                 require(catalog != null) { "Session catalog must be set" }
+                catalogs.add(system)
+                _catalogs = catalogs.build()
             }
 
             override fun getIdentity(): String = identity
             override fun getCatalog(): String = catalog!!
             override fun getCatalogs(): Catalogs = _catalogs
             override fun getNamespace(): Namespace = namespace
+
+            override fun getPath(): Path {
+                val currentNamespace = getNamespace()
+                return Path.of(currentNamespace, systemCatalogNamespace)
+            }
         }
     }
 }
diff --git a/partiql-spi/src/main/kotlin/org/partiql/spi/catalog/impl/StandardCatalog.kt b/partiql-spi/src/main/kotlin/org/partiql/spi/catalog/impl/StandardCatalog.kt
index d2f6d42b1b..83a43763ca 100644
--- a/partiql-spi/src/main/kotlin/org/partiql/spi/catalog/impl/StandardCatalog.kt
+++ b/partiql-spi/src/main/kotlin/org/partiql/spi/catalog/impl/StandardCatalog.kt
@@ -26,14 +26,14 @@ internal class StandardCatalog(
     /**
      * TODO implement "longest match" on identifier searching.
      */
-    override fun getTable(session: Session, identifier: Identifier): Table? {
+    override fun resolveTable(session: Session, identifier: Identifier): Name? {
         // TODO memory connector does not handle qualified identifiers and longest match
         val first = identifier.first()
-        for ((name, table) in tables) {
+        for ((name, _) in tables) {
             val str = name.getName() // only use single identifiers for now
             if (first.matches(str)) {
                 // TODO emit errors on ambiguous table names
-                return table
+                return name
             }
         }
         return null