A method that comprises receiving a logical execution plan for a database query corresponding to a plurality of tables of the database, wherein the logical execution plan comprises one or more operators, receiving an operator cost for each of the operators in the logical execution plan, computing a first accumulated processing cost for a first of the tables based on the logical execution plan, operator selectivity, and operator costs corresponding to the first table, computing a second accumulated processing cost for a second of the tables based on the logical execution plan, operator selectivity, and operator costs corresponding to the second table, comparing the first accumulated processing cost and the second accumulated processing cost to determine a table with the highest accumulated processing cost, and responsive to comparing the accumulated processing costs, computing a physical execution plan that requires partitioning the table with the highest accumulated processing cost.