A system, method, and computer-readable medium for optimizing join operations in a parallel processing system are provided. A respective set of rows of a first table and a second table involved in a join operation are distributed to each of a plurality of processing modules. The join operation comprises a join on a first column of the first table and a second column of the second table. Each of the plurality of processing modules redistributes at least a portion of the rows of the first table distributed thereto substantially equally among the other processing modules and duplicates at least a portion of the rows of the second table distributed thereto among the plurality of processing modules. The disclosed optimization mechanisms provide for reduced spool space requirements for execution of the parallel join operation.