diff --git a/lib/cartodb/backends/layer-stats/mapnik-layer-stats.js b/lib/cartodb/backends/layer-stats/mapnik-layer-stats.js
index 49988aa8..6a71435e 100644
--- a/lib/cartodb/backends/layer-stats/mapnik-layer-stats.js
+++ b/lib/cartodb/backends/layer-stats/mapnik-layer-stats.js
@@ -94,8 +94,8 @@ function addStat(queries, ctx, type, zoom, query, assign, assignDefault=null) {
         )
     );
 }
-function firstPhaseQueries(queries, ctx) {
-    // estimatedFeatureCount
+
+function _estimatedFeatureCount(queries, ctx) {
     if (queries.results.estimatedFeatureCount === undefined) {
         // This is always computed; a default value of -1 is used in case of error
         addStat(
@@ -107,8 +107,9 @@ function firstPhaseQueries(queries, ctx) {
             () => queries.results.estimatedFeatureCount = -1
         );
     }
+}
 
-    // featureCount
+function _featureCount(queries, ctx) {
     if (ctx.metaOptions.featureCount) {
         // TODO: if ctx.metaOptions.columnStats we can combine this with column stats query
         addStat(
@@ -119,8 +120,9 @@ function firstPhaseQueries(queries, ctx) {
             res => queries.results.featureCount = res.rows[0].rows
         );
     }
+}
 
-    // aggrFeatureCount
+function _aggrFeatureCount(queries, ctx) {
     if (ctx.metaOptions.hasOwnProperty('aggrFeatureCount')) {
         // We expect as zoom level as the value of aggrFeatureCount
         // TODO: it'd be nice to admit an array of zoom levels to
@@ -133,8 +135,9 @@ function firstPhaseQueries(queries, ctx) {
             res => queries.results.aggrfeatureCount = res.rows[0].rows
         );
     }
+}
 
-    // geometryType
+function _geometryType(queries, ctx) {
     if (ctx.metaOptions.geometryType && queries.results.geometryType === undefined) {
         const geometryColumn = AggregationMapConfig.getAggregationGeometryColumn();
         addStat(
@@ -145,8 +148,9 @@ function firstPhaseQueries(queries, ctx) {
             res => queries.results.geometryType = res.rows[0].geom_type
         );
     }
+}
 
-    // columns (names & types)
+function _columns(queries, ctx) {
     if (ctx.metaOptions.columns || ctx.metaOptions.columnStats) {
         // note: post-aggregation columns are in layer.options.columns when aggregation is present
         addStat(
@@ -159,8 +163,15 @@ function firstPhaseQueries(queries, ctx) {
     }
 }
 
-function secondPhaseQueries(queries, ctx) {
-    // sample
+function firstPhaseQueries(queries, ctx) {
+    _estimatedFeatureCount(queries, ctx);
+    _featureCount(queries, ctx);
+    _aggrFeatureCount(queries, ctx);
+    _geometryType(queries, ctx);
+    _columns(queries, ctx);
+}
+
+function _sample(queries, ctx) {
     if (ctx.metaOptions.sample) {
         const numRows = queries.results.featureCount === undefined ?
             queries.results.estimatedFeatureCount :
@@ -174,8 +185,9 @@ function secondPhaseQueries(queries, ctx) {
             res => queries.results.sample = res.rows
         );
     }
+}
 
-    // columnStats
+function _columnStats(queries, ctx) {
     if (ctx.metaOptions.columnStats) {
         let aggr = [];
         Object.keys(queries.results.columns).forEach(name => {
@@ -210,7 +222,11 @@ function secondPhaseQueries(queries, ctx) {
             }
         );
     }
+}
 
+function secondPhaseQueries(queries, ctx) {
+    _sample(queries, ctx);
+    _columnStats(queries, ctx);
 }
 
 // This is adapted from SQL API: