diff --git a/vortex-array/src/array/chunked/mod.rs b/vortex-array/src/array/chunked/mod.rs
index 4f4c81e0c..7e4cd26bb 100644
--- a/vortex-array/src/array/chunked/mod.rs
+++ b/vortex-array/src/array/chunked/mod.rs
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@ use vortex_error::{vortex_bail, vortex_panic, VortexExpect as _, VortexResult};
 use vortex_scalar::Scalar;
 
 use crate::array::primitive::PrimitiveArray;
-use crate::compute::unary::{scalar_at, subtract_scalar, SubtractScalarFn};
+use crate::compute::unary::{scalar_at, scalar_at_unchecked, subtract_scalar, SubtractScalarFn};
 use crate::compute::{search_sorted, SearchSortedSide};
 use crate::encoding::ids;
 use crate::iter::{ArrayIterator, ArrayIteratorAdapter};
@@ -72,8 +72,12 @@ impl ChunkedArray {
 
     #[inline]
     pub fn chunk(&self, idx: usize) -> VortexResult<Array> {
-        let chunk_start = usize::try_from(&scalar_at(&self.chunk_offsets(), idx)?)?;
-        let chunk_end = usize::try_from(&scalar_at(&self.chunk_offsets(), idx + 1)?)?;
+        if idx >= self.nchunks() {
+            vortex_bail!("chunk index {} > num chunks ({})", idx, self.nchunks());
+        }
+
+        let chunk_start = usize::try_from(&scalar_at_unchecked(&self.chunk_offsets(), idx))?;
+        let chunk_end = usize::try_from(&scalar_at_unchecked(&self.chunk_offsets(), idx + 1))?;
 
         // Offset the index since chunk_ends is child 0.
         self.as_ref()
diff --git a/vortex-array/src/array/null/mod.rs b/vortex-array/src/array/null/mod.rs
index 454e1bdb2..2844b65c9 100644
--- a/vortex-array/src/array/null/mod.rs
+++ b/vortex-array/src/array/null/mod.rs
@@ -1,5 +1,3 @@
-use std::sync::Arc;
-
 use serde::{Deserialize, Serialize};
 use vortex_dtype::DType;
 use vortex_error::{VortexExpect as _, VortexResult};
@@ -26,7 +24,7 @@ impl NullArray {
             DType::Null,
             len,
             NullMetadata { len },
-            Arc::new([]),
+            [].into(),
             StatsSet::nulls(len, &DType::Null),
         )
         .vortex_expect("NullArray::new should never fail!")
diff --git a/vortex-array/src/lib.rs b/vortex-array/src/lib.rs
index 927ddbe6c..99fd2e585 100644
--- a/vortex-array/src/lib.rs
+++ b/vortex-array/src/lib.rs
@@ -120,6 +120,15 @@ impl Array {
         ArrayChildrenIterator::new(self.clone())
     }
 
+    /// Count the number of cumulative buffers encoded by self.
+    pub fn cumulative_nbuffers(&self) -> usize {
+        self.children()
+            .iter()
+            .map(|child| child.cumulative_nbuffers())
+            .sum::<usize>()
+            + if self.buffer().is_some() { 1 } else { 0 }
+    }
+
     /// Return the buffer offsets and the total length of all buffers, assuming the given alignment.
     /// This includes all child buffers.
     pub fn all_buffer_offsets(&self, alignment: usize) -> Vec<u64> {
diff --git a/vortex-array/src/view.rs b/vortex-array/src/view.rs
index 660eba78c..295c5893e 100644
--- a/vortex-array/src/view.rs
+++ b/vortex-array/src/view.rs
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@ use itertools::Itertools;
 use log::warn;
 use vortex_buffer::Buffer;
 use vortex_dtype::{DType, Nullability};
-use vortex_error::{vortex_bail, vortex_err, VortexError, VortexExpect as _, VortexResult};
+use vortex_error::{vortex_err, VortexError, VortexExpect as _, VortexResult};
 use vortex_scalar::{PValue, Scalar, ScalarValue};
 
 use crate::encoding::EncodingRef;
@@ -22,8 +22,7 @@ pub struct ArrayView {
     len: usize,
     flatbuffer: Buffer,
     flatbuffer_loc: usize,
-    // TODO(ngates): create an RC'd vector that can be lazily sliced.
-    buffers: Vec<Buffer>,
+    buffers: Arc<[Buffer]>,
     ctx: Arc<Context>,
     // TODO(ngates): a store a Projection. A projected ArrayView contains the full fb::Array
     //  metadata, but only the buffers from the selected columns. Therefore we need to know
@@ -60,20 +59,13 @@ impl ArrayView {
             .lookup_encoding(array.encoding())
             .ok_or_else(|| vortex_err!(InvalidSerde: "Encoding ID out of bounds"))?;
 
-        if buffers.len() != Self::cumulative_nbuffers(array) {
-            vortex_bail!(InvalidSerde:
-                "Incorrect number of buffers {}, expected {}",
-                buffers.len(),
-                Self::cumulative_nbuffers(array)
-            )
-        }
         let view = Self {
             encoding,
             dtype,
             len,
             flatbuffer,
             flatbuffer_loc,
-            buffers,
+            buffers: buffers.into(),
             ctx,
         };
 
@@ -130,26 +122,13 @@ impl ArrayView {
                 Box::leak(Box::new(OpaqueEncoding(child.encoding())))
             });
 
-        // Figure out how many buffers to skip...
-        // We store them depth-first.
-        let buffer_offset = self
-            .flatbuffer()
-            .children()
-            .ok_or_else(|| vortex_err!("flatbuffer children not found"))?
-            .iter()
-            .take(idx)
-            .map(|child| Self::cumulative_nbuffers(child))
-            .sum::<usize>()
-            + self.has_buffer() as usize;
-        let buffer_count = Self::cumulative_nbuffers(child);
-
         Ok(Self {
             encoding,
             dtype: dtype.clone(),
             len,
             flatbuffer: self.flatbuffer.clone(),
             flatbuffer_loc,
-            buffers: self.buffers[buffer_offset..][0..buffer_count].to_vec(),
+            buffers: self.buffers.clone(),
             ctx: self.ctx.clone(),
         })
     }
@@ -173,20 +152,13 @@ impl ArrayView {
 
     /// Whether the current Array makes use of a buffer
     pub fn has_buffer(&self) -> bool {
-        self.flatbuffer().has_buffer()
-    }
-
-    /// The number of buffers used by the current Array and all its children.
-    fn cumulative_nbuffers(array: fb::Array) -> usize {
-        let mut nbuffers = if array.has_buffer() { 1 } else { 0 };
-        for child in array.children().unwrap_or_default() {
-            nbuffers += Self::cumulative_nbuffers(child)
-        }
-        nbuffers
+        self.flatbuffer().buffer_index().is_some()
     }
 
     pub fn buffer(&self) -> Option<&Buffer> {
-        self.has_buffer().then(|| &self.buffers[0])
+        self.flatbuffer()
+            .buffer_index()
+            .map(|idx| &self.buffers[idx as usize])
     }
 
     pub fn statistics(&self) -> &dyn Statistics {
diff --git a/vortex-flatbuffers/flatbuffers/vortex-array/array.fbs b/vortex-flatbuffers/flatbuffers/vortex-array/array.fbs
index 8c7dcc174..fc32282f2 100644
--- a/vortex-flatbuffers/flatbuffers/vortex-array/array.fbs
+++ b/vortex-flatbuffers/flatbuffers/vortex-array/array.fbs
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@ enum Version: uint8 {
 
 table Array {
     version: Version = V0;
-    has_buffer: bool;
+    buffer_index: uint64 = null;
     encoding: uint16;
     metadata: [ubyte];
     stats: ArrayStats;
diff --git a/vortex-flatbuffers/src/generated/array.rs b/vortex-flatbuffers/src/generated/array.rs
index 8f076eaa9..5eed6a7c8 100644
--- a/vortex-flatbuffers/src/generated/array.rs
+++ b/vortex-flatbuffers/src/generated/array.rs
@@ -93,7 +93,7 @@ impl<'a> flatbuffers::Verifiable for Version {
 
 impl flatbuffers::SimpleToVerifyInSlice for Version {}
 pub enum ArrayOffset {}
-#[derive(Copy, Clone, PartialEq, Eq)]
+#[derive(Copy, Clone, PartialEq)]
 
 pub struct Array<'a> {
   pub _tab: flatbuffers::Table<'a>,
@@ -109,7 +109,7 @@ impl<'a> flatbuffers::Follow<'a> for Array<'a> {
 
 impl<'a> Array<'a> {
   pub const VT_VERSION: flatbuffers::VOffsetT = 4;
-  pub const VT_HAS_BUFFER: flatbuffers::VOffsetT = 6;
+  pub const VT_BUFFER_INDEX: flatbuffers::VOffsetT = 6;
   pub const VT_ENCODING: flatbuffers::VOffsetT = 8;
   pub const VT_METADATA: flatbuffers::VOffsetT = 10;
   pub const VT_STATS: flatbuffers::VOffsetT = 12;
@@ -125,11 +125,11 @@ impl<'a> Array<'a> {
     args: &'args ArrayArgs<'args>
   ) -> flatbuffers::WIPOffset<Array<'bldr>> {
     let mut builder = ArrayBuilder::new(_fbb);
+    if let Some(x) = args.buffer_index { builder.add_buffer_index(x); }
     if let Some(x) = args.children { builder.add_children(x); }
     if let Some(x) = args.stats { builder.add_stats(x); }
     if let Some(x) = args.metadata { builder.add_metadata(x); }
     builder.add_encoding(args.encoding);
-    builder.add_has_buffer(args.has_buffer);
     builder.add_version(args.version);
     builder.finish()
   }
@@ -143,11 +143,11 @@ impl<'a> Array<'a> {
     unsafe { self._tab.get::<Version>(Array::VT_VERSION, Some(Version::V0)).unwrap()}
   }
   #[inline]
-  pub fn has_buffer(&self) -> bool {
+  pub fn buffer_index(&self) -> Option<u64> {
     // Safety:
     // Created from valid Table for this object
     // which contains a valid value in this slot
-    unsafe { self._tab.get::<bool>(Array::VT_HAS_BUFFER, Some(false)).unwrap()}
+    unsafe { self._tab.get::<u64>(Array::VT_BUFFER_INDEX, None)}
   }
   #[inline]
   pub fn encoding(&self) -> u16 {
@@ -187,7 +187,7 @@ impl flatbuffers::Verifiable for Array<'_> {
     use self::flatbuffers::Verifiable;
     v.visit_table(pos)?
      .visit_field::<Version>("version", Self::VT_VERSION, false)?
-     .visit_field::<bool>("has_buffer", Self::VT_HAS_BUFFER, false)?
+     .visit_field::<u64>("buffer_index", Self::VT_BUFFER_INDEX, false)?
      .visit_field::<u16>("encoding", Self::VT_ENCODING, false)?
      .visit_field::<flatbuffers::ForwardsUOffset<flatbuffers::Vector<'_, u8>>>("metadata", Self::VT_METADATA, false)?
      .visit_field::<flatbuffers::ForwardsUOffset<ArrayStats>>("stats", Self::VT_STATS, false)?
@@ -198,7 +198,7 @@ impl flatbuffers::Verifiable for Array<'_> {
 }
 pub struct ArrayArgs<'a> {
     pub version: Version,
-    pub has_buffer: bool,
+    pub buffer_index: Option<u64>,
     pub encoding: u16,
     pub metadata: Option<flatbuffers::WIPOffset<flatbuffers::Vector<'a, u8>>>,
     pub stats: Option<flatbuffers::WIPOffset<ArrayStats<'a>>>,
@@ -209,7 +209,7 @@ impl<'a> Default for ArrayArgs<'a> {
   fn default() -> Self {
     ArrayArgs {
       version: Version::V0,
-      has_buffer: false,
+      buffer_index: None,
       encoding: 0,
       metadata: None,
       stats: None,
@@ -228,8 +228,8 @@ impl<'a: 'b, 'b, A: flatbuffers::Allocator + 'a> ArrayBuilder<'a, 'b, A> {
     self.fbb_.push_slot::<Version>(Array::VT_VERSION, version, Version::V0);
   }
   #[inline]
-  pub fn add_has_buffer(&mut self, has_buffer: bool) {
-    self.fbb_.push_slot::<bool>(Array::VT_HAS_BUFFER, has_buffer, false);
+  pub fn add_buffer_index(&mut self, buffer_index: u64) {
+    self.fbb_.push_slot_always::<u64>(Array::VT_BUFFER_INDEX, buffer_index);
   }
   #[inline]
   pub fn add_encoding(&mut self, encoding: u16) {
@@ -266,7 +266,7 @@ impl core::fmt::Debug for Array<'_> {
   fn fmt(&self, f: &mut core::fmt::Formatter<'_>) -> core::fmt::Result {
     let mut ds = f.debug_struct("Array");
       ds.field("version", &self.version());
-      ds.field("has_buffer", &self.has_buffer());
+      ds.field("buffer_index", &self.buffer_index());
       ds.field("encoding", &self.encoding());
       ds.field("metadata", &self.metadata());
       ds.field("stats", &self.stats());
@@ -275,7 +275,7 @@ impl core::fmt::Debug for Array<'_> {
   }
 }
 pub enum ArrayStatsOffset {}
-#[derive(Copy, Clone, PartialEq, Eq)]
+#[derive(Copy, Clone, PartialEq)]
 
 pub struct ArrayStats<'a> {
   pub _tab: flatbuffers::Table<'a>,
diff --git a/vortex-flatbuffers/src/generated/dtype.rs b/vortex-flatbuffers/src/generated/dtype.rs
index 7c2c24b92..b86459ec7 100644
--- a/vortex-flatbuffers/src/generated/dtype.rs
+++ b/vortex-flatbuffers/src/generated/dtype.rs
@@ -250,7 +250,7 @@ impl flatbuffers::SimpleToVerifyInSlice for Type {}
 pub struct TypeUnionTableOffset {}
 
 pub enum NullOffset {}
-#[derive(Copy, Clone, PartialEq, Eq)]
+#[derive(Copy, Clone, PartialEq)]
 
 pub struct Null<'a> {
   pub _tab: flatbuffers::Table<'a>,
@@ -329,7 +329,7 @@ impl core::fmt::Debug for Null<'_> {
   }
 }
 pub enum BoolOffset {}
-#[derive(Copy, Clone, PartialEq, Eq)]
+#[derive(Copy, Clone, PartialEq)]
 
 pub struct Bool<'a> {
   pub _tab: flatbuffers::Table<'a>,
@@ -540,7 +540,7 @@ impl core::fmt::Debug for Primitive<'_> {
   }
 }
 pub enum DecimalOffset {}
-#[derive(Copy, Clone, PartialEq, Eq)]
+#[derive(Copy, Clone, PartialEq)]
 
 pub struct Decimal<'a> {
   pub _tab: flatbuffers::Table<'a>,
@@ -673,7 +673,7 @@ impl core::fmt::Debug for Decimal<'_> {
   }
 }
 pub enum Utf8Offset {}
-#[derive(Copy, Clone, PartialEq, Eq)]
+#[derive(Copy, Clone, PartialEq)]
 
 pub struct Utf8<'a> {
   pub _tab: flatbuffers::Table<'a>,
@@ -770,7 +770,7 @@ impl core::fmt::Debug for Utf8<'_> {
   }
 }
 pub enum BinaryOffset {}
-#[derive(Copy, Clone, PartialEq, Eq)]
+#[derive(Copy, Clone, PartialEq)]
 
 pub struct Binary<'a> {
   pub _tab: flatbuffers::Table<'a>,
diff --git a/vortex-flatbuffers/src/generated/message.rs b/vortex-flatbuffers/src/generated/message.rs
index c70bf5a18..17c43298a 100644
--- a/vortex-flatbuffers/src/generated/message.rs
+++ b/vortex-flatbuffers/src/generated/message.rs
@@ -4,8 +4,8 @@
 // @generated
 
 use crate::scalar::*;
-use crate::array::*;
 use crate::dtype::*;
+use crate::array::*;
 use core::mem;
 use core::cmp::Ordering;
 
diff --git a/vortex-serde/src/layouts/write/writer.rs b/vortex-serde/src/layouts/write/writer.rs
index 1b5d2d756..1b36a675e 100644
--- a/vortex-serde/src/layouts/write/writer.rs
+++ b/vortex-serde/src/layouts/write/writer.rs
@@ -117,7 +117,6 @@ impl<W: VortexWrite> LayoutWriter<W> {
 
     async fn write_metadata_arrays(&mut self) -> VortexResult<NestedLayout> {
         let mut column_layouts = VecDeque::with_capacity(self.column_chunks.len());
-
         for mut chunk in mem::take(&mut self.column_chunks) {
             let len = chunk.byte_offsets.len() - 1;
             let mut chunks: VecDeque<Layout> = chunk
diff --git a/vortex-serde/src/messages.rs b/vortex-serde/src/messages.rs
index 1913f0c91..95b619323 100644
--- a/vortex-serde/src/messages.rs
+++ b/vortex-serde/src/messages.rs
@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@ pub enum IPCMessage<'a> {
 
 pub struct IPCSchema<'a>(pub &'a DType);
 pub struct IPCBatch<'a>(pub &'a Array);
-pub struct IPCArray<'a>(pub &'a Array);
+pub struct IPCArray<'a>(pub &'a Array, usize);
 pub struct IPCPage<'a>(pub &'a Buffer);
 
 pub struct IPCDType(pub DType);
@@ -87,13 +87,14 @@ impl<'a> WriteFlatBuffer for IPCBatch<'a> {
         fbb: &mut FlatBufferBuilder<'fb>,
     ) -> WIPOffset<Self::Target<'fb>> {
         let array_data = self.0;
-        let array = Some(IPCArray(array_data).write_flatbuffer(fbb));
+        let array = Some(IPCArray(array_data, 0).write_flatbuffer(fbb));
 
         let length = array_data.len() as u64;
 
         // Walk the ColumnData depth-first to compute the buffer offsets.
         let mut buffers = vec![];
         let mut offset = 0;
+
         for array_data in array_data.depth_first_traversal() {
             if let Some(buffer) = array_data.buffer() {
                 let aligned_size = (buffer.len() + (ALIGNMENT - 1)) & !(ALIGNMENT - 1);
@@ -146,10 +147,21 @@ impl<'a> WriteFlatBuffer for IPCArray<'a> {
             ),
         };
 
+        // Assign buffer indices for all child arrays.
+        // The second tuple element holds the buffer_index for this Array subtree. If this array
+        // has a buffer, that is its buffer index. If it does not, that buffer index belongs
+        // to one of the children.
+        let child_buffer_offset = self.1 + if self.0.buffer().is_some() { 1 } else { 0 };
+
         let children = column_data
             .children()
             .iter()
-            .map(|child| IPCArray(child).write_flatbuffer(fbb))
+            .scan(child_buffer_offset, |buffer_offset, child| {
+                // Update the number of buffers required.
+                let msg = IPCArray(child, *buffer_offset).write_flatbuffer(fbb);
+                *buffer_offset += child.cumulative_nbuffers();
+                Some(msg)
+            })
             .collect_vec();
         let children = Some(fbb.create_vector(&children));
 
@@ -159,7 +171,7 @@ impl<'a> WriteFlatBuffer for IPCArray<'a> {
             fbb,
             &fba::ArrayArgs {
                 version: Default::default(),
-                has_buffer: column_data.buffer().is_some(),
+                buffer_index: self.0.buffer().is_some().then_some(self.1 as u64),
                 encoding,
                 metadata,
                 stats,