diff --git a/db/arena_wrapped_db_iter.h b/db/arena_wrapped_db_iter.h
index 1c0f77a1d..d982d3984 100644
--- a/db/arena_wrapped_db_iter.h
+++ b/db/arena_wrapped_db_iter.h
@@ -70,6 +70,7 @@ class ArenaWrappedDBIter : public Iterator {
   void Prev() override { db_iter_->Prev(); }
   Slice key() const override { return db_iter_->key(); }
   Slice value() const override { return db_iter_->value(); }
+  const WideColumns& columns() const override { return db_iter_->columns(); }
   Status status() const override { return db_iter_->status(); }
   Slice timestamp() const override { return db_iter_->timestamp(); }
   bool IsBlob() const { return db_iter_->IsBlob(); }
diff --git a/db/db_iter.cc b/db/db_iter.cc
index 990311257..6e026763e 100644
--- a/db/db_iter.cc
+++ b/db/db_iter.cc
@@ -76,7 +76,6 @@ DBIter::DBIter(Env* _env, const ReadOptions& read_options,
       verify_checksums_(read_options.verify_checksums),
       expose_blob_index_(expose_blob_index),
       is_blob_(false),
-      is_wide_(false),
       arena_mode_(arena_mode),
       db_impl_(db_impl),
       cfd_(cfd),
@@ -134,7 +133,7 @@ void DBIter::Next() {
   // Release temporarily pinned blocks from last operation
   ReleaseTempPinnedData();
   ResetBlobValue();
-  ResetWideColumnValue();
+  ResetValueAndColumns();
   local_stats_.skip_count_ += num_internal_keys_skipped_;
   local_stats_.skip_count_--;
   num_internal_keys_skipped_ = 0;
@@ -178,8 +177,6 @@ bool DBIter::SetBlobValueIfNeeded(const Slice& user_key,
                                   const Slice& blob_index) {
   assert(!is_blob_);
   assert(blob_value_.empty());
-  assert(!is_wide_);
-  assert(value_of_default_column_.empty());
 
   if (expose_blob_index_) {  // Stacked BlobDB implementation
     is_blob_ = true;
@@ -215,16 +212,11 @@ bool DBIter::SetBlobValueIfNeeded(const Slice& user_key,
   return true;
 }
 
-bool DBIter::SetWideColumnValueIfNeeded(const Slice& wide_columns_slice) {
-  assert(!is_blob_);
-  assert(blob_value_.empty());
-  assert(!is_wide_);
-  assert(value_of_default_column_.empty());
-
-  Slice wide_columns_copy = wide_columns_slice;
+bool DBIter::SetValueAndColumnsFromEntity(Slice slice) {
+  assert(value_.empty());
+  assert(wide_columns_.empty());
 
-  const Status s = WideColumnSerialization::GetValueOfDefaultColumn(
-      wide_columns_copy, value_of_default_column_);
+  const Status s = WideColumnSerialization::Deserialize(slice, wide_columns_);
 
   if (!s.ok()) {
     status_ = s;
@@ -232,7 +224,11 @@ bool DBIter::SetWideColumnValueIfNeeded(const Slice& wide_columns_slice) {
     return false;
   }
 
-  is_wide_ = true;
+  if (!wide_columns_.empty() &&
+      wide_columns_[0].name() == kDefaultWideColumnName) {
+    value_ = wide_columns_[0].value();
+  }
+
   return true;
 }
 
@@ -282,11 +278,6 @@ bool DBIter::FindNextUserEntryInternal(bool skipping_saved_key,
   // to one.
   bool reseek_done = false;
 
-  assert(!is_blob_);
-  assert(blob_value_.empty());
-  assert(!is_wide_);
-  assert(value_of_default_column_.empty());
-
   do {
     // Will update is_key_seqnum_zero_ as soon as we parsed the current key
     // but we need to save the previous value to be used in the loop.
@@ -376,35 +367,30 @@ bool DBIter::FindNextUserEntryInternal(bool skipping_saved_key,
           case kTypeWideColumnEntity:
             if (timestamp_lb_) {
               saved_key_.SetInternalKey(ikey_);
-
-              if (ikey_.type == kTypeBlobIndex) {
-                if (!SetBlobValueIfNeeded(ikey_.user_key, iter_.value())) {
-                  return false;
-                }
-              } else if (ikey_.type == kTypeWideColumnEntity) {
-                if (!SetWideColumnValueIfNeeded(iter_.value())) {
-                  return false;
-                }
-              }
-
-              valid_ = true;
-              return true;
             } else {
               saved_key_.SetUserKey(
                   ikey_.user_key, !pin_thru_lifetime_ ||
                                       !iter_.iter()->IsKeyPinned() /* copy */);
-              if (ikey_.type == kTypeBlobIndex) {
-                if (!SetBlobValueIfNeeded(ikey_.user_key, iter_.value())) {
-                  return false;
-                }
-              } else if (ikey_.type == kTypeWideColumnEntity) {
-                if (!SetWideColumnValueIfNeeded(iter_.value())) {
-                  return false;
-                }
+            }
+
+            if (ikey_.type == kTypeBlobIndex) {
+              if (!SetBlobValueIfNeeded(ikey_.user_key, iter_.value())) {
+                return false;
               }
-              valid_ = true;
-              return true;
+
+              SetValueAndColumnsFromPlain(expose_blob_index_ ? iter_.value()
+                                                             : blob_value_);
+            } else if (ikey_.type == kTypeWideColumnEntity) {
+              if (!SetValueAndColumnsFromEntity(iter_.value())) {
+                return false;
+              }
+            } else {
+              assert(ikey_.type == kTypeValue);
+              SetValueAndColumnsFromPlain(iter_.value());
             }
+
+            valid_ = true;
+            return true;
             break;
           case kTypeMerge:
             saved_key_.SetUserKey(
@@ -584,15 +570,12 @@ bool DBIter::MergeValuesNewToOld() {
         return false;
       }
       valid_ = true;
-      const Slice blob_value = value();
-      Status s = Merge(&blob_value, ikey.user_key);
+      Status s = Merge(&blob_value_, ikey.user_key);
       if (!s.ok()) {
         return false;
       }
 
       ResetBlobValue();
-      assert(!is_wide_);
-      assert(value_of_default_column_.empty());
 
       // iter_ is positioned after put
       iter_.Next();
@@ -640,7 +623,7 @@ void DBIter::Prev() {
   PERF_CPU_TIMER_GUARD(iter_prev_cpu_nanos, clock_);
   ReleaseTempPinnedData();
   ResetBlobValue();
-  ResetWideColumnValue();
+  ResetValueAndColumns();
   ResetInternalKeysSkippedCounter();
   bool ok = true;
   if (direction_ == kForward) {
@@ -957,11 +940,6 @@ bool DBIter::FindValueForCurrentKey() {
   Status s;
   s.PermitUncheckedError();
 
-  assert(!is_blob_);
-  assert(blob_value_.empty());
-  assert(!is_wide_);
-  assert(value_of_default_column_.empty());
-
   switch (last_key_entry_type) {
     case kTypeDeletion:
     case kTypeDeletionWithTimestamp:
@@ -993,15 +971,12 @@ bool DBIter::FindValueForCurrentKey() {
           return false;
         }
         valid_ = true;
-        const Slice blob_value = value();
-        s = Merge(&blob_value, saved_key_.GetUserKey());
+        s = Merge(&blob_value_, saved_key_.GetUserKey());
         if (!s.ok()) {
           return false;
         }
 
         ResetBlobValue();
-        assert(!is_wide_);
-        assert(value_of_default_column_.empty());
 
         return true;
       } else if (last_not_merge_type == kTypeWideColumnEntity) {
@@ -1020,18 +995,24 @@ bool DBIter::FindValueForCurrentKey() {
       }
       break;
     case kTypeValue:
-      // do nothing - we've already has value in pinned_value_
       if (timestamp_lb_ != nullptr) {
         saved_key_.SetInternalKey(saved_ikey_);
       }
+
+      SetValueAndColumnsFromPlain(pinned_value_);
+
       break;
     case kTypeBlobIndex:
       if (!SetBlobValueIfNeeded(saved_key_.GetUserKey(), pinned_value_)) {
         return false;
       }
+
+      SetValueAndColumnsFromPlain(expose_blob_index_ ? pinned_value_
+                                                     : blob_value_);
+
       break;
     case kTypeWideColumnEntity:
-      if (!SetWideColumnValueIfNeeded(pinned_value_)) {
+      if (!SetValueAndColumnsFromEntity(pinned_value_)) {
         return false;
       }
       break;
@@ -1078,11 +1059,6 @@ bool DBIter::FindValueForCurrentKeyUsingSeek() {
   // Find the next value that's visible.
   ParsedInternalKey ikey;
 
-  assert(!is_blob_);
-  assert(blob_value_.empty());
-  assert(!is_wide_);
-  assert(value_of_default_column_.empty());
-
   while (true) {
     if (!iter_.Valid()) {
       valid_ = false;
@@ -1141,10 +1117,16 @@ bool DBIter::FindValueForCurrentKeyUsingSeek() {
       if (!SetBlobValueIfNeeded(ikey.user_key, pinned_value_)) {
         return false;
       }
-    } else if (ikey_.type == kTypeWideColumnEntity) {
-      if (!SetWideColumnValueIfNeeded(pinned_value_)) {
+
+      SetValueAndColumnsFromPlain(expose_blob_index_ ? pinned_value_
+                                                     : blob_value_);
+    } else if (ikey.type == kTypeWideColumnEntity) {
+      if (!SetValueAndColumnsFromEntity(pinned_value_)) {
         return false;
       }
+    } else {
+      assert(ikey.type == kTypeValue);
+      SetValueAndColumnsFromPlain(pinned_value_);
     }
 
     if (timestamp_lb_ != nullptr) {
@@ -1208,15 +1190,12 @@ bool DBIter::FindValueForCurrentKeyUsingSeek() {
         return false;
       }
       valid_ = true;
-      const Slice blob_value = value();
-      Status s = Merge(&blob_value, saved_key_.GetUserKey());
+      Status s = Merge(&blob_value_, saved_key_.GetUserKey());
       if (!s.ok()) {
         return false;
       }
 
       ResetBlobValue();
-      assert(!is_wide_);
-      assert(value_of_default_column_.empty());
 
       return true;
     } else if (ikey.type == kTypeWideColumnEntity) {
@@ -1267,6 +1246,10 @@ Status DBIter::Merge(const Slice* val, const Slice& user_key) {
     status_ = s;
     return s;
   }
+
+  SetValueAndColumnsFromPlain(pinned_value_.data() ? pinned_value_
+                                                   : saved_value_);
+
   valid_ = true;
   return s;
 }
@@ -1443,7 +1426,7 @@ void DBIter::Seek(const Slice& target) {
   status_ = Status::OK();
   ReleaseTempPinnedData();
   ResetBlobValue();
-  ResetWideColumnValue();
+  ResetValueAndColumns();
   ResetInternalKeysSkippedCounter();
 
   // Seek the inner iterator based on the target key.
@@ -1520,7 +1503,7 @@ void DBIter::SeekForPrev(const Slice& target) {
   status_ = Status::OK();
   ReleaseTempPinnedData();
   ResetBlobValue();
-  ResetWideColumnValue();
+  ResetValueAndColumns();
   ResetInternalKeysSkippedCounter();
 
   // Seek the inner iterator based on the target key.
@@ -1580,7 +1563,7 @@ void DBIter::SeekToFirst() {
   direction_ = kForward;
   ReleaseTempPinnedData();
   ResetBlobValue();
-  ResetWideColumnValue();
+  ResetValueAndColumns();
   ResetInternalKeysSkippedCounter();
   ClearSavedValue();
   is_key_seqnum_zero_ = false;
@@ -1628,7 +1611,7 @@ void DBIter::SeekToLast() {
                                /*b_has_ts=*/false)) {
       ReleaseTempPinnedData();
       ResetBlobValue();
-      ResetWideColumnValue();
+      ResetValueAndColumns();
       PrevInternal(nullptr);
 
       k = key();
@@ -1651,7 +1634,7 @@ void DBIter::SeekToLast() {
   direction_ = kReverse;
   ReleaseTempPinnedData();
   ResetBlobValue();
-  ResetWideColumnValue();
+  ResetValueAndColumns();
   ResetInternalKeysSkippedCounter();
   ClearSavedValue();
   is_key_seqnum_zero_ = false;
diff --git a/db/db_iter.h b/db/db_iter.h
index d7314e3d9..d81d1f0ef 100644
--- a/db/db_iter.h
+++ b/db/db_iter.h
@@ -17,6 +17,7 @@
 #include "options/cf_options.h"
 #include "rocksdb/db.h"
 #include "rocksdb/iterator.h"
+#include "rocksdb/wide_columns.h"
 #include "table/iterator_wrapper.h"
 #include "util/autovector.h"
 
@@ -159,22 +160,16 @@ class DBIter final : public Iterator {
   }
   Slice value() const override {
     assert(valid_);
-    assert(!is_blob_ || !is_wide_);
-
-    if (!expose_blob_index_ && is_blob_) {
-      return blob_value_;
-    } else if (is_wide_) {
-      return value_of_default_column_;
-    } else if (current_entry_is_merged_) {
-      // If pinned_value_ is set then the result of merge operator is one of
-      // the merge operands and we should return it.
-      return pinned_value_.data() ? pinned_value_ : saved_value_;
-    } else if (direction_ == kReverse) {
-      return pinned_value_;
-    } else {
-      return iter_.value();
-    }
+
+    return value_;
   }
+
+  const WideColumns& columns() const override {
+    assert(valid_);
+
+    return wide_columns_;
+  }
+
   Status status() const override {
     if (status_.ok()) {
       return iter_.status();
@@ -307,11 +302,19 @@ class DBIter final : public Iterator {
     blob_value_.Reset();
   }
 
-  bool SetWideColumnValueIfNeeded(const Slice& wide_columns_slice);
+  void SetValueAndColumnsFromPlain(const Slice& slice) {
+    assert(value_.empty());
+    assert(wide_columns_.empty());
+
+    value_ = slice;
+    wide_columns_.emplace_back(kDefaultWideColumnName, slice);
+  }
+
+  bool SetValueAndColumnsFromEntity(Slice slice);
 
-  void ResetWideColumnValue() {
-    is_wide_ = false;
-    value_of_default_column_.clear();
+  void ResetValueAndColumns() {
+    value_.clear();
+    wide_columns_.clear();
   }
 
   Status Merge(const Slice* val, const Slice& user_key);
@@ -338,7 +341,10 @@ class DBIter final : public Iterator {
   Slice pinned_value_;
   // for prefix seek mode to support prev()
   PinnableSlice blob_value_;
-  Slice value_of_default_column_;
+  // Value of the default column
+  Slice value_;
+  // All columns (i.e. name-value pairs)
+  WideColumns wide_columns_;
   Statistics* statistics_;
   uint64_t max_skip_;
   uint64_t max_skippable_internal_keys_;
@@ -375,7 +381,6 @@ class DBIter final : public Iterator {
   // the stacked BlobDB implementation is used, false otherwise.
   bool expose_blob_index_;
   bool is_blob_;
-  bool is_wide_;
   bool arena_mode_;
   // List of operands for merge operator.
   MergeContext merge_context_;
diff --git a/db/wide/db_wide_basic_test.cc b/db/wide/db_wide_basic_test.cc
index 9755145dc..bddc5717f 100644
--- a/db/wide/db_wide_basic_test.cc
+++ b/db/wide/db_wide_basic_test.cc
@@ -38,6 +38,9 @@ TEST_F(DBWideBasicTest, PutEntity) {
   constexpr char third_value[] = "baz";
 
   auto verify = [&]() {
+    const WideColumns expected_third_columns{
+        {kDefaultWideColumnName, third_value}};
+
     {
       PinnableSlice result;
       ASSERT_OK(db_->Get(ReadOptions(), db_->DefaultColumnFamily(), first_key,
@@ -78,8 +81,7 @@ TEST_F(DBWideBasicTest, PutEntity) {
       ASSERT_OK(db_->GetEntity(ReadOptions(), db_->DefaultColumnFamily(),
                                third_key, &result));
 
-      const WideColumns expected_columns{{kDefaultWideColumnName, third_value}};
-      ASSERT_EQ(result.columns(), expected_columns);
+      ASSERT_EQ(result.columns(), expected_third_columns);
     }
 
     {
@@ -110,18 +112,21 @@ TEST_F(DBWideBasicTest, PutEntity) {
       ASSERT_OK(iter->status());
       ASSERT_EQ(iter->key(), first_key);
       ASSERT_EQ(iter->value(), first_value_of_default_column);
+      ASSERT_EQ(iter->columns(), first_columns);
 
       iter->Next();
       ASSERT_TRUE(iter->Valid());
       ASSERT_OK(iter->status());
       ASSERT_EQ(iter->key(), second_key);
       ASSERT_TRUE(iter->value().empty());
+      ASSERT_EQ(iter->columns(), second_columns);
 
       iter->Next();
       ASSERT_TRUE(iter->Valid());
       ASSERT_OK(iter->status());
       ASSERT_EQ(iter->key(), third_key);
       ASSERT_EQ(iter->value(), third_value);
+      ASSERT_EQ(iter->columns(), expected_third_columns);
 
       iter->Next();
       ASSERT_FALSE(iter->Valid());
@@ -132,18 +137,21 @@ TEST_F(DBWideBasicTest, PutEntity) {
       ASSERT_OK(iter->status());
       ASSERT_EQ(iter->key(), third_key);
       ASSERT_EQ(iter->value(), third_value);
+      ASSERT_EQ(iter->columns(), expected_third_columns);
 
       iter->Prev();
       ASSERT_TRUE(iter->Valid());
       ASSERT_OK(iter->status());
       ASSERT_EQ(iter->key(), second_key);
       ASSERT_TRUE(iter->value().empty());
+      ASSERT_EQ(iter->columns(), second_columns);
 
       iter->Prev();
       ASSERT_TRUE(iter->Valid());
       ASSERT_OK(iter->status());
       ASSERT_EQ(iter->key(), first_key);
       ASSERT_EQ(iter->value(), first_value_of_default_column);
+      ASSERT_EQ(iter->columns(), first_columns);
 
       iter->Prev();
       ASSERT_FALSE(iter->Valid());
diff --git a/db/wide/wide_column_serialization.cc b/db/wide/wide_column_serialization.cc
index 6c11fdcab..00d888167 100644
--- a/db/wide/wide_column_serialization.cc
+++ b/db/wide/wide_column_serialization.cc
@@ -17,6 +17,8 @@ namespace ROCKSDB_NAMESPACE {
 
 const Slice kDefaultWideColumnName;
 
+const WideColumns kNoWideColumns;
+
 Status WideColumnSerialization::Serialize(const WideColumns& columns,
                                           std::string& output) {
   if (columns.size() >
diff --git a/include/rocksdb/iterator.h b/include/rocksdb/iterator.h
index eb3f42acd..269015c09 100644
--- a/include/rocksdb/iterator.h
+++ b/include/rocksdb/iterator.h
@@ -19,9 +19,11 @@
 #pragma once
 
 #include <string>
+
 #include "rocksdb/cleanable.h"
 #include "rocksdb/slice.h"
 #include "rocksdb/status.h"
+#include "rocksdb/wide_columns.h"
 
 namespace ROCKSDB_NAMESPACE {
 
@@ -73,17 +75,29 @@ class Iterator : public Cleanable {
   virtual void Prev() = 0;
 
   // Return the key for the current entry.  The underlying storage for
-  // the returned slice is valid only until the next modification of
-  // the iterator.
+  // the returned slice is valid only until the next modification of the
+  // iterator (i.e. the next SeekToFirst/SeekToLast/Seek/SeekForPrev/Next/Prev
+  // operation).
   // REQUIRES: Valid()
   virtual Slice key() const = 0;
 
   // Return the value for the current entry.  The underlying storage for
-  // the returned slice is valid only until the next modification of
-  // the iterator.
+  // the returned slice is valid only until the next modification of the
+  // iterator (i.e. the next SeekToFirst/SeekToLast/Seek/SeekForPrev/Next/Prev
+  // operation).
   // REQUIRES: Valid()
   virtual Slice value() const = 0;
 
+  // Return the wide columns for the current entry.  The underlying storage for
+  // the returned structure is valid only until the next modification of the
+  // iterator (i.e. the next SeekToFirst/SeekToLast/Seek/SeekForPrev/Next/Prev
+  // operation).
+  // REQUIRES: Valid()
+  virtual const WideColumns& columns() const {
+    assert(false);
+    return kNoWideColumns;
+  }
+
   // If an error has occurred, return it.  Else return an ok status.
   // If non-blocking IO is requested and this operation cannot be
   // satisfied without doing some IO, then this returns Status::Incomplete().
diff --git a/include/rocksdb/wide_columns.h b/include/rocksdb/wide_columns.h
index aeb183d17..a77bc5ba5 100644
--- a/include/rocksdb/wide_columns.h
+++ b/include/rocksdb/wide_columns.h
@@ -76,6 +76,9 @@ using WideColumns = std::vector<WideColumn>;
 // The anonymous default wide column (an empty Slice).
 extern const Slice kDefaultWideColumnName;
 
+// An empty set of wide columns.
+extern const WideColumns kNoWideColumns;
+
 // A self-contained collection of wide columns. Used for the results of
 // wide-column queries.
 class PinnableWideColumns {