diff --git a/data_test.go b/data_test.go
index 2dd2cf686e..50bb16a640 100644
--- a/data_test.go
+++ b/data_test.go
@@ -1182,7 +1182,7 @@ func runSSTablePropertiesCmd(t *testing.T, td *datadriven.TestData, d *DB) strin
 	var v sstable.VirtualReader
 	props := r.Properties.String()
 	if m != nil && m.Virtual {
-		v = sstable.MakeVirtualReader(r, m.VirtualMeta(), false /* isShared */)
+		v = sstable.MakeVirtualReader(r, m.VirtualMeta().VirtualReaderParams(false /* isShared */))
 		props = v.Properties.String()
 	}
 	if len(td.Input) == 0 {
diff --git a/ingest.go b/ingest.go
index 722b037f62..fda76be9cf 100644
--- a/ingest.go
+++ b/ingest.go
@@ -233,7 +233,7 @@ func ingestLoad1External(
 	}
 
 	if len(e.SyntheticPrefix) != 0 {
-		meta.PrefixReplacement = &manifest.PrefixReplacement{
+		meta.PrefixReplacement = &sstable.PrefixReplacement{
 			ContentPrefix:   e.ContentPrefix,
 			SyntheticPrefix: e.SyntheticPrefix,
 		}
diff --git a/internal/manifest/version.go b/internal/manifest/version.go
index a86eeaacc6..3becb44346 100644
--- a/internal/manifest/version.go
+++ b/internal/manifest/version.go
@@ -18,6 +18,7 @@ import (
 	"github.com/cockroachdb/errors"
 	"github.com/cockroachdb/pebble/internal/base"
 	"github.com/cockroachdb/pebble/internal/invariants"
+	"github.com/cockroachdb/pebble/sstable"
 )
 
 // Compare exports the base.Compare type.
@@ -272,8 +273,9 @@ type FileMetadata struct {
 
 	// PrefixReplacement is used for virtual files where the backing file has a
 	// different prefix on its keys than the span in which it is being exposed.
-	PrefixReplacement *PrefixReplacement
-	SyntheticSuffix   []byte
+	PrefixReplacement *sstable.PrefixReplacement
+
+	SyntheticSuffix sstable.SyntheticSuffix
 }
 
 // InternalKeyBounds returns the set of overall table bounds.
@@ -281,31 +283,6 @@ func (m *FileMetadata) InternalKeyBounds() (InternalKey, InternalKey) {
 	return m.Smallest, m.Largest
 }
 
-// PrefixReplacement represents a read-time replacement of a key prefix.
-type PrefixReplacement struct {
-	ContentPrefix, SyntheticPrefix []byte
-}
-
-// ReplaceArg replaces the new prefix in the argument with the original prefix.
-func (p *PrefixReplacement) ReplaceArg(src []byte) []byte {
-	return p.replace(src, p.SyntheticPrefix, p.ContentPrefix)
-}
-
-// ReplaceResult replaces the original prefix in the result with the new prefix.
-func (p *PrefixReplacement) ReplaceResult(key []byte) []byte {
-	return p.replace(key, p.ContentPrefix, p.SyntheticPrefix)
-}
-
-func (p *PrefixReplacement) replace(key, from, to []byte) []byte {
-	if !bytes.HasPrefix(key, from) {
-		panic(fmt.Sprintf("unexpected prefix in replace: %s", key))
-	}
-	result := make([]byte, 0, len(to)+(len(key)-len(from)))
-	result = append(result, to...)
-	result = append(result, key[len(from):]...)
-	return result
-}
-
 // PhysicalFileMeta is used by functions which want a guarantee that their input
 // belongs to a physical sst and not a virtual sst.
 //
@@ -351,6 +328,21 @@ type VirtualFileMeta struct {
 	*FileMetadata
 }
 
+// VirtualReaderParams fills in the parameters necessary to create a virtual
+// sstable reader.
+func (m VirtualFileMeta) VirtualReaderParams(isShared bool) sstable.VirtualReaderParams {
+	return sstable.VirtualReaderParams{
+		Lower:             m.Smallest,
+		Upper:             m.Largest,
+		FileNum:           m.FileNum,
+		IsShared:          isShared,
+		Size:              m.Size,
+		BackingSize:       m.FileBacking.Size,
+		PrefixReplacement: m.PrefixReplacement,
+		SyntheticSuffix:   m.SyntheticSuffix,
+	}
+}
+
 // PhysicalMeta should be the only source of creating the PhysicalFileMeta
 // wrapper type.
 func (m *FileMetadata) PhysicalMeta() PhysicalFileMeta {
diff --git a/internal/manifest/version_edit.go b/internal/manifest/version_edit.go
index 7dc9a87fc0..87763512a9 100644
--- a/internal/manifest/version_edit.go
+++ b/internal/manifest/version_edit.go
@@ -17,6 +17,7 @@ import (
 	"github.com/cockroachdb/errors"
 	"github.com/cockroachdb/pebble/internal/base"
 	"github.com/cockroachdb/pebble/internal/invariants"
+	"github.com/cockroachdb/pebble/sstable"
 )
 
 // TODO(peter): describe the MANIFEST file format, independently of the C++
@@ -340,7 +341,7 @@ func (v *VersionEdit) Decode(r io.Reader) error {
 				virtual        bool
 				backingFileNum uint64
 			}{}
-			var virtualPrefix *PrefixReplacement
+			var virtualPrefix *sstable.PrefixReplacement
 			var syntheticSuffix []byte
 			if tag == tagNewFile4 || tag == tagNewFile5 {
 				for {
@@ -391,7 +392,7 @@ func (v *VersionEdit) Decode(r io.Reader) error {
 						if err != nil {
 							return err
 						}
-						virtualPrefix = &PrefixReplacement{
+						virtualPrefix = &sstable.PrefixReplacement{
 							ContentPrefix:   content,
 							SyntheticPrefix: synthetic,
 						}
diff --git a/internal/manifest/version_edit_test.go b/internal/manifest/version_edit_test.go
index 599ef9ba31..8035d60b3d 100644
--- a/internal/manifest/version_edit_test.go
+++ b/internal/manifest/version_edit_test.go
@@ -19,6 +19,7 @@ import (
 	"github.com/cockroachdb/errors"
 	"github.com/cockroachdb/pebble/internal/base"
 	"github.com/cockroachdb/pebble/record"
+	"github.com/cockroachdb/pebble/sstable"
 	"github.com/kr/pretty"
 	"github.com/stretchr/testify/require"
 )
@@ -50,7 +51,7 @@ func TestVERoundTripAndAccumulate(t *testing.T) {
 		CreationTime:   809060,
 		SmallestSeqNum: 9,
 		LargestSeqNum:  11,
-		PrefixReplacement: &PrefixReplacement{
+		PrefixReplacement: &sstable.PrefixReplacement{
 			ContentPrefix:   []byte("before"),
 			SyntheticPrefix: []byte("after"),
 		},
diff --git a/sstable/reader_iter.go b/sstable/reader_iter.go
index 2b5a267a16..7fe9c7604b 100644
--- a/sstable/reader_iter.go
+++ b/sstable/reader_iter.go
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@
 package sstable
 
 import (
+	"bytes"
 	"fmt"
 	"os"
 	"sync"
@@ -34,6 +35,35 @@ type Iterator interface {
 	SetCloseHook(fn func(i Iterator) error)
 }
 
+// PrefixReplacement represents a read-time replacement of a key prefix.
+type PrefixReplacement struct {
+	// ContentPrefix is the existing prefix that each key is expected to have.
+	ContentPrefix []byte
+	// SyntheticPrefix replaces the ContentPrefix in all keys. If ContentPrefix is
+	// empty, we are just prepending the synthetic prefix.
+	SyntheticPrefix []byte
+}
+
+// ReplaceArg replaces the new prefix in the argument with the original prefix.
+func (p *PrefixReplacement) ReplaceArg(src []byte) []byte {
+	return p.replace(src, p.SyntheticPrefix, p.ContentPrefix)
+}
+
+// ReplaceResult replaces the original prefix in the result with the new prefix.
+func (p *PrefixReplacement) ReplaceResult(key []byte) []byte {
+	return p.replace(key, p.ContentPrefix, p.SyntheticPrefix)
+}
+
+func (p *PrefixReplacement) replace(key, from, to []byte) []byte {
+	if !bytes.HasPrefix(key, from) {
+		panic(fmt.Sprintf("unexpected prefix in replace: %s", key))
+	}
+	result := make([]byte, 0, len(to)+(len(key)-len(from)))
+	result = append(result, to...)
+	result = append(result, key[len(from):]...)
+	return result
+}
+
 // Iterator positioning optimizations and singleLevelIterator and
 // twoLevelIterator:
 //
diff --git a/sstable/reader_test.go b/sstable/reader_test.go
index 41658f543c..5caa3707d0 100644
--- a/sstable/reader_test.go
+++ b/sstable/reader_test.go
@@ -25,7 +25,6 @@ import (
 	"github.com/cockroachdb/pebble/internal/base"
 	"github.com/cockroachdb/pebble/internal/cache"
 	"github.com/cockroachdb/pebble/internal/humanize"
-	"github.com/cockroachdb/pebble/internal/manifest"
 	"github.com/cockroachdb/pebble/internal/testkeys"
 	"github.com/cockroachdb/pebble/objstorage"
 	"github.com/cockroachdb/pebble/objstorage/objstorageprovider"
@@ -187,12 +186,11 @@ func TestVirtualReader(t *testing.T) {
 
 	// Set during the latest build command.
 	var r *Reader
-	var meta manifest.PhysicalFileMeta
+	var wMeta *WriterMetadata
 	var bp BufferPool
 
 	// Set during the latest virtualize command.
-	var vMeta1 manifest.VirtualFileMeta
-	var v VirtualReader
+	var v *VirtualReader
 
 	defer func() {
 		if r != nil {
@@ -201,32 +199,6 @@ func TestVirtualReader(t *testing.T) {
 		}
 	}()
 
-	createPhysicalMeta := func(w *WriterMetadata, r *Reader) (manifest.PhysicalFileMeta, error) {
-		meta := &manifest.FileMetadata{}
-		meta.FileNum = nextFileNum()
-		meta.CreationTime = time.Now().Unix()
-		meta.Size = w.Size
-		meta.SmallestSeqNum = w.SmallestSeqNum
-		meta.LargestSeqNum = w.LargestSeqNum
-
-		if w.HasPointKeys {
-			meta.ExtendPointKeyBounds(r.Compare, w.SmallestPoint, w.LargestPoint)
-		}
-		if w.HasRangeDelKeys {
-			meta.ExtendPointKeyBounds(r.Compare, w.SmallestRangeDel, w.LargestRangeDel)
-		}
-		if w.HasRangeKeys {
-			meta.ExtendRangeKeyBounds(r.Compare, w.SmallestRangeKey, w.LargestRangeKey)
-		}
-		meta.InitPhysicalBacking()
-
-		if err := meta.Validate(r.Compare, r.opts.Comparer.FormatKey); err != nil {
-			return manifest.PhysicalFileMeta{}, err
-		}
-
-		return meta.PhysicalMeta(), nil
-	}
-
 	formatWMeta := func(m *WriterMetadata) string {
 		var b bytes.Buffer
 		if m.HasPointKeys {
@@ -281,11 +253,8 @@ func TestVirtualReader(t *testing.T) {
 				bp.Release()
 				_ = r.Close()
 				r = nil
-				meta.FileMetadata = nil
-				vMeta1.FileMetadata = nil
-				v = VirtualReader{}
+				v = nil
 			}
-			var wMeta *WriterMetadata
 			var err error
 			writerOpts := &WriterOptions{
 				TableFormat: TableFormatMax,
@@ -307,13 +276,6 @@ func TestVirtualReader(t *testing.T) {
 				return err.Error()
 			}
 			bp.Init(5)
-
-			// Create a fake filemetada using the writer meta.
-			meta, err = createPhysicalMeta(wMeta, r)
-			if err != nil {
-				return err.Error()
-			}
-			r.fileNum = meta.FileBacking.DiskFileNum
 			return formatWMeta(wMeta)
 
 		case "virtualize":
@@ -323,49 +285,39 @@ func TestVirtualReader(t *testing.T) {
 			// this command the bounds must be valid keys. In general, and for
 			// this command, range key/range del spans must also not span across
 			// virtual sstable bounds.
-			if meta.FileMetadata == nil {
+			if wMeta == nil {
 				return "build must be called at least once before virtualize"
 			}
-			if vMeta1.FileMetadata != nil {
-				vMeta1.FileMetadata = nil
-				v = VirtualReader{}
-			}
+			v = nil
+			var params VirtualReaderParams
+
+			// Parse the virtualization bounds.
+			bounds := strings.Split(td.CmdArgs[0].String(), "-")
+			params.Lower = base.ParseInternalKey(bounds[0])
+			params.Upper = base.ParseInternalKey(bounds[1])
 
-			var syntheticSuffix []byte
 			if td.HasArg("suffix") {
 				var synthSuffixStr string
 				td.ScanArgs(t, "suffix", &synthSuffixStr)
-				syntheticSuffix = []byte(synthSuffixStr)
+				params.SyntheticSuffix = []byte(synthSuffixStr)
 			}
 
-			vMeta := &manifest.FileMetadata{
-				FileBacking:     meta.FileBacking,
-				SmallestSeqNum:  meta.SmallestSeqNum,
-				LargestSeqNum:   meta.LargestSeqNum,
-				Virtual:         true,
-				SyntheticSuffix: syntheticSuffix,
-			}
-			// Parse the virtualization bounds.
-			bounds := strings.Split(td.CmdArgs[0].String(), "-")
-			vMeta.Smallest = base.ParseInternalKey(bounds[0])
-			vMeta.Largest = base.ParseInternalKey(bounds[1])
-			vMeta.FileNum = nextFileNum()
+			params.FileNum = nextFileNum()
+			params.BackingSize = wMeta.Size
 			var err error
-			vMeta.Size, err = r.EstimateDiskUsage(vMeta.Smallest.UserKey, vMeta.Largest.UserKey)
+			params.Size, err = r.EstimateDiskUsage(params.Lower.UserKey, params.Upper.UserKey)
 			if err != nil {
 				return err.Error()
 			}
-			vMeta.ValidateVirtual(meta.FileMetadata)
-
-			vMeta1 = vMeta.VirtualMeta()
-			v = MakeVirtualReader(r, vMeta1, false /* isSharedIngested */)
-			return formatVirtualReader(&v)
+			vr := MakeVirtualReader(r, params)
+			v = &vr
+			return formatVirtualReader(v)
 
 		case "citer":
 			// Creates a compaction iterator from the virtual reader, and then
 			// just scans the keyspace. Which is all a compaction iterator is
 			// used for. This tests the First and Next calls.
-			if vMeta1.FileMetadata == nil {
+			if v == nil {
 				return "virtualize must be called before creating compaction iters"
 			}
 
@@ -387,7 +339,7 @@ func TestVirtualReader(t *testing.T) {
 			return buf.String()
 
 		case "constrain":
-			if vMeta1.FileMetadata == nil {
+			if v == nil {
 				return "virtualize must be called before constrain"
 			}
 			splits := strings.Split(td.CmdArgs[0].String(), ",")
@@ -407,7 +359,7 @@ func TestVirtualReader(t *testing.T) {
 			return buf.String()
 
 		case "scan-range-del":
-			if vMeta1.FileMetadata == nil {
+			if v == nil {
 				return "virtualize must be called before scan-range-del"
 			}
 			iter, err := v.NewRawRangeDelIter()
@@ -430,7 +382,7 @@ func TestVirtualReader(t *testing.T) {
 			return buf.String()
 
 		case "scan-range-key":
-			if vMeta1.FileMetadata == nil {
+			if v == nil {
 				return "virtualize must be called before scan-range-key"
 			}
 			iter, err := v.NewRawRangeKeyIter()
@@ -453,7 +405,7 @@ func TestVirtualReader(t *testing.T) {
 			return buf.String()
 
 		case "iter":
-			if vMeta1.FileMetadata == nil {
+			if v == nil {
 				return "virtualize must be called before iter"
 			}
 			var lower, upper []byte
diff --git a/sstable/reader_virtual.go b/sstable/reader_virtual.go
index 69c6242dd1..fdacde0bcf 100644
--- a/sstable/reader_virtual.go
+++ b/sstable/reader_virtual.go
@@ -9,7 +9,6 @@ import (
 
 	"github.com/cockroachdb/pebble/internal/base"
 	"github.com/cockroachdb/pebble/internal/keyspan"
-	"github.com/cockroachdb/pebble/internal/manifest"
 	"github.com/cockroachdb/pebble/internal/rangekey"
 )
 
@@ -33,50 +32,63 @@ type virtualState struct {
 	fileNum          base.FileNum
 	Compare          Compare
 	isSharedIngested bool
-	prefixChange     *manifest.PrefixReplacement
+	prefixChange     *PrefixReplacement
 	syntheticSuffix  SyntheticSuffix
 }
 
-func ceilDiv(a, b uint64) uint64 {
-	return (a + b - 1) / b
+// VirtualReaderParams are the parameters necessary to create a VirtualReader.
+type VirtualReaderParams struct {
+	Lower    InternalKey
+	Upper    InternalKey
+	FileNum  base.FileNum
+	IsShared bool
+	// Size is an estimate of the size of the [Lower, Upper) section of the table.
+	Size uint64
+	// BackingSize is the total size of the backing table. The ratio between Size
+	// and BackingSize is used to estimate statistics.
+	BackingSize uint64
+	// TODO(radu): this should be passed just to iterators.
+	PrefixReplacement *PrefixReplacement
+	SyntheticSuffix   SyntheticSuffix
 }
 
 // MakeVirtualReader is used to contruct a reader which can read from virtual
 // sstables.
-func MakeVirtualReader(reader *Reader, meta manifest.VirtualFileMeta, isShared bool) VirtualReader {
-	if reader.fileNum != meta.FileBacking.DiskFileNum {
-		panic("pebble: invalid call to MakeVirtualReader")
-	}
-
+func MakeVirtualReader(reader *Reader, p VirtualReaderParams) VirtualReader {
 	vState := virtualState{
-		lower:            meta.Smallest,
-		upper:            meta.Largest,
-		fileNum:          meta.FileNum,
+		lower:            p.Lower,
+		upper:            p.Upper,
+		fileNum:          p.FileNum,
 		Compare:          reader.Compare,
-		isSharedIngested: isShared && reader.Properties.GlobalSeqNum != 0,
-		prefixChange:     meta.PrefixReplacement,
-		syntheticSuffix:  meta.SyntheticSuffix,
+		isSharedIngested: p.IsShared && reader.Properties.GlobalSeqNum != 0,
+		prefixChange:     p.PrefixReplacement,
+		syntheticSuffix:  p.SyntheticSuffix,
 	}
 	v := VirtualReader{
 		vState: vState,
 		reader: reader,
 	}
 
-	v.Properties.RawKeySize = ceilDiv(reader.Properties.RawKeySize*meta.Size, meta.FileBacking.Size)
-	v.Properties.RawValueSize = ceilDiv(reader.Properties.RawValueSize*meta.Size, meta.FileBacking.Size)
-	v.Properties.NumEntries = ceilDiv(reader.Properties.NumEntries*meta.Size, meta.FileBacking.Size)
-	v.Properties.NumDeletions = ceilDiv(reader.Properties.NumDeletions*meta.Size, meta.FileBacking.Size)
-	v.Properties.NumRangeDeletions = ceilDiv(reader.Properties.NumRangeDeletions*meta.Size, meta.FileBacking.Size)
-	v.Properties.NumRangeKeyDels = ceilDiv(reader.Properties.NumRangeKeyDels*meta.Size, meta.FileBacking.Size)
+	// Scales the given value by the (Size / BackingSize) ratio, rounding up.
+	scale := func(a uint64) uint64 {
+		return (a*p.Size + p.BackingSize - 1) / p.BackingSize
+	}
+
+	v.Properties.RawKeySize = scale(reader.Properties.RawKeySize)
+	v.Properties.RawValueSize = scale(reader.Properties.RawValueSize)
+	v.Properties.NumEntries = scale(reader.Properties.NumEntries)
+	v.Properties.NumDeletions = scale(reader.Properties.NumDeletions)
+	v.Properties.NumRangeDeletions = scale(reader.Properties.NumRangeDeletions)
+	v.Properties.NumRangeKeyDels = scale(reader.Properties.NumRangeKeyDels)
 
 	// Note that we rely on NumRangeKeySets for correctness. If the sstable may
 	// contain range keys, then NumRangeKeySets must be > 0. ceilDiv works because
 	// meta.Size will not be 0 for virtual sstables.
-	v.Properties.NumRangeKeySets = ceilDiv(reader.Properties.NumRangeKeySets*meta.Size, meta.FileBacking.Size)
-	v.Properties.ValueBlocksSize = ceilDiv(reader.Properties.ValueBlocksSize*meta.Size, meta.FileBacking.Size)
-	v.Properties.NumSizedDeletions = ceilDiv(reader.Properties.NumSizedDeletions*meta.Size, meta.FileBacking.Size)
-	v.Properties.RawPointTombstoneKeySize = ceilDiv(reader.Properties.RawPointTombstoneKeySize*meta.Size, meta.FileBacking.Size)
-	v.Properties.RawPointTombstoneValueSize = ceilDiv(reader.Properties.RawPointTombstoneValueSize*meta.Size, meta.FileBacking.Size)
+	v.Properties.NumRangeKeySets = scale(reader.Properties.NumRangeKeySets)
+	v.Properties.ValueBlocksSize = scale(reader.Properties.ValueBlocksSize)
+	v.Properties.NumSizedDeletions = scale(reader.Properties.NumSizedDeletions)
+	v.Properties.RawPointTombstoneKeySize = scale(reader.Properties.RawPointTombstoneKeySize)
+	v.Properties.RawPointTombstoneValueSize = scale(reader.Properties.RawPointTombstoneValueSize)
 
 	return v
 }
diff --git a/sstable/testdata/virtual_reader b/sstable/testdata/virtual_reader
index 7f0ef064cd..69a1bdd756 100644
--- a/sstable/testdata/virtual_reader
+++ b/sstable/testdata/virtual_reader
@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@ seqnums:  [1-1]
 virtualize b.SET.1-c.SET.1
 ----
 bounds:  [b#1,1-c#1,1]
-filenum: 000002
+filenum: 000001
 props: NumEntries: 1, RawKeySize: 3, RawValueSize: 1, RawPointTombstoneKeySize: 0, RawPointTombstoneValueSize: 0, NumSizedDeletions: 0, NumDeletions: 0, NumRangeDeletions: 0, NumRangeKeyDels: 0, NumRangeKeySets: 0, ValueBlocksSize: 0
 
 citer
@@ -40,7 +40,7 @@ seqnums:  [1-1]
 virtualize b.SET.1-c.SET.1
 ----
 bounds:  [b#1,1-c#1,1]
-filenum: 000004
+filenum: 000002
 props: NumEntries: 1, RawKeySize: 2, RawValueSize: 1, RawPointTombstoneKeySize: 0, RawPointTombstoneValueSize: 0, NumSizedDeletions: 0, NumDeletions: 0, NumRangeDeletions: 0, NumRangeKeyDels: 0, NumRangeKeySets: 0, ValueBlocksSize: 0
 
 citer
@@ -128,7 +128,7 @@ seqnums:  [1-12]
 virtualize a.SET.1-f.SET.1
 ----
 bounds:  [a#1,1-f#1,1]
-filenum: 000006
+filenum: 000003
 props: NumEntries: 1, RawKeySize: 4, RawValueSize: 1, RawPointTombstoneKeySize: 0, RawPointTombstoneValueSize: 0, NumSizedDeletions: 0, NumDeletions: 1, NumRangeDeletions: 1, NumRangeKeyDels: 0, NumRangeKeySets: 1, ValueBlocksSize: 0
 
 scan-range-del
@@ -158,7 +158,7 @@ seqnums:  [1-9]
 virtualize dd.SET.5-ddd.SET.6
 ----
 bounds:  [dd#5,1-ddd#6,1]
-filenum: 000008
+filenum: 000004
 props: NumEntries: 1, RawKeySize: 10, RawValueSize: 2, RawPointTombstoneKeySize: 0, RawPointTombstoneValueSize: 0, NumSizedDeletions: 0, NumDeletions: 0, NumRangeDeletions: 0, NumRangeKeyDels: 0, NumRangeKeySets: 0, ValueBlocksSize: 0
 
 # Check lower bound enforcement during SeekPrefixGE.
@@ -189,7 +189,7 @@ seqnums:  [1-9]
 virtualize c.SET.3-f.SET.6
 ----
 bounds:  [c#3,1-f#6,1]
-filenum: 000010
+filenum: 000005
 props: NumEntries: 1, RawKeySize: 9, RawValueSize: 1, RawPointTombstoneKeySize: 0, RawPointTombstoneValueSize: 0, NumSizedDeletions: 0, NumDeletions: 0, NumRangeDeletions: 0, NumRangeKeyDels: 0, NumRangeKeySets: 0, ValueBlocksSize: 0
 
 # Just test a basic iterator once virtual sstable bounds have been set.
@@ -289,7 +289,7 @@ seqnums:  [1-9]
 virtualize c.SET.3-f.SET.1:ff
 ----
 bounds:  [c#3,1-f#0,1]
-filenum: 000012
+filenum: 000006
 props: NumEntries: 2, RawKeySize: 11, RawValueSize: 2, RawPointTombstoneKeySize: 0, RawPointTombstoneValueSize: 0, NumSizedDeletions: 0, NumDeletions: 0, NumRangeDeletions: 0, NumRangeKeyDels: 0, NumRangeKeySets: 0, ValueBlocksSize: 3
 
 iter
@@ -342,7 +342,7 @@ last
 virtualize f.SET.6-h.SET.9
 ----
 bounds:  [f#6,1-h#9,1]
-filenum: 000013
+filenum: 000007
 props: NumEntries: 2, RawKeySize: 11, RawValueSize: 2, RawPointTombstoneKeySize: 0, RawPointTombstoneValueSize: 0, NumSizedDeletions: 0, NumDeletions: 0, NumRangeDeletions: 0, NumRangeKeyDels: 0, NumRangeKeySets: 0, ValueBlocksSize: 3
 
 iter
@@ -381,7 +381,7 @@ seqnums:  [1-9]
 virtualize dd.SET.5-ddd.SET.6
 ----
 bounds:  [dd#5,1-ddd#6,1]
-filenum: 000015
+filenum: 000008
 props: NumEntries: 1, RawKeySize: 4, RawValueSize: 1, RawPointTombstoneKeySize: 0, RawPointTombstoneValueSize: 0, NumSizedDeletions: 0, NumDeletions: 0, NumRangeDeletions: 0, NumRangeKeyDels: 0, NumRangeKeySets: 0, ValueBlocksSize: 0
 
 # Check lower bound enforcement during SeekPrefixGE.
@@ -412,7 +412,7 @@ seqnums:  [1-9]
 virtualize c.SET.3-f.SET.6
 ----
 bounds:  [c#3,1-f#6,1]
-filenum: 000017
+filenum: 000009
 props: NumEntries: 1, RawKeySize: 7, RawValueSize: 1, RawPointTombstoneKeySize: 0, RawPointTombstoneValueSize: 0, NumSizedDeletions: 0, NumDeletions: 0, NumRangeDeletions: 0, NumRangeKeyDels: 0, NumRangeKeySets: 0, ValueBlocksSize: 0
 
 # Just test a basic iterator once virtual sstable bounds have been set.
@@ -512,7 +512,7 @@ seqnums:  [1-9]
 virtualize c.SET.3-f.SET.1:ff
 ----
 bounds:  [c#3,1-f#0,1]
-filenum: 000019
+filenum: 000010
 props: NumEntries: 1, RawKeySize: 7, RawValueSize: 1, RawPointTombstoneKeySize: 0, RawPointTombstoneValueSize: 0, NumSizedDeletions: 0, NumDeletions: 0, NumRangeDeletions: 0, NumRangeKeyDels: 0, NumRangeKeySets: 0, ValueBlocksSize: 2
 
 iter
@@ -565,7 +565,7 @@ last
 virtualize f.SET.6-h.SET.9
 ----
 bounds:  [f#6,1-h#9,1]
-filenum: 000020
+filenum: 000011
 props: NumEntries: 1, RawKeySize: 7, RawValueSize: 1, RawPointTombstoneKeySize: 0, RawPointTombstoneValueSize: 0, NumSizedDeletions: 0, NumDeletions: 0, NumRangeDeletions: 0, NumRangeKeyDels: 0, NumRangeKeySets: 0, ValueBlocksSize: 2
 
 iter
@@ -604,7 +604,7 @@ seqnums:  [1-5]
 virtualize a.SET.1-e.RANGEDEL.72057594037927935
 ----
 bounds:  [a#1,1-e#72057594037927935,15]
-filenum: 000022
+filenum: 000012
 props: NumEntries: 1, RawKeySize: 4, RawValueSize: 1, RawPointTombstoneKeySize: 0, RawPointTombstoneValueSize: 0, NumSizedDeletions: 0, NumDeletions: 1, NumRangeDeletions: 1, NumRangeKeyDels: 0, NumRangeKeySets: 0, ValueBlocksSize: 0
 
 iter
@@ -643,7 +643,7 @@ seqnums:  [1-5]
 virtualize a.SET.1-e.RANGEDEL.72057594037927935
 ----
 bounds:  [a#1,1-e#72057594037927935,15]
-filenum: 000024
+filenum: 000013
 props: NumEntries: 1, RawKeySize: 4, RawValueSize: 1, RawPointTombstoneKeySize: 0, RawPointTombstoneValueSize: 0, NumSizedDeletions: 0, NumDeletions: 1, NumRangeDeletions: 1, NumRangeKeyDels: 0, NumRangeKeySets: 0, ValueBlocksSize: 0
 
 iter
@@ -688,7 +688,7 @@ seqnums:  [1-12]
 virtualize a.SET.1-b.SET.5
 ----
 bounds:  [a#1,1-b#5,1]
-filenum: 000026
+filenum: 000014
 props: NumEntries: 1, RawKeySize: 3, RawValueSize: 1, RawPointTombstoneKeySize: 0, RawPointTombstoneValueSize: 0, NumSizedDeletions: 0, NumDeletions: 1, NumRangeDeletions: 1, NumRangeKeyDels: 0, NumRangeKeySets: 1, ValueBlocksSize: 0
 
 # Test that a virtual reader with a suffix replacement rule replaces the
@@ -712,7 +712,7 @@ seqnums:  [1-9]
 virtualize c@7.SET.3-f@4.SET.8 suffix=@8
 ----
 bounds:  [c@7#3,1-f@4#8,1]
-filenum: 000028
+filenum: 000015
 props: NumEntries: 2, RawKeySize: 13, RawValueSize: 2, RawPointTombstoneKeySize: 0, RawPointTombstoneValueSize: 0, NumSizedDeletions: 0, NumDeletions: 0, NumRangeDeletions: 0, NumRangeKeyDels: 0, NumRangeKeySets: 0, ValueBlocksSize: 0
 
 # Just test a basic iterator once virtual sstable bounds have been set.
diff --git a/table_cache.go b/table_cache.go
index a7a012d04e..1c9f554cc2 100644
--- a/table_cache.go
+++ b/table_cache.go
@@ -276,7 +276,7 @@ func createCommonReader(v *tableCacheValue, file *fileMetadata) sstable.CommonRe
 	var cr sstable.CommonReader = v.reader
 	if file.Virtual {
 		virtualReader := sstable.MakeVirtualReader(
-			v.reader, file.VirtualMeta(), v.isShared,
+			v.reader, file.VirtualMeta().VirtualReaderParams(v.isShared),
 		)
 		cr = &virtualReader
 	}
@@ -320,7 +320,7 @@ func (c *tableCacheContainer) withVirtualReader(
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
-	return fn(sstable.MakeVirtualReader(v.reader, meta, objMeta.IsShared()))
+	return fn(sstable.MakeVirtualReader(v.reader, meta.VirtualReaderParams(objMeta.IsShared())))
 }
 
 func (c *tableCacheContainer) iterCount() int64 {