diff --git a/src/client/src/tscPrepare.c b/src/client/src/tscPrepare.c
index 519d7da4fbe0b13865ea619187a97cb1ecabd7ee..2093e8f7412450bf860e50f561ed855ebe364709 100644
--- a/src/client/src/tscPrepare.c
+++ b/src/client/src/tscPrepare.c
@@ -24,7 +24,6 @@
 #include "tscSubquery.h"
 
 int tsParseInsertSql(SSqlObj *pSql);
-int taos_query_imp(STscObj* pObj, SSqlObj* pSql);
 
 ////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
 // functions for normal statement preparation
diff --git a/src/client/src/tscSQLParser.c b/src/client/src/tscSQLParser.c
index 32ec0a0db12522abf2f78fe371f8ac2d452c6950..d6136a2ad10229d5bb2ebfc824219bb2430f0116 100644
--- a/src/client/src/tscSQLParser.c
+++ b/src/client/src/tscSQLParser.c
@@ -41,7 +41,7 @@
 #define COLUMN_INDEX_VALIDE(index) (((index).tableIndex >= 0) && ((index).columnIndex >= TSDB_TBNAME_COLUMN_INDEX))
 #define TBNAME_LIST_SEP ","
 
-typedef struct SColumnList {
+typedef struct SColumnList {  // todo refactor
   int32_t      num;
   SColumnIndex ids[TSDB_MAX_COLUMNS];
 } SColumnList;
@@ -1517,12 +1517,14 @@ int32_t addExprAndResultField(SQueryInfo* pQueryInfo, int32_t colIndex, tSQLExpr
           pTableMetaInfo = tscGetMetaInfo(pQueryInfo, index.tableIndex);
 
           // count tag is equalled to count(tbname)
-          if (index.columnIndex >= tscGetNumOfColumns(pTableMetaInfo->pTableMeta)) {
+          bool isTag = false;
+          if (index.columnIndex >= tscGetNumOfColumns(pTableMetaInfo->pTableMeta) || index.columnIndex == TSDB_TBNAME_COLUMN_INDEX) {
             index.columnIndex = TSDB_TBNAME_COLUMN_INDEX;
+            isTag = true;
           }
 
           int32_t size = tDataTypeDesc[TSDB_DATA_TYPE_BIGINT].nSize;
-          pExpr = tscSqlExprAppend(pQueryInfo, functionID, &index, TSDB_DATA_TYPE_BIGINT, size, size, false);
+          pExpr = tscSqlExprAppend(pQueryInfo, functionID, &index, TSDB_DATA_TYPE_BIGINT, size, size, isTag);
         }
       } else {  // count(*) is equalled to count(primary_timestamp_key)
         index = (SColumnIndex){0, PRIMARYKEY_TIMESTAMP_COL_INDEX};
@@ -1543,10 +1545,13 @@ int32_t addExprAndResultField(SQueryInfo* pQueryInfo, int32_t colIndex, tSQLExpr
           tscColumnListInsert(pQueryInfo->colList, &(ids.ids[i]));
         }
       }
-  
-      SColumnIndex tsCol = {.tableIndex = index.tableIndex, .columnIndex = PRIMARYKEY_TIMESTAMP_COL_INDEX};
-      tscColumnListInsert(pQueryInfo->colList, &tsCol);
-  
+
+      // the time stamp may be always needed
+      if (index.tableIndex > 0 && index.tableIndex < tscGetNumOfColumns(pTableMetaInfo->pTableMeta)) {
+        SColumnIndex tsCol = {.tableIndex = index.tableIndex, .columnIndex = PRIMARYKEY_TIMESTAMP_COL_INDEX};
+        tscColumnListInsert(pQueryInfo->colList, &tsCol);
+      }
+
       return TSDB_CODE_SUCCESS;
     }
     case TK_SUM:
diff --git a/src/client/src/tscServer.c b/src/client/src/tscServer.c
index d2e6e0ac3fa229449bf9ed3fe564367c5f0d75c9..39b9350284066dc89223f5a6fe944e1261a91154 100644
--- a/src/client/src/tscServer.c
+++ b/src/client/src/tscServer.c
@@ -605,7 +605,7 @@ int tscBuildQueryMsg(SSqlObj *pSql, SSqlInfo *pInfo) {
 
   if (TSDB_CODE_SUCCESS != tscAllocPayload(pCmd, size)) {
     tscError("%p failed to malloc for query msg", pSql);
-    return -1;
+    return -1;  // todo add test for this
   }
   
   SQueryInfo *pQueryInfo = tscGetQueryInfoDetail(pCmd, pCmd->clauseIndex);
diff --git a/src/client/src/tscSql.c b/src/client/src/tscSql.c
index e5832bacfc59be46908f946a571dc3290fa906b1..dd0b0627ac733617d783cead8ead80ec693cd4b3 100644
--- a/src/client/src/tscSql.c
+++ b/src/client/src/tscSql.c
@@ -213,48 +213,6 @@ void taos_close(TAOS *taos) {
   }
 }
 
-int taos_query_imp(STscObj *pObj, SSqlObj *pSql) {
-  SSqlRes *pRes = &pSql->res;
-  SSqlCmd *pCmd = &pSql->cmd;
-  
-  pRes->numOfRows  = 1;
-  pRes->numOfTotal = 0;
-  pRes->numOfClauseTotal = 0;
-
-  pCmd->curSql = NULL;
-  if (NULL != pCmd->pTableList) {
-    taosHashCleanup(pCmd->pTableList);
-    pCmd->pTableList = NULL;
-  }
-
-  tscDump("%p pObj:%p, SQL: %s", pSql, pObj, pSql->sqlstr);
-
-  pRes->code = (uint8_t)tsParseSql(pSql, false);
-
-  /*
-   * set the qhandle to 0 before return in order to erase the qhandle value assigned in the previous successful query.
-   * If qhandle is NOT set 0, the function of taos_free_result() will send message to server by calling tscProcessSql()
-   * to free connection, which may cause segment fault, when the parse phrase is not even successfully executed.
-   */
-  pRes->qhandle = 0;
-
-  if (pRes->code == TSDB_CODE_SUCCESS) {
-    tscDoQuery(pSql);
-  }
-
-  if (pRes->code == TSDB_CODE_SUCCESS) {
-    tscTrace("%p SQL result:%d, %s pObj:%p", pSql, pRes->code, taos_errstr(pObj), pObj);
-  } else {
-    tscError("%p SQL result:%d, %s pObj:%p", pSql, pRes->code, taos_errstr(pObj), pObj);
-  }
-
-  if (pRes->code != TSDB_CODE_SUCCESS) {
-    tscPartiallyFreeSqlObj(pSql);
-  }
-
-  return pRes->code;
-}
-
 void waitForQueryRsp(void *param, TAOS_RES *tres, int code) {
   assert(tres != NULL);
   
diff --git a/src/client/src/tscUtil.c b/src/client/src/tscUtil.c
index 811d0920f9ed280317c28aaa63e132a6dd377e34..d494700715fe411efff4b95288538dbe1f72a4ec 100644
--- a/src/client/src/tscUtil.c
+++ b/src/client/src/tscUtil.c
@@ -79,8 +79,14 @@ bool tscQueryOnSTable(SSqlCmd* pCmd) {
 
 bool tscQueryTags(SQueryInfo* pQueryInfo) {
   for (int32_t i = 0; i < pQueryInfo->fieldsInfo.numOfOutput; ++i) {
-    int32_t functId = tscSqlExprGet(pQueryInfo, i)->functionId;
-    
+    SSqlExpr* pExpr = tscSqlExprGet(pQueryInfo, i);
+    int32_t functId = pExpr->functionId;
+
+    // "select count(tbname)" query
+    if (functId == TSDB_FUNC_COUNT && pExpr->colInfo.colId == TSDB_TBNAME_COLUMN_INDEX) {
+      continue;
+    }
+
     if (functId != TSDB_FUNC_TAGPRJ && functId != TSDB_FUNC_TID_TAG) {
       return false;
     }
@@ -208,13 +214,14 @@ bool tscIsProjectionQueryOnSTable(SQueryInfo* pQueryInfo, int32_t tableIndex) {
   return true;
 }
 
+// not order by timestamp projection query on super table
 bool tscNonOrderedProjectionQueryOnSTable(SQueryInfo* pQueryInfo, int32_t tableIndex) {
   if (!tscIsProjectionQueryOnSTable(pQueryInfo, tableIndex)) {
     return false;
   }
   
   // order by columnIndex exists, not a non-ordered projection query
-  return pQueryInfo->order.orderColId < 0;
+  return pQueryInfo->order.orderColId < 0 && pQueryInfo->order.orderColId != TSDB_TBNAME_COLUMN_INDEX;
 }
 
 bool tscOrderedProjectionQueryOnSTable(SQueryInfo* pQueryInfo, int32_t tableIndex) {
@@ -984,7 +991,6 @@ static SSqlExpr* doBuildSqlExpr(SQueryInfo* pQueryInfo, int16_t functionId, SCol
     pExpr->uid = pTableMetaInfo->pTableMeta->uid;
   }
   
-  
   return pExpr;
 }
 
diff --git a/src/kit/shell/src/shellEngine.c b/src/kit/shell/src/shellEngine.c
index a01decc6c6c7fdc99b5aa99db8cd853281a677d7..6dfe424fbcec0bf379fa26ab8d8170b11f350670 100644
--- a/src/kit/shell/src/shellEngine.c
+++ b/src/kit/shell/src/shellEngine.c
@@ -858,9 +858,9 @@ void shellGetGrantInfo(void *con) {
 
   char sql[] = "show grants";
 
-  TAOS_RES* pSql = taos_query(con, sql);
-  int code = taos_errno(pSql);
-  
+  result = taos_query(con, sql);
+
+  int code = taos_errno(result);
   if (code != TSDB_CODE_SUCCESS) {
     if (code == TSDB_CODE_OPS_NOT_SUPPORT) {
       fprintf(stdout, "Server is Community Edition, version is %s\n\n", taos_get_server_info(con));
diff --git a/src/kit/shell/src/shellMain.c b/src/kit/shell/src/shellMain.c
index 1fbe04208c2db2e73cb64d9415f5bc7e222cd8fd..92474bdd03f56e6b5b0e0bde17a94a10606ac8d4 100644
--- a/src/kit/shell/src/shellMain.c
+++ b/src/kit/shell/src/shellMain.c
@@ -16,21 +16,19 @@
 #include "os.h"
 #include "shell.h"
 #include "tsclient.h"
-#include "tutil.h"
 
-TAOS_RES* con;
 pthread_t pid;
 
 // TODO: IMPLEMENT INTERRUPT HANDLER.
 void interruptHandler(int signum) {
 #ifdef LINUX
-  taos_stop_query(con);
-  if (con != NULL) {
+  taos_stop_query(result);
+  if (result != NULL) {
     /*
      * we need to free result in async model, in order to avoid free
      * results while the master thread is waiting for server response.
      */
-    tscQueueAsyncFreeResult(con);
+    tscQueueAsyncFreeResult(result);
   }
   
   result = NULL;
@@ -88,7 +86,7 @@ int main(int argc, char* argv[]) {
   shellParseArgument(argc, argv, &args);
 
   /* Initialize the shell */
-  con = shellInit(&args);
+  TAOS* con = shellInit(&args);
   if (con == NULL) {
     exit(EXIT_FAILURE);
   }
@@ -109,5 +107,4 @@ int main(int argc, char* argv[]) {
     pthread_create(&pid, NULL, shellLoopQuery, con);
     pthread_join(pid, NULL);
   }
-  return 0;
 }
diff --git a/src/query/src/qExecutor.c b/src/query/src/qExecutor.c
index fd718f4ac0a4ede253d06173a1262be0d25c3600..ce5286af5873abab81edc8bdf0ee52ed699a3a36 100644
--- a/src/query/src/qExecutor.c
+++ b/src/query/src/qExecutor.c
@@ -1590,8 +1590,11 @@ static bool needReverseScan(SQuery *pQuery) {
 
 static bool onlyQueryTags(SQuery* pQuery) {
   for(int32_t i = 0; i < pQuery->numOfOutput; ++i) {
-    int32_t functionId = pQuery->pSelectExpr[i].base.functionId;
-    if (functionId != TSDB_FUNC_TAGPRJ && functionId != TSDB_FUNC_TID_TAG) {
+    SExprInfo* pExprInfo = &pQuery->pSelectExpr[i];
+
+    int32_t functionId = pExprInfo->base.functionId;
+    if (functionId != TSDB_FUNC_TAGPRJ && functionId != TSDB_FUNC_TID_TAG &&
+        (!(functionId == TSDB_FUNC_COUNT && pExprInfo->base.colInfo.colId == TSDB_TBNAME_COLUMN_INDEX))) {
       return false;
     }
   }
@@ -4885,6 +4888,10 @@ static int32_t getColumnIndexInSource(SQueryTableMsg *pQueryMsg, SSqlFuncMsg *pE
   int32_t j = 0;
 
   if (TSDB_COL_IS_TAG(pExprMsg->colInfo.flag)) {
+    if (pExprMsg->colInfo.colId == TSDB_TBNAME_COLUMN_INDEX) {
+      return -1;
+    }
+
     while(j < pQueryMsg->numOfTags) {
       if (pExprMsg->colInfo.colId == pTagCols[j].colId) {
         return j;
@@ -4942,8 +4949,11 @@ static bool validateQuerySourceCols(SQueryTableMsg *pQueryMsg, SSqlFuncMsg** pEx
     return false;
   } else if (numOfTotal == 0) {
     for(int32_t i = 0; i < pQueryMsg->numOfOutput; ++i) {
-      if ((pExprMsg[i]->functionId == TSDB_FUNC_TAGPRJ) ||
-          (pExprMsg[i]->functionId == TSDB_FUNC_TID_TAG && pExprMsg[i]->colInfo.colId == TSDB_TBNAME_COLUMN_INDEX)) {
+      SSqlFuncMsg* pFuncMsg = pExprMsg[i];
+
+      if ((pFuncMsg->functionId == TSDB_FUNC_TAGPRJ) ||
+          (pFuncMsg->functionId == TSDB_FUNC_TID_TAG && pFuncMsg->colInfo.colId == TSDB_TBNAME_COLUMN_INDEX) ||
+          (pFuncMsg->functionId == TSDB_FUNC_COUNT && pFuncMsg->colInfo.colId == TSDB_TBNAME_COLUMN_INDEX)) {
         continue;
       }
       
@@ -5079,8 +5089,8 @@ static int32_t convertQueryMsg(SQueryTableMsg *pQueryMsg, SArray **pTableIdList,
       }
     }
 
-    if (pExprMsg->functionId == TSDB_FUNC_TAG || pExprMsg->functionId == TSDB_FUNC_TAGPRJ ||
-               pExprMsg->functionId == TSDB_FUNC_TAG_DUMMY) {
+    int16_t functionId = pExprMsg->functionId;
+    if (functionId == TSDB_FUNC_TAG || functionId == TSDB_FUNC_TAGPRJ || functionId == TSDB_FUNC_TAG_DUMMY) {
       if (pExprMsg->colInfo.flag != TSDB_COL_TAG) {  // ignore the column  index check for arithmetic expression.
         return TSDB_CODE_INVALID_QUERY_MSG;
       }
@@ -5192,12 +5202,12 @@ static int32_t buildAirthmeticExprFromMsg(SExprInfo *pArithExprInfo, SQueryTable
   return TSDB_CODE_SUCCESS;
 }
 
-static int32_t createSqlFunctionExprFromMsg(SQueryTableMsg *pQueryMsg, SExprInfo **pExprInfo, SSqlFuncMsg **pExprMsg,
+static int32_t createQFunctionExprFromMsg(SQueryTableMsg *pQueryMsg, SExprInfo **pExprInfo, SSqlFuncMsg **pExprMsg,
     SColumnInfo* pTagCols) {
   *pExprInfo = NULL;
   int32_t code = TSDB_CODE_SUCCESS;
 
-  SExprInfo *pExprs = (SExprInfo *)calloc(1, sizeof(SExprInfo) * pQueryMsg->numOfOutput);
+  SExprInfo *pExprs = (SExprInfo *)calloc(pQueryMsg->numOfOutput, sizeof(SExprInfo));
   if (pExprs == NULL) {
     return TSDB_CODE_SERV_OUT_OF_MEMORY;
   }
@@ -5223,16 +5233,22 @@ static int32_t createSqlFunctionExprFromMsg(SQueryTableMsg *pQueryMsg, SExprInfo
 
       type  = TSDB_DATA_TYPE_DOUBLE;
       bytes = tDataTypeDesc[type].nSize;
-    } else if (pExprs[i].base.colInfo.colId == TSDB_TBNAME_COLUMN_INDEX) {  // parse the normal column
+    } else if (pExprs[i].base.colInfo.colId == TSDB_TBNAME_COLUMN_INDEX && pExprs[i].base.functionId == TSDB_FUNC_TAGPRJ) {  // parse the normal column
       type  = TSDB_DATA_TYPE_BINARY;
       bytes = TSDB_TABLE_NAME_LEN + VARSTR_HEADER_SIZE;
-    } else{
+    } else {
       int32_t j = getColumnIndexInSource(pQueryMsg, &pExprs[i].base, pTagCols);
-      assert(j < pQueryMsg->numOfCols || j < pQueryMsg->numOfTags);
+      assert(j < pQueryMsg->numOfCols || j < pQueryMsg->numOfTags || j == TSDB_TBNAME_COLUMN_INDEX);
+
+      if (pExprs[i].base.colInfo.colId != TSDB_TBNAME_COLUMN_INDEX) {
+        SColumnInfo* pCol = (TSDB_COL_IS_TAG(pExprs[i].base.colInfo.flag))? &pTagCols[j]:&pQueryMsg->colList[j];
+        type = pCol->type;
+        bytes = pCol->bytes;
+      } else {
+        type  = TSDB_DATA_TYPE_BINARY;
+        bytes = TSDB_TABLE_NAME_LEN + VARSTR_HEADER_SIZE;
+      }
 
-      SColumnInfo* pCol = (TSDB_COL_IS_TAG(pExprs[i].base.colInfo.flag))? &pTagCols[j]:&pQueryMsg->colList[j];
-      type = pCol->type;
-      bytes = pCol->bytes;
     }
 
     int32_t param = pExprs[i].base.arg[0].argValue.i64;
@@ -5485,7 +5501,7 @@ static SQInfo *createQInfoImpl(SQueryTableMsg *pQueryMsg, SArray* pTableIdList,
   }
 
   // set the output buffer capacity
-  pQuery->rec.capacity = 4096;
+  pQuery->rec.capacity = 2;
   pQuery->rec.threshold = 4000;
 
   for (int32_t col = 0; col < pQuery->numOfOutput; ++col) {
@@ -5824,7 +5840,7 @@ int32_t qCreateQueryInfo(void *tsdb, int32_t vgId, SQueryTableMsg *pQueryMsg, qi
   }
 
   SExprInfo *pExprs = NULL;
-  if ((code = createSqlFunctionExprFromMsg(pQueryMsg, &pExprs, pExprMsg, pTagColumnInfo)) != TSDB_CODE_SUCCESS) {
+  if ((code = createQFunctionExprFromMsg(pQueryMsg, &pExprs, pExprMsg, pTagColumnInfo)) != TSDB_CODE_SUCCESS) {
     goto _over;
   }
 
@@ -5926,6 +5942,7 @@ void qTableQuery(qinfo_t qinfo) {
   qTrace("QInfo:%p query task is launched", pQInfo);
 
   if (onlyQueryTags(pQInfo->runtimeEnv.pQuery)) {
+    assert(pQInfo->runtimeEnv.pQueryHandle == NULL);
     buildTagQueryResult(pQInfo);   // todo support the limit/offset
   } else if (pQInfo->runtimeEnv.stableQuery) {
     stableQueryImpl(pQInfo);
@@ -6028,24 +6045,29 @@ static void buildTagQueryResult(SQInfo* pQInfo) {
   SQueryRuntimeEnv *pRuntimeEnv = &pQInfo->runtimeEnv;
   SQuery *          pQuery = pRuntimeEnv->pQuery;
 
-  size_t num = taosArrayGetSize(pQInfo->groupInfo.pGroupList);
-  assert(num == 0 || num == 1);
-  if (num == 0) {
+  size_t numOfGroup = taosArrayGetSize(pQInfo->groupInfo.pGroupList);
+  assert(numOfGroup == 0 || numOfGroup == 1);
+  
+  if (numOfGroup == 0) {
     return;
   }
   
   SArray* pa = taosArrayGetP(pQInfo->groupInfo.pGroupList, 0);
-  num = taosArrayGetSize(pa);
-
+  
+  size_t num = taosArrayGetSize(pa);
   assert(num == pQInfo->groupInfo.numOfTables);
+  
+  int32_t count = 0;
   int32_t functionId = pQuery->pSelectExpr[0].base.functionId;
   if (functionId == TSDB_FUNC_TID_TAG) { // return the tags & table Id
     assert(pQuery->numOfOutput == 1);
     
     SExprInfo* pExprInfo = &pQuery->pSelectExpr[0];
     int32_t rsize = pExprInfo->bytes;
-
-    for(int32_t i = 0; i < num; ++i) {
+    count = 0;
+    
+    while(pQInfo->tableIndex < num && count < pQuery->rec.capacity) {
+      int32_t i = pQInfo->tableIndex++;
       SGroupItem *item = taosArrayGet(pa, i);
 
       char *output = pQuery->sdata[0]->data + i * rsize;
@@ -6085,30 +6107,38 @@ static void buildTagQueryResult(SQInfo* pQInfo) {
           }
         }
       }
+      
+      count += 1;
     }
   
-    pQInfo->tableIndex = pQInfo->groupInfo.numOfTables;
-    qTrace("QInfo:%p create (tableId, tag) info completed, rows:%d", pQInfo, num);
+    qTrace("QInfo:%p create (tableId, tag) info completed, rows:%d", pQInfo, count);
     
+  } else if (functionId == TSDB_FUNC_COUNT) {// handle the "count(tbname)" query
+    *(int64_t*) pQuery->sdata[0]->data = num;
+
+    count = 1;
+    pQInfo->tableIndex = num;  //set query completed
+    qTrace("QInfo:%p create count(tbname) query, res:%d rows:1", pQInfo, count);
   } else {  // return only the tags|table name etc.
-    for(int32_t i = 0; i < num; ++i) {
+    count = 0;
+    while(pQInfo->tableIndex < num && count < pQuery->rec.capacity) {
+      int32_t i = pQInfo->tableIndex++;
+      
       SExprInfo* pExprInfo = pQuery->pSelectExpr;
       SGroupItem* item = taosArrayGet(pa, i);
 
       for(int32_t j = 0; j < pQuery->numOfOutput; ++j) {
-        // todo check the return value, refactor codes
         if (pExprInfo[j].base.colInfo.colId == TSDB_TBNAME_COLUMN_INDEX) {
           char* data = tsdbGetTableName(pQInfo->tsdb, &item->id);
-          
-          char* dst = pQuery->sdata[j]->data + i * (TSDB_TABLE_NAME_LEN + VARSTR_HEADER_SIZE);
+          char* dst = pQuery->sdata[j]->data + count * (TSDB_TABLE_NAME_LEN + VARSTR_HEADER_SIZE);
           memcpy(dst, data, varDataTLen(data));
         } else {// todo refactor
           int16_t type = pExprInfo[j].type;
           int16_t bytes = pExprInfo[j].bytes;
           
           char* data = tsdbGetTableTagVal(pQInfo->tsdb, &item->id, pExprInfo[j].base.colInfo.colId, type, bytes);
+          char* dst = pQuery->sdata[j]->data + count * pExprInfo[j].bytes;
           
-          char* dst = pQuery->sdata[j]->data + i * pExprInfo[j].bytes;
           if (type == TSDB_DATA_TYPE_BINARY || type == TSDB_DATA_TYPE_NCHAR) {
             if (data == NULL) {
               setVardataNull(dst, type);
@@ -6124,13 +6154,13 @@ static void buildTagQueryResult(SQInfo* pQInfo) {
           }
         }
       }
+      count += 1;
     }
-  
-    pQInfo->tableIndex = pQInfo->groupInfo.numOfTables;
-    qTrace("QInfo:%p create tag values results completed, rows:%d", pQInfo, num);
+    
+    qTrace("QInfo:%p create tag values results completed, rows:%d", pQInfo, count);
   }
 
-  pQuery->rec.rows = num;
+  pQuery->rec.rows = count;
   setQueryStatus(pQuery, QUERY_COMPLETED);
 }