diff --git a/mr/src/main/java/org/apache/iceberg/mr/hive/HiveIcebergMetaHook.java b/mr/src/main/java/org/apache/iceberg/mr/hive/HiveIcebergMetaHook.java
index 4bfd458e7b06..5efca2f1217e 100644
--- a/mr/src/main/java/org/apache/iceberg/mr/hive/HiveIcebergMetaHook.java
+++ b/mr/src/main/java/org/apache/iceberg/mr/hive/HiveIcebergMetaHook.java
@@ -85,22 +85,24 @@ public void preCreateTable(org.apache.hadoop.hive.metastore.api.Table hmsTable)
       // so that the table can be read by other engines like Impala
       hmsTable.getSd().setInputFormat(HiveIcebergInputFormat.class.getCanonicalName());
       hmsTable.getSd().setOutputFormat(HiveIcebergOutputFormat.class.getCanonicalName());
+    }
 
-      // If not using HiveCatalog check for existing table
-      try {
-        this.icebergTable = Catalogs.loadTable(conf, catalogProperties);
+    // Check for existing table
+    try {
+      this.icebergTable = Catalogs.loadTable(conf, catalogProperties);
 
+      if (!Catalogs.hiveCatalog(conf, catalogProperties)) {
         Preconditions.checkArgument(catalogProperties.getProperty(InputFormatConfig.TABLE_SCHEMA) == null,
-            "Iceberg table already created - can not use provided schema");
+                "Iceberg table already created - can not use provided schema");
         Preconditions.checkArgument(catalogProperties.getProperty(InputFormatConfig.PARTITION_SPEC) == null,
-            "Iceberg table already created - can not use provided partition specification");
+                "Iceberg table already created - can not use provided partition specification");
+      }
 
-        LOG.info("Iceberg table already exists {}", icebergTable);
+      LOG.info("Iceberg table already exists {}", icebergTable);
 
-        return;
-      } catch (NoSuchTableException nte) {
-        // If the table does not exist we will create it below
-      }
+      return;
+    } catch (NoSuchTableException nte) {
+      // If the table does not exist we will create it below
     }
 
     // If the table does not exist collect data for table creation