diff --git a/x-pack/plugin/esql/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/xpack/esql/optimizer/rules/logical/PruneColumns.java b/x-pack/plugin/esql/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/xpack/esql/optimizer/rules/logical/PruneColumns.java
index f80bc973d3fc8..cb4cc66066d8f 100644
--- a/x-pack/plugin/esql/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/xpack/esql/optimizer/rules/logical/PruneColumns.java
+++ b/x-pack/plugin/esql/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/xpack/esql/optimizer/rules/logical/PruneColumns.java
@@ -27,7 +27,6 @@
 import org.elasticsearch.xpack.esql.plan.logical.UnaryPlan;
 import org.elasticsearch.xpack.esql.plan.logical.UnionAll;
 import org.elasticsearch.xpack.esql.plan.logical.join.InlineJoin;
-import org.elasticsearch.xpack.esql.plan.logical.join.StubRelation;
 import org.elasticsearch.xpack.esql.plan.logical.local.LocalRelation;
 import org.elasticsearch.xpack.esql.plan.logical.local.LocalSupplier;
 import org.elasticsearch.xpack.esql.planner.PlannerUtils;
@@ -39,7 +38,6 @@
 import java.util.Set;
 import java.util.stream.Collectors;
 
-import static org.elasticsearch.xpack.esql.expression.NamedExpressions.mergeOutputExpressions;
 import static org.elasticsearch.xpack.esql.optimizer.rules.logical.PruneEmptyPlans.skipPlan;
 
 /**
@@ -79,10 +77,10 @@ private static LogicalPlan pruneColumns(LogicalPlan plan, AttributeSet.Builder u
             do {
                 recheck.set(false);
                 p = switch (p) {
-                    case Aggregate agg -> pruneColumnsInAggregate(agg, used, inlineJoin);
-                    case InlineJoin inj -> pruneColumnsInInlineJoinRight(inj, used, recheck);
+                    case Aggregate agg -> pruneColumnsInAggregate(agg, used, false);
+                    case InlineJoin inj -> pruneColumnsInInlineJoin(inj, used, recheck);
                     case Eval eval -> pruneColumnsInEval(eval, used, recheck);
-                    case Project project -> inlineJoin ? pruneColumnsInProject(project, used, recheck) : p;
+                    case Project project -> pruneColumnsInProject(project, used, recheck);
                     case EsRelation esr -> pruneColumnsInEsRelation(esr, used);
                     case Fork fork -> {
                         forkPresent.set(true);
@@ -139,33 +137,35 @@ private static LogicalPlan pruneColumnsInAggregate(Aggregate aggregate, Attribut
         return p;
     }
 
-    private static LogicalPlan pruneColumnsInInlineJoinRight(InlineJoin ij, AttributeSet.Builder used, Holder<Boolean> recheck) {
+    private static LogicalPlan pruneColumnsInInlineJoin(InlineJoin ij, AttributeSet.Builder used, Holder<Boolean> recheck) {
         LogicalPlan p = ij;
 
-        var right = pruneColumns(ij.right(), used, true);
-        if (right.output().isEmpty() || isLocalEmptyRelation(right)) {
+        used.addAll(ij.references());
+
+        var right = pruneColumns(ij.right(), used, false);
+        if (right.outputSet().subtract(ij.references()).isEmpty() || isLocalEmptyRelation(right)) {
             p = pruneRightSideAndProject(ij);
             recheck.set(true);
         } else if (right != ij.right()) {
-            if (right.anyMatch(plan -> plan instanceof Aggregate) == false) {// there is no aggregation on the right side anymore
-                if (right instanceof StubRelation) {// right is just a StubRelation, meaning nothing is needed from the right side
-                    p = pruneRightSideAndProject(ij);
-                } else {
-                    // if the right has no aggregation anymore, but it still has some other plans (evals, projects),
-                    // we keep those and integrate them into the main plan. The InlineJoin is also replaced entirely.
-                    p = InlineJoin.replaceStub(ij.left(), right);
-                    p = new Project(ij.source(), p, mergeOutputExpressions(p.output(), ij.left().output()));
-                }
-            } else {
-                // if the right side has been updated, replace it
-                p = ij.replaceRight(right);
-            }
-            recheck.set(true);
+            // if (right.anyMatch(plan -> plan instanceof Aggregate) == false) {// there is no aggregation on the right side anymore
+            // if (right instanceof StubRelation) {// right is just a StubRelation, meaning nothing is needed from the right side
+            // p = pruneRightSideAndProject(ij);
+            // } else {
+            // // if the right has no aggregation anymore, but it still has some other plans (evals, projects),
+            // // we keep those and integrate them into the main plan. The InlineJoin is also replaced entirely.
+            // p = InlineJoin.replaceStub(ij.left(), right);
+            // p = new Project(ij.source(), p, mergeOutputExpressions(p.output(), ij.left().output()));
+            // }
+            // } else {
+            // // if the right side has been updated, replace it
+            // p = ij.replaceRight(right);
+            // }
+            // recheck.set(true);
         }
 
-        if (recheck.get() == false) {
-            used.addAll(p.references());
-        }
+        // if (recheck.get() == false) {
+        // used.addAll(p.references());
+        // }
 
         return p;
     }
@@ -204,7 +204,7 @@ private static LogicalPlan pruneColumnsInProject(Project project, AttributeSet.B
 
         var remaining = pruneUnusedAndAddReferences(project.projections(), used);
         if (remaining != null) {
-            p = remaining.isEmpty() ? emptyLocalRelation(project) : new Project(project.source(), project.child(), remaining);
+            p = new Project(project.source(), project.child(), remaining);
             recheck.set(true);
         }
 
diff --git a/x-pack/plugin/esql/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/xpack/esql/rule/RuleExecutor.java b/x-pack/plugin/esql/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/xpack/esql/rule/RuleExecutor.java
index 7ee70b029031d..57b96802e7554 100644
--- a/x-pack/plugin/esql/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/xpack/esql/rule/RuleExecutor.java
+++ b/x-pack/plugin/esql/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/xpack/esql/rule/RuleExecutor.java
@@ -193,8 +193,8 @@ protected final ExecutionInfo executeWithInfo(TreeType plan) {
 
                     if (tf.hasChanged()) {
                         hasChanged = true;
-                        if (changeLog.isTraceEnabled()) {
-                            changeLog.trace("Rule {} applied with change\n{}", rule, NodeUtils.diffString(tf.before, tf.after));
+                        if (true) {
+                            changeLog.info("Rule {} applied with change\n{}", rule, NodeUtils.diffString(tf.before, tf.after));
                         }
                     } else {
                         if (log.isTraceEnabled()) {