Wolfgang, I can reproduce the error: SQL> SELECT * 2 FROM ( SELECT flag, TO_NUMBER(num) num 3 FROM subtest 4 WHERE flag IN ('A', 'C') ) 5 WHERE num > 0; ERROR: ORA-01722: invalid number However, I can't find a hint that will prevent the merging of the subquery. I've tried Tanel's suggestions: SQL> SELECT /*+ NO_MERGE(sub) NO_PUSH_PRED(sub) PUSH_SUBQ(sub) */ * 2 FROM ( SELECT flag, TO_NUMBER(num) num 3 FROM subtest 4 WHERE flag IN ('A', 'C') ) sub 5 WHERE num > 0; ERROR: ORA-01722: invalid number I've also tried putting the hints into the subquery: SQL> SELECT * 2 FROM ( SELECT /*+ NO_MERGE NO_PUSH_PRED PUSH_SUBQ */ 3 flag, TO_NUMBER(num) num 4 FROM subtest 5 WHERE flag IN ('A', 'C') ) sub 6 WHERE num > 0; ERROR: ORA-01722: invalid number Is there a hint that will prevent the queries from being merged? Best regards, Jonathan Gennick --- Brighten the corner where you are http://Gennick.com * 906.387.1698 * mailto:jonathan@xxxxxxxxxxx Join the Oracle-article list and receive one article on Oracle technologies per month by email. To join, visit http://five.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/oracle-article, or send email to Oracle-article-request@xxxxxxxxxxx and include the word "subscribe" in either the subject or body. ---------------------------------------------------------------- Please see the official ORACLE-L FAQ: http://www.orafaq.com ---------------------------------------------------------------- To unsubscribe send email to: oracle-l-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx put 'unsubscribe' in the subject line. -- Archives are at //www.freelists.org/archives/oracle-l/ FAQ is at //www.freelists.org/help/fom-serve/cache/1.html -----------------------------------------------------------------