diff --git a/crates/nu-command/src/formats/to/xml.rs b/crates/nu-command/src/formats/to/xml.rs
index 36c5e87783..6bccfbfd76 100644
--- a/crates/nu-command/src/formats/to/xml.rs
+++ b/crates/nu-command/src/formats/to/xml.rs
@@ -148,7 +148,7 @@ pub fn write_xml_events<W: Write>(
             }
         }
         _ => {
-            let s = current.clone().into_abbreviated_string(config);
+            let s = current.into_abbreviated_string(config);
             writer
                 .write_event(Event::Text(BytesText::from_plain_str(s.as_str())))
                 .expect("Couldn't write XML text");
diff --git a/crates/nu-command/src/viewers/table.rs b/crates/nu-command/src/viewers/table.rs
index 7071c7eccf..6ae19360c9 100644
--- a/crates/nu-command/src/viewers/table.rs
+++ b/crates/nu-command/src/viewers/table.rs
@@ -52,7 +52,7 @@ impl Command for Table {
 
         match input {
             PipelineData::Value(Value::List { vals, .. }, ..) => {
-                let table = convert_to_table(0, vals, ctrlc, &config, call.head)?;
+                let table = convert_to_table(0, &vals, ctrlc, &config, call.head)?;
 
                 if let Some(table) = table {
                     let result = nu_table::draw_table(&table, term_width, &color_hm, &config);
@@ -215,20 +215,35 @@ impl Command for Table {
     }
 }
 
+fn get_columns(input: &[Value]) -> Vec<String> {
+    let mut columns = vec![];
+
+    for item in input {
+        if let Value::Record { cols, vals: _, .. } = item {
+            for col in cols {
+                if !columns.contains(col) {
+                    columns.push(col.to_string());
+                }
+            }
+        }
+    }
+
+    columns
+}
+
 fn convert_to_table(
     row_offset: usize,
-    iter: impl IntoIterator<Item = Value>,
+    input: &[Value],
     ctrlc: Option<Arc<AtomicBool>>,
     config: &Config,
     head: Span,
 ) -> Result<Option<nu_table::Table>, ShellError> {
-    let mut iter = iter.into_iter().peekable();
+    let mut headers = get_columns(input);
+    let mut input = input.iter().peekable();
     let color_hm = get_color_config(config);
     let float_precision = config.float_precision as usize;
 
-    if let Some(first) = iter.peek() {
-        let mut headers = first.columns();
-
+    if input.peek().is_some() {
         if !headers.is_empty() {
             headers.insert(0, "#".into());
         }
@@ -236,41 +251,34 @@ fn convert_to_table(
         // Vec of Vec of String1, String2 where String1 is datatype and String2 is value
         let mut data: Vec<Vec<(String, String)>> = Vec::new();
 
-        for (row_num, item) in iter.enumerate() {
+        for (row_num, item) in input.enumerate() {
             if let Some(ctrlc) = &ctrlc {
                 if ctrlc.load(Ordering::SeqCst) {
                     return Ok(None);
                 }
             }
             if let Value::Error { error } = item {
-                return Err(error);
+                return Err(error.clone());
             }
             // String1 = datatype, String2 = value as string
             let mut row: Vec<(String, String)> =
                 vec![("string".to_string(), (row_num + row_offset).to_string())];
 
-            if headers.is_empty() {
-                // if header row is empty, this is probably a list so format it that way
-                row.push(("list".to_string(), item.into_abbreviated_string(config)))
-            } else {
-                for header in headers.iter().skip(1) {
-                    let result = match item {
-                        Value::Record { .. } => {
-                            item.clone().follow_cell_path(&[PathMember::String {
-                                val: header.into(),
-                                span: head,
-                            }])
-                        }
-                        _ => Ok(item.clone()),
-                    };
+            for header in headers.iter().skip(1) {
+                let result = match item {
+                    Value::Record { .. } => item.clone().follow_cell_path(&[PathMember::String {
+                        val: header.into(),
+                        span: head,
+                    }]),
+                    _ => Ok(item.clone()),
+                };
 
-                    match result {
-                        Ok(value) => row.push((
-                            (&value.get_type()).to_string(),
-                            value.into_abbreviated_string(config),
-                        )),
-                        Err(_) => row.push(("empty".to_string(), String::new())),
-                    }
+                match result {
+                    Ok(value) => row.push((
+                        (&value.get_type()).to_string(),
+                        value.into_abbreviated_string(config),
+                    )),
+                    Err(_) => row.push(("empty".to_string(), "❎".into())),
                 }
             }
 
@@ -397,7 +405,7 @@ impl Iterator for PagingTableCreator {
 
         let table = convert_to_table(
             self.row_offset,
-            batch.into_iter(),
+            &batch,
             self.ctrlc.clone(),
             &self.config,
             self.head,
diff --git a/crates/nu-protocol/src/value/mod.rs b/crates/nu-protocol/src/value/mod.rs
index 80fd2d8eed..61f84127c5 100644
--- a/crates/nu-protocol/src/value/mod.rs
+++ b/crates/nu-protocol/src/value/mod.rs
@@ -386,22 +386,22 @@ impl Value {
     }
 
     /// Convert Value into string. Note that Streams will be consumed.
-    pub fn into_abbreviated_string(self, config: &Config) -> String {
+    pub fn into_abbreviated_string(&self, config: &Config) -> String {
         match self {
             Value::Bool { val, .. } => val.to_string(),
             Value::Int { val, .. } => val.to_string(),
             Value::Float { val, .. } => val.to_string(),
-            Value::Filesize { val, .. } => format_filesize(val, config),
-            Value::Duration { val, .. } => format_duration(val),
-            Value::Date { val, .. } => HumanTime::from(val).to_string(),
+            Value::Filesize { val, .. } => format_filesize(*val, config),
+            Value::Duration { val, .. } => format_duration(*val),
+            Value::Date { val, .. } => HumanTime::from(*val).to_string(),
             Value::Range { val, .. } => {
                 format!(
                     "{}..{}",
-                    val.from.into_string(", ", config),
-                    val.to.into_string(", ", config)
+                    val.from.clone().into_string(", ", config),
+                    val.to.clone().into_string(", ", config)
                 )
             }
-            Value::String { val, .. } => val,
+            Value::String { val, .. } => val.to_string(),
             Value::List { ref vals, .. } => match &vals[..] {
                 [Value::Record { .. }, _end @ ..] => format!(
                     "[table {} row{}]",