diff --git a/src/iceberg/test/overwrite_files_test.cc b/src/iceberg/test/overwrite_files_test.cc
index 6cac62e97..7f55759b3 100644
--- a/src/iceberg/test/overwrite_files_test.cc
+++ b/src/iceberg/test/overwrite_files_test.cc
@@ -167,13 +167,12 @@ TEST_F(OverwriteFilesTest, DeleteAndAddCommit) {
   ICEBERG_UNWRAP_OR_FAIL(auto op, NewOverwrite());
   op->DeleteFile(file_a_);
   op->AddFile(file_b_);
-  const std::string expected_operation = op->operation();
   EXPECT_THAT(op->Commit(), IsOk());
 
   EXPECT_THAT(table_->Refresh(), IsOk());
   ICEBERG_UNWRAP_OR_FAIL(auto snapshot, table_->current_snapshot());
-  EXPECT_EQ(snapshot->summary.at(SnapshotSummaryFields::kOperation), expected_operation);
-  EXPECT_EQ(expected_operation, DataOperation::kOverwrite);
+  EXPECT_EQ(snapshot->summary.at(SnapshotSummaryFields::kOperation),
+            DataOperation::kOverwrite);
   EXPECT_EQ(snapshot->summary.at(SnapshotSummaryFields::kAddedDataFiles), "1");
   EXPECT_EQ(snapshot->summary.at(SnapshotSummaryFields::kDeletedDataFiles), "1");
 }
@@ -196,7 +195,6 @@ TEST_F(OverwriteFilesTest, EmptyCommit) {
   CommitFileA();
 
   ICEBERG_UNWRAP_OR_FAIL(auto op, NewOverwrite());
-  EXPECT_EQ(op->operation(), DataOperation::kOverwrite);
   EXPECT_THAT(op->Commit(), IsOk());
 
   EXPECT_THAT(table_->Refresh(), IsOk());
@@ -283,11 +281,12 @@ TEST_F(OverwriteFilesTest, BulkDeleteCommit) {
   ICEBERG_UNWRAP_OR_FAIL(auto op, NewOverwrite());
   op->DeleteFiles(data_files, delete_files);
   op->AddFile(file_b_);
-  EXPECT_EQ(op->operation(), DataOperation::kOverwrite);
   EXPECT_THAT(op->Commit(), IsOk());
 
   EXPECT_THAT(table_->Refresh(), IsOk());
   ICEBERG_UNWRAP_OR_FAIL(auto snapshot, table_->current_snapshot());
+  EXPECT_EQ(snapshot->summary.at(SnapshotSummaryFields::kOperation),
+            DataOperation::kOverwrite);
   EXPECT_EQ(snapshot->summary.at(SnapshotSummaryFields::kDeletedDataFiles), "1");
   EXPECT_EQ(snapshot->summary.at(SnapshotSummaryFields::kAddedDataFiles), "1");
 }
@@ -623,18 +622,26 @@ TEST_F(OverwriteFilesTest, OperationMatrix) {
 
   int index = 0;
   for (const auto& c : cases) {
+    SCOPED_TRACE("case index " + std::to_string(index));
+    auto file_to_delete =
+        MakeDataFile("/data/tt_del" + std::to_string(index) + ".parquet", 1L);
+    if (c.delete_file || c.row_filter) {
+      CommitFastAppend(file_to_delete);
+    }
     ICEBERG_UNWRAP_OR_FAIL(auto op, NewOverwrite());
     if (c.add) {
       op->AddFile(MakeDataFile("/data/tt_add" + std::to_string(index) + ".parquet", 1L));
     }
     if (c.delete_file) {
-      op->DeleteFile(
-          MakeDataFile("/data/tt_del" + std::to_string(index) + ".parquet", 1L));
+      op->DeleteFile(file_to_delete);
     }
     if (c.row_filter) {
       op->OverwriteByRowFilter(Expressions::Equal("x", Literal::Long(1L)));
     }
-    EXPECT_EQ(op->operation(), c.expected) << "case index " << index;
+    ASSERT_THAT(op->Commit(), IsOk());
+    ASSERT_THAT(table_->Refresh(), IsOk());
+    ICEBERG_UNWRAP_OR_FAIL(auto snapshot, table_->current_snapshot());
+    EXPECT_EQ(snapshot->summary.at(SnapshotSummaryFields::kOperation), c.expected);
     ++index;
   }
 }
diff --git a/src/iceberg/test/replace_partitions_test.cc b/src/iceberg/test/replace_partitions_test.cc
index aea522822..fe319b063 100644
--- a/src/iceberg/test/replace_partitions_test.cc
+++ b/src/iceberg/test/replace_partitions_test.cc
@@ -247,7 +247,12 @@ class ReplacePartitionsTest : public UpdateTestBase {
 
 TEST_F(ReplacePartitionsTest, OperationIsOverwrite) {
   ICEBERG_UNWRAP_OR_FAIL(auto op, NewReplace());
-  EXPECT_EQ(op->operation(), DataOperation::kOverwrite);
+  op->AddFile(file_a_);
+  ASSERT_THAT(op->Commit(), IsOk());
+  ASSERT_THAT(table_->Refresh(), IsOk());
+  ICEBERG_UNWRAP_OR_FAIL(auto snapshot, table_->current_snapshot());
+  EXPECT_EQ(snapshot->summary.at(SnapshotSummaryFields::kOperation),
+            DataOperation::kOverwrite);
 }
 
 // A replace created from a transaction commits with the rest of the transaction.
diff --git a/src/iceberg/update/delete_files.h b/src/iceberg/update/delete_files.h
index 18756ff48..fabafcb83 100644
--- a/src/iceberg/update/delete_files.h
+++ b/src/iceberg/update/delete_files.h
@@ -88,9 +88,9 @@ class ICEBERG_EXPORT DeleteFiles : public MergingSnapshotUpdate {
   /// \return This DeleteFiles for method chaining.
   DeleteFiles& ValidateFilesExist();
 
+ protected:
   std::string operation() override;
 
- protected:
   Status Validate(const TableMetadata& current_metadata,
                   const std::shared_ptr<Snapshot>& snapshot) override;
 
diff --git a/src/iceberg/update/merge_append.h b/src/iceberg/update/merge_append.h
index 18503b3c1..51cca4b9f 100644
--- a/src/iceberg/update/merge_append.h
+++ b/src/iceberg/update/merge_append.h
@@ -66,6 +66,7 @@ class ICEBERG_EXPORT MergeAppend : public MergingSnapshotUpdate {
   /// \return This MergeAppend for method chaining.
   MergeAppend& AppendManifest(const ManifestFile& manifest);
 
+ protected:
   std::string operation() override;
 
  private:
diff --git a/src/iceberg/update/overwrite_files.h b/src/iceberg/update/overwrite_files.h
index f76263cad..85568a4fb 100644
--- a/src/iceberg/update/overwrite_files.h
+++ b/src/iceberg/update/overwrite_files.h
@@ -177,9 +177,9 @@ class ICEBERG_EXPORT OverwriteFiles : public MergingSnapshotUpdate {
   /// \return This OverwriteFiles for method chaining.
   OverwriteFiles& CaseSensitive(bool case_sensitive);
 
+ protected:
   std::string operation() override;
 
- protected:
   Status Validate(const TableMetadata& current_metadata,
                   const std::shared_ptr<Snapshot>& snapshot) override;
 
diff --git a/src/iceberg/update/replace_partitions.h b/src/iceberg/update/replace_partitions.h
index ee57b6124..027764ce6 100644
--- a/src/iceberg/update/replace_partitions.h
+++ b/src/iceberg/update/replace_partitions.h
@@ -114,9 +114,9 @@ class ICEBERG_EXPORT ReplacePartitions : public MergingSnapshotUpdate {
   /// \return Reference to this for method chaining
   ReplacePartitions& ValidateNoConflictingDeletes();
 
+ protected:
   std::string operation() override;
 
- protected:
   Status Validate(const TableMetadata& current_metadata,
                   const std::shared_ptr<Snapshot>& snapshot) override;
 
diff --git a/src/iceberg/update/rewrite_files.h b/src/iceberg/update/rewrite_files.h
index 283091c13..7cb5003c5 100644
--- a/src/iceberg/update/rewrite_files.h
+++ b/src/iceberg/update/rewrite_files.h
@@ -170,9 +170,9 @@ class ICEBERG_EXPORT RewriteFiles : public MergingSnapshotUpdate {
   /// \return this for method chaining
   RewriteFiles& ValidateFromSnapshot(int64_t snapshot_id);
 
+ protected:
   std::string operation() override;
 
- protected:
   Status Validate(const TableMetadata& current_metadata,
                   const std::shared_ptr<Snapshot>& snapshot) override;
 
diff --git a/src/iceberg/update/row_delta.h b/src/iceberg/update/row_delta.h
index f6faf8c92..474683b2a 100644
--- a/src/iceberg/update/row_delta.h
+++ b/src/iceberg/update/row_delta.h
@@ -154,9 +154,9 @@ class ICEBERG_EXPORT RowDelta : public MergingSnapshotUpdate {
   /// \return This RowDelta for method chaining.
   RowDelta& ValidateNoConflictingDeleteFiles();
 
+ protected:
   std::string operation() override;
 
- protected:
   Status Validate(const TableMetadata& current_metadata,
                   const std::shared_ptr<Snapshot>& snapshot) override;