diff --git a/bigframes/session/__init__.py b/bigframes/session/__init__.py
index f3f1ffce16..1a0ea20e55 100644
--- a/bigframes/session/__init__.py
+++ b/bigframes/session/__init__.py
@@ -231,7 +231,9 @@ def __init__(
         # Now that we're starting the session, don't allow the options to be
         # changed.
         context._session_started = True
-        self._df_snapshot: Dict[bigquery.TableReference, datetime.datetime] = {}
+        self._df_snapshot: Dict[
+            bigquery.TableReference, Tuple[datetime.datetime, bigquery.Table]
+        ] = {}
 
     @property
     def bqclient(self):
@@ -698,16 +700,25 @@ def _get_snapshot_sql_and_primary_key(
         column(s), then return those too so that ordering generation can be
         avoided.
         """
-        # If there are primary keys defined, the query engine assumes these
-        # columns are unique, even if the constraint is not enforced. We make
-        # the same assumption and use these columns as the total ordering keys.
-        table = self.bqclient.get_table(table_ref)
+        (
+            snapshot_timestamp,
+            table,
+        ) = bigframes_io.get_snapshot_datetime_and_table_metadata(
+            self.bqclient,
+            table_ref=table_ref,
+            api_name=api_name,
+            cache=self._df_snapshot,
+            use_cache=use_cache,
+        )
 
         if table.location.casefold() != self._location.casefold():
             raise ValueError(
                 f"Current session is in {self._location} but dataset '{table.project}.{table.dataset_id}' is located in {table.location}"
             )
 
+        # If there are primary keys defined, the query engine assumes these
+        # columns are unique, even if the constraint is not enforced. We make
+        # the same assumption and use these columns as the total ordering keys.
         primary_keys = None
         if (
             (table_constraints := getattr(table, "table_constraints", None)) is not None
@@ -718,37 +729,6 @@ def _get_snapshot_sql_and_primary_key(
         ):
             primary_keys = columns
 
-        job_config = bigquery.QueryJobConfig()
-        job_config.labels["bigframes-api"] = api_name
-        if use_cache and table_ref in self._df_snapshot.keys():
-            snapshot_timestamp = self._df_snapshot[table_ref]
-
-            # Cache hit could be unexpected. See internal issue 329545805.
-            # Raise a warning with more information about how to avoid the
-            # problems with the cache.
-            warnings.warn(
-                f"Reading cached table from {snapshot_timestamp} to avoid "
-                "incompatibilies with previous reads of this table. To read "
-                "the latest version, set `use_cache=False` or close the "
-                "current session with Session.close() or "
-                "bigframes.pandas.close_session().",
-                # There are many layers before we get to (possibly) the user's code:
-                # pandas.read_gbq_table
-                # -> with_default_session
-                # -> Session.read_gbq_table
-                # -> _read_gbq_table
-                # -> _get_snapshot_sql_and_primary_key
-                stacklevel=6,
-            )
-        else:
-            snapshot_timestamp = list(
-                self.bqclient.query(
-                    "SELECT CURRENT_TIMESTAMP() AS `current_timestamp`",
-                    job_config=job_config,
-                ).result()
-            )[0][0]
-            self._df_snapshot[table_ref] = snapshot_timestamp
-
         try:
             table_expression = self.ibis_client.sql(
                 bigframes_io.create_snapshot_sql(table_ref, snapshot_timestamp)
diff --git a/bigframes/session/_io/bigquery.py b/bigframes/session/_io/bigquery.py
index ac6ba4bae4..94576cfa12 100644
--- a/bigframes/session/_io/bigquery.py
+++ b/bigframes/session/_io/bigquery.py
@@ -23,6 +23,7 @@
 import types
 from typing import Dict, Iterable, Optional, Sequence, Tuple, Union
 import uuid
+import warnings
 
 import google.api_core.exceptions
 import google.cloud.bigquery as bigquery
@@ -121,6 +122,59 @@ def table_ref_to_sql(table: bigquery.TableReference) -> str:
     return f"`{table.project}`.`{table.dataset_id}`.`{table.table_id}`"
 
 
+def get_snapshot_datetime_and_table_metadata(
+    bqclient: bigquery.Client,
+    table_ref: bigquery.TableReference,
+    *,
+    api_name: str,
+    cache: Dict[bigquery.TableReference, Tuple[datetime.datetime, bigquery.Table]],
+    use_cache: bool = True,
+) -> Tuple[datetime.datetime, bigquery.Table]:
+    cached_table = cache.get(table_ref)
+    if use_cache and cached_table is not None:
+        snapshot_timestamp, _ = cached_table
+
+        # Cache hit could be unexpected. See internal issue 329545805.
+        # Raise a warning with more information about how to avoid the
+        # problems with the cache.
+        warnings.warn(
+            f"Reading cached table from {snapshot_timestamp} to avoid "
+            "incompatibilies with previous reads of this table. To read "
+            "the latest version, set `use_cache=False` or close the "
+            "current session with Session.close() or "
+            "bigframes.pandas.close_session().",
+            # There are many layers before we get to (possibly) the user's code:
+            # pandas.read_gbq_table
+            # -> with_default_session
+            # -> Session.read_gbq_table
+            # -> _read_gbq_table
+            # -> _get_snapshot_sql_and_primary_key
+            # -> get_snapshot_datetime_and_table_metadata
+            stacklevel=7,
+        )
+        return cached_table
+
+    # TODO(swast): It's possible that the table metadata is changed between now
+    # and when we run the CURRENT_TIMESTAMP() query to see when we can time
+    # travel to. Find a way to fetch the table metadata and BQ's current time
+    # atomically.
+    table = bqclient.get_table(table_ref)
+
+    # TODO(b/336521938): Refactor to make sure we set the "bigframes-api"
+    # whereever we execute a query.
+    job_config = bigquery.QueryJobConfig()
+    job_config.labels["bigframes-api"] = api_name
+    snapshot_timestamp = list(
+        bqclient.query(
+            "SELECT CURRENT_TIMESTAMP() AS `current_timestamp`",
+            job_config=job_config,
+        ).result()
+    )[0][0]
+    cached_table = (snapshot_timestamp, table)
+    cache[table_ref] = cached_table
+    return cached_table
+
+
 def create_snapshot_sql(
     table_ref: bigquery.TableReference, current_timestamp: datetime.datetime
 ) -> str:
diff --git a/tests/unit/session/test_session.py b/tests/unit/session/test_session.py
index 543196066a..4ba47190bd 100644
--- a/tests/unit/session/test_session.py
+++ b/tests/unit/session/test_session.py
@@ -42,8 +42,11 @@ def test_read_gbq_cached_table():
         google.cloud.bigquery.DatasetReference("my-project", "my_dataset"),
         "my_table",
     )
-    session._df_snapshot[table_ref] = datetime.datetime(
-        1999, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 678901, tzinfo=datetime.timezone.utc
+    table = google.cloud.bigquery.Table(table_ref)
+    table._properties["location"] = session._location
+    session._df_snapshot[table_ref] = (
+        datetime.datetime(1999, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 678901, tzinfo=datetime.timezone.utc),
+        table,
     )
 
     with pytest.warns(UserWarning, match=re.escape("use_cache=False")):