diff --git a/src/paimon/CMakeLists.txt b/src/paimon/CMakeLists.txt
index 5c2d0796..ae61f4ae 100644
--- a/src/paimon/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/src/paimon/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -29,6 +29,7 @@ set(PAIMON_COMMON_SRCS
     common/data/columnar/columnar_array.cpp
     common/data/columnar/columnar_map.cpp
     common/data/columnar/columnar_row.cpp
+    common/data/columnar/columnar_row_ref.cpp
     common/data/decimal.cpp
     common/data/internal_row.cpp
     common/data/record_batch.cpp
diff --git a/src/paimon/common/data/columnar/columnar_array.cpp b/src/paimon/common/data/columnar/columnar_array.cpp
index f7ffe5f0..a845a919 100644
--- a/src/paimon/common/data/columnar/columnar_array.cpp
+++ b/src/paimon/common/data/columnar/columnar_array.cpp
@@ -26,8 +26,9 @@
 #include "arrow/util/checked_cast.h"
 #include "arrow/util/decimal.h"
 #include "fmt/format.h"
+#include "paimon/common/data/columnar/columnar_batch_context.h"
 #include "paimon/common/data/columnar/columnar_map.h"
-#include "paimon/common/data/columnar/columnar_row.h"
+#include "paimon/common/data/columnar/columnar_row_ref.h"
 #include "paimon/common/utils/date_time_utils.h"
 
 namespace paimon {
@@ -84,7 +85,8 @@ std::shared_ptr<InternalMap> ColumnarArray::GetMap(int32_t pos) const {
 std::shared_ptr<InternalRow> ColumnarArray::GetRow(int32_t pos, int32_t num_fields) const {
     auto struct_array = arrow::internal::checked_cast<const arrow::StructArray*>(array_);
     assert(struct_array);
-    return std::make_shared<ColumnarRow>(struct_array->fields(), pool_, offset_ + pos);
+    auto row_ctx = std::make_shared<ColumnarBatchContext>(nullptr, struct_array->fields(), pool_);
+    return std::make_shared<ColumnarRowRef>(std::move(row_ctx), offset_ + pos);
 }
 
 Result<std::vector<char>> ColumnarArray::ToBooleanArray() const {
diff --git a/src/paimon/common/data/columnar/columnar_batch_context.h b/src/paimon/common/data/columnar/columnar_batch_context.h
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..553227bb
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/paimon/common/data/columnar/columnar_batch_context.h
@@ -0,0 +1,47 @@
+/*
+ * Copyright 2026-present Alibaba Inc.
+ *
+ * Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
+ * you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+ * You may obtain a copy of the License at
+ *
+ *   http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+ *
+ * Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+ * distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
+ * WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
+ * See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
+ * limitations under the License.
+ */
+
+#pragma once
+
+#include <memory>
+#include <vector>
+
+#include "arrow/array/array_base.h"
+
+namespace arrow {
+class StructArray;
+}  // namespace arrow
+
+namespace paimon {
+class MemoryPool;
+
+struct ColumnarBatchContext {
+    ColumnarBatchContext(const std::shared_ptr<arrow::StructArray>& struct_array_in,
+                         const arrow::ArrayVector& field_arrays_in,
+                         const std::shared_ptr<MemoryPool>& pool_in)
+        : struct_array(struct_array_in), pool(pool_in), field_arrays(field_arrays_in) {
+        array_ptrs.reserve(field_arrays.size());
+        for (const auto& array : field_arrays) {
+            array_ptrs.push_back(array.get());
+        }
+    }
+
+    std::shared_ptr<arrow::StructArray> struct_array;
+    std::shared_ptr<MemoryPool> pool;
+    arrow::ArrayVector field_arrays;
+    std::vector<const arrow::Array*> array_ptrs;
+};
+}  // namespace paimon
diff --git a/src/paimon/common/data/columnar/columnar_row_ref.cpp b/src/paimon/common/data/columnar/columnar_row_ref.cpp
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..27060127
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/paimon/common/data/columnar/columnar_row_ref.cpp
@@ -0,0 +1,82 @@
+/*
+ * Copyright 2026-present Alibaba Inc.
+ *
+ * Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
+ * you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+ * You may obtain a copy of the License at
+ *
+ *   http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+ *
+ * Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+ * distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
+ * WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
+ * See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
+ * limitations under the License.
+ */
+
+#include "paimon/common/data/columnar/columnar_row_ref.h"
+
+#include <cassert>
+
+#include "arrow/array/array_decimal.h"
+#include "arrow/array/array_nested.h"
+#include "arrow/array/array_primitive.h"
+#include "arrow/type_traits.h"
+#include "arrow/util/checked_cast.h"
+#include "arrow/util/decimal.h"
+#include "paimon/common/data/columnar/columnar_array.h"
+#include "paimon/common/data/columnar/columnar_map.h"
+#include "paimon/common/utils/date_time_utils.h"
+
+namespace paimon {
+Decimal ColumnarRowRef::GetDecimal(int32_t pos, int32_t precision, int32_t scale) const {
+    using ArrayType = typename arrow::TypeTraits<arrow::Decimal128Type>::ArrayType;
+    auto array = arrow::internal::checked_cast<const ArrayType*>(ctx_->array_ptrs[pos]);
+    assert(array);
+    arrow::Decimal128 decimal(array->GetValue(row_id_));
+    return Decimal(precision, scale,
+                   static_cast<Decimal::int128_t>(decimal.high_bits()) << 64 | decimal.low_bits());
+}
+
+Timestamp ColumnarRowRef::GetTimestamp(int32_t pos, int32_t precision) const {
+    using ArrayType = typename arrow::TypeTraits<arrow::TimestampType>::ArrayType;
+    auto array = arrow::internal::checked_cast<const ArrayType*>(ctx_->array_ptrs[pos]);
+    assert(array);
+    int64_t data = array->Value(row_id_);
+    auto timestamp_type =
+        arrow::internal::checked_pointer_cast<arrow::TimestampType>(array->type());
+    // for orc format, data is saved as nano, therefore, Timestamp convert should consider precision
+    // in arrow array rather than input precision
+    DateTimeUtils::TimeType time_type = DateTimeUtils::GetTimeTypeFromArrowType(timestamp_type);
+    auto [milli, nano] = DateTimeUtils::TimestampConverter(
+        data, time_type, DateTimeUtils::TimeType::MILLISECOND, DateTimeUtils::TimeType::NANOSECOND);
+    return Timestamp(milli, nano);
+}
+
+std::shared_ptr<InternalRow> ColumnarRowRef::GetRow(int32_t pos, int32_t num_fields) const {
+    auto struct_array =
+        arrow::internal::checked_pointer_cast<arrow::StructArray>(ctx_->field_arrays[pos]);
+    assert(struct_array);
+    auto nested_ctx =
+        std::make_shared<ColumnarBatchContext>(struct_array, struct_array->fields(), ctx_->pool);
+    return std::make_shared<ColumnarRowRef>(std::move(nested_ctx), row_id_);
+}
+
+std::shared_ptr<InternalArray> ColumnarRowRef::GetArray(int32_t pos) const {
+    auto list_array = arrow::internal::checked_cast<const arrow::ListArray*>(ctx_->array_ptrs[pos]);
+    assert(list_array);
+    int32_t offset = list_array->value_offset(row_id_);
+    int32_t length = list_array->value_length(row_id_);
+    return std::make_shared<ColumnarArray>(list_array->values(), ctx_->pool, offset, length);
+}
+
+std::shared_ptr<InternalMap> ColumnarRowRef::GetMap(int32_t pos) const {
+    auto map_array = arrow::internal::checked_cast<const arrow::MapArray*>(ctx_->array_ptrs[pos]);
+    assert(map_array);
+    int32_t offset = map_array->value_offset(row_id_);
+    int32_t length = map_array->value_length(row_id_);
+    return std::make_shared<ColumnarMap>(map_array->keys(), map_array->items(), ctx_->pool, offset,
+                                         length);
+}
+
+}  // namespace paimon
diff --git a/src/paimon/common/data/columnar/columnar_row_ref.h b/src/paimon/common/data/columnar/columnar_row_ref.h
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..315ef6a2
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/paimon/common/data/columnar/columnar_row_ref.h
@@ -0,0 +1,135 @@
+/*
+ * Copyright 2026-present Alibaba Inc.
+ *
+ * Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
+ * you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+ * You may obtain a copy of the License at
+ *
+ *   http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+ *
+ * Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+ * distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
+ * WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
+ * See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
+ * limitations under the License.
+ */
+
+#pragma once
+
+#include <cstdint>
+#include <memory>
+#include <string>
+#include <string_view>
+
+#include "fmt/format.h"
+#include "paimon/common/data/binary_string.h"
+#include "paimon/common/data/columnar/columnar_batch_context.h"
+#include "paimon/common/data/columnar/columnar_utils.h"
+#include "paimon/common/data/internal_array.h"
+#include "paimon/common/data/internal_map.h"
+#include "paimon/common/data/internal_row.h"
+#include "paimon/common/types/row_kind.h"
+#include "paimon/data/decimal.h"
+#include "paimon/data/timestamp.h"
+#include "paimon/result.h"
+
+namespace paimon {
+class Bytes;
+
+/// Columnar row view which shares batch-level context to reduce per-row overhead.
+class ColumnarRowRef : public InternalRow {
+ public:
+    ColumnarRowRef(std::shared_ptr<ColumnarBatchContext> ctx, int64_t row_id)
+        : ctx_(std::move(ctx)), row_id_(row_id) {}
+
+    Result<const RowKind*> GetRowKind() const override {
+        return row_kind_;
+    }
+
+    void SetRowKind(const RowKind* kind) override {
+        row_kind_ = kind;
+    }
+
+    int32_t GetFieldCount() const override {
+        return static_cast<int32_t>(ctx_->array_ptrs.size());
+    }
+
+    bool IsNullAt(int32_t pos) const override {
+        return ctx_->array_ptrs[pos]->IsNull(row_id_);
+    }
+
+    bool GetBoolean(int32_t pos) const override {
+        return ColumnarUtils::GetGenericValue<arrow::BooleanType, bool>(ctx_->array_ptrs[pos],
+                                                                        row_id_);
+    }
+
+    char GetByte(int32_t pos) const override {
+        return ColumnarUtils::GetGenericValue<arrow::Int8Type, char>(ctx_->array_ptrs[pos],
+                                                                     row_id_);
+    }
+
+    int16_t GetShort(int32_t pos) const override {
+        return ColumnarUtils::GetGenericValue<arrow::Int16Type, int16_t>(ctx_->array_ptrs[pos],
+                                                                         row_id_);
+    }
+
+    int32_t GetInt(int32_t pos) const override {
+        return ColumnarUtils::GetGenericValue<arrow::Int32Type, int32_t>(ctx_->array_ptrs[pos],
+                                                                         row_id_);
+    }
+
+    int32_t GetDate(int32_t pos) const override {
+        return ColumnarUtils::GetGenericValue<arrow::Date32Type, int32_t>(ctx_->array_ptrs[pos],
+                                                                          row_id_);
+    }
+
+    int64_t GetLong(int32_t pos) const override {
+        return ColumnarUtils::GetGenericValue<arrow::Int64Type, int64_t>(ctx_->array_ptrs[pos],
+                                                                         row_id_);
+    }
+
+    float GetFloat(int32_t pos) const override {
+        return ColumnarUtils::GetGenericValue<arrow::FloatType, float>(ctx_->array_ptrs[pos],
+                                                                       row_id_);
+    }
+
+    double GetDouble(int32_t pos) const override {
+        return ColumnarUtils::GetGenericValue<arrow::DoubleType, double>(ctx_->array_ptrs[pos],
+                                                                         row_id_);
+    }
+
+    BinaryString GetString(int32_t pos) const override {
+        auto bytes = ColumnarUtils::GetBytes<arrow::StringType>(ctx_->array_ptrs[pos], row_id_,
+                                                                ctx_->pool.get());
+        return BinaryString::FromBytes(bytes);
+    }
+
+    std::string_view GetStringView(int32_t pos) const override {
+        return ColumnarUtils::GetView(ctx_->array_ptrs[pos], row_id_);
+    }
+
+    Decimal GetDecimal(int32_t pos, int32_t precision, int32_t scale) const override;
+
+    Timestamp GetTimestamp(int32_t pos, int32_t precision) const override;
+
+    std::shared_ptr<Bytes> GetBinary(int32_t pos) const override {
+        return ColumnarUtils::GetBytes<arrow::BinaryType>(ctx_->array_ptrs[pos], row_id_,
+                                                          ctx_->pool.get());
+    }
+
+    std::shared_ptr<InternalRow> GetRow(int32_t pos, int32_t num_fields) const override;
+
+    std::shared_ptr<InternalArray> GetArray(int32_t pos) const override;
+
+    std::shared_ptr<InternalMap> GetMap(int32_t pos) const override;
+
+    std::string ToString() const override {
+        return fmt::format("ColumnarRowRef, row_id {}", row_id_);
+    }
+
+ private:
+    std::shared_ptr<ColumnarBatchContext> ctx_;
+    const RowKind* row_kind_ = RowKind::Insert();
+    int64_t row_id_;
+};
+}  // namespace paimon
diff --git a/src/paimon/common/data/columnar/columnar_row_test.cpp b/src/paimon/common/data/columnar/columnar_row_test.cpp
index a8103906..da56e0a7 100644
--- a/src/paimon/common/data/columnar/columnar_row_test.cpp
+++ b/src/paimon/common/data/columnar/columnar_row_test.cpp
@@ -24,6 +24,7 @@
 #include "arrow/array/array_nested.h"
 #include "arrow/ipc/json_simple.h"
 #include "gtest/gtest.h"
+#include "paimon/common/data/columnar/columnar_row_ref.h"
 #include "paimon/common/utils/date_time_utils.h"
 #include "paimon/memory/bytes.h"
 #include "paimon/memory/memory_pool.h"
@@ -70,6 +71,32 @@ TEST(ColumnarRowTest, TestSimple) {
     ASSERT_EQ(std::string(row.GetStringView(7)), "Hello");
 }
 
+TEST(ColumnarRowRefTest, TestSimple) {
+    auto pool = GetDefaultPool();
+    std::shared_ptr<arrow::DataType> target_type =
+        arrow::struct_({arrow::field("f1", arrow::int32()), arrow::field("f2", arrow::utf8())});
+    auto f1 =
+        arrow::ipc::internal::json::ArrayFromJSON(arrow::int32(), R"([1, 2, 3])").ValueOrDie();
+    auto f2 =
+        arrow::ipc::internal::json::ArrayFromJSON(arrow::utf8(), R"(["alpha", "beta", "gamma"])")
+            .ValueOrDie();
+    auto data = arrow::StructArray::Make({f1, f2}, target_type->fields()).ValueOrDie();
+
+    auto ctx = std::make_shared<ColumnarBatchContext>(data, data->fields(), pool);
+    ColumnarRowRef row(ctx, 1);
+    ASSERT_EQ(row.GetFieldCount(), 2);
+    ASSERT_EQ(row.GetInt(0), 2);
+    ASSERT_EQ(std::string(row.GetStringView(1)), "beta");
+
+    auto row_kind = row.GetRowKind();
+    ASSERT_TRUE(row_kind.ok());
+    ASSERT_EQ(row_kind.value(), RowKind::Insert());
+    row.SetRowKind(RowKind::Delete());
+    auto updated_kind = row.GetRowKind();
+    ASSERT_TRUE(updated_kind.ok());
+    ASSERT_EQ(updated_kind.value(), RowKind::Delete());
+}
+
 TEST(ColumnarRowTest, TestComplexAndNestedType) {
     auto pool = GetDefaultPool();
     std::shared_ptr<arrow::DataType> target_type = arrow::struct_({
diff --git a/src/paimon/core/io/key_value_data_file_record_reader.cpp b/src/paimon/core/io/key_value_data_file_record_reader.cpp
index 5e7797a2..556f259e 100644
--- a/src/paimon/core/io/key_value_data_file_record_reader.cpp
+++ b/src/paimon/core/io/key_value_data_file_record_reader.cpp
@@ -28,8 +28,7 @@
 #include "arrow/type.h"
 #include "arrow/util/checked_cast.h"
 #include "fmt/format.h"
-#include "paimon/common/data/columnar/columnar_row.h"
-#include "paimon/common/data/internal_row.h"
+#include "paimon/common/data/columnar/columnar_row_ref.h"
 #include "paimon/common/table/special_fields.h"
 #include "paimon/common/types/row_kind.h"
 #include "paimon/common/utils/arrow/status_utils.h"
@@ -69,12 +68,11 @@ bool KeyValueDataFileRecordReader::Iterator::HasNext() const {
 
 Result<KeyValue> KeyValueDataFileRecordReader::Iterator::Next() {
     assert(HasNext());
-    // as key is only used in merge sort, do not hold the data in ColumnarRow
-    auto key = std::make_unique<ColumnarRow>(reader_->key_fields_, reader_->pool_, cursor_);
-    // as value is used in merge sort and projection (maybe async and multi-thread), hold the data
-    // in ColumnarRow
-    auto value = std::make_unique<ColumnarRow>(reader_->value_struct_array_, reader_->value_fields_,
-                                               reader_->pool_, cursor_);
+    // key is only used in merge sort; key context does not hold parent struct array
+    auto key = std::make_unique<ColumnarRowRef>(reader_->key_ctx_, cursor_);
+    // value is used in merge sort and projection (maybe async and multi-thread), so value context
+    // holds parent struct array to ensure data remains valid
+    auto value = std::make_unique<ColumnarRowRef>(reader_->value_ctx_, cursor_);
     PAIMON_ASSIGN_OR_RAISE(const RowKind* row_kind,
                            RowKind::FromByteValue(reader_->row_kind_array_->Value(cursor_)));
     int64_t sequence_number = reader_->sequence_number_array_->Value(cursor_);
@@ -137,6 +135,8 @@ Result<std::unique_ptr<KeyValueRecordReader::Iterator>> KeyValueDataFileRecordRe
                                       arrow::StructArray::Make(value_fields_, value_names_));
     selection_bitmap_ = std::move(bitmap);
     value_fields_ = value_struct_array_->fields();
+    key_ctx_ = std::make_shared<ColumnarBatchContext>(nullptr, key_fields_, pool_);
+    value_ctx_ = std::make_shared<ColumnarBatchContext>(value_struct_array_, value_fields_, pool_);
     TraverseArray(value_struct_array_);
     return std::make_unique<KeyValueDataFileRecordReader::Iterator>(this);
 }
@@ -148,6 +148,8 @@ void KeyValueDataFileRecordReader::Reset() {
     value_struct_array_.reset();
     sequence_number_array_.reset();
     row_kind_array_.reset();
+    key_ctx_.reset();
+    value_ctx_.reset();
 }
 
 void KeyValueDataFileRecordReader::TraverseArray(const std::shared_ptr<arrow::Array>& array) {
diff --git a/src/paimon/core/io/key_value_data_file_record_reader.h b/src/paimon/core/io/key_value_data_file_record_reader.h
index dbbc4853..d950e25d 100644
--- a/src/paimon/core/io/key_value_data_file_record_reader.h
+++ b/src/paimon/core/io/key_value_data_file_record_reader.h
@@ -22,7 +22,6 @@
 #include <vector>
 
 #include "arrow/type_fwd.h"
-#include "paimon/common/data/columnar/columnar_row.h"
 #include "paimon/core/io/key_value_record_reader.h"
 #include "paimon/core/key_value.h"
 #include "paimon/reader/batch_reader.h"
@@ -42,6 +41,7 @@ class NumericArray;
 namespace paimon {
 class MemoryPool;
 class Metrics;
+struct ColumnarBatchContext;
 
 // Convert the arrow array of data file into a KeyValue object iterator (parsing SEQUENCE_NUMBER and
 // VALUE_KIND columns)
@@ -95,5 +95,7 @@ class KeyValueDataFileRecordReader : public KeyValueRecordReader {
     arrow::ArrayVector value_fields_;
     std::shared_ptr<arrow::NumericArray<arrow::Int64Type>> sequence_number_array_;
     std::shared_ptr<arrow::NumericArray<arrow::Int8Type>> row_kind_array_;
+    std::shared_ptr<ColumnarBatchContext> key_ctx_;
+    std::shared_ptr<ColumnarBatchContext> value_ctx_;
 };
 }  // namespace paimon