The present invention generally relates to data processing, and more specifically to executing a query against a partitioned database. One embodiment provides a computer-implemented method of managing execution of a query against a partitioned database having a plurality of data partitions. The method comprises issuing a query for execution against each of the plurality of data partitions. Then, it is determined whether a complete query result is returned for the query before execution of the query has completed against each of the plurality of data partitions. If so, execution of the query is terminated on at least one of the plurality of data partitions.