diff --git a/core/src/main/java/org/apache/iceberg/RewriteTablePathUtil.java b/core/src/main/java/org/apache/iceberg/RewriteTablePathUtil.java
index 435f79129204..e7679bfe6f69 100644
--- a/core/src/main/java/org/apache/iceberg/RewriteTablePathUtil.java
+++ b/core/src/main/java/org/apache/iceberg/RewriteTablePathUtil.java
@@ -134,6 +134,7 @@ public static TableMetadata replacePaths(
         snapshotId,
         newSnapshots,
         null,
+        null,
         metadata.snapshotLog(),
         metadataLogEntries,
         metadata.refs(),
diff --git a/core/src/main/java/org/apache/iceberg/TableMetadata.java b/core/src/main/java/org/apache/iceberg/TableMetadata.java
index 43a67dd2bef2..824c1b40b414 100644
--- a/core/src/main/java/org/apache/iceberg/TableMetadata.java
+++ b/core/src/main/java/org/apache/iceberg/TableMetadata.java
@@ -259,18 +259,19 @@ public String toString() {
   private final Map<Integer, Schema> schemasById;
   private final Map<Integer, PartitionSpec> specsById;
   private final Map<Integer, SortOrder> sortOrdersById;
-  private final List<HistoryEntry> snapshotLog;
+  private volatile List<HistoryEntry> snapshotLog;
   private final List<MetadataLogEntry> previousFiles;
   private final List<StatisticsFile> statisticsFiles;
   private final List<PartitionStatisticsFile> partitionStatisticsFiles;
   private final List<MetadataUpdate> changes;
   private final long nextRowId;
   private final List<EncryptedKey> encryptionKeys;
-  private SerializableSupplier<List<Snapshot>> snapshotsSupplier;
+  @Deprecated private SerializableSupplier<List<Snapshot>> snapshotsSupplier;
+  private SerializableSupplier<TableMetadata> deferredMetadataSupplier;
   private volatile List<Snapshot> snapshots;
   private volatile Map<Long, Snapshot> snapshotsById;
   private volatile Map<String, SnapshotRef> refs;
-  private volatile boolean snapshotsLoaded;
+  private volatile boolean deferredLoaded;
 
   @SuppressWarnings("checkstyle:CyclomaticComplexity")
   TableMetadata(
@@ -292,6 +293,7 @@ public String toString() {
       long currentSnapshotId,
       List<Snapshot> snapshots,
       SerializableSupplier<List<Snapshot>> snapshotsSupplier,
+      SerializableSupplier<TableMetadata> deferredMetadataSupplier,
       List<HistoryEntry> snapshotLog,
       List<MetadataLogEntry> previousFiles,
       Map<String, SnapshotRef> refs,
@@ -319,6 +321,9 @@ public String toString() {
         metadataFileLocation == null || changes.isEmpty(),
         "Cannot create TableMetadata with a metadata location and changes");
     Preconditions.checkArgument(encryptionKeys != null, "Encryption keys cannot be null");
+    Preconditions.checkArgument(
+        snapshotsSupplier == null || deferredMetadataSupplier == null,
+        "Cannot set both snapshotsSupplier and deferredMetadataSupplier");
 
     this.metadataFileLocation = metadataFileLocation;
     this.formatVersion = formatVersion;
@@ -338,7 +343,8 @@ public String toString() {
     this.currentSnapshotId = currentSnapshotId;
     this.snapshots = snapshots;
     this.snapshotsSupplier = snapshotsSupplier;
-    this.snapshotsLoaded = snapshotsSupplier == null;
+    this.deferredMetadataSupplier = deferredMetadataSupplier;
+    this.deferredLoaded = snapshotsSupplier == null && deferredMetadataSupplier == null;
     this.snapshotLog = snapshotLog;
     this.previousFiles = previousFiles;
     this.encryptionKeys = encryptionKeys;
@@ -515,7 +521,7 @@ public long propertyAsLong(String property, long defaultValue) {
 
   public Snapshot snapshot(long snapshotId) {
     if (!snapshotsById.containsKey(snapshotId)) {
-      ensureSnapshotsLoaded();
+      ensureDeferredLoaded();
     }
 
     return snapshotsById.get(snapshotId);
@@ -526,14 +532,24 @@ public Snapshot currentSnapshot() {
   }
 
   public List<Snapshot> snapshots() {
-    ensureSnapshotsLoaded();
+    ensureDeferredLoaded();
 
     return snapshots;
   }
 
-  private synchronized void ensureSnapshotsLoaded() {
-    if (!snapshotsLoaded) {
-      List<Snapshot> loadedSnapshots = Lists.newArrayList(snapshotsSupplier.get());
+  private synchronized void ensureDeferredLoaded() {
+    if (!deferredLoaded) {
+      List<Snapshot> loadedSnapshots;
+      if (deferredMetadataSupplier != null) {
+        TableMetadata fullMetadata = deferredMetadataSupplier.get();
+        loadedSnapshots = Lists.newArrayList(fullMetadata.snapshots());
+        this.snapshotLog = ImmutableList.copyOf(fullMetadata.snapshotLog());
+        this.deferredMetadataSupplier = null;
+      } else {
+        loadedSnapshots = Lists.newArrayList(snapshotsSupplier.get());
+        this.snapshotsSupplier = null;
+      }
+
       loadedSnapshots.removeIf(s -> s.sequenceNumber() > lastSequenceNumber);
 
       this.snapshots = ImmutableList.copyOf(loadedSnapshots);
@@ -542,8 +558,7 @@ private synchronized void ensureSnapshotsLoaded() {
 
       this.refs = validateRefs(currentSnapshotId, refs, snapshotsById);
 
-      this.snapshotsLoaded = true;
-      this.snapshotsSupplier = null;
+      this.deferredLoaded = true;
     }
   }
 
@@ -564,6 +579,7 @@ public List<PartitionStatisticsFile> partitionStatisticsFiles() {
   }
 
   public List<HistoryEntry> snapshotLog() {
+    ensureDeferredLoaded();
     return snapshotLog;
   }
 
@@ -913,6 +929,7 @@ public static class Builder {
     private long currentSnapshotId;
     private List<Snapshot> snapshots;
     private SerializableSupplier<List<Snapshot>> snapshotsSupplier;
+    private SerializableSupplier<TableMetadata> deferredMetadataSupplier;
     private final Map<String, SnapshotRef> refs;
     private final Map<Long, List<StatisticsFile>> statisticsFiles;
     private final Map<Long, List<PartitionStatisticsFile>> partitionStatisticsFiles;
@@ -993,7 +1010,7 @@ private Builder(TableMetadata base) {
       this.changes = Lists.newArrayList(base.changes);
       this.startingChangeCount = changes.size();
 
-      this.snapshotLog = Lists.newArrayList(base.snapshotLog);
+      this.snapshotLog = Lists.newArrayList(base.snapshotLog());
       this.previousFileLocation = base.metadataFileLocation;
       this.previousFiles = base.previousFiles;
       this.refs = Maps.newHashMap(base.refs);
@@ -1278,11 +1295,31 @@ public Builder addSnapshot(Snapshot snapshot) {
       return this;
     }
 
+    /**
+     * Lazily loads table snapshots
+     *
+     * @param snapshotsSupplier supplier that lazily loads snapshots
+     * @return this for method chaining
+     * @deprecated use {@link #setDeferredMetadataSupplier(SerializableSupplier)} instead.
+     */
+    @Deprecated
     public Builder setSnapshotsSupplier(SerializableSupplier<List<Snapshot>> snapshotsSupplier) {
       this.snapshotsSupplier = snapshotsSupplier;
       return this;
     }
 
+    /**
+     * Lazily loads complete table metadata
+     *
+     * @param deferredMetadataSupplier supplier that lazily loads complete TableMetadata
+     * @return this for method chaining
+     */
+    public Builder setDeferredMetadataSupplier(
+        SerializableSupplier<TableMetadata> deferredMetadataSupplier) {
+      this.deferredMetadataSupplier = deferredMetadataSupplier;
+      return this;
+    }
+
     public Builder setBranchSnapshot(Snapshot snapshot, String branch) {
       addSnapshot(snapshot);
       setBranchSnapshotInternal(snapshot, branch);
@@ -1385,6 +1422,7 @@ public Builder suppressHistoricalSnapshots() {
           refs.values().stream().map(SnapshotRef::snapshotId).collect(Collectors.toSet());
       Set<Long> suppressedSnapshotIds = Sets.difference(snapshotsById.keySet(), refSnapshotIds);
       rewriteSnapshotsInternal(suppressedSnapshotIds, true);
+      this.snapshotLog.removeIf(entry -> !refSnapshotIds.contains(entry.snapshotId()));
       return this;
     }
 
@@ -1528,7 +1566,8 @@ private boolean hasChanges() {
           || (discardChanges && !changes.isEmpty())
           || metadataLocation != null
           || suppressHistoricalSnapshots
-          || null != snapshotsSupplier;
+          || null != snapshotsSupplier
+          || null != deferredMetadataSupplier;
     }
 
     public TableMetadata build() {
@@ -1583,6 +1622,7 @@ public TableMetadata build() {
           currentSnapshotId,
           ImmutableList.copyOf(snapshots),
           snapshotsSupplier,
+          deferredMetadataSupplier,
           ImmutableList.copyOf(newSnapshotLog),
           ImmutableList.copyOf(metadataHistory),
           ImmutableMap.copyOf(refs),
diff --git a/core/src/main/java/org/apache/iceberg/TableMetadataParser.java b/core/src/main/java/org/apache/iceberg/TableMetadataParser.java
index eeeeeab8a699..0396de9d0576 100644
--- a/core/src/main/java/org/apache/iceberg/TableMetadataParser.java
+++ b/core/src/main/java/org/apache/iceberg/TableMetadataParser.java
@@ -573,6 +573,7 @@ public static TableMetadata fromJson(String metadataLocation, JsonNode node) {
         currentSnapshotId,
         snapshots,
         null,
+        null,
         entries.build(),
         metadataEntries.build(),
         refs,
diff --git a/core/src/main/java/org/apache/iceberg/rest/RESTSessionCatalog.java b/core/src/main/java/org/apache/iceberg/rest/RESTSessionCatalog.java
index c7b5b5d41c74..1036f055e989 100644
--- a/core/src/main/java/org/apache/iceberg/rest/RESTSessionCatalog.java
+++ b/core/src/main/java/org/apache/iceberg/rest/RESTSessionCatalog.java
@@ -529,11 +529,10 @@ public Table loadTable(SessionContext context, TableIdentifier identifier) {
           TableMetadata.buildFrom(response.tableMetadata())
               .withMetadataLocation(response.metadataLocation())
               .setPreviousFileLocation(null)
-              .setSnapshotsSupplier(
+              .setDeferredMetadataSupplier(
                   () ->
                       loadInternal(context, finalIdentifier, SnapshotMode.ALL, Map.of(), h -> {})
-                          .tableMetadata()
-                          .snapshots())
+                          .tableMetadata())
               .discardChanges()
               .build();
     } else {
diff --git a/core/src/test/java/org/apache/iceberg/TestSnapshotLoading.java b/core/src/test/java/org/apache/iceberg/TestSnapshotLoading.java
index 97fb7d62d7ec..fc2f2bc3f864 100644
--- a/core/src/test/java/org/apache/iceberg/TestSnapshotLoading.java
+++ b/core/src/test/java/org/apache/iceberg/TestSnapshotLoading.java
@@ -192,6 +192,140 @@ public void testBuildingNewMetadataTriggersSnapshotLoad() {
     verify(snapshotsSupplierMock, times(1)).get();
   }
 
+  @TestTemplate
+  public void testDeferredMetadataSnapshotsAreLoadedOnce() {
+    SerializableSupplier<TableMetadata> mock = mockDeferredMetadataSupplier();
+    TableMetadata deferred = deferredTableMetadata(mock);
+
+    deferred.snapshots();
+    deferred.snapshots();
+    deferred.snapshots();
+
+    verify(mock, times(1)).get();
+
+    assertThat(deferred.snapshots()).containsExactlyElementsOf(originalTableMetadata.snapshots());
+  }
+
+  @TestTemplate
+  public void testDeferredMetadataCurrentSnapshotDoesNotLoad() {
+    SerializableSupplier<TableMetadata> mock = mockDeferredMetadataSupplier();
+    TableMetadata deferred = deferredTableMetadata(mock);
+
+    deferred.currentSnapshot();
+    deferred.snapshot(deferred.ref(SnapshotRef.MAIN_BRANCH).snapshotId());
+
+    verify(mock, times(0)).get();
+  }
+
+  @TestTemplate
+  public void testDeferredMetadataSnapshotLogLoadedOnce() {
+    SerializableSupplier<TableMetadata> mock = mockDeferredMetadataSupplier();
+    TableMetadata deferred = deferredTableMetadata(mock);
+
+    deferred.snapshotLog();
+    deferred.snapshotLog();
+
+    verify(mock, times(1)).get();
+
+    assertThat(deferred.snapshotLog())
+        .containsExactlyElementsOf(originalTableMetadata.snapshotLog());
+  }
+
+  @TestTemplate
+  public void testDeferredMetadataSnapshotLogNotLoadedUntilAccessed() {
+    SerializableSupplier<TableMetadata> mock = mockDeferredMetadataSupplier();
+    TableMetadata deferred = deferredTableMetadata(mock);
+
+    deferred.currentSnapshot();
+
+    verify(mock, times(0)).get();
+
+    deferred.snapshotLog();
+
+    verify(mock, times(1)).get();
+
+    assertThat(deferred.snapshotLog())
+        .containsExactlyElementsOf(originalTableMetadata.snapshotLog());
+  }
+
+  @TestTemplate
+  public void testDeferredMetadataSnapshotsLoadAlsoPopulatesSnapshotLog() {
+    SerializableSupplier<TableMetadata> mock = mockDeferredMetadataSupplier();
+    TableMetadata deferred = deferredTableMetadata(mock);
+
+    deferred.snapshots();
+
+    verify(mock, times(1)).get();
+
+    deferred.snapshotLog();
+
+    verify(mock, times(1)).get();
+
+    assertThat(deferred.snapshotLog())
+        .containsExactlyElementsOf(originalTableMetadata.snapshotLog());
+  }
+
+  @TestTemplate
+  public void testDeferredMetadataBuildFromPreservesSnapshotLog() {
+    SerializableSupplier<TableMetadata> mock = mockDeferredMetadataSupplier();
+    TableMetadata deferred = deferredTableMetadata(mock);
+
+    TableMetadata rebuilt = TableMetadata.buildFrom(deferred).discardChanges().build();
+
+    verify(mock, times(1)).get();
+
+    assertThat(rebuilt.snapshotLog())
+        .containsExactlyElementsOf(originalTableMetadata.snapshotLog());
+  }
+
+  @TestTemplate
+  public void testSuppressHistoricalSnapshotsFiltersSnapshotLog() {
+    TableMetadata suppressed =
+        TableMetadata.buildFrom(originalTableMetadata)
+            .suppressHistoricalSnapshots()
+            .discardChanges()
+            .build();
+
+    assertThat(suppressed.snapshots()).hasSize(1);
+    assertThat(suppressed.snapshotLog()).hasSize(1);
+    assertThat(suppressed.snapshotLog().get(0).snapshotId())
+        .isEqualTo(currentSnapshot.snapshotId());
+  }
+
+  @TestTemplate
+  public void testCannotSetBothSuppliers() {
+    assertThatThrownBy(
+            () ->
+                TableMetadata.buildFrom(originalTableMetadata)
+                    .setSnapshotsSupplier(ImmutableList::of)
+                    .setDeferredMetadataSupplier(() -> originalTableMetadata)
+                    .build())
+        .isInstanceOf(IllegalArgumentException.class)
+        .hasMessage("Cannot set both snapshotsSupplier and deferredMetadataSupplier");
+  }
+
+  private SerializableSupplier<TableMetadata> mockDeferredMetadataSupplier() {
+    return Mockito.spy(
+        new SerializableSupplier<TableMetadata>() {
+          @Override
+          public TableMetadata get() {
+            return originalTableMetadata;
+          }
+        });
+  }
+
+  private TableMetadata deferredTableMetadata(
+      SerializableSupplier<TableMetadata> deferredMetadataSupplier) {
+    return TableMetadata.buildFrom(originalTableMetadata)
+        .removeSnapshots(
+            allSnapshots.stream()
+                .filter(Predicate.isEqual(currentSnapshot).negate())
+                .collect(Collectors.toList()))
+        .setDeferredMetadataSupplier(deferredMetadataSupplier)
+        .discardChanges()
+        .build();
+  }
+
   private static class MetadataTableOperations implements TableOperations {
     private final FileIO io;
     private final TableMetadata currentMetadata;
diff --git a/core/src/test/java/org/apache/iceberg/TestTableMetadata.java b/core/src/test/java/org/apache/iceberg/TestTableMetadata.java
index cb1decd2d8dc..a08934a21899 100644
--- a/core/src/test/java/org/apache/iceberg/TestTableMetadata.java
+++ b/core/src/test/java/org/apache/iceberg/TestTableMetadata.java
@@ -199,6 +199,7 @@ public void testJsonConversion() throws Exception {
             currentSnapshotId,
             Arrays.asList(previousSnapshot, currentSnapshot),
             null,
+            null,
             snapshotLog,
             ImmutableList.of(),
             refs,
@@ -304,6 +305,7 @@ public void testBackwardCompat() throws Exception {
             currentSnapshotId,
             Arrays.asList(previousSnapshot, currentSnapshot),
             null,
+            null,
             ImmutableList.of(),
             ImmutableList.of(),
             ImmutableMap.of(),
@@ -429,6 +431,7 @@ public void testInvalidMainBranch() throws IOException {
                     currentSnapshotId,
                     Arrays.asList(previousSnapshot, currentSnapshot),
                     null,
+                    null,
                     snapshotLog,
                     ImmutableList.of(),
                     refs,
@@ -477,6 +480,7 @@ public void testMainWithoutCurrent() throws IOException {
                     -1,
                     ImmutableList.of(snapshot),
                     null,
+                    null,
                     ImmutableList.of(),
                     ImmutableList.of(),
                     refs,
@@ -519,6 +523,7 @@ public void testBranchSnapshotMissing() {
                     -1,
                     ImmutableList.of(),
                     null,
+                    null,
                     ImmutableList.of(),
                     ImmutableList.of(),
                     refs,
@@ -638,6 +643,7 @@ public void testJsonWithPreviousMetadataLog() throws Exception {
             currentSnapshotId,
             Arrays.asList(previousSnapshot, currentSnapshot),
             null,
+            null,
             reversedSnapshotLog,
             ImmutableList.copyOf(previousMetadataLog),
             ImmutableMap.of(),
@@ -729,6 +735,7 @@ public void testAddPreviousMetadataRemoveNone() throws IOException {
             currentSnapshotId,
             Arrays.asList(previousSnapshot, currentSnapshot),
             null,
+            null,
             reversedSnapshotLog,
             ImmutableList.copyOf(previousMetadataLog),
             ImmutableMap.of(),
@@ -835,6 +842,7 @@ public void testAddPreviousMetadataRemoveOne() throws IOException {
             currentSnapshotId,
             Arrays.asList(previousSnapshot, currentSnapshot),
             null,
+            null,
             reversedSnapshotLog,
             ImmutableList.copyOf(previousMetadataLog),
             ImmutableMap.of(),
@@ -945,6 +953,7 @@ public void testAddPreviousMetadataRemoveMultiple() throws IOException {
             currentSnapshotId,
             Arrays.asList(previousSnapshot, currentSnapshot),
             null,
+            null,
             reversedSnapshotLog,
             ImmutableList.copyOf(previousMetadataLog),
             ImmutableMap.of(),
@@ -993,6 +1002,7 @@ public void testV2UUIDValidation() {
                     -1L,
                     ImmutableList.of(),
                     null,
+                    null,
                     ImmutableList.of(),
                     ImmutableList.of(),
                     ImmutableMap.of(),
@@ -1030,6 +1040,7 @@ public void testVersionValidation() {
                     -1L,
                     ImmutableList.of(),
                     null,
+                    null,
                     ImmutableList.of(),
                     ImmutableList.of(),
                     ImmutableMap.of(),
@@ -1078,6 +1089,7 @@ public void testVersionValidation() {
                 -1L,
                 ImmutableList.of(),
                 null,
+                null,
                 ImmutableList.of(),
                 ImmutableList.of(),
                 ImmutableMap.of(),