diff --git a/tiledb/dense_array.py b/tiledb/dense_array.py
index 1722480943..be470efde8 100644
--- a/tiledb/dense_array.py
+++ b/tiledb/dense_array.py
@@ -77,8 +77,7 @@ def __getitem__(self, selection):
 
         """
         if self.view_attr:
-            result = self.subarray(selection, attrs=(self.view_attr,))
-            return result[self.view_attr]
+            return self.subarray(selection)
 
         result = self.subarray(selection)
         for i in range(self.schema.nattr):
@@ -269,6 +268,8 @@ def subarray(self, selection, attrs=None, cond=None, coords=False, order=None):
             attr = self.schema.attr(0)
             if attr.isanon:
                 return out[attr._internal_name]
+        if self.view_attr is not None:
+            return out[self.view_attr]
         return out
 
     def _read_dense_subarray(
diff --git a/tiledb/sparse_array.py b/tiledb/sparse_array.py
index 255dc2e72f..a2d5fe0072 100644
--- a/tiledb/sparse_array.py
+++ b/tiledb/sparse_array.py
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
+import warnings
 from collections import OrderedDict
 
 import numpy as np
@@ -292,6 +293,9 @@ def __getitem__(self, selection):
         >>> # A[5.0:579.9]
 
         """
+        if self.view_attr is not None:
+            return self.subarray(selection)
+
         result = self.subarray(selection)
         for i in range(self.schema.nattr):
             attr = self.schema.attr(i)
@@ -506,7 +510,11 @@ def subarray(self, selection, coords=True, attrs=None, cond=None, order=None):
 
         attr_names = list()
 
-        if attrs is None:
+        if self.view_attr is not None:
+            if attrs is not None:
+                warnings.warn("view_attr is set, ignoring attrs parameter", UserWarning)
+            attr_names.extend(self.view_attr)
+        elif attrs is None:
             attr_names.extend(
                 self.schema.attr(i)._internal_name for i in range(self.schema.nattr)
             )
diff --git a/tiledb/tests/test_libtiledb.py b/tiledb/tests/test_libtiledb.py
index 4f5e7655bb..2447b1e9fe 100644
--- a/tiledb/tests/test_libtiledb.py
+++ b/tiledb/tests/test_libtiledb.py
@@ -23,6 +23,7 @@
 from .common import (
     DiskTestCase,
     assert_captured,
+    assert_dict_arrays_equal,
     assert_subarrays_equal,
     assert_unordered_equal,
     fx_sparse_cell_order,  # noqa: F401
@@ -923,8 +924,8 @@ def assert_ts(timestamp, result):
         assert_ts((timestamps[2], None), A * 3)
         assert_ts((timestamps[2], None), A * 3)
 
-    def test_open_attr(self):
-        uri = self.path("test_open_attr")
+    def test_open_attr_dense(self):
+        uri = self.path("test_open_attr_dense")
         schema = tiledb.ArraySchema(
             domain=tiledb.Domain(
                 tiledb.Dim(name="dim0", dtype=np.uint32, domain=(1, 4))
@@ -949,6 +950,48 @@ def test_open_attr(self):
             assert_array_equal(A[:], np.array((1, 2, 3, 4)))
             assert list(A.multi_index[:].keys()) == ["x"]
 
+        with tiledb.open(uri, attr="x") as A:
+            q = A.query(cond="x <= 3")
+            expected = np.array([1, 2, 3, schema.attr("x").fill[0]])
+            assert_array_equal(q[:], expected)
+
+    def test_open_attr_sparse(self):
+        uri = self.path("test_open_attr_sparse")
+        schema = tiledb.ArraySchema(
+            domain=tiledb.Domain(
+                tiledb.Dim(name="dim0", dtype=np.uint32, domain=(1, 4))
+            ),
+            attrs=(
+                tiledb.Attr(name="x", dtype=np.int32),
+                tiledb.Attr(name="y", dtype=np.int32),
+            ),
+            sparse=True,
+        )
+        tiledb.Array.create(uri, schema)
+
+        with tiledb.open(uri, mode="w") as A:
+            A[[1, 2, 3, 4]] = {"x": np.array((1, 2, 3, 4)), "y": np.array((5, 6, 7, 8))}
+
+        with self.assertRaises(KeyError):
+            tiledb.open(uri, attr="z")
+
+        with self.assertRaises(KeyError):
+            tiledb.open(uri, attr="dim0")
+
+        with tiledb.open(uri, attr="x") as A:
+            expected = OrderedDict(
+                [("dim0", np.array([1, 2, 3, 4])), ("x", np.array([1, 2, 3, 4]))]
+            )
+            assert_dict_arrays_equal(A[:], expected)
+            assert list(A.multi_index[:].keys()) == ["dim0", "x"]
+
+        with tiledb.open(uri, attr="x") as A:
+            q = A.query(cond="x <= 3")
+            expected = OrderedDict(
+                [("dim0", np.array([1, 2, 3])), ("x", np.array([1, 2, 3]))]
+            )
+            assert_dict_arrays_equal(q[:], expected)
+
     def test_ncell_attributes(self):
         dom = tiledb.Domain(tiledb.Dim(domain=(0, 9), tile=10, dtype=int))
         attr = tiledb.Attr(dtype=[("", np.int32), ("", np.int32), ("", np.int32)])