A system, method and article of manufacture for data processing and, more particularly, for managing execution of complex data access operations in a data processing system. One embodiment provides a method of managing execution of query operations in a data processing system. The method comprises issuing, by a requesting entity, a request to perform a composite query operation defining an initial query operation and a subsequent query operation to be executed against a data repository of the data processing system, executing the initial query operation, determining an operation status of the initial query operation, and managing execution of the subsequent query operation on the basis of the determined operation status.