A system, method, and computer-readable medium for optimizing the performance of outer joins in a parallel processing system are provided. Predicates involving only attributes of a left table of a left outer join are pushed down to the outer relation for left outer joins having join predicates involving left table attributes and/or predicates involving attributes of both the right and left table. In such an instance, the rows of the left table may be partitioned into two sub-relations according to the predicate involving only attributes of the left table. Rows of the left table are allocated to a first sub-relation if the rows satisfy the predicate involving only attributes of the left table and rows of the left table are allocated to a second sub-relation if the rows fail to satisfy the predicate involving only attributes of the left table. Accordingly, only rows of the first sub-relation are required to be left outer joined with the right table. Advantageously, a reduction in the requisite number of rows to be redistributed and joined is facilitated. The disclosed embodiments may be similarly applied for optimization of right outer joins. Further, embodiments for optimizing full outer joins are disclosed.