diff --git a/lib/reader.js b/lib/reader.js
index 43e78d9d..e6f6ec11 100644
--- a/lib/reader.js
+++ b/lib/reader.js
@@ -481,8 +481,17 @@ function decodeDataPageV2(cursor, header, opts) {
 }
 
 function decodeSchema(schemaElements) {
+  const {schema} = decodeSchemaWithLimit(
+    schemaElements,
+    schemaElements.length);
+  return schema;
+}
+
+function decodeSchemaWithLimit(schemaElements, elementLimit) {
   let schema = {};
-  for (let idx = 0; idx < schemaElements.length; ) {
+  let elementsRead = 0;
+  let totalElementsRead = 0;
+  for (let idx = 0; idx < schemaElements.length && elementsRead < elementLimit; ) {
     const schemaElement = schemaElements[idx];
 
     let repetitionType = parquet_util.getThriftEnum(
@@ -503,12 +512,16 @@ function decodeSchema(schemaElements) {
     };
 
     if (schemaElement.num_children > 0) {
+      const children = decodeSchemaWithLimit(
+        schemaElements.slice(idx + 1),
+        schemaElement.num_children);
       schema[schemaElement.name] = {
         optional: optional,
         repeated: repeated,
-        fields: decodeSchema(
-            schemaElements.slice(idx + 1, idx + 1 + schemaElement.num_children))
+        fields: children.schema
       };
+      idx += children.totalElementsRead;
+      totalElementsRead += children.totalElementsRead;
     } else {
       let logicalType = parquet_util.getThriftEnum(
           parquet_thrift.Type,
@@ -528,10 +541,12 @@ function decodeSchema(schemaElements) {
       };
     }
 
-    idx += (schemaElement.num_children || 0) + 1;
+    elementsRead++;
+    totalElementsRead++;
+    idx++;
   }
 
-  return schema;
+  return {schema, totalElementsRead};
 }
 
 module.exports = {
diff --git a/test/integration.js b/test/integration.js
index 5ed21abd..514e437d 100644
--- a/test/integration.js
+++ b/test/integration.js
@@ -24,6 +24,13 @@ function mkTestSchema(opts) {
       fields: {
         quantity: { type: 'INT64', repeated: true },
         warehouse: { type: 'UTF8', compression: opts.compression },
+        flags: {
+          optional: true,
+          fields: {
+            heavy: { type: 'BOOLEAN', optional: true },
+            bulky: { type: 'BOOLEAN', optional: true },
+          },
+        },
       }
     },
     colour:     { type: 'UTF8', repeated: true, compression: opts.compression },
@@ -44,8 +51,8 @@ function mkTestRows(opts) {
       finger: "FNORD",
       inter: { months: 42, days: 23, milliseconds: 777 },
       stock: [
-        { quantity: 10, warehouse: "A" },
-        { quantity: 20, warehouse: "B" }
+        { quantity: 10, warehouse: "A", flags: { heavy: true } },
+        { quantity: 20, warehouse: "B", flags: { heavy: true } }
       ],
       colour: [ 'green', 'red' ]
     });
@@ -74,8 +81,8 @@ function mkTestRows(opts) {
       finger: "FNORD",
       inter: { months: 42, days: 23, milliseconds: 777 },
       stock: [
-        { quantity: 42, warehouse: "f" },
-        { quantity: 20, warehouse: "x" }
+        { quantity: 42, warehouse: "f", flags: { heavy: true, bulky: true } },
+        { quantity: 20, warehouse: "x", flags: { heavy: true } }
       ],
       colour: [ 'green', 'brown' ],
       meta_json: { expected_ship_date: TEST_VTIME }
@@ -116,7 +123,7 @@ async function readTestFile() {
   assert.deepEqual(reader.getMetadata(), { "myuid": "420", "fnord": "dronf" })
 
   let schema = reader.getSchema();
-  assert.equal(schema.fieldList.length, 12);
+  assert.equal(schema.fieldList.length, 15);
   assert(schema.fields.name);
   assert(schema.fields.stock);
   assert(schema.fields.stock.fields.quantity);
@@ -150,7 +157,7 @@ async function readTestFile() {
     assert.equal(c.rLevelMax, 1);
     assert.equal(c.dLevelMax, 1);
     assert.equal(!!c.isNested, true);
-    assert.equal(c.fieldCount, 2);
+    assert.equal(c.fieldCount, 3);
   }
 
   {
@@ -183,6 +190,51 @@ async function readTestFile() {
     assert.equal(c.fieldCount, undefined);
   }
 
+  {
+    const c = schema.fields.stock.fields.flags;
+    assert.equal(c.name, 'flags');
+    assert.equal(c.primitiveType, undefined);
+    assert.equal(c.originalType, undefined);
+    assert.deepEqual(c.path, ['stock', 'flags']);
+    assert.equal(c.repetitionType, 'OPTIONAL');
+    assert.equal(c.encoding, undefined);
+    assert.equal(c.compression, undefined);
+    assert.equal(c.rLevelMax, 1);
+    assert.equal(c.dLevelMax, 2);
+    assert.equal(!!c.isNested, true);
+    assert.equal(c.fieldCount, 2);
+  }
+
+  {
+    const c = schema.fields.stock.fields.flags.fields.heavy;
+    assert.equal(c.name, 'heavy');
+    assert.equal(c.primitiveType, 'BOOLEAN');
+    assert.equal(c.originalType, undefined);
+    assert.deepEqual(c.path, ['stock', 'flags', 'heavy']);
+    assert.equal(c.repetitionType, 'OPTIONAL');
+    assert.equal(c.encoding, 'PLAIN');
+    assert.equal(c.compression, 'UNCOMPRESSED');
+    assert.equal(c.rLevelMax, 1);
+    assert.equal(c.dLevelMax, 3);
+    assert.equal(!!c.isNested, false);
+    assert.equal(c.fieldCount, undefined);
+  }
+
+  {
+    const c = schema.fields.stock.fields.flags.fields.bulky;
+    assert.equal(c.name, 'bulky');
+    assert.equal(c.primitiveType, 'BOOLEAN');
+    assert.equal(c.originalType, undefined);
+    assert.deepEqual(c.path, ['stock', 'flags', 'bulky']);
+    assert.equal(c.repetitionType, 'OPTIONAL');
+    assert.equal(c.encoding, 'PLAIN');
+    assert.equal(c.compression, 'UNCOMPRESSED');
+    assert.equal(c.rLevelMax, 1);
+    assert.equal(c.dLevelMax, 3);
+    assert.equal(!!c.isNested, false);
+    assert.equal(c.fieldCount, undefined);
+  }
+
   {
     const c = schema.fields.price;
     assert.equal(c.name, 'price');
@@ -210,8 +262,8 @@ async function readTestFile() {
         finger: Buffer.from("FNORD"),
         inter: { months: 42, days: 23, milliseconds: 777 },
         stock: [
-          { quantity: [10], warehouse: "A" },
-          { quantity: [20], warehouse: "B" }
+          { quantity: [10], warehouse: "A", flags: { heavy: true } },
+          { quantity: [20], warehouse: "B", flags: { heavy: true } }
         ],
         colour: [ 'green', 'red' ]
       });
@@ -238,8 +290,8 @@ async function readTestFile() {
         finger: Buffer.from("FNORD"),
         inter: { months: 42, days: 23, milliseconds: 777 },
         stock: [
-          { quantity: [42], warehouse: "f" },
-          { quantity: [20], warehouse: "x" }
+          { quantity: [42], warehouse: "f", flags: { heavy: true, bulky: true } },
+          { quantity: [20], warehouse: "x", flags: { heavy: true } }
         ],
         colour: [ 'green', 'brown' ],
         meta_json: { expected_ship_date: TEST_VTIME }
diff --git a/test/schema.js b/test/schema.js
index 7b290711..d846e491 100644
--- a/test/schema.js
+++ b/test/schema.js
@@ -467,4 +467,155 @@ describe('ParquetSchema', function() {
     }
   });
 
+  it('should assign correct defaults in a nested schema with nested fields', function() {
+    var schema = new parquet.ParquetSchema({
+      name: { type: 'UTF8' },
+      stock: {
+        repeated: true,
+        fields: {
+          quantity: { type: 'INT64', optional: true },
+          warehouse: { type: 'UTF8' },
+          flags: {
+            optional: true,
+            fields: {
+              heavy: { type: 'BOOLEAN', optional: true },
+              bulky: { type: 'BOOLEAN', optional: true },
+            },
+          },
+        }
+      },
+      price: { type: 'DOUBLE' },
+    });
+
+    assert.equal(schema.fieldList.length, 8);
+    assert(schema.fields.name);
+    assert(schema.fields.stock);
+    assert(schema.fields.stock.fields.quantity);
+    assert(schema.fields.stock.fields.warehouse);
+    assert(schema.fields.stock.fields.flags);
+    assert(schema.fields.stock.fields.flags.fields.heavy);
+    assert(schema.fields.stock.fields.flags.fields.bulky);
+    assert(schema.fields.price);
+
+    {
+      const c = schema.fields.name;
+      assert.equal(c.name, 'name');
+      assert.equal(c.primitiveType, 'BYTE_ARRAY');
+      assert.equal(c.originalType, 'UTF8');
+      assert.deepEqual(c.path, ['name']);
+      assert.equal(c.repetitionType, 'REQUIRED');
+      assert.equal(c.encoding, 'PLAIN');
+      assert.equal(c.compression, 'UNCOMPRESSED');
+      assert.equal(c.rLevelMax, 0);
+      assert.equal(c.dLevelMax, 0);
+      assert.equal(!!c.isNested, false);
+      assert.equal(c.fieldCount, undefined);
+    }
+
+    {
+      const c = schema.fields.stock;
+      assert.equal(c.name, 'stock');
+      assert.equal(c.primitiveType, undefined);
+      assert.equal(c.originalType, undefined);
+      assert.deepEqual(c.path, ['stock']);
+      assert.equal(c.repetitionType, 'REPEATED');
+      assert.equal(c.encoding, undefined);
+      assert.equal(c.compression, undefined);
+      assert.equal(c.rLevelMax, 1);
+      assert.equal(c.dLevelMax, 1);
+      assert.equal(!!c.isNested, true);
+      assert.equal(c.fieldCount, 3);
+    }
+
+    {
+      const c = schema.fields.stock.fields.quantity;
+      assert.equal(c.name, 'quantity');
+      assert.equal(c.primitiveType, 'INT64');
+      assert.equal(c.originalType, undefined);
+      assert.deepEqual(c.path, ['stock', 'quantity']);
+      assert.equal(c.repetitionType, 'OPTIONAL');
+      assert.equal(c.encoding, 'PLAIN');
+      assert.equal(c.compression, 'UNCOMPRESSED');
+      assert.equal(c.rLevelMax, 1);
+      assert.equal(c.dLevelMax, 2);
+      assert.equal(!!c.isNested, false);
+      assert.equal(c.fieldCount, undefined);
+    }
+
+    {
+      const c = schema.fields.stock.fields.warehouse;
+      assert.equal(c.name, 'warehouse');
+      assert.equal(c.primitiveType, 'BYTE_ARRAY');
+      assert.equal(c.originalType, 'UTF8');
+      assert.deepEqual(c.path, ['stock', 'warehouse']);
+      assert.equal(c.repetitionType, 'REQUIRED');
+      assert.equal(c.encoding, 'PLAIN');
+      assert.equal(c.compression, 'UNCOMPRESSED');
+      assert.equal(c.rLevelMax, 1);
+      assert.equal(c.dLevelMax, 1);
+      assert.equal(!!c.isNested, false);
+      assert.equal(c.fieldCount, undefined);
+    }
+
+    {
+      const c = schema.fields.stock.fields.flags;
+      assert.equal(c.name, 'flags');
+      assert.equal(c.primitiveType, undefined);
+      assert.equal(c.originalType, undefined);
+      assert.deepEqual(c.path, ['stock', 'flags']);
+      assert.equal(c.repetitionType, 'OPTIONAL');
+      assert.equal(c.encoding, undefined);
+      assert.equal(c.compression, undefined);
+      assert.equal(c.rLevelMax, 1);
+      assert.equal(c.dLevelMax, 2);
+      assert.equal(!!c.isNested, true);
+      assert.equal(c.fieldCount, 2);
+    }
+
+    {
+      const c = schema.fields.stock.fields.flags.fields.heavy;
+      assert.equal(c.name, 'heavy');
+      assert.equal(c.primitiveType, 'BOOLEAN');
+      assert.equal(c.originalType, undefined);
+      assert.deepEqual(c.path, ['stock', 'flags', 'heavy']);
+      assert.equal(c.repetitionType, 'OPTIONAL');
+      assert.equal(c.encoding, 'PLAIN');
+      assert.equal(c.compression, 'UNCOMPRESSED');
+      assert.equal(c.rLevelMax, 1);
+      assert.equal(c.dLevelMax, 3);
+      assert.equal(!!c.isNested, false);
+      assert.equal(c.fieldCount, undefined);
+    }
+
+    {
+      const c = schema.fields.stock.fields.flags.fields.bulky;
+      assert.equal(c.name, 'bulky');
+      assert.equal(c.primitiveType, 'BOOLEAN');
+      assert.equal(c.originalType, undefined);
+      assert.deepEqual(c.path, ['stock', 'flags', 'bulky']);
+      assert.equal(c.repetitionType, 'OPTIONAL');
+      assert.equal(c.encoding, 'PLAIN');
+      assert.equal(c.compression, 'UNCOMPRESSED');
+      assert.equal(c.rLevelMax, 1);
+      assert.equal(c.dLevelMax, 3);
+      assert.equal(!!c.isNested, false);
+      assert.equal(c.fieldCount, undefined);
+    }
+
+    {
+      const c = schema.fields.price;
+      assert.equal(c.name, 'price');
+      assert.equal(c.primitiveType, 'DOUBLE');
+      assert.equal(c.originalType, undefined);
+      assert.deepEqual(c.path, ['price']);
+      assert.equal(c.repetitionType, 'REQUIRED');
+      assert.equal(c.encoding, 'PLAIN');
+      assert.equal(c.compression, 'UNCOMPRESSED');
+      assert.equal(c.rLevelMax, 0);
+      assert.equal(c.dLevelMax, 0);
+      assert.equal(!!c.isNested, false);
+      assert.equal(c.fieldCount, undefined);
+    }
+  });
+
 });