diff --git a/R/stratifyCohorts.R b/R/stratifyCohorts.R
index db5a0b26..5a98e425 100644
--- a/R/stratifyCohorts.R
+++ b/R/stratifyCohorts.R
@@ -49,36 +49,31 @@ stratifyCohorts <- function(cohort,
   cdm <- omopgenerics::cdmReference(cohort)
 
   if (length(strata) == 0 | sum(cohortCount(cohort)$number_records) == 0) {
-    if (identical(name, tableName(cohort))) {
-      return(cohort)
-    } else {
-      return(
-        cohort |>
-        dplyr::compute(name = name, temporary = FALSE) |>
-        omopgenerics::newCohortTable(.softValidation = TRUE)
-      )
-    }
+    return(
+      subsetCohorts(cohort = cohort, cohortId = cohortId, name = name)
+    )
   }
 
   strataCols <- unique(unlist(strata))
 
   set <- settings(cohort) |>
-    dplyr::filter(.data$cohort_definition_id %in% .env$cohortId) |>
-    dplyr::mutate("target_cohort_table_name" = tableName(cohort)) |>
-    dplyr::rename(
-      "target_cohort_id" = "cohort_definition_id",
-      "target_cohort_name" = "cohort_name"
-    )
-
+    dplyr::filter(.data$cohort_definition_id %in% .env$cohortId)
   # drop columns from set
-  dropCols <- colnames(set)[colnames(set) %in% strataCols]
+  dropCols <- colnames(set)[colnames(set) %in% c(
+    strataCols, "target_cohort_id", "target_cohort_name", "target_cohort_table_name", "strata_columns")]
   if (length(dropCols) > 0) {
     cli::cli_inform(c(
-      "!" = "{dropCols} {?is/are} present in settings and strata. Settings
-      column will be not considered."
+      "!" = "{dropCols} {?is/are} will be overwritten in settings."
     ))
     set <- set |> dplyr::select(!dplyr::all_of(dropCols))
   }
+  set <- set |>
+    dplyr::mutate("target_cohort_table_name" = tableName(cohort)) |>
+    dplyr::rename(
+      "target_cohort_id" = "cohort_definition_id",
+      "target_cohort_name" = "cohort_name"
+    )
+
 
   # get counts for attrition
   counts <- cohort |>
diff --git a/R/subsetCohorts.R b/R/subsetCohorts.R
index 2c8efac3..0c0cdd6f 100644
--- a/R/subsetCohorts.R
+++ b/R/subsetCohorts.R
@@ -29,7 +29,7 @@ subsetCohorts <- function(cohort,
                           minCohortCount = 0,
                           name = tableName(cohort)) {
   # checks
-  cohort <- validateCohortTable(cohort, TRUE)
+  cohort <- validateCohortTable(cohort)
   cohortId <- validateCohortId(cohortId, settings(cohort)$cohort_definition_id)
   name <- validateName(name)
   minCohortCount <- validateN(minCohortCount)
diff --git a/tests/testthat/test-stratifyCohorts.R b/tests/testthat/test-stratifyCohorts.R
index 1d76f40d..623cc172 100644
--- a/tests/testthat/test-stratifyCohorts.R
+++ b/tests/testthat/test-stratifyCohorts.R
@@ -49,6 +49,7 @@ test_that("simple stratification", {
     cdm$new_cohort <- cdm$cohort1 |>
       stratifyCohorts(
         strata = list(c("blood_type", "age_group"), "sex"),
+        removeStrata = FALSE,
         name = "new_cohort"
       )
   )
@@ -73,6 +74,32 @@ test_that("simple stratification", {
   expect_true(all(attritionCdi$number_subjects == c(2, 2, 1, 2, 1, 0, 1, 0, 0)))
   expect_true(all(attritionCdi$excluded_records == c(0, 1, 1, 0, 1, 1, 0, 1, 0)))
   expect_true(all(attritionCdi$excluded_subjects == c(0, 0, 1, 0, 1, 1, 0, 1, 0)))
+  expect_equal(
+    colnames(cdm$new_cohort),
+    c('cohort_definition_id', 'subject_id', 'cohort_start_date', 'cohort_end_date',
+    'extra_column', 'blood_type', 'sex', 'age_group')
+    )
+
+  # test settings drop columns
+  expect_message(
+    cdm$new_cohort2 <- cdm$new_cohort |>
+      stratifyCohorts(
+        strata = list(c("blood_type", "age_group"), "sex"),
+        name = "new_cohort2"
+      )
+  )
+  expect_equal(
+    colnames(cdm$new_cohort2),
+    c('cohort_definition_id', 'subject_id', 'cohort_start_date', 'cohort_end_date', 'extra_column')
+  )
+
+  cdm$new_cohort3 <- cdm$new_cohort |>
+    stratifyCohorts(
+      cohortId = 1,
+      strata = list(),
+      name = "new_cohort3"
+    )
+  expect_equal(collectCohort(cdm$new_cohort2, 1), collectCohort(cdm$new_cohort3, 1))
 
   # empty cohort
   cdm <- omopgenerics::emptyCohortTable(cdm, "empty_cohort")
diff --git a/tests/testthat/test-subsetCohorts.R b/tests/testthat/test-subsetCohorts.R
index e672815f..2ffeb67c 100644
--- a/tests/testthat/test-subsetCohorts.R
+++ b/tests/testthat/test-subsetCohorts.R
@@ -187,8 +187,11 @@ test_that("Testing minCohortCount argument", {
   cdm$sub2 <- cdm$cohort1 |> subsetCohorts(cohortId = 4, name = "sub2")
   expect_equal(settings(cdm$sub2), dplyr::tibble(cohort_definition_id = 4, cohort_name = "cohort_4"))
 
-  cdm$sub3 <- cdm$cohort1 |> subsetCohorts(cohortId = 4, minCohortCount = 1, name = "sub3")
+  cdm$sub3 <- cdm$cohort1 |>
+    dplyr::mutate(extra_col = 1) |>
+    subsetCohorts(cohortId = 4, minCohortCount = 1, name = "sub3")
   expect_true(nrow(settings(cdm$sub3)) == 0)
+  expect_true("extra_col" %in% colnames(cdm$sub3))
 
   PatientProfiles::mockDisconnect(cdm)
 })