diff --git a/ctapipe/containers.py b/ctapipe/containers.py
index 3fbb88a762c..bd2ea03d479 100644
--- a/ctapipe/containers.py
+++ b/ctapipe/containers.py
@@ -1056,6 +1056,8 @@ class TelescopePointingContainer(Container):
     between camera and sky coordinates.
     """
 
+    default_prefix = "telescope_pointing"
+
     azimuth = Field(nan * u.rad, "Azimuth, measured N->E", unit=u.rad)
     altitude = Field(nan * u.rad, "Altitude", unit=u.rad)
 
diff --git a/ctapipe/io/pointing.py b/ctapipe/io/pointing.py
index 81f1683504f..e78e913ccbe 100644
--- a/ctapipe/io/pointing.py
+++ b/ctapipe/io/pointing.py
@@ -44,10 +44,10 @@ def _read_pointing_table(self, tel_id):
         pointing_table.sort("time")
         mjd = pointing_table["time"].tai.mjd
 
-        az = pointing_table["azimuth"].quantity.to_value(u.rad)
+        az = pointing_table["telescope_pointing_azimuth"].quantity.to_value(u.rad)
         # prepare azimuth for interpolation "unwrapping", i.e. turning 359, 1 into 359, 361
         az = np.unwrap(az)
-        alt = pointing_table["altitude"].quantity.to_value(u.rad)
+        alt = pointing_table["telescope_pointing_altitude"].quantity.to_value(u.rad)
 
         self._az_interpolators[tel_id] = interp1d(mjd, az, **self.interp_options)
         self._alt_interpolators[tel_id] = interp1d(mjd, alt, **self.interp_options)
diff --git a/ctapipe/io/tests/test_table_loader.py b/ctapipe/io/tests/test_table_loader.py
index 8f066c6d02c..b25460f7bf7 100644
--- a/ctapipe/io/tests/test_table_loader.py
+++ b/ctapipe/io/tests/test_table_loader.py
@@ -462,7 +462,13 @@ def test_interpolate_pointing(dl1_file, tmp_path):
     alt = (69 + 2 * dt / dt[-1]) * u.deg
     az = (180 + 5 * dt / dt[-1]) * u.deg
 
-    table = Table({"time": time_mon, "azimuth": az, "altitude": alt})
+    table = Table(
+        {
+            "time": time_mon,
+            "telescope_pointing_azimuth": az,
+            "telescope_pointing_altitude": alt,
+        }
+    )
 
     for tel_id in subarray.tel:
         write_table(table, path, f"/dl0/monitoring/telescope/pointing/tel_{tel_id:03d}")