diff --git a/crates/amalthea/src/comm/data_explorer_comm.rs b/crates/amalthea/src/comm/data_explorer_comm.rs
index 6cb5c3313..0ea88a1ae 100644
--- a/crates/amalthea/src/comm/data_explorer_comm.rs
+++ b/crates/amalthea/src/comm/data_explorer_comm.rs
@@ -11,6 +11,13 @@
 use serde::Deserialize;
 use serde::Serialize;
 
+/// Result in Methods
+#[derive(Clone, Debug, Serialize, Deserialize, PartialEq)]
+pub struct OpenDatasetResult {
+	/// An error message if opening the dataset failed
+	pub error_message: Option<String>
+}
+
 /// Result in Methods
 #[derive(Clone, Debug, Serialize, Deserialize, PartialEq)]
 pub struct SearchSchemaResult {
@@ -67,7 +74,15 @@ pub struct BackendState {
 	pub sort_keys: Vec<ColumnSortKey>,
 
 	/// The features currently supported by the backend instance
-	pub supported_features: SupportedFeatures
+	pub supported_features: SupportedFeatures,
+
+	/// Optional flag allowing backend to report that it is unable to serve
+	/// requests. This parameter may change.
+	pub connected: Option<bool>,
+
+	/// Optional experimental parameter to provide an explanation when
+	/// connected=false. This parameter may change.
+	pub error_message: Option<String>
 }
 
 /// Schema for a column in a table
@@ -985,6 +1000,13 @@ pub enum ArraySelection {
 	SelectIndices(DataSelectionIndices)
 }
 
+/// Parameters for the OpenDataset method.
+#[derive(Clone, Debug, Serialize, Deserialize, PartialEq)]
+pub struct OpenDatasetParams {
+	/// The resource locator or file path
+	pub uri: String,
+}
+
 /// Parameters for the GetSchema method.
 #[derive(Clone, Debug, Serialize, Deserialize, PartialEq)]
 pub struct GetSchemaParams {
@@ -1079,6 +1101,9 @@ pub struct ReturnColumnProfilesParams {
 
 	/// Array of individual column profile results
 	pub profiles: Vec<ColumnProfileResult>,
+
+	/// Optional error message if something failed to compute
+	pub error_message: Option<String>,
 }
 
 /**
@@ -1087,6 +1112,12 @@ pub struct ReturnColumnProfilesParams {
 #[derive(Clone, Debug, Serialize, Deserialize, PartialEq)]
 #[serde(tag = "method", content = "params")]
 pub enum DataExplorerBackendRequest {
+	/// Request to open a dataset given a URI
+	///
+	/// Request to open a dataset given a URI
+	#[serde(rename = "open_dataset")]
+	OpenDataset(OpenDatasetParams),
+
 	/// Request schema
 	///
 	/// Request subset of column schemas for a table-like object
@@ -1160,6 +1191,8 @@ pub enum DataExplorerBackendRequest {
 #[derive(Clone, Debug, Serialize, Deserialize, PartialEq)]
 #[serde(tag = "method", content = "result")]
 pub enum DataExplorerBackendReply {
+	OpenDatasetReply(OpenDatasetResult),
+
 	GetSchemaReply(TableSchema),
 
 	SearchSchemaReply(SearchSchemaResult),
diff --git a/crates/ark/src/data_explorer/column_profile.rs b/crates/ark/src/data_explorer/column_profile.rs
index b992f443d..0535fc553 100644
--- a/crates/ark/src/data_explorer/column_profile.rs
+++ b/crates/ark/src/data_explorer/column_profile.rs
@@ -68,6 +68,7 @@ pub async fn handle_columns_profiles_requests(
     let event = DataExplorerFrontendEvent::ReturnColumnProfiles(ReturnColumnProfilesParams {
         callback_id,
         profiles,
+        error_message: None,
     });
 
     let json_event = serde_json::to_value(event)?;
diff --git a/crates/ark/src/data_explorer/r_data_explorer.rs b/crates/ark/src/data_explorer/r_data_explorer.rs
index e73cd15a0..7836780ff 100644
--- a/crates/ark/src/data_explorer/r_data_explorer.rs
+++ b/crates/ark/src/data_explorer/r_data_explorer.rs
@@ -522,6 +522,10 @@ impl RDataExplorer {
 
             DataExplorerBackendRequest::GetState => r_task(|| self.r_get_state()),
 
+            DataExplorerBackendRequest::OpenDataset(_) => {
+                return Err(anyhow!("Data Explorer: Not yet supported"));
+            },
+
             DataExplorerBackendRequest::SearchSchema(_) => {
                 return Err(anyhow!("Data Explorer: Not yet supported"));
             },
@@ -873,6 +877,8 @@ impl RDataExplorer {
     fn r_get_state(&self) -> anyhow::Result<DataExplorerBackendReply> {
         let state = BackendState {
             display_name: self.title.clone(),
+            connected: Some(true),
+            error_message: None,
             table_shape: TableShape {
                 num_rows: match self.filtered_indices {
                     Some(ref indices) => indices.len() as i64,