diff --git a/pypgstac/pypgstac/load.py b/pypgstac/pypgstac/load.py
index 4e87a9cf..aea85371 100644
--- a/pypgstac/pypgstac/load.py
+++ b/pypgstac/pypgstac/load.py
@@ -511,8 +511,8 @@ def format_item(self, _item: Union[Path, str, dict]) -> dict:
 
         base_item, key, partition_trunc = self.collection_json(item["collection"])
 
-        out["id"] = item.pop("id")
-        out["collection"] = item.pop("collection")
+        out["id"] = item.get("id")
+        out["collection"] = item.get("collection")
         properties: dict = item.get("properties", {})
 
         dt = properties.get("datetime")
@@ -544,9 +544,8 @@ def format_item(self, _item: Union[Path, str, dict]) -> dict:
 
         out["partition"] = partition
 
-        bbox = item.pop("bbox")
-        geojson = item.pop("geometry")
-        if geojson is None and bbox is not None:
+        geojson = item.get("geometry")
+        if geojson is None:
             geometry = None
         else:
             geometry = str(Geometry.from_geojson(geojson).wkb)
@@ -554,6 +553,12 @@ def format_item(self, _item: Union[Path, str, dict]) -> dict:
 
         content = dehydrate(base_item, item)
 
+        # Remove keys from the dehydrated item content which are stored directly
+        # on the table row.
+        content.pop("id", None)
+        content.pop("collection", None)
+        content.pop("geometry", None)
+
         out["content"] = orjson.dumps(content).decode()
 
         return out
diff --git a/pypgstac/tests/test_load.py b/pypgstac/tests/test_load.py
index 29692321..4e2bce2a 100644
--- a/pypgstac/tests/test_load.py
+++ b/pypgstac/tests/test_load.py
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 """Tests for pypgstac."""
+import json
 from pathlib import Path
-from pypgstac.load import Methods, Loader
+from pypgstac.load import Methods, Loader, read_json
 from psycopg.errors import UniqueViolation
 import pytest
 
@@ -239,3 +240,30 @@ def test_load_items_dehydrated_ignore_succeeds(loader: Loader) -> None:
     loader.load_items(
         str(TEST_DEHYDRATED_ITEMS), insert_mode=Methods.ignore, dehydrated=True
     )
+
+
+def test_format_items_keys(loader: Loader) -> None:
+    """Test pypgstac items ignore loader."""
+    loader.load_collections(
+        str(TEST_COLLECTIONS_JSON),
+        insert_mode=Methods.ignore,
+    )
+
+    items_iter = read_json(str(TEST_ITEMS))
+    item_json = next(iter(items_iter))
+    out = loader.format_item(item_json)
+
+    # Top level keys expected after format
+    assert "id" in out
+    assert "collection" in out
+    assert "geometry" in out
+    assert "content" in out
+
+    # Special keys expected not to be in the item content
+    content_json = json.loads(out["content"])
+    assert "id" not in content_json
+    assert "collection" not in content_json
+    assert "geometry" not in content_json
+
+    # Ensure bbox is included in content
+    assert "bbox" in content_json