diff --git a/service/storage_service.hh b/service/storage_service.hh
index 7bb2e80e64..46d74b16a4 100644
--- a/service/storage_service.hh
+++ b/service/storage_service.hh
@@ -390,7 +390,7 @@ private:
         {
             if (Gossiper.instance.getEndpointStateForEndpoint(DatabaseDescriptor.getReplaceAddress()).getApplicationState(ApplicationState.TOKENS) == null)
                 throw new RuntimeException("Could not find tokens for " + DatabaseDescriptor.getReplaceAddress() + " to replace");
-            Collection<Token> tokens = TokenSerializer.deserialize(getPartitioner(), new DataInputStream(new ByteArrayInputStream(getApplicationStateValue(DatabaseDescriptor.getReplaceAddress(), ApplicationState.TOKENS))));
+            Collection<Token> tokens = TokenSerializer.deserialize(getPartitioner(), new DataInputStream(new ByteArrayInputStream(get_application_state_value(DatabaseDescriptor.getReplaceAddress(), ApplicationState.TOKENS))));
 
             SystemKeyspace.setLocalHostId(hostId); // use the replacee's host Id as our own so we receive hints, etc
             Gossiper.instance.resetEndpointStateMap(); // clean up since we have what we need
@@ -1435,25 +1435,37 @@ public:
             }
         }
     }
-
-    private byte[] getApplicationStateValue(InetAddress endpoint, ApplicationState appstate)
-    {
-        String vvalue = Gossiper.instance.getEndpointStateForEndpoint(endpoint).getApplicationState(appstate).value;
-        return vvalue.getBytes(ISO_8859_1);
+#endif
+private:
+    sstring get_application_state_value(inet_address endpoint, application_state appstate) {
+        auto& gossiper = gms::get_local_gossiper();
+        auto eps = gossiper.get_endpoint_state_for_endpoint(endpoint);
+        if (!eps) {
+            return {};
+        }
+        auto v = eps->get_application_state(appstate);
+        if (!v) {
+            return {};
+        }
+        return v->value;
     }
 
-    private Collection<Token> getTokensFor(InetAddress endpoint)
-    {
-        try
-        {
-            return TokenSerializer.deserialize(getPartitioner(), new DataInputStream(new ByteArrayInputStream(getApplicationStateValue(endpoint, ApplicationState.TOKENS))));
-        }
-        catch (IOException e)
-        {
-            throw new RuntimeException(e);
+    std::set<token> get_tokens_for(inet_address endpoint) {
+        auto tokens_string = get_application_state_value(endpoint, application_state::TOKENS);
+        ss_debug("endpoint=%s, tokens_string=%s\n", endpoint, tokens_string);
+        std::vector<sstring> tokens;
+        std::set<token> ret;
+        boost::split(tokens, tokens_string, boost::is_any_of(";"));
+        for (auto str : tokens) {
+            ss_debug("token=%s\n", str);
+            sstring_view sv(str);
+            bytes b = from_hex(sv);
+            ret.emplace(token::kind::key, b);
         }
+        return ret;
     }
 
+#if 0
     /**
      * Handle node bootstrap
      *
@@ -1463,7 +1475,7 @@ public:
     {
         Collection<Token> tokens;
         // explicitly check for TOKENS, because a bootstrapping node might be bootstrapping in legacy mode; that is, not using vnodes and no token specified
-        tokens = getTokensFor(endpoint);
+        tokens = get_tokens_for(endpoint);
 
         if (logger.isDebugEnabled())
             logger.debug("Node {} state bootstrapping, token {}", endpoint, tokens);
@@ -1500,7 +1512,7 @@ public:
     {
         Collection<Token> tokens;
 
-        tokens = getTokensFor(endpoint);
+        tokens = get_tokens_for(endpoint);
 
         Set<Token> tokensToUpdateInMetadata = new HashSet<>();
         Set<Token> tokensToUpdateInSystemKeyspace = new HashSet<>();
@@ -1631,7 +1643,7 @@ public:
     private void handleStateLeaving(InetAddress endpoint)
     {
         Collection<Token> tokens;
-        tokens = getTokensFor(endpoint);
+        tokens = get_tokens_for(endpoint);
 
         if (logger.isDebugEnabled())
             logger.debug("Node {} state leaving, tokens {}", endpoint, tokens);
@@ -1666,7 +1678,7 @@ public:
     {
         assert pieces.length >= 2;
         Collection<Token> tokens;
-        tokens = getTokensFor(endpoint);
+        tokens = get_tokens_for(endpoint);
 
         if (logger.isDebugEnabled())
             logger.debug("Node {} state left, tokens {}", endpoint, tokens);