diff --git a/service/storage_proxy.cc b/service/storage_proxy.cc
index 185f08fba0..6c6a27fa45 100644
--- a/service/storage_proxy.cc
+++ b/service/storage_proxy.cc
@@ -6408,8 +6408,8 @@ storage_proxy::query_partition_key_range_concurrent(storage_proxy::clock_type::t
     std::vector<foreign_ptr<lw_shared_ptr<query::result>>> results;
     schema_ptr schema = local_schema_registry().get(cmd->schema_version);
     auto p = shared_from_this();
-    auto& cf= _db.local().find_column_family(schema);
-    auto pcf = _db.local().get_config().cache_hit_rate_read_balancing() ? &cf : nullptr;
+    auto cf = _db.local().find_column_family(schema).shared_from_this();
+    auto pcf = _db.local().get_config().cache_hit_rate_read_balancing() ? &*cf : nullptr;
 
     if (_features.range_scan_data_variant) {
         cmd->slice.options.set<query::partition_slice::option::range_scan_data_variant>();
@@ -6434,6 +6434,9 @@ storage_proxy::query_partition_key_range_concurrent(storage_proxy::clock_type::t
         concurrency_factor = std::max(size_t(1), ranges.size());
 
         while (i != ranges.end()) {
+            co_await utils::get_local_injector().inject(
+                "query_partition_key_range_concurrent_scan_pause",
+                utils::wait_for_message(std::chrono::seconds(30)));
             dht::partition_range& range = *i;
             host_id_vector_replica_set live_endpoints = get_endpoints_for_reading(*schema, *erm, end_token(range), node_local_only);
             host_id_vector_replica_set merged_preferred_replicas = preferred_replicas_for_range(*i);
@@ -6558,7 +6561,7 @@ storage_proxy::query_partition_key_range_concurrent(storage_proxy::clock_type::t
                 throw;
             }
 
-            exec.push_back(::make_shared<never_speculating_read_executor>(schema, cf.shared_from_this(), p, erm, cmd, std::move(range), cl, std::move(filtered_endpoints), trace_state, permit, std::monostate()));
+            exec.push_back(::make_shared<never_speculating_read_executor>(schema, cf, p, erm, cmd, std::move(range), cl, std::move(filtered_endpoints), trace_state, permit, std::monostate()));
             ranges_per_exec.emplace(exec.back().get(), std::move(merged_ranges));
         }
 
diff --git a/test/boost/storage_proxy_test.cc b/test/boost/storage_proxy_test.cc
index 07e385aaa7..e36a2acade 100644
--- a/test/boost/storage_proxy_test.cc
+++ b/test/boost/storage_proxy_test.cc
@@ -14,9 +14,14 @@
 #include <seastar/testing/thread_test_case.hh>
 
 #include "test/lib/cql_test_env.hh"
+#include "test/lib/cql_assertions.hh"
+#include "test/lib/eventually.hh"
+#include "transport/messages/result_message.hh"
+#include "types/types.hh"
 #include "service/storage_proxy.hh"
 #include "query_ranges_to_vnodes.hh"
 #include "schema/schema_builder.hh"
+#include "utils/error_injection.hh"
 
 BOOST_AUTO_TEST_SUITE(storage_proxy_test)
 
@@ -138,4 +143,60 @@ SEASTAR_THREAD_TEST_CASE(test_split_stats) {
     stats2->register_metrics_for("DC1", ep1);
 }
 
+SEASTAR_TEST_CASE(test_drop_table_during_range_scan) {
+#ifdef SCYLLA_ENABLE_ERROR_INJECTION
+    return do_with_cql_env_thread([] (cql_test_env& e) {
+        e.execute_cql("CREATE TABLE tbl (a int PRIMARY KEY, b int)").get();
+        for (int i = 0; i < 100; i++) {
+            e.execute_cql(format("INSERT INTO tbl (a, b) VALUES ({}, {})", i, i * 10)).get();
+        }
+
+        utils::get_local_injector().enable("query_partition_key_range_concurrent_scan_pause");
+
+        // Start scan in background
+        auto scan_fut = e.execute_cql("SELECT * FROM tbl");
+
+        // Wait until the scan hits the pause point
+        REQUIRE_EVENTUALLY_EQUAL(std::function<size_t()>([] {
+            return utils::get_local_injector().waiters("query_partition_key_range_concurrent_scan_pause");
+        }), size_t(1));
+
+        // Get current schema version before drop
+        auto get_schema_version = [&e] {
+            auto msg = e.execute_cql("SELECT schema_version FROM system.local WHERE key='local'").get();
+            auto rows = dynamic_pointer_cast<cql_transport::messages::result_message::rows>(msg);
+            auto& rs = rows->rs().result_set();
+            return value_cast<utils::UUID>(uuid_type->deserialize(*rs.rows()[0][0]));
+        };
+        auto schema_version_before_drop = get_schema_version();
+
+        // Drop the table while scan is paused (run in background since drop
+        // may wait for in-flight reads to complete)
+        auto drop_fut = e.execute_cql("DROP TABLE tbl");
+
+        // Wait for schema version to change in system.local (indicates drop is fully applied)
+        REQUIRE_EVENTUALLY_EQUAL(std::function<bool()>([&] {
+            return get_schema_version() != schema_version_before_drop;
+        }), true);
+
+        // Resume the scan after table is gone
+        utils::get_local_injector().receive_message("query_partition_key_range_concurrent_scan_pause");
+        utils::get_local_injector().disable("query_partition_key_range_concurrent_scan_pause");
+
+        // Wait for drop future
+        drop_fut.get();
+
+        // The scan should either complete or throw, but not crash
+        try {
+            scan_fut.get();
+        } catch (...) {
+            // Expected - table was dropped mid-scan
+        }
+    });
+#else
+    std::cerr << "Skipping test as it depends on error injection. Please run in mode where it's enabled (debug,dev).\n";
+    return make_ready_future<>();
+#endif
+}
+
 BOOST_AUTO_TEST_SUITE_END()