diff --git a/cache_flat_mutation_reader.hh b/cache_flat_mutation_reader.hh
index abc1ee7b0e..401ee73581 100644
--- a/cache_flat_mutation_reader.hh
+++ b/cache_flat_mutation_reader.hh
@@ -732,7 +732,7 @@ void cache_flat_mutation_reader::maybe_add_to_cache(const range_tombstone& rt) {
     if (can_populate()) {
         clogger.trace("csm {}: maybe_add_to_cache({})", fmt::ptr(this), rt);
         _lsa_manager.run_in_update_section_with_allocator([&] {
-            _snp->version()->partition().row_tombstones().apply_monotonically(*_schema, rt);
+            _snp->version()->partition().mutable_row_tombstones().apply_monotonically(*_schema, rt);
         });
     } else {
         _read_context.cache().on_mispopulate();
diff --git a/flat_mutation_reader.cc b/flat_mutation_reader.cc
index 6cf1efd60e..d5888c94c4 100644
--- a/flat_mutation_reader.cc
+++ b/flat_mutation_reader.cc
@@ -466,7 +466,7 @@ flat_mutation_reader_from_mutations(reader_permit permit, std::vector<mutation>
             }
         }
         void prepare_next_range_tombstone() {
-            auto& rts = _cur->partition().row_tombstones();
+            auto& rts = _cur->partition().mutable_row_tombstones();
             auto rt = rts.pop_front_and_lock();
             if (rt) {
                 auto rt_deleter = defer([rt] { current_deleter<range_tombstone>()(rt); });
@@ -521,7 +521,7 @@ flat_mutation_reader_from_mutations(reader_permit permit, std::vector<mutation>
             auto deleter = current_deleter<rows_entry>();
             crs.clear_and_dispose(deleter);
 
-            auto &rts = _cur->partition().row_tombstones();
+            auto &rts = _cur->partition().mutable_row_tombstones();
             auto rt = rts.pop_front_and_lock();
             while (rt) {
                 current_deleter<range_tombstone>()(rt);
diff --git a/mutation_partition.cc b/mutation_partition.cc
index 7c0357c10e..22fcdbb2b0 100644
--- a/mutation_partition.cc
+++ b/mutation_partition.cc
@@ -1136,7 +1136,7 @@ bool mutation_partition::equal_continuity(const schema& s, const mutation_partit
 
 mutation_partition mutation_partition::sliced(const schema& s, const query::clustering_row_ranges& ranges) const {
     auto p = mutation_partition(*this, s, ranges);
-    p.row_tombstones().trim(s, ranges);
+    p._row_tombstones.trim(s, ranges);
     return p;
 }
 
diff --git a/mutation_partition.hh b/mutation_partition.hh
index 42be1d91e4..c1516f8bd6 100644
--- a/mutation_partition.hh
+++ b/mutation_partition.hh
@@ -1314,6 +1314,7 @@ public:
 
     const range_tombstone_list& row_tombstones() const noexcept { return _row_tombstones; }
     range_tombstone_list& row_tombstones() noexcept { return _row_tombstones; }
+    range_tombstone_list& mutable_row_tombstones() noexcept { return _row_tombstones; }
 
     const row* find_row(const schema& s, const clustering_key& key) const;
     tombstone range_tombstone_for_row(const schema& schema, const clustering_key& key) const;
diff --git a/partition_version.cc b/partition_version.cc
index 40a10fe7d7..3cc5656e5b 100644
--- a/partition_version.cc
+++ b/partition_version.cc
@@ -437,10 +437,10 @@ utils::coroutine partition_entry::apply_to_incomplete(const schema& s,
                         }
                     }
                     dirty_size += current->partition().row_tombstones().external_memory_usage(s);
-                    range_tombstone_list& tombstones = dst.partition().row_tombstones();
+                    range_tombstone_list& tombstones = dst.partition().mutable_row_tombstones();
                     // FIXME: defer while applying range tombstones
                     if (can_move) {
-                        tombstones.apply_monotonically(s, std::move(current->partition().row_tombstones()));
+                        tombstones.apply_monotonically(s, std::move(current->partition().mutable_row_tombstones()));
                     } else {
                         tombstones.apply_monotonically(s, current->partition().row_tombstones());
                     }
diff --git a/test/boost/cache_flat_mutation_reader_test.cc b/test/boost/cache_flat_mutation_reader_test.cc
index df73725668..da617a31a2 100644
--- a/test/boost/cache_flat_mutation_reader_test.cc
+++ b/test/boost/cache_flat_mutation_reader_test.cc
@@ -177,7 +177,7 @@ struct expected_tombstone {
 };
 
 static void assert_cached_tombstones(partition_snapshot_ptr snp, std::deque<range_tombstone> expected, const query::clustering_row_ranges& ck_ranges) {
-    range_tombstone_list rts = snp->version()->partition().row_tombstones();
+    range_tombstone_list rts = snp->version()->partition().mutable_row_tombstones();
     rts.trim(*SCHEMA, ck_ranges);
 
     range_tombstone_list expected_list(*SCHEMA);
diff --git a/test/boost/row_cache_test.cc b/test/boost/row_cache_test.cc
index ec49f57a00..b06d7c8113 100644
--- a/test/boost/row_cache_test.cc
+++ b/test/boost/row_cache_test.cc
@@ -3249,7 +3249,7 @@ SEASTAR_TEST_CASE(test_concurrent_reads_and_eviction) {
                     auto actual = *actual_opt;
 
                     auto&& ranges = slice.row_ranges(*s, actual.key());
-                    actual.partition().row_tombstones().trim(*s, ranges);
+                    actual.partition().mutable_row_tombstones().trim(*s, ranges);
 
                     auto n_to_consider = last_generation - oldest_generation + 1;
                     auto possible_versions = boost::make_iterator_range(versions.end() - n_to_consider, versions.end());