diff --git a/db/schema_tables.cc b/db/schema_tables.cc
index 137191a3a4..824da80c75 100644
--- a/db/schema_tables.cc
+++ b/db/schema_tables.cc
@@ -130,7 +130,7 @@ using days = std::chrono::duration<int, std::ratio<24 * 3600>>;
         "table definitions"
         )));
         builder.set_gc_grace_seconds(std::chrono::duration_cast<std::chrono::seconds>(days(7)).count());
-        return builder.build();
+        return builder.build(schema_builder::compact_storage::no);
     }();
     return columnfamilies;
 }
@@ -159,7 +159,7 @@ using days = std::chrono::duration<int, std::ratio<24 * 3600>>;
         "column definitions"
         )));
         builder.set_gc_grace_seconds(std::chrono::duration_cast<std::chrono::seconds>(days(7)).count());
-        return builder.build();
+        return builder.build(schema_builder::compact_storage::no);
     }();
     return columns;
 }
@@ -183,7 +183,7 @@ using days = std::chrono::duration<int, std::ratio<24 * 3600>>;
         "trigger definitions"
         )));
         builder.set_gc_grace_seconds(std::chrono::duration_cast<std::chrono::seconds>(days(7)).count());
-        return builder.build();
+        return builder.build(schema_builder::compact_storage::no);
     }();
     return triggers;
 }
@@ -208,7 +208,7 @@ using days = std::chrono::duration<int, std::ratio<24 * 3600>>;
         "user defined type definitions"
         )));
         builder.set_gc_grace_seconds(std::chrono::duration_cast<std::chrono::seconds>(days(7)).count());
-        return builder.build();
+        return builder.build(schema_builder::compact_storage::no);
     }();
     return usertypes;
 }
@@ -237,7 +237,7 @@ using days = std::chrono::duration<int, std::ratio<24 * 3600>>;
         "user defined type definitions"
         )));
         builder.set_gc_grace_seconds(std::chrono::duration_cast<std::chrono::seconds>(days(7)).count());
-        return builder.build();
+        return builder.build(schema_builder::compact_storage::no);
     }();
     return functions;
 }
@@ -266,7 +266,7 @@ using days = std::chrono::duration<int, std::ratio<24 * 3600>>;
         "user defined aggregate definitions"
         )));
         builder.set_gc_grace_seconds(std::chrono::duration_cast<std::chrono::seconds>(days(7)).count());
-        return builder.build();
+        return builder.build(schema_builder::compact_storage::no);
     }();
     return aggregates;
 }
diff --git a/db/system_keyspace.cc b/db/system_keyspace.cc
index cc91ce73ec..6aaf9360a3 100644
--- a/db/system_keyspace.cc
+++ b/db/system_keyspace.cc
@@ -105,7 +105,7 @@ schema_ptr batchlog() {
         //    .compactionStrategyOptions(Collections.singletonMap("min_threshold", "2"))
        )));
        builder.set_gc_grace_seconds(0);
-       return builder.build();
+       return builder.build(schema_builder::compact_storage::no);
     }();
     return batchlog;
 }
@@ -129,7 +129,7 @@ schema_ptr batchlog() {
         // operations on resulting CFMetaData:
         //    .compactionStrategyClass(LeveledCompactionStrategy.class);
        )));
-       return builder.build();
+       return builder.build(schema_builder::compact_storage::no);
     }();
     return paxos;
 }
@@ -191,7 +191,7 @@ schema_ptr built_indexes() {
         // comment
         "information about the local node"
        )));
-       return builder.build();
+       return builder.build(schema_builder::compact_storage::no);
     }();
     return local;
 }
@@ -221,7 +221,7 @@ schema_ptr built_indexes() {
         // comment
         "information about known peers in the cluster"
        )));
-       return builder.build();
+       return builder.build(schema_builder::compact_storage::no);
     }();
     return peers;
 }
@@ -244,7 +244,7 @@ schema_ptr built_indexes() {
         // comment
         "events related to peers"
        )));
-       return builder.build();
+       return builder.build(schema_builder::compact_storage::no);
     }();
     return peer_events;
 }
@@ -265,7 +265,7 @@ schema_ptr built_indexes() {
         // comment
         "ranges requested for transfer"
        )));
-       return builder.build();
+       return builder.build(schema_builder::compact_storage::no);
     }();
     return range_xfers;
 }
@@ -290,7 +290,7 @@ schema_ptr built_indexes() {
         // comment
         "unfinished compactions"
         )));
-       return builder.build();
+       return builder.build(schema_builder::compact_storage::no);
     }();
     return compactions_in_progress;
 }
@@ -319,7 +319,7 @@ schema_ptr built_indexes() {
         "week-long compaction history"
         )));
         builder.set_default_time_to_live(std::chrono::duration_cast<std::chrono::seconds>(days(7)));
-        return builder.build();
+        return builder.build(schema_builder::compact_storage::no);
     }();
     return compaction_history;
 }
@@ -347,7 +347,7 @@ schema_ptr built_indexes() {
         // comment
         "historic sstable read rates"
        )));
-       return builder.build();
+       return builder.build(schema_builder::compact_storage::no);
     }();
     return sstable_activity;
 }
@@ -372,7 +372,7 @@ schema_ptr size_estimates() {
             "per-table primary range size estimates"
             )));
         builder.set_gc_grace_seconds(0);
-        return builder.build();
+        return builder.build(schema_builder::compact_storage::no);
     }();
     return size_estimates;
 }
diff --git a/schema.cc b/schema.cc
index fc46892dd6..44c1947209 100644
--- a/schema.cc
+++ b/schema.cc
@@ -336,6 +336,10 @@ schema_builder& schema_builder::with_column(bytes name, data_type type, index_in
     return *this;
 }
 
+schema_ptr schema_builder::build() {
+    return make_lw_shared<schema>(schema(_raw));
+}
+
 schema_ptr schema_builder::build(compact_storage cp) {
     schema s(_raw);
 
diff --git a/schema_builder.hh b/schema_builder.hh
index 1b88ccd8d6..47e2d00949 100644
--- a/schema_builder.hh
+++ b/schema_builder.hh
@@ -163,5 +163,6 @@ public:
     void add_default_index_names(database&);
 
     enum class compact_storage { no, yes };
-    schema_ptr build(compact_storage = compact_storage::no);
+    schema_ptr build(compact_storage cp);
+    schema_ptr build();
 };
diff --git a/tests/cql_test_env.cc b/tests/cql_test_env.cc
index 600956716a..6cc527c63a 100644
--- a/tests/cql_test_env.cc
+++ b/tests/cql_test_env.cc
@@ -96,7 +96,7 @@ public:
         return _db->invoke_on_all([schema_maker, id, this] (database& db) {
             schema_builder builder(make_lw_shared(schema_maker(ks_name)));
             builder.set_uuid(id);
-            auto cf_schema = builder.build();
+            auto cf_schema = builder.build(schema_builder::compact_storage::no);
             auto& ks = db.find_keyspace(ks_name);
             auto cfg = ks.make_column_family_config(*cf_schema);
             db.add_column_family(std::move(cf_schema), std::move(cfg));
diff --git a/tests/sstable_datafile_test.cc b/tests/sstable_datafile_test.cc
index 8ee698c338..77dc602082 100644
--- a/tests/sstable_datafile_test.cc
+++ b/tests/sstable_datafile_test.cc
@@ -900,7 +900,7 @@ static future<> sstable_compression_test(compressor c, unsigned generation) {
         // NOTE: set a given compressor algorithm to schema.
         schema_builder builder(complex_schema());
         builder.set_compressor_params(c);
-        auto s = builder.build();
+        auto s = builder.build(schema_builder::compact_storage::no);
 
         auto mtp = make_lw_shared<memtable>(s);
 
diff --git a/tests/sstable_test.hh b/tests/sstable_test.hh
index 5839f547ad..2910fd5406 100644
--- a/tests/sstable_test.hh
+++ b/tests/sstable_test.hh
@@ -103,7 +103,7 @@ inline schema_ptr composite_schema() {
         // comment
         "Table with a composite key as pkey"
        )));
-       return builder.build();
+       return builder.build(schema_builder::compact_storage::no);
     }();
     return s;
 }
@@ -127,7 +127,7 @@ inline schema_ptr set_schema() {
         // comment
         "Table with a set as pkeys"
        )));
-       return builder.build();
+       return builder.build(schema_builder::compact_storage::no);
     }();
     return s;
 }
@@ -151,7 +151,7 @@ inline schema_ptr map_schema() {
         // comment
         "Table with a map as pkeys"
        )));
-       return builder.build();
+       return builder.build(schema_builder::compact_storage::no);
     }();
     return s;
 }
@@ -175,7 +175,7 @@ inline schema_ptr list_schema() {
         // comment
         "Table with a list as pkeys"
        )));
-       return builder.build();
+       return builder.build(schema_builder::compact_storage::no);
     }();
     return s;
 }
@@ -196,7 +196,7 @@ inline schema_ptr uncompressed_schema() {
         // comment
         "Uncompressed data"
        )));
-       return builder.build();
+       return builder.build(schema_builder::compact_storage::no);
     }();
     return uncompressed;
 }
@@ -229,7 +229,7 @@ inline schema_ptr complex_schema() {
         // comment
         "Table with a complex schema, including collections and static keys"
        )));
-       return builder.build();
+       return builder.build(schema_builder::compact_storage::no);
     }();
     return s;
 }
@@ -257,7 +257,7 @@ inline schema_ptr columns_schema() {
         // comment
         "column definitions"
        )));
-       return builder.build();
+       return builder.build(schema_builder::compact_storage::no);
     }();
     return columns;
 }