diff --git a/test/cluster/object_store/test_backup.py b/test/cluster/object_store/test_backup.py
index fed9de9f9a..d5b21209d6 100644
--- a/test/cluster/object_store/test_backup.py
+++ b/test/cluster/object_store/test_backup.py
@@ -902,32 +902,35 @@ async def test_restore_primary_replica(manager: ManagerClient, object_storage, d
             scope = "all"
         expected_replicas = 1
 
-    ks = 'ks'
     cf = 'cf'
+    keys = range(256)
+    replication_str = f"WITH replication = {{'class': 'NetworkTopologyStrategy', 'replication_factor': {topology.rf}}}"
 
     servers, host_ids = await create_cluster(topology, manager, logger, object_storage)
 
     await manager.disable_tablet_balancing()
     cql = manager.get_cql()
 
-    schema, keys, replication_opts = await create_dataset(manager, ks, cf, topology, logger)
+    async with new_test_keyspace(manager, replication_str) as ks:
+        cql.execute(create_schema(ks, cf))
+        stmt = cql.prepare(f"INSERT INTO {ks}.{cf} ( pk, value ) VALUES (?, ?)")
+        stmt.consistency_level = ConsistencyLevel.ALL
+        await asyncio.gather(*(cql.run_async(stmt, (str(k), k)) for k in keys))
 
-    # validate replicas assertions hold on fresh dataset
-    await check_mutation_replicas(cql, manager, servers, keys, topology, logger, ks, cf)
+        # validate replicas assertions hold on fresh dataset
+        await check_mutation_replicas(cql, manager, servers, keys, topology, logger, ks, cf)
 
-    snap_name, sstables = await take_snapshot(ks, servers, manager, logger)
-    prefix = f'{cf}/{snap_name}'
+        snap_name, sstables = await take_snapshot(ks, servers, manager, logger)
+        prefix = f'{cf}/{snap_name}'
 
-    await asyncio.gather(*(do_backup(s, snap_name, prefix, ks, cf, object_storage, manager, logger) for s in servers))
+        await asyncio.gather(*(do_backup(s, snap_name, prefix, ks, cf, object_storage, manager, logger) for s in servers))
 
-    logger.info(f'Re-initialize keyspace')
-    cql.execute(f'DROP KEYSPACE {ks}')
-    cql.execute((f"CREATE KEYSPACE {ks} WITH REPLICATION = {replication_opts};"))
-    cql.execute(schema)
+    async with new_test_keyspace(manager, replication_str) as ks:
+        cql.execute(create_schema(ks, cf))
 
-    await asyncio.gather(*(do_restore_server(manager, logger, ks, cf, s, sstables[s], scope, True, prefix, object_storage) for s in servers))
+        await asyncio.gather(*(do_restore_server(manager, logger, ks, cf, s, sstables[s], scope, True, prefix, object_storage) for s in servers))
 
-    await check_mutation_replicas(cql, manager, servers, keys, topology, logger, ks, cf, expected_replicas=expected_replicas)
+        await check_mutation_replicas(cql, manager, servers, keys, topology, logger, ks, cf, expected_replicas=expected_replicas)
 
     logger.info(f'Validate streaming directions')
     for i, s in enumerate(servers):