diff --git a/cql3/statements/cf_statement.hh b/cql3/statements/cf_statement.hh
index 30268e46ed..93836ef6f7 100644
--- a/cql3/statements/cf_statement.hh
+++ b/cql3/statements/cf_statement.hh
@@ -28,7 +28,7 @@
 #include "cql3/statements/parsed_statement.hh"
 #include "cql3/cf_name.hh"
 
-#include <memory>
+#include <experimental/optional>
 
 namespace cql3 {
 
@@ -39,9 +39,9 @@ namespace statements {
  */
 class cf_statement : public parsed_statement {
 protected:
-    std::unique_ptr<cf_name> _cf_name;
+    std::experimental::optional<cf_name> _cf_name;
 
-    cf_statement(std::unique_ptr<cf_name>&& cf_name)
+    cf_statement(std::experimental::optional<cf_name>&& cf_name)
         : _cf_name(std::move(cf_name))
     { }
 
diff --git a/cql3/statements/schema_altering_statement.hh b/cql3/statements/schema_altering_statement.hh
index 5b55d04a38..c51945008a 100644
--- a/cql3/statements/schema_altering_statement.hh
+++ b/cql3/statements/schema_altering_statement.hh
@@ -28,6 +28,8 @@
 #include "cql3/statements/cf_statement.hh"
 #include "cql3/cql_statement.hh"
 
+#include <experimental/optional>
+
 namespace cql3 {
 
 namespace statements {
@@ -41,11 +43,11 @@ private:
 
 protected:
     schema_altering_statement()
-        : cf_statement{nullptr}
+        : cf_statement{std::experimental::optional<cf_name>{}}
         , _is_column_family_level{false}
     { }
 
-    schema_altering_statement(std::unique_ptr<cf_name>&& name)
+    schema_altering_statement(std::experimental::optional<cf_name>&& name)
         : cf_statement{std::move(name)}
         , _is_column_family_level{true}
     { }
diff --git a/cql3/statements/truncate_statement.hh b/cql3/statements/truncate_statement.hh
index 9f7e678aad..5063fb9570 100644
--- a/cql3/statements/truncate_statement.hh
+++ b/cql3/statements/truncate_statement.hh
@@ -28,7 +28,7 @@
 #include "cql3/statements/cf_statement.hh"
 #include "cql3/cql_statement.hh"
 
-#include <memory>
+#include <experimental/optional>
 
 namespace cql3 {
 
@@ -36,7 +36,7 @@ namespace statements {
 
 class truncate_statement : public cf_statement, public virtual cql_statement {
 public:
-    truncate_statement(std::unique_ptr<cf_name>&& name)
+    truncate_statement(std::experimental::optional<cf_name>&& name)
         : cf_statement{std::move(name)}
     { }