diff --git a/locator/simple_strategy.cc b/locator/simple_strategy.cc
index ca149f057b..72732c8ce1 100644
--- a/locator/simple_strategy.cc
+++ b/locator/simple_strategy.cc
@@ -24,10 +24,11 @@ std::vector<inet_address> simple_strategy::calculate_natural_endpoints(const tok
     auto it = tokens.begin() + _token_metadata.first_token_index(t);
     auto c = tokens.size();
 
-    while(endpoints.size() < replicas && c) {
-        inet_address ep = _token_metadata.get_endpoint(*(it++));
-        if (std::find(endpoints.begin(), endpoints.end(), ep) == endpoints.end()) {
-            endpoints.push_back(ep);
+    while (endpoints.size() < replicas && c) {
+        auto ep = _token_metadata.get_endpoint(*(it++));
+        assert(ep);
+        if (std::find(endpoints.begin(), endpoints.end(), *ep) == endpoints.end()) {
+            endpoints.push_back(*ep);
         }
         c--;
         // wrap around
diff --git a/locator/token_metadata.cc b/locator/token_metadata.cc
index 32d0e27efb..1fb61c939a 100644
--- a/locator/token_metadata.cc
+++ b/locator/token_metadata.cc
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@
  */
 
 #include "token_metadata.hh"
+#include <experimental/optional>
 
 namespace locator {
 
@@ -104,9 +105,13 @@ const token& token_metadata::first_token(const token& start) {
     return _sorted_tokens[first_token_index(start)];
 }
 
-inet_address token_metadata::get_endpoint(const token& token) const {
+std::experimental::optional<inet_address> token_metadata::get_endpoint(const token& token) const {
     auto it = _token_to_endpoint_map.find(token);
-    assert (it != _token_to_endpoint_map.end());
-    return it->second;
+    if (it == _token_to_endpoint_map.end()) {
+        return std::experimental::nullopt;
+    } else {
+        return it->second;
+    }
 }
+
 }
diff --git a/locator/token_metadata.hh b/locator/token_metadata.hh
index 33898c71d0..49f766b403 100644
--- a/locator/token_metadata.hh
+++ b/locator/token_metadata.hh
@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@
 #include "gms/inet_address.hh"
 #include "dht/i_partitioner.hh"
 #include "utils/UUID.hh"
+#include <experimental/optional>
 
 namespace locator {
 
@@ -47,7 +48,7 @@ public:
     void update_normal_tokens(std::unordered_map<inet_address, std::unordered_set<token>>& endpoint_tokens);
     const token& first_token(const token& start);
     size_t first_token_index(const token& start);
-    inet_address get_endpoint(const token& token) const;
+    std::experimental::optional<inet_address> get_endpoint(const token& token) const;
 };
 
 }