diff --git a/transport/server.cc b/transport/server.cc
index 444f077346..537c82fa8c 100644
--- a/transport/server.cc
+++ b/transport/server.cc
@@ -825,6 +825,17 @@ sstring cql_server::connection::read_string(temporary_buffer<char>& buf)
     return s;
 }
 
+sstring_view cql_server::connection::read_string_view(temporary_buffer<char>& buf)
+{
+    auto n = read_short(buf);
+    check_room(buf, n);
+    sstring_view s{buf.begin(), static_cast<size_t>(n)};
+    assert(n >= 0);
+    buf.trim_front(n);
+    validate_utf8(s);
+    return s;
+}
+
 sstring_view cql_server::connection::read_long_string_view(temporary_buffer<char>& buf)
 {
     auto n = read_int(buf);
diff --git a/transport/server.hh b/transport/server.hh
index 10da795430..8ba1e69778 100644
--- a/transport/server.hh
+++ b/transport/server.hh
@@ -177,10 +177,11 @@ private:
     int16_t read_short(temporary_buffer<char>& buf);
     uint16_t read_unsigned_short(temporary_buffer<char>& buf);
     sstring read_string(temporary_buffer<char>& buf);
+    sstring_view read_string_view(temporary_buffer<char>& buf);
+    sstring_view read_long_string_view(temporary_buffer<char>& buf);
     bytes read_short_bytes(temporary_buffer<char>& buf);
     bytes_opt read_value(temporary_buffer<char>& buf);
     bytes_view_opt read_value_view(temporary_buffer<char>& buf);
-    sstring_view read_long_string_view(temporary_buffer<char>& buf);
     void read_name_and_value_list(temporary_buffer<char>& buf, std::vector<sstring>& names, std::vector<bytes_view_opt>& values);
     void read_string_list(temporary_buffer<char>& buf, std::vector<sstring>& strings);
     void read_value_view_list(temporary_buffer<char>& buf, std::vector<bytes_view_opt>& values);