diff --git a/gms/gossiper.hh b/gms/gossiper.hh
index 132b255402..8b8b8c857f 100644
--- a/gms/gossiper.hh
+++ b/gms/gossiper.hh
@@ -499,7 +499,7 @@ public:
     bool is_silent_shutdown_state(const endpoint_state& ep_state) const;
     void mark_as_shutdown(const inet_address& endpoint);
     void force_newer_generation();
-private:
+public:
     sstring get_gossip_status(const endpoint_state& ep_state) const;
     sstring get_gossip_status(const inet_address& endpoint) const;
 public:
diff --git a/service/storage_service.cc b/service/storage_service.cc
index 7dd8775431..9f13762625 100644
--- a/service/storage_service.cc
+++ b/service/storage_service.cc
@@ -1145,15 +1145,10 @@ future<> storage_service::check_for_endpoint_collision() {
             if (dht::range_streamer::use_strict_consistency()) {
                 found_bootstrapping_node = false;
                 for (auto& x : gossiper.get_endpoint_states()) {
-                    auto status = x.second.get_application_state(application_state::STATUS);
-                    if (!status) {
+                    auto state = gossiper.get_gossip_status(x.second);
+                    if (state.empty()) {
                         continue;
                     }
-
-                    std::vector<sstring> pieces;
-                    boost::split(pieces, status.value().value, boost::is_any_of(sstring(versioned_value::DELIMITER_STR)));
-                    assert(pieces.size() > 0);
-                    auto state = pieces[0];
                     logger.debug("Checking bootstrapping/leaving/moving nodes: node={}, status={} (check_for_endpoint_collision)", x.first, state);
                     if (state == sstring(versioned_value::STATUS_BOOTSTRAPPING) ||
                         state == sstring(versioned_value::STATUS_LEAVING) ||