diff --git a/main.cc b/main.cc
index 7a81399a40..023a5ba43d 100644
--- a/main.cc
+++ b/main.cc
@@ -913,7 +913,7 @@ To start the scylla server proper, simply invoke as: scylla server (or just scyl
             ss.start(std::ref(stop_signal.as_sharded_abort_source()),
                 std::ref(db), std::ref(gossiper), std::ref(sys_dist_ks), std::ref(sys_ks),
                 std::ref(feature_service), sscfg, std::ref(mm), std::ref(token_metadata), std::ref(erm_factory),
-                std::ref(messaging), std::ref(cdc_generation_service), std::ref(repair),
+                std::ref(messaging), std::ref(repair),
                 std::ref(stream_manager), std::ref(raft_gr), std::ref(lifecycle_notifier), std::ref(bm)).get();
 
             auto stop_storage_service = defer_verbose_shutdown("storage_service", [&] {
@@ -1273,7 +1273,7 @@ To start the scylla server proper, simply invoke as: scylla server (or just scyl
             }).get();
 
             with_scheduling_group(maintenance_scheduling_group, [&] {
-                return ss.local().join_cluster(qp.local(), group0_client);
+                return ss.local().join_cluster(qp.local(), group0_client, cdc_generation_service.local());
             }).get();
 
             sl_controller.invoke_on_all([&lifecycle_notifier] (qos::service_level_controller& controller) {
diff --git a/service/storage_service.cc b/service/storage_service.cc
index 6b879cfa99..3c0defb59d 100644
--- a/service/storage_service.cc
+++ b/service/storage_service.cc
@@ -88,7 +88,6 @@ storage_service::storage_service(abort_source& abort_source,
     locator::shared_token_metadata& stm,
     locator::effective_replication_map_factory& erm_factory,
     sharded<netw::messaging_service>& ms,
-    sharded<cdc::generation_service>& cdc_gen_service,
     sharded<repair_service>& repair,
     sharded<streaming::stream_manager>& stream_manager,
     raft_group_registry& raft_gr,
@@ -106,7 +105,6 @@ storage_service::storage_service(abort_source& abort_source,
         , _node_ops_abort_thread(node_ops_abort_thread())
         , _shared_token_metadata(stm)
         , _erm_factory(erm_factory)
-        , _cdc_gen_service(cdc_gen_service)
         , _lifecycle_notifier(elc_notif)
         , _batchlog_manager(bm)
         , _sys_dist_ks(sys_dist_ks)
@@ -284,7 +282,7 @@ future<> storage_service::wait_for_ring_to_settle(std::chrono::milliseconds dela
     slogger.info("Checking bootstrapping/leaving nodes: ok");
 }
 
-future<> storage_service::join_token_ring(
+future<> storage_service::join_token_ring(cdc::generation_service& cdc_gen_service,
         std::unordered_set<gms::inet_address> initial_contact_nodes,
         std::unordered_set<gms::inet_address> loaded_endpoints,
         std::unordered_map<gms::inet_address, sstring> loaded_peer_features,
@@ -524,7 +522,7 @@ future<> storage_service::join_token_ring(
         co_await start_sys_dist_ks();
         co_await mark_existing_views_as_built();
         co_await _sys_ks.local().update_tokens(bootstrap_tokens);
-        co_await bootstrap(bootstrap_tokens, cdc_gen_id);
+        co_await bootstrap(cdc_gen_service, bootstrap_tokens, cdc_gen_id);
     } else {
         co_await start_sys_dist_ks();
         bootstrap_tokens = co_await db::system_keyspace::get_saved_tokens();
@@ -576,7 +574,7 @@ future<> storage_service::join_token_ring(
                 && (!_sys_ks.local().bootstrap_complete()
                     || cdc::should_propose_first_generation(get_broadcast_address(), _gossiper))) {
             try {
-                cdc_gen_id = co_await _cdc_gen_service.local().make_new_generation(bootstrap_tokens, !is_first_node());
+                cdc_gen_id = co_await cdc_gen_service.make_new_generation(bootstrap_tokens, !is_first_node());
             } catch (...) {
                 cdc_log.warn(
                     "Could not create a new CDC generation: {}. This may make it impossible to use CDC or cause performance problems."
@@ -608,7 +606,7 @@ future<> storage_service::join_token_ring(
         throw std::runtime_error(err);
     }
 
-    co_await _cdc_gen_service.local().after_join(std::move(cdc_gen_id));
+    co_await cdc_gen_service.after_join(std::move(cdc_gen_id));
 }
 
 future<> storage_service::mark_existing_views_as_built() {
@@ -644,8 +642,8 @@ std::list<gms::inet_address> storage_service::get_ignore_dead_nodes_for_replace(
 }
 
 // Runs inside seastar::async context
-future<> storage_service::bootstrap(std::unordered_set<token>& bootstrap_tokens, std::optional<cdc::generation_id>& cdc_gen_id) {
-    return seastar::async([this, &bootstrap_tokens, &cdc_gen_id] {
+future<> storage_service::bootstrap(cdc::generation_service& cdc_gen_service, std::unordered_set<token>& bootstrap_tokens, std::optional<cdc::generation_id>& cdc_gen_id) {
+    return seastar::async([this, &bootstrap_tokens, &cdc_gen_id, &cdc_gen_service] {
         auto bootstrap_rbno = is_repair_based_node_ops_enabled(streaming::stream_reason::bootstrap);
 
         set_mode(mode::BOOTSTRAP);
@@ -700,7 +698,7 @@ future<> storage_service::bootstrap(std::unordered_set<token>& bootstrap_tokens,
             // We don't do any other generation switches (unless we crash before complecting bootstrap).
             assert(!cdc_gen_id);
 
-            cdc_gen_id = _cdc_gen_service.local().make_new_generation(bootstrap_tokens, !is_first_node()).get0();
+            cdc_gen_id = cdc_gen_service.make_new_generation(bootstrap_tokens, !is_first_node()).get0();
 
             if (!bootstrap_rbno) {
                 // When is_repair_based_node_ops_enabled is true, the bootstrap node
@@ -1338,10 +1336,10 @@ future<> storage_service::uninit_messaging_service_part() {
     return container().invoke_on_all(&service::storage_service::uninit_messaging_service);
 }
 
-future<> storage_service::join_cluster(cql3::query_processor& qp, raft_group0_client& client) {
+future<> storage_service::join_cluster(cql3::query_processor& qp, raft_group0_client& client, cdc::generation_service& cdc_gen_service) {
     assert(this_shard_id() == 0);
 
-    return seastar::async([this, &qp, &client] {
+    return seastar::async([this, &qp, &client, &cdc_gen_service] {
         set_mode(mode::STARTING);
 
         _group0 = std::make_unique<raft_group0>(_abort_source, _raft_gr, _messaging.local(),
@@ -1395,7 +1393,7 @@ future<> storage_service::join_cluster(cql3::query_processor& qp, raft_group0_cl
         for (auto& x : loaded_peer_features) {
             slogger.info("peer={}, supported_features={}", x.first, x.second);
         }
-        join_token_ring(std::move(initial_contact_nodes), std::move(loaded_endpoints), std::move(loaded_peer_features), get_ring_delay()).get();
+        join_token_ring(cdc_gen_service, std::move(initial_contact_nodes), std::move(loaded_endpoints), std::move(loaded_peer_features), get_ring_delay()).get();
     });
 }
 
diff --git a/service/storage_service.hh b/service/storage_service.hh
index 64306c96d8..dc09a5179e 100644
--- a/service/storage_service.hh
+++ b/service/storage_service.hh
@@ -180,7 +180,6 @@ public:
         locator::shared_token_metadata& stm,
         locator::effective_replication_map_factory& erm_factory,
         sharded<netw::messaging_service>& ms,
-        sharded<cdc::generation_service>&,
         sharded<repair_service>& repair,
         sharded<streaming::stream_manager>& stream_manager,
         raft_group_registry& raft_gr,
@@ -263,11 +262,6 @@ private:
     shared_token_metadata& _shared_token_metadata;
     locator::effective_replication_map_factory& _erm_factory;
 
-    /* CDC generation management service.
-     * It is sharded<>& and not simply a reference because the service will not yet be started
-     * when storage_service is constructed (but it will be when init_server is called)
-     */
-    sharded<cdc::generation_service>& _cdc_gen_service;
 public:
     std::chrono::milliseconds get_ring_delay();
 private:
@@ -352,7 +346,7 @@ public:
      *
      * \see init_messaging_service_part
      */
-    future<> join_cluster(cql3::query_processor& qp, raft_group0_client& client);
+    future<> join_cluster(cql3::query_processor& qp, raft_group0_client& client, cdc::generation_service& cdc_gen_service);
 
     future<> drain_on_shutdown();
 
@@ -363,7 +357,7 @@ private:
     std::optional<gms::inet_address> get_replace_address();
     bool is_replacing();
     bool is_first_node();
-    future<> join_token_ring(
+    future<> join_token_ring(cdc::generation_service& cdc_gen_service,
             std::unordered_set<gms::inet_address> initial_contact_nodes,
             std::unordered_set<gms::inet_address> loaded_endpoints,
             std::unordered_map<gms::inet_address, sstring> loaded_peer_features,
@@ -380,7 +374,7 @@ private:
     // Stream data for which we become a new replica.
     // Before that, if we're not replacing another node, inform other nodes about our chosen tokens
     // and wait for RING_DELAY ms so that we receive new writes from coordinators during streaming.
-    future<> bootstrap(std::unordered_set<token>& bootstrap_tokens, std::optional<cdc::generation_id>& cdc_gen_id);
+    future<> bootstrap(cdc::generation_service& cdc_gen_service, std::unordered_set<token>& bootstrap_tokens, std::optional<cdc::generation_id>& cdc_gen_id);
 
 public:
     /**
diff --git a/test/lib/cql_test_env.cc b/test/lib/cql_test_env.cc
index 6617cd0d03..a5e66c1e90 100644
--- a/test/lib/cql_test_env.cc
+++ b/test/lib/cql_test_env.cc
@@ -710,7 +710,6 @@ public:
                 std::ref(sys_dist_ks), std::ref(sys_ks),
                 std::ref(feature_service), sscfg, std::ref(mm),
                 std::ref(token_metadata), std::ref(erm_factory), std::ref(ms),
-                std::ref(cdc_generation_service),
                 std::ref(repair),
                 std::ref(stream_manager),
                 std::ref(raft_gr), std::ref(elc_notif),
@@ -783,7 +782,7 @@ public:
             });
 
             try {
-                ss.local().join_cluster(qp.local(), group0_client).get();
+                ss.local().join_cluster(qp.local(), group0_client, cdc_generation_service.local()).get();
             } catch (std::exception& e) {
                 // if any of the defers crashes too, we'll never see
                 // the error