diff --git a/configure.py b/configure.py
index 1f1d0e4995..8af66c99c1 100755
--- a/configure.py
+++ b/configure.py
@@ -453,6 +453,8 @@ urchin_core = (['database.cc',
                  'locator/token_metadata.cc',
                  'locator/locator.cc',
                  'locator/snitch_base.cc',
+                 'locator/simple_snitch.cc',
+                 'locator/rack_inferring_snitch.cc',
                  'locator/gossiping_property_file_snitch.cc',
                  'message/messaging_service.cc',
                  'service/storage_service.cc',
diff --git a/database.cc b/database.cc
index f138e62035..ad676169db 100644
--- a/database.cc
+++ b/database.cc
@@ -591,7 +591,7 @@ create_keyspace(distributed<database>& db, const lw_shared_ptr<keyspace_metadata
             auto cfg = db.make_keyspace_config(*ksm);
 
             keyspace ks(ksm, cfg);
-            auto fu = ks.create_replication_strategy();
+            auto fu = ks.create_replication_strategy(db.get_snitch_name());
 
             return fu.then([&db, ks = std::move(ks), ksm] () mutable {
                 db.add_keyspace(ksm->name(), std::move(ks));
@@ -704,7 +704,7 @@ const column_family& database::find_column_family(const utils::UUID& uuid) const
 }
 
 future<>
-keyspace::create_replication_strategy() {
+keyspace::create_replication_strategy(const sstring& snitch_name) {
     using namespace locator;
 
     static thread_local token_metadata tm;
@@ -721,7 +721,8 @@ keyspace::create_replication_strategy() {
     tm.update_normal_token({dht::token::kind::key, {d2t(2.0/4).data(), 8}}, to_sstring("127.0.0.3"));
     tm.update_normal_token({dht::token::kind::key, {d2t(3.0/4).data(), 8}}, to_sstring("127.0.0.4"));
 
-    return make_snitch<simple_snitch>().then(
+    // Fixme
+    return i_endpoint_snitch::create_snitch(snitch_name).then(
             [this] (snitch_ptr&& s) {
         _replication_strategy =
             abstract_replication_strategy::create_replication_strategy(
@@ -780,7 +781,7 @@ database::create_keyspace(const lw_shared_ptr<keyspace_metadata>& ksm) {
     }
 
     keyspace ks(ksm, std::move(make_keyspace_config(*ksm)));
-    auto fu = ks.create_replication_strategy();
+    auto fu = ks.create_replication_strategy(get_snitch_name());
 
     return fu.then([ks = std::move(ks), ksm, this] () mutable {
         _keyspaces.emplace(ksm->name(), std::move(ks));
@@ -1062,3 +1063,7 @@ database::stop() {
         return val_pair.second.stop();
     });
 }
+
+const sstring& database::get_snitch_name() const {
+    return _cfg->endpoint_snitch();
+}
diff --git a/database.hh b/database.hh
index 7c085bca06..3ba974e669 100644
--- a/database.hh
+++ b/database.hh
@@ -218,7 +218,7 @@ public:
     const lw_shared_ptr<keyspace_metadata>& metadata() const {
         return _metadata;
     }
-    future<> create_replication_strategy();
+    future<> create_replication_strategy(const sstring& snitch_name);
     locator::abstract_replication_strategy& get_replication_strategy();
     column_family::config make_column_family_config(const schema& s) const;
     future<> make_directory_for_column_family(const sstring& name, utils::UUID uuid);
@@ -310,6 +310,8 @@ public:
     future<lw_shared_ptr<query::result>> query(const query::read_command& cmd, const std::vector<query::partition_range>& ranges);
     future<> apply(const frozen_mutation&);
     keyspace::config make_keyspace_config(const keyspace_metadata& ksm) const;
+    const sstring& get_snitch_name() const;
+
     friend std::ostream& operator<<(std::ostream& out, const database& db);
     friend future<> create_keyspace(distributed<database>&, const lw_shared_ptr<keyspace_metadata>&);
 };
diff --git a/db/legacy_schema_tables.cc b/db/legacy_schema_tables.cc
index 0f0a636c8e..513377afdc 100644
--- a/db/legacy_schema_tables.cc
+++ b/db/legacy_schema_tables.cc
@@ -34,6 +34,8 @@
 #include "core/do_with.hh"
 #include "json.hh"
 
+#include "db/config.hh"
+
 #include <boost/range/algorithm/copy.hpp>
 #include <boost/range/adaptor/map.hpp>
 
@@ -591,7 +593,7 @@ std::vector<const char*> ALL { KEYSPACES, COLUMNFAMILIES, COLUMNS, TRIGGERS, USE
                     auto ksm = create_keyspace_from_schema_partition(val);
                     std::unique_ptr<keyspace>
                         k_ptr(new keyspace(ksm, db.make_keyspace_config(*ksm)));
-                    auto fu =  k_ptr->create_replication_strategy();
+                    auto fu =  k_ptr->create_replication_strategy(db.get_snitch_name());
                     temp_vec_ptr->emplace_back(ksm, std::move(k_ptr));
 
                     return fu;
diff --git a/locator/gossiping_property_file_snitch.cc b/locator/gossiping_property_file_snitch.cc
index a2724a86fb..e9852f5528 100644
--- a/locator/gossiping_property_file_snitch.cc
+++ b/locator/gossiping_property_file_snitch.cc
@@ -279,4 +279,11 @@ void gossiping_property_file_snitch::reload_gossiper_state()
     #endif
     // else this will eventually rerun at gossiperStarting()
 }
+
+namespace locator {
+using registry = class_registrator<i_endpoint_snitch,
+                                   gossiping_property_file_snitch,
+                                   const sstring&>;
+static registry registrator("org.apache.cassandra.locator.GossipingPropertyFileSnitch");
+}
 } // namespace locator
diff --git a/locator/gossiping_property_file_snitch.hh b/locator/gossiping_property_file_snitch.hh
index 7630a765c7..2263ed0f0f 100644
--- a/locator/gossiping_property_file_snitch.hh
+++ b/locator/gossiping_property_file_snitch.hh
@@ -54,17 +54,12 @@ public:
     virtual void gossiper_starting() override;
     virtual future<> stop() override;
 
-private:
-    template <typename SnitchClass, typename... A>
-    friend future<snitch_ptr> make_snitch(A&&... a);
-
     gossiping_property_file_snitch(
         const sstring& fname = snitch_properties_filename);
 
+private:
     static logging::logger& logger() {
-        static thread_local logging::logger l("gossiping_property_file_snitch");
-
-        return l;
+        return i_endpoint_snitch::snitch_logger;
     }
 
     template <typename... Args>
diff --git a/locator/rack_inferring_snitch.cc b/locator/rack_inferring_snitch.cc
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..2f97aced37
--- /dev/null
+++ b/locator/rack_inferring_snitch.cc
@@ -0,0 +1,6 @@
+#include "locator/rack_inferring_snitch.hh"
+
+namespace locator {
+using registry = class_registrator<i_endpoint_snitch, rack_inferring_snitch>;
+static registry registrator("org.apache.cassandra.locator.RackInferringSnitch");
+}
diff --git a/locator/rack_inferring_snitch.hh b/locator/rack_inferring_snitch.hh
index bc6eb2ba3c..b307abae11 100644
--- a/locator/rack_inferring_snitch.hh
+++ b/locator/rack_inferring_snitch.hh
@@ -34,11 +34,7 @@ using inet_address = gms::inet_address;
  * A simple endpoint snitch implementation that assumes datacenter and rack information is encoded
  * in the 2nd and 3rd octets of the ip address, respectively.
  */
-class rack_inferring_snitch : public snitch_base {
-private:
-    template <typename SnitchClass, typename... A>
-    friend future<snitch_ptr> make_snitch(A&&... a);
-
+struct rack_inferring_snitch : public snitch_base {
     rack_inferring_snitch() {
         _my_dc = get_datacenter(utils::fb_utilities::get_broadcast_address());
         _my_rack = get_rack(utils::fb_utilities::get_broadcast_address());
@@ -47,7 +43,6 @@ private:
         _snitch_is_ready.set_value();
     }
 
-public:
     virtual sstring get_rack(inet_address endpoint) override {
         return std::to_string((endpoint.raw_addr() >> 8) & 0xFF);
     }
diff --git a/locator/simple_snitch.cc b/locator/simple_snitch.cc
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..dabc7400ec
--- /dev/null
+++ b/locator/simple_snitch.cc
@@ -0,0 +1,7 @@
+#include "locator/simple_snitch.hh"
+#include "utils/class_registrator.hh"
+
+namespace locator {
+using registry = class_registrator<i_endpoint_snitch, simple_snitch>;
+static registry registrator("org.apache.cassandra.locator.SimpleSnitch");
+}
diff --git a/locator/simple_snitch.hh b/locator/simple_snitch.hh
index 65770efebb..8979f15877 100644
--- a/locator/simple_snitch.hh
+++ b/locator/simple_snitch.hh
@@ -27,14 +27,11 @@
 namespace locator {
 
 /**
- * A simple endpoint snitch implementation that treats Strategy order as proximity,
- * allowing non-read-repaired reads to prefer a single endpoint, which improves
- * cache locality.
+ * A simple endpoint snitch implementation that treats Strategy order as
+ * proximity, allowing non-read-repaired reads to prefer a single endpoint,
+ * which improves cache locality.
  */
-class simple_snitch : public snitch_base {
-    template <typename SnitchClass, typename... A>
-    friend future<snitch_ptr> make_snitch(A&&... a);
-
+struct simple_snitch : public snitch_base {
     simple_snitch() {
         _my_dc = get_datacenter(utils::fb_utilities::get_broadcast_address());
         _my_rack = get_rack(utils::fb_utilities::get_broadcast_address());
@@ -43,7 +40,6 @@ class simple_snitch : public snitch_base {
         _snitch_is_ready.set_value();
     }
 
-public:
     virtual sstring get_rack(inet_address endpoint) override {
         return "rack1";
     }
diff --git a/locator/snitch_base.cc b/locator/snitch_base.cc
index 1b9b5b7c3e..14e4b552d0 100644
--- a/locator/snitch_base.cc
+++ b/locator/snitch_base.cc
@@ -23,6 +23,9 @@
 
 namespace locator {
 
+thread_local logging::logger
+i_endpoint_snitch::snitch_logger("snitch_logger");
+
 std::vector<inet_address> snitch_base::get_sorted_list_by_proximity(
     inet_address address,
     std::unordered_set<inet_address>& unsorted_address) {
diff --git a/locator/snitch_base.hh b/locator/snitch_base.hh
index a649edeef0..c97ba1a2f9 100644
--- a/locator/snitch_base.hh
+++ b/locator/snitch_base.hh
@@ -26,6 +26,7 @@
 
 #include "gms/inet_address.hh"
 #include "core/shared_ptr.hh"
+#include "utils/class_registrator.hh"
 
 namespace locator {
 
@@ -34,11 +35,11 @@ struct i_endpoint_snitch;
 typedef gms::inet_address inet_address;
 typedef std::unique_ptr<i_endpoint_snitch> snitch_ptr;
 
-template <typename SnitchClass, typename... A>
-static future<snitch_ptr> make_snitch(A&&... a);
-
 struct i_endpoint_snitch
 {
+    template <typename... A>
+    static future<snitch_ptr> create_snitch(const sstring& snitch_name, A&&... a);
+
     /**
      * returns a String representing the rack this endpoint belongs to
      */
@@ -90,10 +91,8 @@ struct i_endpoint_snitch
 
     virtual future<> stop() = 0;
 
-    template <typename SnitchClass, typename... A>
-    friend future<snitch_ptr> make_snitch(A&&... a);
-
 protected:
+    static thread_local logging::logger snitch_logger;
     promise<> _snitch_is_ready;
     enum class snitch_state {
         initializing,
@@ -103,27 +102,38 @@ protected:
     } _state = snitch_state::initializing;
 };
 
-template <typename SnitchClass, typename... A>
-static future<snitch_ptr> make_snitch(A&&... a) {
-    snitch_ptr s(new SnitchClass(std::forward<A>(a)...));
 
-    auto fu = s->_snitch_is_ready.get_future();
-    return fu.then_wrapped([s = std::move(s)] (auto&& f) mutable {
-        try {
-            f.get();
+template <typename... A>
+future<snitch_ptr> i_endpoint_snitch::create_snitch(
+    const sstring& snitch_name, A&&... a) {
 
-            return make_ready_future<snitch_ptr>(std::move(s));
-        } catch (...) {
-            auto eptr = std::current_exception();
-            auto fu = s->stop();
+    try {
+        snitch_ptr s(std::move(create_object<i_endpoint_snitch>(
+            snitch_name, std::forward<A>(a)...)));
+
+        auto fu = s->_snitch_is_ready.get_future();
+        return fu.then_wrapped([s = std::move(s)] (auto&& f) mutable {
+            try {
+                f.get();
 
-            return fu.then([eptr, s = std::move(s)] () mutable {
-                std::rethrow_exception(eptr);
-                // just to make a compiler happy
                 return make_ready_future<snitch_ptr>(std::move(s));
-            });
-        }
-    });
+            } catch (...) {
+                auto eptr = std::current_exception();
+                auto fu = s->stop();
+
+                return fu.then([eptr, s = std::move(s)] () mutable {
+                    std::rethrow_exception(eptr);
+                    // just to make a compiler happy
+                    return make_ready_future<snitch_ptr>(std::move(s));
+                });
+            }
+        });
+    } catch (no_such_class& e) {
+        snitch_logger.error("{}", e.what());
+        throw;
+    } catch (...) {
+        throw;
+    }
 }
 
 class snitch_base : public i_endpoint_snitch {
diff --git a/tests/urchin/gossiping_property_file_snitch_test.cc b/tests/urchin/gossiping_property_file_snitch_test.cc
index ef8593592b..21978b6904 100644
--- a/tests/urchin/gossiping_property_file_snitch_test.cc
+++ b/tests/urchin/gossiping_property_file_snitch_test.cc
@@ -25,7 +25,9 @@ future<> one_test(const std::string& property_fname, bool exp_result) {
     path fname(test_files_subdir);
     fname /= path(property_fname);
 
-    return make_snitch<gossiping_property_file_snitch>(sstring(fname.string()))
+    return i_endpoint_snitch::create_snitch<const sstring&>(
+        "org.apache.cassandra.locator.GossipingPropertyFileSnitch",
+        sstring(fname.string()))
         .then([exp_result] (snitch_ptr sptr) {
             BOOST_CHECK(exp_result);
             return sptr->stop();