diff --git a/partition_version.cc b/partition_version.cc
index 6820417498..5e747e0c14 100644
--- a/partition_version.cc
+++ b/partition_version.cc
@@ -123,6 +123,12 @@ mutation_partition partition_snapshot::squashed() const {
                                [this] (mutation_partition& a, const mutation_partition& b) { a.apply(*_schema, b, *_schema); });
 }
 
+tombstone partition_entry::partition_tombstone() const {
+    return ::squashed<tombstone>(_version,
+        [] (const mutation_partition& mp) { return mp.partition_tombstone(); },
+        [] (tombstone& a, tombstone b) { a.apply(b); });
+}
+
 partition_snapshot::~partition_snapshot() {
     if (_version && _version.is_unique_owner()) {
         auto v = &*_version;
diff --git a/partition_version.hh b/partition_version.hh
index b5e915e9f9..dae1fa765d 100644
--- a/partition_version.hh
+++ b/partition_version.hh
@@ -343,6 +343,7 @@ public:
 
     mutation_partition squashed(schema_ptr from, schema_ptr to);
     mutation_partition squashed(const schema&);
+    tombstone partition_tombstone() const;
 
     // needs to be called with reclaiming disabled
     void upgrade(schema_ptr from, schema_ptr to);