diff --git a/table_helper.cc b/table_helper.cc
index b96e97c977..5fb1b5788f 100644
--- a/table_helper.cc
+++ b/table_helper.cc
@@ -152,9 +152,13 @@ future<> table_helper::insert(cql3::query_processor& qp, service::migration_mana
             break;
         }
     }
+    // Pin a strong ref locally: while we suspend in execute(), a concurrent
+    // insert() on this shard may reset _insert_stmt to nullptr if the
+    // prepared_statements_cache entry gets invalidated, freeing the object.
+    auto stmt = _insert_stmt;
     auto opts = opt_maker();
     opts.prepare(_prepared_stmt->bound_names);
-    co_await _insert_stmt->execute(qp, qs, opts, std::nullopt);
+    co_await stmt->execute(qp, qs, opts, std::nullopt);
 }
 
 future<> table_helper::setup_keyspace(cql3::query_processor& qp, service::migration_manager& mm, std::string_view keyspace_name, sstring replication_strategy_name,