diff --git a/dht/i_partitioner.cc b/dht/i_partitioner.cc
index 688c411088..166ec1ea2e 100644
--- a/dht/i_partitioner.cc
+++ b/dht/i_partitioner.cc
@@ -112,21 +112,6 @@ static inline unsigned char get_byte(bytes_view b, size_t off) {
     }
 }
 
-int i_partitioner::tri_compare(const token& t1, const token& t2) const {
-    size_t sz = std::min(t1._data.size(), t2._data.size());
-
-    for (size_t i = 0; i < sz; i++) {
-        auto b1 = get_byte(t1._data, i);
-        auto b2 = get_byte(t2._data, i);
-        if (b1 < b2) {
-            return -1;
-        } else if (b1 > b2) {
-            return 1;
-        }
-    }
-    return 0;
-}
-
 int tri_compare(const token& t1, const token& t2) {
     if (t1._kind == t2._kind) {
         return global_partitioner().tri_compare(t1, t2);
diff --git a/dht/i_partitioner.hh b/dht/i_partitioner.hh
index af8e9dcf53..89dde67ded 100644
--- a/dht/i_partitioner.hh
+++ b/dht/i_partitioner.hh
@@ -284,7 +284,7 @@ public:
     /**
      * @return < 0 if if t1's _data array is less, t2's. 0 if they are equal, and > 0 otherwise. _kind comparison should be done separately.
      */
-    virtual int tri_compare(const token& t1, const token& t2) const;
+    virtual int tri_compare(const token& t1, const token& t2) const = 0;
     /**
      * @return true if t1's _data array is equal t2's. _kind comparison should be done separately.
      */