diff --git a/cql3/statements/delete_statement.cc b/cql3/statements/delete_statement.cc
index 33bf161d19..e3b6300189 100644
--- a/cql3/statements/delete_statement.cc
+++ b/cql3/statements/delete_statement.cc
@@ -41,6 +41,7 @@
 
 #include "delete_statement.hh"
 #include "raw/delete_statement.hh"
+#include "database.hh"
 
 namespace cql3 {
 
@@ -102,9 +103,11 @@ delete_statement::prepare_internal(database& db, schema_ptr schema, shared_ptr<v
     }
 
     stmt->process_where_clause(db, _where_clause, std::move(bound_names));
-    if (!stmt->restrictions()->get_clustering_columns_restrictions()->has_bound(bound::START)
-            || !stmt->restrictions()->get_clustering_columns_restrictions()->has_bound(bound::END)) {
-        throw exceptions::invalid_request_exception("A range deletion operation needs to specify both bounds");
+    if (!db.supports_infinite_bound_range_deletions()) {
+        if (!stmt->restrictions()->get_clustering_columns_restrictions()->has_bound(bound::START)
+                || !stmt->restrictions()->get_clustering_columns_restrictions()->has_bound(bound::END)) {
+            throw exceptions::invalid_request_exception("A range deletion operation needs to specify both bounds for clusters without sstable mc format support");
+        }
     }
     if (!schema->is_compound() && stmt->restrictions()->get_clustering_columns_restrictions()->is_slice()) {
         throw exceptions::invalid_request_exception("Range deletions on \"compact storage\" schemas are not supported");
diff --git a/tests/cql_query_test.cc b/tests/cql_query_test.cc
index 263ce86195..85c7a52d02 100644
--- a/tests/cql_query_test.cc
+++ b/tests/cql_query_test.cc
@@ -1064,18 +1064,12 @@ SEASTAR_TEST_CASE(test_range_deletion_scenarios) {
             e.execute_cql(format("insert into cf (p, c, v) values (1, {:d}, 'abc');", i)).get();
         }
 
-        try {
-            e.execute_cql("delete from cf where p = 1 and c <= 3").get();
-            BOOST_FAIL("should've thrown");
-        } catch (...) { }
-        try {
-            e.execute_cql("delete from cf where p = 1 and c >= 0").get();
-            BOOST_FAIL("should've thrown");
-        } catch (...) { }
+        e.execute_cql("delete from cf where p = 1 and c <= 3").get();
+        e.execute_cql("delete from cf where p = 1 and c >= 8").get();
 
-        e.execute_cql("delete from cf where p = 1 and c >= 0 and c <= 3").get();
+        e.execute_cql("delete from cf where p = 1 and c >= 0 and c <= 5").get();
         auto msg = e.execute_cql("select * from cf").get0();
-        assert_that(msg).is_rows().with_size(6);
+        assert_that(msg).is_rows().with_size(2);
         e.execute_cql("delete from cf where p = 1 and c > 3 and c < 10").get();
         msg = e.execute_cql("select * from cf").get0();
         assert_that(msg).is_rows().with_size(0);