diff --git a/service/storage_proxy.cc b/service/storage_proxy.cc
index d111621515..2b9e3e3dea 100644
--- a/service/storage_proxy.cc
+++ b/service/storage_proxy.cc
@@ -64,6 +64,7 @@
 #include <boost/range/adaptors.hpp>
 #include <boost/algorithm/cxx11/any_of.hpp>
 #include <boost/algorithm/cxx11/none_of.hpp>
+#include <boost/algorithm/cxx11/partition_copy.hpp>
 #include <boost/range/algorithm/count_if.hpp>
 #include <boost/range/algorithm/find.hpp>
 #include <boost/range/algorithm/find_if.hpp>
@@ -1654,14 +1655,22 @@ future<> storage_proxy::send_to_endpoint(
 
     // View updates use consistency level ANY in order to fall back to hinted handoff in case of a failed update
     db::consistency_level cl = (type == db::write_type::VIEW) ? db::consistency_level::ANY : db::consistency_level::ONE;
-    std::unordered_set<gms::inet_address> targets(pending_endpoints.begin(), pending_endpoints.end());
-    targets.insert(std::move(target));
     return mutate_prepare(std::array<mutation, 1>{std::move(m)}, cl, type,
-            [this, targets = std::move(targets), pending_endpoints = std::move(pending_endpoints), &stats] (
+            [this, target = std::array{target}, pending_endpoints = std::move(pending_endpoints), &stats] (
                 const mutation& m,
                 db::consistency_level cl,
                 db::write_type type) mutable {
+        std::unordered_set<gms::inet_address> targets;
+        targets.reserve(pending_endpoints.size() + 1);
+        std::vector<gms::inet_address> dead_endpoints;
+        boost::algorithm::partition_copy(
+                boost::range::join(pending_endpoints, target),
+                std::inserter(targets, targets.begin()),
+                std::back_inserter(dead_endpoints),
+                [] (gms::inet_address ep) { return gms::get_local_failure_detector().is_alive(ep); });
         auto& ks = _db.local().find_keyspace(m.schema()->ks_name());
+        slogger.trace("Creating write handler with live: {}; dead: {}", targets, dead_endpoints);
+        db::assure_sufficient_live_nodes(cl, ks, targets, pending_endpoints);
         return create_write_response_handler(
             ks,
             cl,
@@ -1669,7 +1678,7 @@ future<> storage_proxy::send_to_endpoint(
             std::make_unique<shared_mutation>(m),
             std::move(targets),
             pending_endpoints,
-            { },
+            std::move(dead_endpoints),
             nullptr,
             stats);
     }).then([this, &stats, cl] (std::vector<unique_response_handler> ids) {