diff --git a/database.cc b/database.cc
index 1ae666b851..0eb9ae6f5c 100644
--- a/database.cc
+++ b/database.cc
@@ -522,7 +522,7 @@ public:
         return parallel_for_each(std::move(candidates),
             [this](const sstables::shared_sstable& sstable) {
                 tracing::trace(_trace_state, "Reading key {} from sstable {}", _pr, seastar::value_of([&sstable] { return sstable->get_filename(); }));
-                return sstable->read_row(_schema, _pr.start()->value(), _slice, _pc, _resource_tracker, _fwd).then([this](auto smo) {
+                return streamed_mutation_from_flat_mutation_reader(sstable->read_row_flat(_schema, _pr.start()->value(), _slice, _pc, _resource_tracker, _fwd)).then([this](auto smo) {
                     if (smo) {
                         _mutations.emplace_back(std::move(*smo));
                     }