diff --git a/main.cc b/main.cc
index fc9b2ee841..277ce13a99 100644
--- a/main.cc
+++ b/main.cc
@@ -1228,13 +1228,12 @@ To start the scylla server proper, simply invoke as: scylla server (or just scyl
                     gossiper.local(), feature_service.local(), sys_ks.local(), group0_client};
 
             distributed<service::tablet_allocator> tablet_allocator;
-            if (cfg->check_experimental(db::experimental_features_t::feature::TABLETS)) {
-                if (!cfg->check_experimental(db::experimental_features_t::feature::CONSISTENT_TOPOLOGY_CHANGES)) {
+            if (cfg->check_experimental(db::experimental_features_t::feature::TABLETS) &&
+                !cfg->check_experimental(db::experimental_features_t::feature::CONSISTENT_TOPOLOGY_CHANGES)) {
                     startlog.error("Bad configuration: The consistent-topology-changes feature has to be enabled if tablets feature is enabled");
                     throw bad_configuration_error();
-                }
-                tablet_allocator.start(std::ref(mm_notifier), std::ref(db)).get();
             }
+            tablet_allocator.start(std::ref(mm_notifier), std::ref(db)).get();
             auto stop_tablet_allocator = defer_verbose_shutdown("tablet allocator", [&tablet_allocator] {
                 tablet_allocator.stop().get();
             });
diff --git a/service/tablet_allocator.cc b/service/tablet_allocator.cc
index acdef7e1fc..010707b75a 100644
--- a/service/tablet_allocator.cc
+++ b/service/tablet_allocator.cc
@@ -14,6 +14,7 @@
 #include "service/tablet_allocator.hh"
 #include "utils/error_injection.hh"
 #include "utils/stall_free.hh"
+#include "db/config.hh"
 #include "locator/load_sketch.hh"
 #include "utils/div_ceil.hh"
 
@@ -555,7 +556,9 @@ public:
     tablet_allocator_impl(service::migration_notifier& mn, replica::database& db)
             : _migration_notifier(mn)
             , _db(db) {
-        _migration_notifier.register_listener(this);
+        if (db.get_config().check_experimental(db::experimental_features_t::feature::TABLETS)) {
+            _migration_notifier.register_listener(this);
+        }
     }
 
     tablet_allocator_impl(tablet_allocator_impl&&) = delete; // "this" captured.