diff --git a/tests/sstable_datafile_test.cc b/tests/sstable_datafile_test.cc
index a7ec182173..92979b5a49 100644
--- a/tests/sstable_datafile_test.cc
+++ b/tests/sstable_datafile_test.cc
@@ -4533,12 +4533,12 @@ SEASTAR_TEST_CASE(summary_rebuild_sanity) {
         };
         auto sst = make_sstable_containing(sst_gen, mutations);
 
-        summary s1 = sstables::test(sst).get_summary();
+        summary s1 = sstables::test(sst).move_summary();
         BOOST_REQUIRE(s1.entries.size() > 1);
 
         sstables::test(sst).remove_component(sstable::component_type::Summary).get();
         sst = reusable_sst(s, tmp->path, 1).get0();
-        summary s2 = sstables::test(sst).get_summary();
+        summary& s2 = sstables::test(sst).get_summary();
 
         BOOST_REQUIRE(::memcmp(&s1.header, &s2.header, sizeof(summary::header)) == 0);
         BOOST_REQUIRE(s1.positions == s2.positions);
diff --git a/tests/sstable_test.hh b/tests/sstable_test.hh
index e2c5e5e1aa..4299481534 100644
--- a/tests/sstable_test.hh
+++ b/tests/sstable_test.hh
@@ -120,6 +120,10 @@ public:
         return _sst->_components->summary;
     }
 
+    summary move_summary() {
+        return std::move(_sst->_components->summary);
+    }
+
     future<> read_toc() {
         return _sst->read_toc();
     }