diff --git a/locator/token_metadata.cc b/locator/token_metadata.cc
index 210a814c97..e4dd3b6463 100644
--- a/locator/token_metadata.cc
+++ b/locator/token_metadata.cc
@@ -76,10 +76,11 @@ private:
 
     struct shallow_copy {};
     token_metadata_impl(shallow_copy, const token_metadata_impl& o) noexcept
+            : _topology(topology::config{})
     {}
 
 public:
-    token_metadata_impl() noexcept {};
+    token_metadata_impl(token_metadata::config cfg) noexcept : _topology(std::move(cfg.topo_cfg)) {};
     token_metadata_impl(const token_metadata_impl&) = delete; // it's too huge for direct copy, use clone_async()
     token_metadata_impl(token_metadata_impl&&) noexcept = default;
     const std::vector<token>& sorted_tokens() const;
@@ -973,8 +974,8 @@ token_metadata::token_metadata(std::unique_ptr<token_metadata_impl> impl)
     : _impl(std::move(impl)) {
 }
 
-token_metadata::token_metadata()
-        : _impl(std::make_unique<token_metadata_impl>()) {
+token_metadata::token_metadata(config cfg)
+        : _impl(std::make_unique<token_metadata_impl>(std::move(cfg))) {
 }
 
 token_metadata::~token_metadata() = default;
@@ -1245,6 +1246,10 @@ inline future<> topology::clear_gently() noexcept {
     co_return;
 }
 
+topology::topology(config cfg)
+{
+}
+
 topology::topology(const topology& other)
         : _dc_endpoints(other._dc_endpoints)
         , _dc_racks(other._dc_racks)
diff --git a/locator/token_metadata.hh b/locator/token_metadata.hh
index 0beba3436d..bd550f5011 100644
--- a/locator/token_metadata.hh
+++ b/locator/token_metadata.hh
@@ -45,7 +45,9 @@ struct endpoint_dc_rack {
 
 class topology {
 public:
-    topology() {}
+    struct config {
+    };
+    topology(config cfg);
     topology(const topology& other);
 
     future<> clear_gently() noexcept;
@@ -135,6 +137,9 @@ class token_metadata_impl;
 class token_metadata final {
     std::unique_ptr<token_metadata_impl> _impl;
 public:
+    struct config {
+        topology::config topo_cfg;
+    };
     using inet_address = gms::inet_address;
 private:
     class tokens_iterator {
@@ -158,7 +163,7 @@ private:
         friend class token_metadata_impl;
     };
 public:
-    token_metadata();
+    token_metadata(config cfg);
     explicit token_metadata(std::unique_ptr<token_metadata_impl> impl);
     token_metadata(token_metadata&&) noexcept; // Can't use "= default;" - hits some static_assert in unique_ptr
     token_metadata& operator=(token_metadata&&) noexcept;
@@ -350,8 +355,8 @@ class shared_token_metadata {
 public:
     // used to construct the shared object as a sharded<> instance
     // lock_func returns semaphore_units<>
-    explicit shared_token_metadata(token_metadata_lock_func lock_func)
-        : _shared(make_token_metadata_ptr())
+    explicit shared_token_metadata(token_metadata_lock_func lock_func, token_metadata::config cfg)
+        : _shared(make_token_metadata_ptr(std::move(cfg)))
         , _lock_func(std::move(lock_func))
     { }
 
diff --git a/main.cc b/main.cc
index c3eeaa39a9..95c39d72df 100644
--- a/main.cc
+++ b/main.cc
@@ -713,7 +713,8 @@ To start the scylla server proper, simply invoke as: scylla server (or just scyl
             set_abort_on_internal_error(cfg->abort_on_internal_error());
 
             supervisor::notify("starting tokens manager");
-            token_metadata.start([] () noexcept { return db::schema_tables::hold_merge_lock(); }).get();
+            locator::token_metadata::config tm_cfg;
+            token_metadata.start([] () noexcept { return db::schema_tables::hold_merge_lock(); }, tm_cfg).get();
             // storage_proxy holds a reference on it and is not yet stopped.
             // what's worse is that the calltrace
             //   storage_proxy::do_query 
diff --git a/test/boost/network_topology_strategy_test.cc b/test/boost/network_topology_strategy_test.cc
index d109da9ff6..36fc643cad 100644
--- a/test/boost/network_topology_strategy_test.cc
+++ b/test/boost/network_topology_strategy_test.cc
@@ -172,7 +172,7 @@ void full_ring_check(const std::vector<ring_point>& ring_points,
 }
 
 std::unique_ptr<locator::topology> generate_topology(const std::vector<ring_point>& pts) {
-    auto topo = std::make_unique<locator::topology>();
+    auto topo = std::make_unique<locator::topology>(locator::topology::config{});
 
     // This resembles rack_inferring_snitch dc/rack generation which is
     // still in use by this test via token_metadata internals
@@ -199,7 +199,7 @@ void simple_test() {
     auto stop_snitch = defer([&snitch] { snitch.stop().get(); });
     snitch.invoke_on_all(&snitch_ptr::start).get();
 
-    locator::shared_token_metadata stm([] () noexcept { return db::schema_tables::hold_merge_lock(); });
+    locator::shared_token_metadata stm([] () noexcept { return db::schema_tables::hold_merge_lock(); }, locator::token_metadata::config{});
 
     std::vector<ring_point> ring_points = {
         { 1.0,  inet_address("192.100.10.1") },
@@ -284,7 +284,7 @@ void heavy_origin_test() {
     auto stop_snitch = defer([&snitch] { snitch.stop().get(); });
     snitch.invoke_on_all(&snitch_ptr::start).get();
 
-    locator::shared_token_metadata stm([] () noexcept { return db::schema_tables::hold_merge_lock(); });
+    locator::shared_token_metadata stm([] () noexcept { return db::schema_tables::hold_merge_lock(); }, locator::token_metadata::config{});
 
     std::vector<int> dc_racks = {2, 4, 8};
     std::vector<int> dc_endpoints = {128, 256, 512};
@@ -559,7 +559,7 @@ std::unique_ptr<locator::topology> generate_topology(const std::unordered_map<ss
         out = std::fill_n(out, rf, std::cref(dc));
     }
 
-    auto topo = std::make_unique<locator::topology>();
+    auto topo = std::make_unique<locator::topology>(locator::topology::config{});
 
     for (auto& node : nodes) {
         const sstring& dc = dcs[udist(0, dcs.size() - 1)(e1)];
@@ -594,7 +594,7 @@ SEASTAR_THREAD_TEST_CASE(testCalculateEndpoints) {
 
     for (size_t run = 0; run < RUNS; ++run) {
         semaphore sem(1);
-        shared_token_metadata stm([&sem] () noexcept { return get_units(sem, 1); });
+        shared_token_metadata stm([&sem] () noexcept { return get_units(sem, 1); }, locator::token_metadata::config{});
         auto topo = generate_topology(datacenters, nodes);
 
         std::unordered_set<dht::token> random_tokens;
diff --git a/test/boost/storage_proxy_test.cc b/test/boost/storage_proxy_test.cc
index 01590984f5..8ea20f185f 100644
--- a/test/boost/storage_proxy_test.cc
+++ b/test/boost/storage_proxy_test.cc
@@ -54,7 +54,7 @@ SEASTAR_TEST_CASE(test_get_restricted_ranges) {
 
             {
                 // Ring with minimum token
-                auto tmptr = locator::make_token_metadata_ptr();
+                auto tmptr = locator::make_token_metadata_ptr(locator::token_metadata::config{});
                 tmptr->update_topology(gms::inet_address("10.0.0.1"), {});
                 tmptr->update_normal_tokens(std::unordered_set<dht::token>({dht::minimum_token()}), gms::inet_address("10.0.0.1")).get();
 
@@ -68,7 +68,7 @@ SEASTAR_TEST_CASE(test_get_restricted_ranges) {
             }
 
             {
-                auto tmptr = locator::make_token_metadata_ptr();
+                auto tmptr = locator::make_token_metadata_ptr(locator::token_metadata::config{});
                 tmptr->update_topology(gms::inet_address("10.0.0.1"), {});
                 tmptr->update_normal_tokens(std::unordered_set<dht::token>({ring[2].token()}), gms::inet_address("10.0.0.1")).get();
                 tmptr->update_topology(gms::inet_address("10.0.0.2"), {});
diff --git a/test/lib/cql_test_env.cc b/test/lib/cql_test_env.cc
index 757d433ebd..d5621cb649 100644
--- a/test/lib/cql_test_env.cc
+++ b/test/lib/cql_test_env.cc
@@ -526,7 +526,8 @@ public:
             }
 
             sharded<locator::shared_token_metadata> token_metadata;
-            token_metadata.start([] () noexcept { return db::schema_tables::hold_merge_lock(); }).get();
+            locator::token_metadata::config tm_cfg;
+            token_metadata.start([] () noexcept { return db::schema_tables::hold_merge_lock(); }, tm_cfg).get();
             auto stop_token_metadata = defer([&token_metadata] { token_metadata.stop().get(); });
 
             sharded<locator::effective_replication_map_factory> erm_factory;
diff --git a/test/manual/gossip.cc b/test/manual/gossip.cc
index 67d2fe860f..16db50a081 100644
--- a/test/manual/gossip.cc
+++ b/test/manual/gossip.cc
@@ -72,7 +72,7 @@ int main(int ac, char ** av) {
 
             abort_sources.start().get();
             auto stop_abort_source = defer([&] { abort_sources.stop().get(); });
-            token_metadata.start([] () noexcept { return db::schema_tables::hold_merge_lock(); }).get();
+            token_metadata.start([] () noexcept { return db::schema_tables::hold_merge_lock(); }, locator::token_metadata::config{}).get();
             auto stop_token_mgr = defer([&] { token_metadata.stop().get(); });
 
             messaging.start(listen).get();
diff --git a/tools/schema_loader.cc b/tools/schema_loader.cc
index 9878f8903d..ad330c2c5e 100644
--- a/tools/schema_loader.cc
+++ b/tools/schema_loader.cc
@@ -198,7 +198,7 @@ std::vector<schema_ptr> do_load_schemas(std::string_view schema_str) {
     feature_service.enable(feature_service.supported_feature_set());
     sharded<locator::shared_token_metadata> token_metadata;
 
-    token_metadata.start([] () noexcept { return db::schema_tables::hold_merge_lock(); }).get();
+    token_metadata.start([] () noexcept { return db::schema_tables::hold_merge_lock(); }, locator::token_metadata::config{}).get();
     auto stop_token_metadata = deferred_stop(token_metadata);
 
     data_dictionary_impl dd_impl;