diff --git a/test/cql-pytest/conftest.py b/test/cql-pytest/conftest.py
index 3e60573019..f187540848 100644
--- a/test/cql-pytest/conftest.py
+++ b/test/cql-pytest/conftest.py
@@ -122,5 +122,27 @@ def cassandra_bug(cql):
     if not any('scylla' in name for name in names):
         pytest.xfail('A known Cassandra bug')
 
+# While the raft-based schema modifications are still experimental and only
+# optionally enabled (the "--raft" option to test/cql-pytest/run enables it
+# in Scylla), some tests are expected to fail on Scylla without this option
+# enabled, and pass with it enabled (and also pass on Cassandra). These tests
+# should use the "fails_without_raft" fixture. When Raft mode becomes the
+# default, this fixture can be removed.
+@pytest.fixture(scope="session")
+def check_pre_raft(cql):
+    # If not running on Scylla, return false.
+    names = [row.table_name for row in cql.execute("SELECT * FROM system_schema.tables WHERE keyspace_name = 'system'")]
+    if not any('scylla' in name for name in names):
+        return false
+    # In Scylla, we check Raft mode by inspecting the configuration via CQL.
+    experimental_features = list(cql.execute("SELECT value FROM system.config WHERE name = 'experimental_features'"))[0].value
+    # Because of https://github.com/scylladb/scylla/issues/10047 the features
+    # appear as numbers instead of strings. FIXME!
+    return not '\x04' in experimental_features
+@pytest.fixture(scope="function")
+def fails_without_raft(request, check_pre_raft):
+    if check_pre_raft:
+        request.node.add_marker(pytest.mark.xfail(reason='Test expected to fail without Raft experimental feature on'))
+
 # TODO: use new_test_table and "yield from" to make shared test_table
 # fixtures with some common schemas.
diff --git a/test/cql-pytest/run b/test/cql-pytest/run
index d55fbab648..c97de07048 100755
--- a/test/cql-pytest/run
+++ b/test/cql-pytest/run
@@ -14,6 +14,18 @@ else:
     cmd = run.run_scylla_cmd
     check_cql = run.check_cql
 
+# If the "--raft" option is given, switch to the experimental Raft-based
+# implementation of schema operations. Some tests are expected to fail
+# when not in raft mode, so they use the fails_without_raft fixture
+# that will cause them to xfail when raft isn't used.
+if '--raft' in sys.argv:
+    sys.argv.remove('--raft')
+    def run_with_raft(pid, dir):
+        (c, e) = run_with_raft.orig_cmd(pid, dir)
+        return (c + ['--experimental-features=raft'], e)
+    run_with_raft.orig_cmd = cmd
+    cmd = run_with_raft
+
 pid = run.run_with_temporary_dir(cmd)
 ip = run.pid_to_ip(pid)
 
diff --git a/test/cql-pytest/test_keyspace.py b/test/cql-pytest/test_keyspace.py
index 3d916833e2..d318e0bbf1 100644
--- a/test/cql-pytest/test_keyspace.py
+++ b/test/cql-pytest/test_keyspace.py
@@ -142,8 +142,7 @@ def test_alter_keyspace_double_with(cql):
 # deleted. But we expect that at the end of the test the database remains in
 # some valid state - the keyspace should either exist or not exist. It
 # shouldn't be in some broken immortal state as reported in issue #8968.
-@pytest.mark.xfail(reason="issue #8968")
-def test_concurrent_create_and_drop_keyspace(cql, this_dc):
+def test_concurrent_create_and_drop_keyspace(cql, this_dc, fails_without_raft):
     ksdef = "WITH REPLICATION = { 'class' : 'NetworkTopologyStrategy', '" + this_dc + "' : 1 }"
     cfdef = "(a int PRIMARY KEY)"
     with new_test_keyspace(cql, ksdef) as keyspace: