diff --git a/main.cc b/main.cc
index df7107ff0d..bebd3ef03b 100644
--- a/main.cc
+++ b/main.cc
@@ -518,14 +518,15 @@ int main(int ac, char** av) {
             directories.insert(db.local().get_config().commitlog_directory());
 
             supervisor::notify("creating hints directories");
-
-            boost::filesystem::path hints_base_dir(db.local().get_config().hints_directory());
-            dirs.touch_and_lock(db.local().get_config().hints_directory()).get();
-            directories.insert(db.local().get_config().hints_directory());
-            for (unsigned i = 0; i < smp::count; ++i) {
-                sstring shard_dir((hints_base_dir / seastar::to_sstring(i).c_str()).native());
-                dirs.touch_and_lock(shard_dir).get();
-                directories.insert(std::move(shard_dir));
+            if (hinted_handoff_enabled) {
+                boost::filesystem::path hints_base_dir(db.local().get_config().hints_directory());
+                dirs.touch_and_lock(db.local().get_config().hints_directory()).get();
+                directories.insert(db.local().get_config().hints_directory());
+                for (unsigned i = 0; i < smp::count; ++i) {
+                    sstring shard_dir((hints_base_dir / seastar::to_sstring(i).c_str()).native());
+                    dirs.touch_and_lock(shard_dir).get();
+                    directories.insert(std::move(shard_dir));
+                }
             }
             boost::filesystem::path view_pending_updates_base_dir = boost::filesystem::path(db.local().get_config().data_file_directories()[0]) / "view_pending_updates";
             sstring view_pending_updates_base_dir_str = view_pending_updates_base_dir.native();
diff --git a/service/storage_proxy.cc b/service/storage_proxy.cc
index 5ed5a7744c..03c0755c11 100644
--- a/service/storage_proxy.cc
+++ b/service/storage_proxy.cc
@@ -726,21 +726,19 @@ storage_proxy::storage_proxy(distributed<database>& db, stdx::optional<std::vect
     });
 
     _stats.register_metrics_local();
-    _hints_enabled_for_user_writes = bool(hinted_handoff_enabled);
-    if (!hinted_handoff_enabled) {
-        hinted_handoff_enabled.emplace();
-    }
-    supervisor::notify("creating hints manager");
-    slogger.trace("hinted DCs: {}", *hinted_handoff_enabled);
 
     const db::config& cfg = _db.local().get_config();
     // Give each hints manager 10% of the available disk space. Give each shard an equal share of the available space.
     db::hints::resource_manager::max_shard_disk_space_size = boost::filesystem::space(cfg.hints_directory().c_str()).capacity / (10 * smp::count);
-    _hints_manager.emplace(cfg.hints_directory(), *hinted_handoff_enabled, cfg.max_hint_window_in_ms(), _hints_resource_manager, _db);
+    if (hinted_handoff_enabled) {
+        supervisor::notify("creating hints manager");
+        slogger.trace("hinted DCs: {}", *hinted_handoff_enabled);
+        _hints_manager.emplace(cfg.hints_directory(), *hinted_handoff_enabled, cfg.max_hint_window_in_ms(), _hints_resource_manager, _db);
+        _hints_manager->register_metrics("hints_manager");
+        _hints_resource_manager.register_manager(*_hints_manager);
+    }
 
-    _hints_manager->register_metrics("hints_manager");
     _hints_for_views_manager.register_metrics("hints_for_views_manager");
-    _hints_resource_manager.register_manager(*_hints_manager);
     _hints_resource_manager.register_manager(_hints_for_views_manager);
 }
 
@@ -3647,7 +3645,7 @@ get_restricted_ranges(locator::token_metadata& tm, const schema& s, dht::partiti
 }
 
 bool storage_proxy::hints_enabled(db::write_type type) noexcept {
-    return _hints_enabled_for_user_writes || (type == db::write_type::VIEW && bool(_hints_manager));
+    return bool(_hints_manager) || type == db::write_type::VIEW;
 }
 
 db::hints::manager& storage_proxy::hints_manager_for(db::write_type type) {
diff --git a/service/storage_proxy.hh b/service/storage_proxy.hh
index 2fa2e2fa93..313c98138c 100644
--- a/service/storage_proxy.hh
+++ b/service/storage_proxy.hh
@@ -152,7 +152,6 @@ private:
     db::hints::resource_manager _hints_resource_manager;
     stdx::optional<db::hints::manager> _hints_manager;
     db::hints::manager _hints_for_views_manager;
-    bool _hints_enabled_for_user_writes = false;
     stats _stats;
     static constexpr float CONCURRENT_SUBREQUESTS_MARGIN = 0.10;
     // for read repair chance calculation