diff --git a/locator/tablets.cc b/locator/tablets.cc
index d879d3c6e3..e8c15f3e83 100644
--- a/locator/tablets.cc
+++ b/locator/tablets.cc
@@ -954,3 +954,18 @@ auto fmt::formatter<locator::tablet_metadata>::format(const locator::tablet_meta
     }
     return fmt::format_to(out, "\n}}");
 }
+
+auto fmt::formatter<locator::tablet_metadata_change_hint>::format(const locator::tablet_metadata_change_hint& hint, fmt::format_context& ctx) const
+        -> decltype(ctx.out()) {
+    auto out = ctx.out();
+    out = fmt::format_to(out, "{{");
+    bool first = true;
+    for (auto&& [table_id, table_hint] : hint.tables) {
+        if (!first) {
+            out = fmt::format_to(out, ",");
+        }
+        out = fmt::format_to(out, "\n  [{}]: {}", table_id, table_hint.tokens);
+        first = false;
+    }
+    return fmt::format_to(out, "\n}}");
+}
diff --git a/locator/tablets.hh b/locator/tablets.hh
index 42a44cde3f..f7ee1ac64c 100644
--- a/locator/tablets.hh
+++ b/locator/tablets.hh
@@ -535,6 +535,19 @@ public:
     std::optional<range_split_result> operator()();
 };
 
+struct tablet_metadata_change_hint {
+    struct table_hint {
+        table_id table_id;
+        std::vector<token> tokens;
+
+        bool operator==(const table_hint&) const = default;
+    };
+    std::unordered_map<table_id, table_hint> tables;
+
+    bool operator==(const tablet_metadata_change_hint&) const = default;
+    explicit operator bool() const noexcept { return !tables.empty(); }
+};
+
 }
 
 template <>
@@ -575,3 +588,8 @@ template <>
 struct fmt::formatter<locator::tablet_metadata> : fmt::formatter<string_view> {
     auto format(const locator::tablet_metadata&, fmt::format_context& ctx) const -> decltype(ctx.out());
 };
+
+template <>
+struct fmt::formatter<locator::tablet_metadata_change_hint> : fmt::formatter<string_view> {
+    auto format(const locator::tablet_metadata_change_hint&, fmt::format_context& ctx) const -> decltype(ctx.out());
+};
diff --git a/replica/tablets.cc b/replica/tablets.cc
index e9352d0262..f6252d97ce 100644
--- a/replica/tablets.cc
+++ b/replica/tablets.cc
@@ -205,6 +205,71 @@ future<> save_tablet_metadata(replica::database& db, const tablet_metadata& tm,
     co_await db.apply(freeze(muts), db::no_timeout);
 }
 
+static table_id to_tablet_metadata_key(const schema& s, const partition_key& key) {
+    const auto elements = key.explode(s);
+    return ::table_id(value_cast<utils::UUID>(uuid_type->deserialize_value(elements.front())));
+}
+
+static dht::token to_tablet_metadata_row_key(const schema& s, const clustering_key& key) {
+    const auto elements = key.explode(s);
+    return dht::token::from_int64(value_cast<int64_t>(long_type->deserialize_value(elements[0])));
+}
+
+static void do_update_tablet_metadata_change_hint(locator::tablet_metadata_change_hint& hint, const schema& s, const mutation& m) {
+    const auto table_id = to_tablet_metadata_key(s, m.key());
+    auto it = hint.tables.try_emplace(table_id, locator::tablet_metadata_change_hint::table_hint{table_id, {}}).first;
+
+    const auto& mp = m.partition();
+    auto& tokens = it->second.tokens;
+
+    if (mp.partition_tombstone() || !mp.row_tombstones().empty() || !mp.static_row().empty()) {
+        // If there is a partition tombstone, range tombstone or static row,
+        // update the entire partition. Also clear any row hints that might be
+        // present to force a full read of the partition.
+        tokens.clear();
+        return;
+    }
+
+    for (const auto& row : mp.clustered_rows()) {
+        // TODO: we do not handle deletions yet, will revisit when tablet count
+        // reduction is worked out.
+        if (row.row().deleted_at()) {
+            tokens.clear();
+            return;
+        }
+        tokens.push_back(to_tablet_metadata_row_key(s, row.key()));
+    }
+}
+
+std::optional<locator::tablet_metadata_change_hint> get_tablet_metadata_change_hint(const std::vector<canonical_mutation>& mutations) {
+    tablet_logger.trace("tablet_metadata_change_hint({})", mutations.size());
+    auto s = db::system_keyspace::tablets();
+
+    std::optional<locator::tablet_metadata_change_hint> hint;
+
+    for (const auto& cm : mutations) {
+        tablet_logger.trace("tablet_metadata_change_hint() {} == {}", cm.column_family_id(), s->id());
+        if (cm.column_family_id() != s->id()) {
+            continue;
+        }
+        if (!hint) {
+            hint.emplace();
+            hint->tables.reserve(mutations.size());
+        }
+        do_update_tablet_metadata_change_hint(*hint, *s, cm.to_mutation(s));
+    }
+
+    return hint;
+}
+
+void update_tablet_metadata_change_hint(locator::tablet_metadata_change_hint& hint, const mutation& m) {
+    auto s = db::system_keyspace::tablets();
+    if (m.column_family_id() != s->id()) {
+        return;
+    }
+    do_update_tablet_metadata_change_hint(hint, *s, m);
+}
+
 future<tablet_metadata> read_tablet_metadata(cql3::query_processor& qp) {
     tablet_metadata tm;
     struct active_tablet_map {
diff --git a/replica/tablets.hh b/replica/tablets.hh
index 4039c0f0ac..a8118f73d5 100644
--- a/replica/tablets.hh
+++ b/replica/tablets.hh
@@ -61,6 +61,16 @@ mutation make_drop_tablet_map_mutation(table_id, api::timestamp_type);
 /// The timestamp must be greater than api::min_timestamp.
 future<> save_tablet_metadata(replica::database&, const locator::tablet_metadata&, api::timestamp_type);
 
+/// Extract a tablet metadata change hint from the tablet mutations.
+///
+/// Mutations which don't mutate the tablet table are ignored.
+std::optional<locator::tablet_metadata_change_hint> get_tablet_metadata_change_hint(const std::vector<canonical_mutation>&);
+
+/// Update the tablet metadata change hint, with the changes represented by the tablet mutation.
+///
+/// If the mutation belongs to another table, no updates are done.
+void update_tablet_metadata_change_hint(locator::tablet_metadata_change_hint&, const mutation&);
+
 /// Reads tablet metadata from system.tablets.
 future<locator::tablet_metadata> read_tablet_metadata(cql3::query_processor&);