diff --git a/mutation/mutation.cc b/mutation/mutation.cc
index 6130e526e5..7cdebc3af3 100644
--- a/mutation/mutation.cc
+++ b/mutation/mutation.cc
@@ -212,20 +212,20 @@ class mutation_by_size_splitter {
         }
     };
     const schema_ptr _schema;
-    utils::chunked_vector<mutation>& _target;
     const size_t _max_size;
+    std::function<void(mutation)> _process_mutation;
     std::optional<partition_state> _state;
     template <typename T>
     stop_iteration consume_fragment(T&& fragment) {
         const auto fragment_size = fragment.memory_usage(*_schema);
         if (_state->size && _state->size + _state->empty_partition_size + fragment_size > _max_size) {
-            _target.emplace_back(_state->builder.flush());
             // We could end up with an empty mutation if we consumed a range_tombstone_change
             // and the next fragment exceeds the limit. The tombstone range may not have been
             // closed yet and range_tombstone will not be created.
             // This should be a rare case though, so just pop such mutation.
-            if (_target.back().partition().empty()) {
-                _target.pop_back();
+            auto m = _state->builder.flush();
+            if (!m.partition().empty()) {
+                _process_mutation(std::move(m));
             }
             _state->size = 0;
         }
@@ -234,10 +234,10 @@ class mutation_by_size_splitter {
         return stop_iteration::no;
     }
 public:
-    mutation_by_size_splitter(schema_ptr schema, utils::chunked_vector<mutation>& target, size_t max_size)
+    mutation_by_size_splitter(schema_ptr schema, size_t max_size, std::function<void(mutation)> process_mutation)
         : _schema(std::move(schema))
-        , _target(target)
         , _max_size(max_size)
+        , _process_mutation(process_mutation)
     {
     }
     void consume_new_partition(const dht::decorated_key& dk) {
@@ -264,7 +264,7 @@ public:
             // was already emitted in the previous mutation (because the previous mutation was flushed
             // after consuming a clustering_row at that position).
             if (!mut_opt->partition().empty()) {
-                _target.emplace_back(std::move(*mut_opt));
+                _process_mutation(std::move(*mut_opt));
             }
         } else {
             on_internal_error(mlog, "consume_end_of_stream didn't return a mutation");
@@ -278,7 +278,7 @@ public:
 };
 }
 
-future<> split_mutation(mutation source, utils::chunked_vector<mutation>& target, size_t max_size) {
+future<> for_each_split_mutation(mutation source, size_t max_size, std::function<void(mutation)> process_mutation) {
     reader_concurrency_semaphore sem(reader_concurrency_semaphore::no_limits{}, "split_mutation",
         reader_concurrency_semaphore::register_metrics::no);
     {
@@ -287,12 +287,18 @@ future<> split_mutation(mutation source, utils::chunked_vector<mutation>& target
             sem.make_tracking_only_permit(s, "split_mutation", db::no_timeout, {}),
             std::move(source));
         co_await with_closeable(std::move(reader), [&] (mutation_reader& reader) {
-            return reader.consume(mutation_by_size_splitter(s, target, max_size));
+            return reader.consume(mutation_by_size_splitter(s, max_size, std::move(process_mutation)));
         });
     }
     co_await sem.stop();
 }
 
+future<> split_mutation(mutation source, utils::chunked_vector<mutation>& target, size_t max_size) {
+    return for_each_split_mutation(std::move(source), max_size, [&target] (mutation m) {
+        target.emplace_back(std::move(m));
+    });
+}
+
 auto fmt::formatter<mutation>::format(const mutation& m, fmt::format_context& ctx) const
         -> decltype(ctx.out()) {
     const ::schema& s = *m.schema();
diff --git a/mutation/mutation.hh b/mutation/mutation.hh
index bb6fbdd605..5a68b0d712 100644
--- a/mutation/mutation.hh
+++ b/mutation/mutation.hh
@@ -475,3 +475,5 @@ template <> struct fmt::formatter<mutation> : fmt::formatter<string_view> {
 // to pass half of the required value as max_size; such a margin should ensure
 // that the condition is met.
 future<> split_mutation(mutation source, utils::chunked_vector<mutation>& target, size_t max_size);
+
+future<> for_each_split_mutation(mutation source, size_t max_size, std::function<void(mutation)> process_mutation);
diff --git a/service/storage_service.cc b/service/storage_service.cc
index fa93f89c1f..86f51e9f52 100644
--- a/service/storage_service.cc
+++ b/service/storage_service.cc
@@ -924,11 +924,9 @@ future<> storage_service::merge_topology_snapshot(raft_snapshot snp) {
                 if (m.representation().size() <= max_size) {
                     frozen_muts_to_apply.push_back(co_await freeze_gently(mut));
                 } else {
-                    utils::chunked_vector<mutation> split_muts;
-                    co_await split_mutation(std::move(mut), split_muts, max_size);
-                    for (auto& mut : split_muts) {
+                    co_await for_each_split_mutation(std::move(mut), max_size, [&] (mutation m) -> future<> {
                         frozen_muts_to_apply.push_back(co_await freeze_gently(mut));
-                    }
+                    });
                 }
             }
         }