diff --git a/table.cc b/table.cc
index a76b48fa47..416881a65e 100644
--- a/table.cc
+++ b/table.cc
@@ -1698,7 +1698,8 @@ write_memtable_to_sstable(flat_mutation_reader reader,
     cfg.replay_position = mt.replay_position();
     cfg.monitor = &monitor;
     cfg.origin = "memtable";
-    return sst->write_components(std::move(reader), mt.partition_count(), mt.schema(), cfg, mt.get_encoding_stats(), pc);
+    schema_ptr s = reader.schema();
+    return sst->write_components(std::move(reader), mt.partition_count(), s, cfg, mt.get_encoding_stats(), pc);
 }
 
 future<>