diff --git a/alternator-test/test_table.py b/alternator-test/test_table.py
index 92a0e00598..fbeaf31c67 100644
--- a/alternator-test/test_table.py
+++ b/alternator-test/test_table.py
@@ -247,7 +247,7 @@ def test_table_special_column_name(dynamodb):
     )
     yield table
     table.delete()
-@pytest.mark.skip(reason="special attrs column not yet hidden correctly")
+@pytest.mark.xfail(reason="special attrs column not yet hidden correctly")
 def test_create_table_special_column_name(test_table_special_column_name):
     s = random_string()
     c = random_string()
diff --git a/alternator/executor.cc b/alternator/executor.cc
index c640b7e4b2..853422daea 100644
--- a/alternator/executor.cc
+++ b/alternator/executor.cc
@@ -317,6 +317,13 @@ static data_type parse_key_type(const std::string& type) {
 
 
 static void add_column(schema_builder& builder, const std::string& name, const rjson::value& attribute_definitions, column_kind kind) {
+    // FIXME: Currently, the column name ATTRS_COLUMN_NAME is not allowed
+    // because we use it for our untyped attribute map, and we can't have a
+    // second column with the same name. We should fix this, by renaming
+    // some column names which we want to reserve.
+    if (name == executor::ATTRS_COLUMN_NAME) {
+        throw api_error("ValidationException", format("Column name '{}' is currently reserved. FIXME.", name));
+    }
     for (auto it = attribute_definitions.Begin(); it != attribute_definitions.End(); ++it) {
         const rjson::value& attribute_info = *it;
         if (attribute_info["AttributeName"].GetString() == name) {