diff --git a/db/schema_features.hh b/db/schema_features.hh
index 2ca4fd768e..b178261b4c 100644
--- a/db/schema_features.hh
+++ b/db/schema_features.hh
@@ -28,6 +28,9 @@ enum class schema_feature {
     // When enabled, schema_mutations::digest() will skip empty mutations (with only tombstones),
     // so that the digest remains the same after schema tables are compacted.
     TABLE_DIGEST_INSENSITIVE_TO_EXPIRY,
+
+    // When enabled we'll add a new column to the `system_schema.scylla_tables` table.
+    GROUP0_SCHEMA_VERSIONING,
 };
 
 using schema_features = enum_set<super_enum<schema_feature,
@@ -38,7 +41,8 @@ using schema_features = enum_set<super_enum<schema_feature,
     schema_feature::PER_TABLE_PARTITIONERS,
     schema_feature::SCYLLA_KEYSPACES,
     schema_feature::SCYLLA_AGGREGATES,
-    schema_feature::TABLE_DIGEST_INSENSITIVE_TO_EXPIRY
+    schema_feature::TABLE_DIGEST_INSENSITIVE_TO_EXPIRY,
+    schema_feature::GROUP0_SCHEMA_VERSIONING
     >>;
 
 }
diff --git a/gms/feature_service.cc b/gms/feature_service.cc
index feb4d1fcf8..af51156725 100644
--- a/gms/feature_service.cc
+++ b/gms/feature_service.cc
@@ -76,6 +76,8 @@ feature_config feature_config_from_db_config(const db::config& cfg, std::set<sst
         }
     }
 
+    fcfg._disabled_features.insert("GROUP0_SCHEMA_VERSIONING"s);
+
     if (!cfg.check_experimental(db::experimental_features_t::feature::ALTERNATOR_STREAMS)) {
         fcfg._disabled_features.insert("ALTERNATOR_STREAMS"s);
     }
@@ -203,6 +205,7 @@ db::schema_features feature_service::cluster_schema_features() const {
     f.set_if<db::schema_feature::SCYLLA_KEYSPACES>(keyspace_storage_options);
     f.set_if<db::schema_feature::SCYLLA_AGGREGATES>(aggregate_storage_options);
     f.set_if<db::schema_feature::TABLE_DIGEST_INSENSITIVE_TO_EXPIRY>(table_digest_insensitive_to_expiry);
+    f.set_if<db::schema_feature::GROUP0_SCHEMA_VERSIONING>(group0_schema_versioning);
     return f;
 }
 
diff --git a/gms/feature_service.hh b/gms/feature_service.hh
index 03c4823d47..abc5e441bd 100644
--- a/gms/feature_service.hh
+++ b/gms/feature_service.hh
@@ -129,6 +129,14 @@ public:
     gms::feature tablets { *this, "TABLETS"sv };
     gms::feature uuid_sstable_identifiers { *this, "UUID_SSTABLE_IDENTIFIERS"sv };
     gms::feature table_digest_insensitive_to_expiry { *this, "TABLE_DIGEST_INSENSITIVE_TO_EXPIRY"sv };
+    // If this feature is enabled, schema versions are persisted by the group 0 command
+    // that modifies schema instead of being calculated as a digest (hash) by each node separately.
+    // The feature controls both the 'global' schema version (the one gossiped as application_state::SCHEMA)
+    // and the per-table schema versions (schema::version()).
+    // The feature affects non-Raft mode as well (e.g. during RECOVERY), where we send additional
+    // tombstones and flags to schema tables when performing schema changes, allowing us to
+    // revert to the digest method when necessary (if we must perform a schema change during RECOVERY).
+    gms::feature group0_schema_versioning { *this, "GROUP0_SCHEMA_VERSIONING"sv };
 
     // A feature just for use in tests. It must not be advertised unless
     // the "features_enable_test_feature" injection is enabled.