diff --git a/digest_algorithm.hh b/digest_algorithm.hh
index 26e31b0c11..ae52eb6a59 100644
--- a/digest_algorithm.hh
+++ b/digest_algorithm.hh
@@ -25,8 +25,8 @@ namespace query {
 
 enum class digest_algorithm : uint8_t {
     none = 0,  // digest not required
-    MD5 = 1,   // default algorithm
-    xxHash = 2,
+    MD5 = 1,
+    xxHash = 2,// default algorithm
 };
 
 }
diff --git a/idl/query.idl.hh b/idl/query.idl.hh
index b2aa14dbc8..6aca9a59fa 100644
--- a/idl/query.idl.hh
+++ b/idl/query.idl.hh
@@ -31,7 +31,8 @@ class query_result stub [[writable]] {
 
 enum class digest_algorithm : uint8_t {
     none = 0,  // digest not required
-    MD5 = 1,   // default algorithm
+    MD5 = 1,
+    xxHash = 2,// default algorithm
 };
 
 }
diff --git a/service/storage_proxy.cc b/service/storage_proxy.cc
index 65ad986185..b67e777132 100644
--- a/service/storage_proxy.cc
+++ b/service/storage_proxy.cc
@@ -2457,7 +2457,9 @@ public:
 };
 
 query::digest_algorithm digest_algorithm() {
-    return query::digest_algorithm::MD5;
+    return service::get_local_storage_service().cluster_supports_xxhash_digest_algorithm()
+         ? query::digest_algorithm::xxHash
+         : query::digest_algorithm::MD5;
 }
 
 class abstract_read_executor : public enable_shared_from_this<abstract_read_executor> {
diff --git a/service/storage_service.cc b/service/storage_service.cc
index 199ea1747b..aba80db83e 100644
--- a/service/storage_service.cc
+++ b/service/storage_service.cc
@@ -92,6 +92,7 @@ static const sstring CORRECT_COUNTER_ORDER_FEATURE = "CORRECT_COUNTER_ORDER";
 static const sstring SCHEMA_TABLES_V3 = "SCHEMA_TABLES_V3";
 static const sstring CORRECT_NON_COMPOUND_RANGE_TOMBSTONES = "CORRECT_NON_COMPOUND_RANGE_TOMBSTONES";
 static const sstring WRITE_FAILURE_REPLY_FEATURE = "WRITE_FAILURE_REPLY";
+static const sstring XXHASH_FEATURE = "XXHASH";
 
 distributed<storage_service> _the_storage_service;
 
@@ -139,6 +140,7 @@ sstring storage_service::get_config_supported_features() {
         SCHEMA_TABLES_V3,
         CORRECT_NON_COMPOUND_RANGE_TOMBSTONES,
         WRITE_FAILURE_REPLY_FEATURE,
+        XXHASH_FEATURE,
     };
     if (service::get_local_storage_service()._db.local().get_config().experimental()) {
         features.push_back(MATERIALIZED_VIEWS_FEATURE);
@@ -351,6 +353,7 @@ void storage_service::register_features() {
     _schema_tables_v3 = gms::feature(SCHEMA_TABLES_V3);
     _correct_non_compound_range_tombstones = gms::feature(CORRECT_NON_COMPOUND_RANGE_TOMBSTONES);
     _write_failure_reply_feature = gms::feature(WRITE_FAILURE_REPLY_FEATURE);
+    _xxhash_feature = gms::feature(XXHASH_FEATURE);
 
     if (_db.local().get_config().experimental()) {
         _materialized_views_feature = gms::feature(MATERIALIZED_VIEWS_FEATURE);
diff --git a/service/storage_service.hh b/service/storage_service.hh
index c689b73a6c..76b64e4051 100644
--- a/service/storage_service.hh
+++ b/service/storage_service.hh
@@ -275,6 +275,7 @@ private:
     gms::feature _schema_tables_v3;
     gms::feature _correct_non_compound_range_tombstones;
     gms::feature _write_failure_reply_feature;
+    gms::feature _xxhash_feature;
 public:
     void enable_all_features() {
         _range_tombstones_feature.enable();
@@ -287,6 +288,7 @@ public:
         _schema_tables_v3.enable();
         _correct_non_compound_range_tombstones.enable();
         _write_failure_reply_feature.enable();
+        _xxhash_feature.enable();
     }
 
     void finish_bootstrapping() {
@@ -2259,6 +2261,10 @@ public:
     bool cluster_supports_write_failure_reply() const {
         return bool(_write_failure_reply_feature);
     }
+
+    bool cluster_supports_xxhash_digest_algorithm() const {
+        return bool(_xxhash_feature);
+    }
 };
 
 inline future<> init_storage_service(distributed<database>& db, sharded<auth::service>& auth_service) {