diff --git a/locator/abstract_replication_strategy.cc b/locator/abstract_replication_strategy.cc
index d19e666c83..78887f5c50 100644
--- a/locator/abstract_replication_strategy.cc
+++ b/locator/abstract_replication_strategy.cc
@@ -8,8 +8,17 @@
 
 namespace locator {
 
-abstract_replication_strategy::abstract_replication_strategy(const sstring& ks_name, token_metadata& token_metadata, snitch_ptr& snitch, const std::map<sstring, sstring>& config_options) :
-       _ks_name(ks_name),  _config_options(config_options), _token_metadata(token_metadata), _snitch(snitch)  {}
+abstract_replication_strategy::abstract_replication_strategy(
+    const sstring& ks_name,
+    token_metadata& token_metadata,
+    snitch_ptr& snitch,
+    const std::map<sstring, sstring>& config_options,
+    replication_strategy_type my_type)
+        : _ks_name(ks_name)
+        , _config_options(config_options)
+        , _token_metadata(token_metadata)
+        , _snitch(snitch)
+        , _my_type(my_type) {}
 
 std::unique_ptr<abstract_replication_strategy> abstract_replication_strategy::create_replication_strategy(const sstring& ks_name, const sstring& strategy_name, token_metadata& tk_metadata, const std::map<sstring, sstring>& config_options) {
     assert(locator::i_endpoint_snitch::get_local_snitch_ptr());
diff --git a/locator/abstract_replication_strategy.hh b/locator/abstract_replication_strategy.hh
index a0480426a3..e01ea479c6 100644
--- a/locator/abstract_replication_strategy.hh
+++ b/locator/abstract_replication_strategy.hh
@@ -20,6 +20,12 @@ namespace locator {
 using inet_address = gms::inet_address;
 using token = dht::token;
 
+enum class replication_strategy_type {
+    simple,
+    local,
+    network_topology,
+};
+
 class abstract_replication_strategy {
 private:
     long _last_invalidated_ring_version = 0;
@@ -41,6 +47,7 @@ protected:
     std::map<sstring, sstring> _config_options;
     token_metadata& _token_metadata;
     snitch_ptr& _snitch;
+    replication_strategy_type _my_type;
 
     template <typename... Args>
     void err(const char* fmt, Args&&... args) const {
@@ -62,12 +69,18 @@ protected:
     virtual std::vector<inet_address> calculate_natural_endpoints(const token& search_token) = 0;
 
 public:
-    abstract_replication_strategy(const sstring& keyspace_name, token_metadata& token_metadata, snitch_ptr& snitch, const std::map<sstring, sstring>& config_options);
+    abstract_replication_strategy(
+        const sstring& keyspace_name,
+        token_metadata& token_metadata,
+        snitch_ptr& snitch,
+        const std::map<sstring, sstring>& config_options,
+        replication_strategy_type my_type);
     virtual ~abstract_replication_strategy() {}
     static std::unique_ptr<abstract_replication_strategy> create_replication_strategy(const sstring& ks_name, const sstring& strategy_name, token_metadata& token_metadata, const std::map<sstring, sstring>& config_options);
     std::vector<inet_address> get_natural_endpoints(const token& search_token);
     virtual size_t get_replication_factor() const = 0;
     uint64_t get_cache_hits_count() const { return _cache_hits_count; }
+    replication_strategy_type get_type() const { return _my_type; }
 };
 
 }
diff --git a/locator/local_strategy.cc b/locator/local_strategy.cc
index 935374ebf6..5dfb5bc12e 100644
--- a/locator/local_strategy.cc
+++ b/locator/local_strategy.cc
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@
 namespace locator {
 
 local_strategy::local_strategy(const sstring& keyspace_name, token_metadata& token_metadata, snitch_ptr& snitch, const std::map<sstring, sstring>& config_options) :
-        abstract_replication_strategy(keyspace_name, token_metadata, snitch, config_options) {}
+        abstract_replication_strategy(keyspace_name, token_metadata, snitch, config_options, replication_strategy_type::local) {}
 
 std::vector<inet_address> local_strategy::calculate_natural_endpoints(const token& t) {
     std::vector<inet_address> endpoints;
diff --git a/locator/network_topology_strategy.cc b/locator/network_topology_strategy.cc
index 130efa781e..da33bd2e2e 100644
--- a/locator/network_topology_strategy.cc
+++ b/locator/network_topology_strategy.cc
@@ -34,7 +34,8 @@ network_topology_strategy::network_topology_strategy(
         abstract_replication_strategy(keyspace_name,
                                       token_metadata,
                                       snitch,
-                                      config_options) {
+                                      config_options,
+                                      replication_strategy_type::network_topology) {
     for (auto& config_pair : config_options) {
         auto& key = config_pair.first;
         auto& val = config_pair.second;
diff --git a/locator/simple_strategy.cc b/locator/simple_strategy.cc
index cb3d3b12f1..5e26841e73 100644
--- a/locator/simple_strategy.cc
+++ b/locator/simple_strategy.cc
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@
 namespace locator {
 
 simple_strategy::simple_strategy(const sstring& keyspace_name, token_metadata& token_metadata, snitch_ptr& snitch, const std::map<sstring, sstring>& config_options) :
-        abstract_replication_strategy(keyspace_name, token_metadata, snitch, config_options) {
+        abstract_replication_strategy(keyspace_name, token_metadata, snitch, config_options, replication_strategy_type::simple) {
     for (auto& config_pair : config_options) {
         auto& key = config_pair.first;
         auto& val = config_pair.second;