diff --git a/api/column_family.cc b/api/column_family.cc
index 22b5e36fad..d423f06cd1 100644
--- a/api/column_family.cc
+++ b/api/column_family.cc
@@ -43,7 +43,7 @@ std::tuple<sstring, sstring> parse_fully_qualified_cf_name(sstring name) {
     return std::make_tuple(name.substr(0, pos), name.substr(end));
 }
 
-const table_id& get_uuid(const sstring& ks, const sstring& cf, const replica::database& db) {
+table_id get_uuid(const sstring& ks, const sstring& cf, const replica::database& db) {
     try {
         return db.find_uuid(ks, cf);
     } catch (replica::no_such_column_family& e) {
@@ -51,7 +51,7 @@ const table_id& get_uuid(const sstring& ks, const sstring& cf, const replica::da
     }
 }
 
-const table_id& get_uuid(const sstring& name, const replica::database& db) {
+table_id get_uuid(const sstring& name, const replica::database& db) {
     auto [ks, cf] = parse_fully_qualified_cf_name(name);
     return get_uuid(ks, cf, db);
 }
diff --git a/api/column_family.hh b/api/column_family.hh
index a90229e545..ea16a17672 100644
--- a/api/column_family.hh
+++ b/api/column_family.hh
@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@ namespace api {
 void set_column_family(http_context& ctx, httpd::routes& r, sharded<db::system_keyspace>& sys_ks);
 void unset_column_family(http_context& ctx, httpd::routes& r);
 
-const table_id& get_uuid(const sstring& name, const replica::database& db);
+table_id get_uuid(const sstring& name, const replica::database& db);
 future<> foreach_column_family(http_context& ctx, const sstring& name, std::function<void(replica::column_family&)> f);
 
 
diff --git a/replica/database.cc b/replica/database.cc
index 80cad24dc8..89173cf979 100644
--- a/replica/database.cc
+++ b/replica/database.cc
@@ -1143,7 +1143,7 @@ future<> database::drop_table_on_all_shards(sharded<database>& sharded_db, sstri
     co_await table_shards->destroy_storage();
 }
 
-const table_id& database::find_uuid(std::string_view ks, std::string_view cf) const {
+table_id database::find_uuid(std::string_view ks, std::string_view cf) const {
     try {
         return _tables_metadata._ks_cf_to_uuid.at(std::make_pair(ks, cf));
     } catch (std::out_of_range&) {
@@ -1151,7 +1151,7 @@ const table_id& database::find_uuid(std::string_view ks, std::string_view cf) co
     }
 }
 
-const table_id& database::find_uuid(const schema_ptr& schema) const {
+table_id database::find_uuid(const schema_ptr& schema) const {
     return find_uuid(schema->ks_name(), schema->cf_name());
 }
 
diff --git a/replica/database.hh b/replica/database.hh
index 554d6b57cc..ba18234017 100644
--- a/replica/database.hh
+++ b/replica/database.hh
@@ -1551,8 +1551,8 @@ public:
     future<> add_column_family_and_make_directory(schema_ptr schema);
 
     /* throws no_such_column_family if missing */
-    const table_id& find_uuid(std::string_view ks, std::string_view cf) const;
-    const table_id& find_uuid(const schema_ptr&) const;
+    table_id find_uuid(std::string_view ks, std::string_view cf) const;
+    table_id find_uuid(const schema_ptr&) const;
 
     /**
      * Creates a keyspace for a given metadata if it still doesn't exist.