diff --git a/locator/token_metadata.cc b/locator/token_metadata.cc
index 78a3b15d65..fcdb9cc193 100644
--- a/locator/token_metadata.cc
+++ b/locator/token_metadata.cc
@@ -85,6 +85,7 @@ private:
     void sort_tokens();
 
     const tablet_metadata& tablets() const { return _tablets; }
+    tablet_metadata& tablets() { return _tablets; }
 
     void set_tablets(tablet_metadata&& tablets) {
         _tablets = std::move(tablets);
@@ -405,6 +406,10 @@ const tablet_metadata& token_metadata::tablets() const {
     return _impl->tablets();
 }
 
+tablet_metadata& token_metadata::tablets() {
+    return _impl->tablets();
+}
+
 void token_metadata::set_tablets(tablet_metadata tm) {
     _impl->set_tablets(std::move(tm));
 }
diff --git a/locator/token_metadata.hh b/locator/token_metadata.hh
index 0f463a58a2..97f76db34b 100644
--- a/locator/token_metadata.hh
+++ b/locator/token_metadata.hh
@@ -114,6 +114,7 @@ public:
     ~token_metadata();
     const std::vector<token>& sorted_tokens() const;
     const tablet_metadata& tablets() const;
+    tablet_metadata& tablets();
     void set_tablets(tablet_metadata);
     // Update token->endpoint mappings for a given \c endpoint.
     // \c tokens are all the tokens that are now owned by \c endpoint.