diff --git a/cql3/statements/alter_keyspace_statement.hh b/cql3/statements/alter_keyspace_statement.hh
index 261fc0f1d3..1d037b4857 100644
--- a/cql3/statements/alter_keyspace_statement.hh
+++ b/cql3/statements/alter_keyspace_statement.hh
@@ -29,6 +29,9 @@ class alter_keyspace_statement : public schema_altering_statement {
 public:
     alter_keyspace_statement(sstring name, ::shared_ptr<ks_prop_defs> attrs);
 
+    bool has_keyspace() const override {
+        return true;
+    }
     const sstring& keyspace() const override;
 
     future<> check_access(query_processor& qp, const service::client_state& state) const override;
diff --git a/cql3/statements/cf_statement.cc b/cql3/statements/cf_statement.cc
index 18a90062c3..1fb86c7a8a 100644
--- a/cql3/statements/cf_statement.cc
+++ b/cql3/statements/cf_statement.cc
@@ -39,6 +39,11 @@ void cf_statement::prepare_keyspace(std::string_view keyspace)
     }
 }
 
+bool cf_statement::has_keyspace() const {
+    assert(_cf_name.has_value());
+    return _cf_name->has_keyspace();
+}
+
 const sstring& cf_statement::keyspace() const
 {
     assert(_cf_name->has_keyspace()); // "The statement hasn't be prepared correctly";
diff --git a/cql3/statements/create_keyspace_statement.hh b/cql3/statements/create_keyspace_statement.hh
index 26ba2ae766..e7b5f9cd4d 100644
--- a/cql3/statements/create_keyspace_statement.hh
+++ b/cql3/statements/create_keyspace_statement.hh
@@ -51,6 +51,9 @@ public:
      */
     create_keyspace_statement(const sstring& name, shared_ptr<ks_prop_defs> attrs, bool if_not_exists);
 
+    virtual bool has_keyspace() const override {
+        return true;
+    }
     virtual const sstring& keyspace() const override;
 
     virtual future<> check_access(query_processor& qp, const service::client_state& state) const override;
diff --git a/cql3/statements/create_type_statement.hh b/cql3/statements/create_type_statement.hh
index fe3252a45b..80257a2ebf 100644
--- a/cql3/statements/create_type_statement.hh
+++ b/cql3/statements/create_type_statement.hh
@@ -35,6 +35,10 @@ public:
 
     virtual void validate(query_processor&, const service::client_state& state) const override;
 
+    virtual bool has_keyspace() const override {
+        return true;
+    }
+
     virtual const sstring& keyspace() const override;
 
     future<std::tuple<::shared_ptr<cql_transport::event::schema_change>, std::vector<mutation>, cql3::cql_warnings_vec>> prepare_schema_mutations(query_processor& qp, api::timestamp_type) const override;
diff --git a/cql3/statements/raw/cf_statement.hh b/cql3/statements/raw/cf_statement.hh
index 94dbdb4ac8..295fa02eff 100644
--- a/cql3/statements/raw/cf_statement.hh
+++ b/cql3/statements/raw/cf_statement.hh
@@ -38,6 +38,8 @@ public:
     // Only for internal calls, use the version with ClientState for user queries
     void prepare_keyspace(std::string_view keyspace);
 
+    virtual bool has_keyspace() const;
+
     virtual const sstring& keyspace() const;
 
     virtual const sstring& column_family() const;
diff --git a/tools/schema_loader.cc b/tools/schema_loader.cc
index dd926ba2c3..e094bbef96 100644
--- a/tools/schema_loader.cc
+++ b/tools/schema_loader.cc
@@ -281,6 +281,9 @@ std::vector<schema_ptr> do_load_schemas(const db::config& cfg, std::string_view
         if (!cf_statement) {
             continue; // we don't support any non-cf statements here
         }
+        if (!cf_statement->has_keyspace()) {
+            throw std::runtime_error("tools::do_load_schemas(): CQL statement does not have keyspace specified");
+        }
         auto ks = find_or_create_keyspace(cf_statement->keyspace());
         auto prepared_statement = cf_statement->prepare(db, cql_stats);
         auto* statement = prepared_statement->statement.get();