diff --git a/go/test/endtoend/vtcombo/vttest_sample_test.go b/go/test/endtoend/vtcombo/vttest_sample_test.go
index daeb5e8deb9..4895c1195b0 100644
--- a/go/test/endtoend/vtcombo/vttest_sample_test.go
+++ b/go/test/endtoend/vtcombo/vttest_sample_test.go
@@ -130,6 +130,8 @@ func TestStandalone(t *testing.T) {
 	tmp, _ := cmd.([]any)
 	require.Contains(t, tmp[0], "vtcombo")
 
+	assertVSchemaExists(t, grpcAddress)
+
 	ctx := context.Background()
 	conn, err := vtgateconn.Dial(ctx, grpcAddress)
 	require.NoError(t, err)
@@ -160,6 +162,17 @@ func TestStandalone(t *testing.T) {
 	assertTransactionalityAndRollbackObeyed(ctx, t, conn, idStart)
 }
 
+func assertVSchemaExists(t *testing.T, grpcAddress string) {
+	tmpCmd := exec.Command("vtctldclient", "--server", grpcAddress, "--compact", "GetVSchema", "routed")
+
+	log.Infof("Running vtctldclient with command: %v", tmpCmd.Args)
+
+	output, err := tmpCmd.CombinedOutput()
+	require.NoError(t, err, fmt.Sprintf("Output:\n%v", string(output)))
+
+	assert.Equal(t, "{}\n", string(output))
+}
+
 func assertInsertedRowsExist(ctx context.Context, t *testing.T, conn *vtgateconn.VTGateConn, idStart, rowCount int) {
 	cur := conn.Session(ks1+":-80@rdonly", nil)
 	bindVariables := map[string]*querypb.BindVariable{
diff --git a/go/vt/vtcombo/tablet_map.go b/go/vt/vtcombo/tablet_map.go
index 369a8138b5a..84ffa10fd3a 100644
--- a/go/vt/vtcombo/tablet_map.go
+++ b/go/vt/vtcombo/tablet_map.go
@@ -301,6 +301,11 @@ func CreateKs(
 		return 0, fmt.Errorf("CreateKeyspace(%v) failed: %v", keyspace, err)
 	}
 
+	// make sure a valid vschema has been loaded
+	if err := ts.EnsureVSchema(ctx, keyspace); err != nil {
+		return 0, fmt.Errorf("EnsureVSchema(%v) failed: %v", keyspace, err)
+	}
+
 	// iterate through the shards
 	for _, spb := range kpb.Shards {
 		shard := spb.Name