diff --git a/dbms/src/Interpreters/Settings.h b/dbms/src/Interpreters/Settings.h
index 20b1e3cffaf..ef53f1300cb 100644
--- a/dbms/src/Interpreters/Settings.h
+++ b/dbms/src/Interpreters/Settings.h
@@ -300,6 +300,7 @@ struct Settings
     M(SettingBool, allow_experimental_cross_to_join_conversion, false, "Convert CROSS JOIN to INNER JOIN if possible") \
     M(SettingBool, cancel_http_readonly_queries_on_client_close, false, "Cancel HTTP readonly queries when a client closes the connection without waiting for response.") \
     M(SettingBool, external_table_functions_use_nulls, true, "If it is set to true, external table functions will implicitly use Nullable type if needed. Otherwise NULLs will be substituted with default values. Currently supported only for 'mysql' table function.") \
+    M(SettingBool, allow_experimental_data_skipping_indices, false, "If it is set to true, data skipping indices can be used in CREATE TABLE/ALTER TABLE queries.")\
 
 #define DECLARE(TYPE, NAME, DEFAULT, DESCRIPTION) \
     TYPE NAME {DEFAULT};
diff --git a/dbms/src/Storages/IndicesDescription.h b/dbms/src/Storages/IndicesDescription.h
index 9d7c7907ca1..53b492198ce 100644
--- a/dbms/src/Storages/IndicesDescription.h
+++ b/dbms/src/Storages/IndicesDescription.h
@@ -14,6 +14,7 @@ struct IndicesDescription
 
     IndicesDescription() = default;
 
+    bool empty() const { return indices.empty(); }
     String toString() const;
 
     static IndicesDescription parse(const String & str);
diff --git a/dbms/src/Storages/MergeTree/MergeTreeData.cpp b/dbms/src/Storages/MergeTree/MergeTreeData.cpp
index 689e166c757..1df3f9f50a7 100644
--- a/dbms/src/Storages/MergeTree/MergeTreeData.cpp
+++ b/dbms/src/Storages/MergeTree/MergeTreeData.cpp
@@ -72,6 +72,7 @@ namespace DB
 
 namespace ErrorCodes
 {
+    extern const int BAD_ARGUMENTS;
     extern const int MEMORY_LIMIT_EXCEEDED;
     extern const int SYNTAX_ERROR;
     extern const int INVALID_PARTITION_VALUE;
@@ -1051,7 +1052,7 @@ bool isMetadataOnlyConversion(const IDataType * from, const IDataType * to)
 
 }
 
-void MergeTreeData::checkAlter(const AlterCommands & commands)
+void MergeTreeData::checkAlter(const AlterCommands & commands, const Context & context)
 {
     /// Check that needed transformations can be applied to the list of columns without considering type conversions.
     auto new_columns = getColumns();
@@ -1060,6 +1061,11 @@ void MergeTreeData::checkAlter(const AlterCommands & commands)
     ASTPtr new_primary_key_ast = primary_key_ast;
     commands.apply(new_columns, new_indices, new_order_by_ast, new_primary_key_ast);
 
+    if (getIndicesDescription().empty() && !new_indices.empty() &&
+            !context.getSettingsRef().allow_experimental_data_skipping_indices)
+        throw Exception("You must set the setting `allow_experimental_data_skipping_indices` to 1 " \
+                        "before using data skipping indices.", ErrorCodes::BAD_ARGUMENTS);
+
     /// Set of columns that shouldn't be altered.
     NameSet columns_alter_forbidden;
 
diff --git a/dbms/src/Storages/MergeTree/MergeTreeData.h b/dbms/src/Storages/MergeTree/MergeTreeData.h
index 66cbe6bf9dd..f252e43b562 100644
--- a/dbms/src/Storages/MergeTree/MergeTreeData.h
+++ b/dbms/src/Storages/MergeTree/MergeTreeData.h
@@ -481,7 +481,7 @@ public:
     /// - all type conversions can be done.
     /// - columns corresponding to primary key, indices, sign, sampling expression and date are not affected.
     /// If something is wrong, throws an exception.
-    void checkAlter(const AlterCommands & commands);
+    void checkAlter(const AlterCommands & commands, const Context & context);
 
     /// Performs ALTER of the data part, writes the result to temporary files.
     /// Returns an object allowing to rename temporary files to permanent files.
diff --git a/dbms/src/Storages/MergeTree/registerStorageMergeTree.cpp b/dbms/src/Storages/MergeTree/registerStorageMergeTree.cpp
index 6fd61fb434c..1958b489023 100644
--- a/dbms/src/Storages/MergeTree/registerStorageMergeTree.cpp
+++ b/dbms/src/Storages/MergeTree/registerStorageMergeTree.cpp
@@ -610,6 +610,10 @@ static StoragePtr create(const StorageFactory::Arguments & args)
                 ErrorCodes::BAD_ARGUMENTS);
     }
 
+    if (!args.attach && !indices_description.empty() && !args.local_context.getSettingsRef().allow_experimental_data_skipping_indices)
+        throw Exception("You must set the setting `allow_experimental_data_skipping_indices` to 1 " \
+                        "before using data skipping indices.", ErrorCodes::BAD_ARGUMENTS);
+
     if (replicated)
         return StorageReplicatedMergeTree::create(
             zookeeper_path, replica_name, args.attach, args.data_path, args.database_name, args.table_name,
diff --git a/dbms/src/Storages/StorageMergeTree.cpp b/dbms/src/Storages/StorageMergeTree.cpp
index 0f9f2069645..7f4c844aa09 100644
--- a/dbms/src/Storages/StorageMergeTree.cpp
+++ b/dbms/src/Storages/StorageMergeTree.cpp
@@ -211,7 +211,7 @@ void StorageMergeTree::alter(
 
     auto table_soft_lock = lockDataForAlter();
 
-    data.checkAlter(params);
+    data.checkAlter(params, context);
 
     auto new_columns = data.getColumns();
     auto new_indices = data.getIndicesDescription();
diff --git a/dbms/src/Storages/StorageReplicatedMergeTree.cpp b/dbms/src/Storages/StorageReplicatedMergeTree.cpp
index 062800871e6..a1eaee63a72 100644
--- a/dbms/src/Storages/StorageReplicatedMergeTree.cpp
+++ b/dbms/src/Storages/StorageReplicatedMergeTree.cpp
@@ -3125,7 +3125,7 @@ void StorageReplicatedMergeTree::alter(const AlterCommands & params,
         if (is_readonly)
             throw Exception("Can't ALTER readonly table", ErrorCodes::TABLE_IS_READ_ONLY);
 
-        data.checkAlter(params);
+        data.checkAlter(params, query_context);
 
         ColumnsDescription new_columns = data.getColumns();
         IndicesDescription new_indices = data.getIndicesDescription();
diff --git a/dbms/tests/queries/0_stateless/00836_indices_alter.sql b/dbms/tests/queries/0_stateless/00836_indices_alter.sql
index 6749d69ff28..0fb8d49da6a 100644
--- a/dbms/tests/queries/0_stateless/00836_indices_alter.sql
+++ b/dbms/tests/queries/0_stateless/00836_indices_alter.sql
@@ -1,6 +1,8 @@
 DROP TABLE IF EXISTS test.minmax_idx;
 DROP TABLE IF EXISTS test.minmax_idx2;
 
+SET allow_experimental_data_skipping_indices = 1;
+
 CREATE TABLE test.minmax_idx
 (
     u64 UInt64,
diff --git a/dbms/tests/queries/0_stateless/00836_indices_alter_replicated_zookeeper.sql b/dbms/tests/queries/0_stateless/00836_indices_alter_replicated_zookeeper.sql
index ccd71beb6ec..4240348f7de 100644
--- a/dbms/tests/queries/0_stateless/00836_indices_alter_replicated_zookeeper.sql
+++ b/dbms/tests/queries/0_stateless/00836_indices_alter_replicated_zookeeper.sql
@@ -3,6 +3,8 @@ DROP TABLE IF EXISTS test.minmax_idx_r;
 DROP TABLE IF EXISTS test.minmax_idx2;
 DROP TABLE IF EXISTS test.minmax_idx2_r;
 
+SET allow_experimental_data_skipping_indices = 1;
+
 CREATE TABLE test.minmax_idx
 (
     u64 UInt64,
diff --git a/dbms/tests/queries/0_stateless/00837_minmax_index.sh b/dbms/tests/queries/0_stateless/00837_minmax_index.sh
index 72c36be1bf1..d38f7bbabfd 100755
--- a/dbms/tests/queries/0_stateless/00837_minmax_index.sh
+++ b/dbms/tests/queries/0_stateless/00837_minmax_index.sh
@@ -3,9 +3,12 @@
 CURDIR=$(cd "$(dirname "${BASH_SOURCE[0]}")" && pwd)
 . $CURDIR/../shell_config.sh
 
-$CLICKHOUSE_CLIENT --query="DROP TABLE IF EXISTS test.minmax_idx"
+$CLICKHOUSE_CLIENT --query="DROP TABLE IF EXISTS test.minmax_idx;"
 
-$CLICKHOUSE_CLIENT --query="CREATE TABLE test.minmax_idx
+
+$CLICKHOUSE_CLIENT -n --query="
+SET allow_experimental_data_skipping_indices = 1;
+CREATE TABLE test.minmax_idx
 (
     u64 UInt64,
     i32 Int32,
@@ -19,7 +22,7 @@ $CLICKHOUSE_CLIENT --query="CREATE TABLE test.minmax_idx
     INDEX idx_2 (u64 + toYear(dt), substring(s, 2, 4)) TYPE minmax GRANULARITY 3
 ) ENGINE = MergeTree()
 ORDER BY u64
-SETTINGS index_granularity = 2"
+SETTINGS index_granularity = 2;"
 
 
 $CLICKHOUSE_CLIENT --query="INSERT INTO test.minmax_idx VALUES
diff --git a/dbms/tests/queries/0_stateless/00837_minmax_index_replicated_zookeeper.sql b/dbms/tests/queries/0_stateless/00837_minmax_index_replicated_zookeeper.sql
index 8d0d5ce80ff..ceb361170f3 100644
--- a/dbms/tests/queries/0_stateless/00837_minmax_index_replicated_zookeeper.sql
+++ b/dbms/tests/queries/0_stateless/00837_minmax_index_replicated_zookeeper.sql
@@ -1,6 +1,8 @@
 DROP TABLE IF EXISTS test.minmax_idx1;
 DROP TABLE IF EXISTS test.minmax_idx2;
 
+SET allow_experimental_data_skipping_indices = 1;
+
 CREATE TABLE test.minmax_idx1
 (
     u64 UInt64,
diff --git a/dbms/tests/queries/0_stateless/00838_unique_index.sh b/dbms/tests/queries/0_stateless/00838_unique_index.sh
index 9f33c916689..dd4440bd5ce 100755
--- a/dbms/tests/queries/0_stateless/00838_unique_index.sh
+++ b/dbms/tests/queries/0_stateless/00838_unique_index.sh
@@ -5,7 +5,9 @@ CURDIR=$(cd "$(dirname "${BASH_SOURCE[0]}")" && pwd)
 
 $CLICKHOUSE_CLIENT --query="DROP TABLE IF EXISTS test.set_idx;"
 
-$CLICKHOUSE_CLIENT --query="CREATE TABLE test.set_idx
+$CLICKHOUSE_CLIENT -n --query="
+SET allow_experimental_data_skipping_indices = 1;
+CREATE TABLE test.set_idx
 (
     u64 UInt64,
     i32 Int32,