diff --git a/bigtable/bttest/inmem.go b/bigtable/bttest/inmem.go
index 13c7186a283..ceea0e7e006 100644
--- a/bigtable/bttest/inmem.go
+++ b/bigtable/bttest/inmem.go
@@ -228,6 +228,15 @@ func (s *server) ModifyColumnFamilies(ctx context.Context, req *btapb.ModifyColu
 				return nil, fmt.Errorf("can't delete unknown family %q", mod.Id)
 			}
 			delete(tbl.families, mod.Id)
+
+			// Purge all data for this column family
+			tbl.rows.Ascend(func(i btree.Item) bool {
+				r := i.(*row)
+				r.mu.Lock()
+				defer r.mu.Unlock()
+				delete(r.families, mod.Id)
+				return true
+			})
 		} else if modify := mod.GetUpdate(); modify != nil {
 			if _, ok := tbl.families[mod.Id]; !ok {
 				return nil, fmt.Errorf("no such family %q", mod.Id)
diff --git a/bigtable/bttest/inmem_test.go b/bigtable/bttest/inmem_test.go
index 1d4d5de89f3..e7eb91d2358 100644
--- a/bigtable/bttest/inmem_test.go
+++ b/bigtable/bttest/inmem_test.go
@@ -345,6 +345,74 @@ func TestTableRowsConcurrent(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 }
 
+func TestModifyColumnFamilies(t *testing.T) {
+	s := &server{
+		tables: make(map[string]*table),
+	}
+	ctx := context.Background()
+	tblInfo, err := populateTable(ctx, s)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+
+	readRows := func(expectChunks, expectCols, expectFams int) {
+		t.Helper()
+		mock := &MockReadRowsServer{}
+		req := &btpb.ReadRowsRequest{TableName: tblInfo.Name}
+		if err := s.ReadRows(req, mock); err != nil {
+			t.Fatalf("ReadRows error: %v", err)
+		}
+		cols := map[string]bool{}
+		fams := map[string]bool{}
+		chunks := 0
+		for _, r := range mock.responses {
+			for _, c := range r.Chunks {
+				chunks++
+				colName := c.FamilyName.Value + "." + string(c.Qualifier.Value)
+				cols[colName] = true
+				fams[c.FamilyName.Value] = true
+			}
+		}
+		if got, want := len(fams), expectFams; got != want {
+			t.Errorf("col count: got %d, want %d", got, want)
+		}
+		if got, want := len(cols), expectCols; got != want {
+			t.Errorf("col count: got %d, want %d", got, want)
+		}
+		if got, want := chunks, expectChunks; got != want {
+			t.Errorf("chunk count: got %d, want %d", got, want)
+		}
+	}
+
+	readRows(27, 9, 3)
+
+	// Now drop the middle column.
+	if _, err := s.ModifyColumnFamilies(ctx, &btapb.ModifyColumnFamiliesRequest{
+		Name: tblInfo.Name,
+		Modifications: []*btapb.ModifyColumnFamiliesRequest_Modification{{
+			Id:  "cf1",
+			Mod: &btapb.ModifyColumnFamiliesRequest_Modification_Drop{Drop: true},
+		}},
+	}); err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("ModifyColumnFamilies error: %v", err)
+	}
+
+	readRows(18, 6, 2)
+
+	// adding the column back should not re-create the data.
+	if _, err := s.ModifyColumnFamilies(ctx, &btapb.ModifyColumnFamiliesRequest{
+		Name: tblInfo.Name,
+		Modifications: []*btapb.ModifyColumnFamiliesRequest_Modification{{
+			Id:  "cf1",
+			Mod: &btapb.ModifyColumnFamiliesRequest_Modification_Create{Create: &btapb.ColumnFamily{}},
+		}},
+	}); err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("ModifyColumnFamilies error: %v", err)
+	}
+
+	readRows(18, 6, 2)
+}
+
 func TestDropRowRange(t *testing.T) {
 	s := &server{
 		tables: make(map[string]*table),