diff --git a/bigtable/bttest/inmem.go b/bigtable/bttest/inmem.go
index ceea0e7e006..9c119420048 100644
--- a/bigtable/bttest/inmem.go
+++ b/bigtable/bttest/inmem.go
@@ -1124,6 +1124,8 @@ func (s *server) SampleRowKeys(req *btpb.SampleRowKeysRequest, stream btpb.Bigta
 	i := 0
 	tbl.rows.Ascend(func(it btree.Item) bool {
 		row := it.(*row)
+		row.mu.Lock()
+		defer row.mu.Unlock()
 		if i == tbl.rows.Len()-1 || rand.Int31n(100) == 0 {
 			resp := &btpb.SampleRowKeysResponse{
 				RowKey:      []byte(row.key),
diff --git a/bigtable/bttest/inmem_test.go b/bigtable/bttest/inmem_test.go
index e7eb91d2358..3632346088b 100644
--- a/bigtable/bttest/inmem_test.go
+++ b/bigtable/bttest/inmem_test.go
@@ -275,7 +275,9 @@ func TestSampleRowKeys(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 }
 
-func TestTableRowsConcurrent(t *testing.T) {
+type AntagonistFunction func(s *server, attempts int, tblName string, finished chan (bool))
+
+func SampleRowKeysConcurrentTest(t *testing.T, antagonist AntagonistFunction) {
 	s := &server{
 		tables: make(map[string]*table),
 	}
@@ -324,25 +326,77 @@ func TestTableRowsConcurrent(t *testing.T) {
 		}
 		finished <- true
 	}()
-	go func() {
+	go antagonist(s, attempts, tbl.Name, finished)
+	for i := 0; i < 2; i++ {
+		select {
+		case <-finished:
+		case <-time.After(2 * time.Second):
+			t.Fatalf("Timeout waiting for task %d\n", i)
+		}
+	}
+}
+
+func TestSampleRowKeysVsDropRowRange(t *testing.T) {
+	SampleRowKeysConcurrentTest(t, func(s *server, attempts int, tblName string, finished chan (bool)) {
+		ctx := context.Background()
 		for i := 0; i < attempts; i++ {
 			req := &btapb.DropRowRangeRequest{
-				Name:   tbl.Name,
+				Name:   tblName,
 				Target: &btapb.DropRowRangeRequest_DeleteAllDataFromTable{DeleteAllDataFromTable: true},
 			}
-			if _, err = s.DropRowRange(ctx, req); err != nil {
+			if _, err := s.DropRowRange(ctx, req); err != nil {
 				t.Fatalf("Dropping all rows: %v", err)
 			}
 		}
 		finished <- true
-	}()
-	for i := 0; i < 2; i++ {
-		select {
-		case <-finished:
-		case <-time.After(2 * time.Second):
-			t.Fatalf("Timeout waiting for task %d\n", i)
+	})
+}
+
+func TestSampleRowKeysVsModifyColumnFamilies(t *testing.T) {
+	SampleRowKeysConcurrentTest(t, func(s *server, attempts int, tblName string, finished chan (bool)) {
+		ctx := context.Background()
+		for i := 0; i < attempts; i++ {
+			req := &btapb.ModifyColumnFamiliesRequest{
+				Name: tblName,
+				Modifications: []*btapb.ModifyColumnFamiliesRequest_Modification{{
+					Id:  "cf2",
+					Mod: &btapb.ModifyColumnFamiliesRequest_Modification_Create{Create: &btapb.ColumnFamily{}},
+				}},
+			}
+			if _, err := s.ModifyColumnFamilies(ctx, req); err != nil {
+				t.Fatalf("Creating column family cf2: %v", err)
+			}
+			rowCount := 100
+			for i := 0; i < rowCount; i++ {
+				req := &btpb.MutateRowRequest{
+					TableName: tblName,
+					RowKey:    []byte("row-" + strconv.Itoa(i)),
+					Mutations: []*btpb.Mutation{{
+						Mutation: &btpb.Mutation_SetCell_{SetCell: &btpb.Mutation_SetCell{
+							FamilyName:      "cf2",
+							ColumnQualifier: []byte("col"),
+							TimestampMicros: 1000,
+							Value:           []byte("value"),
+						}},
+					}},
+				}
+				if _, err := s.MutateRow(ctx, req); err != nil {
+					t.Fatalf("Populating table: %v", err)
+				}
+			}
+			req = &btapb.ModifyColumnFamiliesRequest{
+				Name: tblName,
+				Modifications: []*btapb.ModifyColumnFamiliesRequest_Modification{{
+					Id:  "cf2",
+					Mod: &btapb.ModifyColumnFamiliesRequest_Modification_Drop{Drop: true},
+				}},
+			}
+			if _, err := s.ModifyColumnFamilies(ctx, req); err != nil {
+				t.Fatalf("Dropping column family cf2: %v", err)
+			}
 		}
-	}
+		finished <- true
+	})
 }
 
 func TestModifyColumnFamilies(t *testing.T) {