diff --git a/go/vt/mysqlctl/schema.go b/go/vt/mysqlctl/schema.go
index 301105c053..5be5a7b03c 100644
--- a/go/vt/mysqlctl/schema.go
+++ b/go/vt/mysqlctl/schema.go
@@ -218,6 +218,14 @@ func (mysqld *Mysqld) PreflightSchemaChange(dbName string, change string) (*tmut
 			sql += td.Schema + ";\n"
 		}
 	}
+	for _, td := range beforeSchema.TableDefinitions {
+		if td.Type == tmutils.TableView {
+			// Views will have {{.DatabaseName}} in there, replace
+			// it with _vt_preflight
+			s := strings.Replace(td.Schema, "`{{.DatabaseName}}`", "`_vt_preflight`", -1)
+			sql += s + ";\n"
+		}
+	}
 	if err = mysqld.executeMysqlCommands(mysqld.dba.Uname, sql); err != nil {
 		return nil, err
 	}
@@ -249,7 +257,7 @@ func (mysqld *Mysqld) PreflightSchemaChange(dbName string, change string) (*tmut
 // ApplySchemaChange will apply the schema change to the given database.
 func (mysqld *Mysqld) ApplySchemaChange(dbName string, change *tmutils.SchemaChange) (*tmutils.SchemaChangeResult, error) {
 	// check current schema matches
-	beforeSchema, err := mysqld.GetSchema(dbName, nil, nil, false)
+	beforeSchema, err := mysqld.GetSchema(dbName, nil, nil, true)
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, err
 	}
@@ -296,7 +304,7 @@ func (mysqld *Mysqld) ApplySchemaChange(dbName string, change *tmutils.SchemaCha
 	}
 
 	// get AfterSchema
-	afterSchema, err := mysqld.GetSchema(dbName, nil, nil, false)
+	afterSchema, err := mysqld.GetSchema(dbName, nil, nil, true)
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, err
 	}
diff --git a/go/vt/tabletmanager/state_change.go b/go/vt/tabletmanager/state_change.go
index 36a7d662ea..4bed616a36 100644
--- a/go/vt/tabletmanager/state_change.go
+++ b/go/vt/tabletmanager/state_change.go
@@ -51,12 +51,18 @@ func (agent *ActionAgent) loadBlacklistRules(tablet *topodatapb.Tablet, blacklis
 		if err != nil {
 			return err
 		}
-		log.Infof("Blacklisting tables %v", strings.Join(tables, ", "))
-		qr := tabletserver.NewQueryRule("enforce blacklisted tables", "blacklisted_table", tabletserver.QRFailRetry)
-		for _, t := range tables {
-			qr.AddTableCond(t)
+
+		// if the wildcards resolve into real tables, blacklist them.
+		// (if there are no tables here, the rule would blacklist
+		// all queries, oops).
+		if len(tables) > 0 {
+			log.Infof("Blacklisting tables %v", strings.Join(tables, ", "))
+			qr := tabletserver.NewQueryRule("enforce blacklisted tables", "blacklisted_table", tabletserver.QRFailRetry)
+			for _, t := range tables {
+				qr.AddTableCond(t)
+			}
+			blacklistRules.Add(qr)
 		}
-		blacklistRules.Add(qr)
 	}
 
 	loadRuleErr := agent.QueryServiceControl.SetQueryRules(blacklistQueryRules, blacklistRules)
diff --git a/test/vertical_split.py b/test/vertical_split.py
index 3bc9a84765..af06a27c09 100755
--- a/test/vertical_split.py
+++ b/test/vertical_split.py
@@ -536,6 +536,24 @@ index by_msg (msg)
     # check the stats are correct
     self._check_stats()
 
+    # now remove the tables on the source shard. The blacklisted tables
+    # in the source shard won't match any table, make sure that works.
+    utils.run_vtctl(['ApplySchema',
+                     '-sql=drop view view1',
+                     'source_keyspace'],
+                    auto_log=True)
+    for t in ['moving1', 'moving2']:
+      utils.run_vtctl(['ApplySchema',
+                       '-sql=drop table %s' % (t),
+                       'source_keyspace'],
+                      auto_log=True)
+    for t in [source_master, source_replica, source_rdonly1, source_rdonly2]:
+      utils.run_vtctl(['ReloadSchema', t.tablet_alias])
+    qr = source_master.execute('select count(1) from staying1')
+    self.assertEqual(len(qr['rows']), 1,
+                     'cannot read staying1: got %s' % str(qr))
+
+    # test SetShardTabletControl
     self._verify_vtctl_set_shard_tablet_control()
 
   def _verify_vtctl_set_shard_tablet_control(self):