diff --git a/db/db_impl.cc b/db/db_impl.cc
index b7d6fbcbc..07b4513df 100644
--- a/db/db_impl.cc
+++ b/db/db_impl.cc
@@ -6493,13 +6493,22 @@ Status DBImpl::IngestExternalFile(
 
     num_running_ingest_file_++;
 
+    // We cannot ingest a file into a dropped CF
+    if (cfd->IsDropped()) {
+      status = Status::InvalidArgument(
+          "Cannot ingest an external file into a dropped CF");
+    }
+
     // Figure out if we need to flush the memtable first
-    bool need_flush = false;
-    status = ingestion_job.NeedsFlush(&need_flush);
-    if (status.ok() && need_flush) {
-      mutex_.Unlock();
-      status = FlushMemTable(cfd, FlushOptions(), true /* writes_stopped */);
-      mutex_.Lock();
+    if (status.ok()) {
+      bool need_flush = false;
+      status = ingestion_job.NeedsFlush(&need_flush);
+
+      if (status.ok() && need_flush) {
+        mutex_.Unlock();
+        status = FlushMemTable(cfd, FlushOptions(), true /* writes_stopped */);
+        mutex_.Lock();
+      }
     }
 
     // Run the ingestion job
diff --git a/db/external_sst_file_test.cc b/db/external_sst_file_test.cc
index 89ed999a4..731282b5e 100644
--- a/db/external_sst_file_test.cc
+++ b/db/external_sst_file_test.cc
@@ -1843,6 +1843,13 @@ TEST_F(ExternalSSTFileTest, FileWithCFInfo) {
   ASSERT_OK(db_->IngestExternalFile(handles_[2], {unknown_sst}, ifo));
   // SST CF unknown
   ASSERT_OK(db_->IngestExternalFile(handles_[0], {unknown_sst}, ifo));
+
+  // Cannot ingest a file into a dropped CF
+  ASSERT_OK(db_->DropColumnFamily(handles_[1]));
+  ASSERT_NOK(db_->IngestExternalFile(handles_[1], {unknown_sst}, ifo));
+
+  // CF was not dropped, ok to Ingest
+  ASSERT_OK(db_->IngestExternalFile(handles_[2], {unknown_sst}, ifo));
 }
 
 class TestIngestExternalFileListener : public EventListener {