diff --git a/CHANGES.txt b/CHANGES.txt
index ba3a675532..ef5f72afc5 100644
--- a/CHANGES.txt
+++ b/CHANGES.txt
@@ -26,6 +26,7 @@
  * exit CQLSH with error status code if script fails (CASSANDRA-6344)
  * Fix bug with some IN queries missig results (CASSANDRA-7105)
  * Fix availability validation for LOCAL_ONE CL (CASSANDRA-7319)
+ * Hint streaming can cause decommission to fail (CASSANDRA-7219)
 
 
 1.2.16
diff --git a/src/java/org/apache/cassandra/service/StorageService.java b/src/java/org/apache/cassandra/service/StorageService.java
index 8e7c073b49..494da3343b 100644
--- a/src/java/org/apache/cassandra/service/StorageService.java
+++ b/src/java/org/apache/cassandra/service/StorageService.java
@@ -2966,7 +2966,8 @@ public class StorageService extends NotificationBroadcasterSupport implements IE
 
     private CountDownLatch streamHints()
     {
-        if (HintedHandOffManager.instance.listEndpointsPendingHints().size() == 0)
+        ColumnFamilyStore hintsCF = Table.open(Table.SYSTEM_KS).getColumnFamilyStore(SystemTable.HINTS_CF);
+        if (hintsCF.getMemtableColumnsCount() == 0 && hintsCF.estimateKeys() == 0)
             return new CountDownLatch(0);
 
         // gather all live nodes in the cluster that aren't also leaving