diff --git a/CHANGES.txt b/CHANGES.txt
index 422f66e306..0eb07517cd 100644
--- a/CHANGES.txt
+++ b/CHANGES.txt
@@ -1,4 +1,6 @@
 2.1.6
+ * Consistent error message when a table mixes counter and non-counter
+   columns (CASSANDRA-9492)
  * Avoid getting unreadable keys during anticompaction (CASSANDRA-9508)
  * (cqlsh) Better float precision by default (CASSANDRA-9224)
  * Improve estimated row count (CASSANDRA-9107)
diff --git a/src/java/org/apache/cassandra/cql3/statements/CreateTableStatement.java b/src/java/org/apache/cassandra/cql3/statements/CreateTableStatement.java
index 17fd6fd553..5c4e9e2308 100644
--- a/src/java/org/apache/cassandra/cql3/statements/CreateTableStatement.java
+++ b/src/java/org/apache/cassandra/cql3/statements/CreateTableStatement.java
@@ -53,7 +53,14 @@ public class CreateTableStatement extends SchemaAlteringStatement
 
     private boolean isDense;
 
-    private final Map<ColumnIdentifier, AbstractType> columns = new HashMap<ColumnIdentifier, AbstractType>();
+    // use a TreeMap to preserve ordering across JDK versions (see CASSANDRA-9492)
+    private final Map<ColumnIdentifier, AbstractType> columns = new TreeMap<>(new Comparator<ColumnIdentifier>()
+    {
+        public int compare(ColumnIdentifier o1, ColumnIdentifier o2)
+        {
+            return o1.bytes.compareTo(o2.bytes);
+        }
+    });
     private final Set<ColumnIdentifier> staticColumns;
     private final CFPropDefs properties;
     private final boolean ifNotExists;