diff --git a/qdb/memqdb.go b/qdb/memqdb.go
index d7a93bede..67191163e 100644
--- a/qdb/memqdb.go
+++ b/qdb/memqdb.go
@@ -200,12 +200,14 @@ func (q *MemQDB) DropKeyRange(_ context.Context, id string) error {
 	q.mu.Lock()
 	defer q.mu.Unlock()
 
+	_, ok := q.Krs[id]
+	if !ok {
+		return nil
+	}
+
 	lock, ok := q.Locks[id]
 	if !ok {
-		lock = &sync.RWMutex{}
-		if err := ExecuteCommands(q.DumpState, NewUpdateCommand(q.Locks, id, lock)); err != nil {
-			return err
-		}
+		return spqrerror.New(spqrerror.SPQR_METADATA_CORRUPTION, fmt.Sprintf("no lock in MemQDB for key range \"%s\"", id))
 	}
 	if !lock.TryLock() {
 		return spqrerror.Newf(spqrerror.SPQR_KEYRANGE_ERROR, "key range \"%s\" is locked", id)
diff --git a/qdb/memqdb_test.go b/qdb/memqdb_test.go
index 739bdfd6c..770905801 100644
--- a/qdb/memqdb_test.go
+++ b/qdb/memqdb_test.go
@@ -204,6 +204,7 @@ func TestKeyRanges(t *testing.T) {
 		DistributionId: "dserr",
 	}))
 
+	assert.NoError(memqdb.DropKeyRange(ctx, "nonexistentKeyRange"))
 }
 
 func Test_MemQDB_GetKeyRange(t *testing.T) {