diff --git a/proto/catalog.proto b/proto/catalog.proto
index f792eccc0cab..8eeb75843244 100644
--- a/proto/catalog.proto
+++ b/proto/catalog.proto
@@ -419,13 +419,13 @@ message Table {
 
   // Total vnode count of the table.
   //
-  // Can be unset if...
-  // - The catalog is generated by the frontend and not yet persisted, this is
-  //   because the vnode count of each fragment (then internal tables) is determined
-  //   by the meta service.
-  // - The table is created in older versions where variable vnode count is not
+  // Use `VnodeCountCompat::vnode_count` to access it.
+  //
+  // - Can be unset if the table is created in older versions where variable vnode count is not
   //   supported, in which case a default value of 256 should be used.
-  //   Use `VnodeCountCompat::vnode_count` to access it.
+  // - Can be placeholder value `Some(0)` if the catalog is generated by the frontend and the
+  //   corresponding job is still in `Creating` status, in which case calling `vnode_count`
+  //   will panic.
   //
   // Please note that this field is not intended to describe the expected vnode count
   // for a streaming job. Instead, refer to `stream_plan.StreamFragmentGraph.max_parallelism`.
diff --git a/src/common/src/catalog/physical_table.rs b/src/common/src/catalog/physical_table.rs
index df1b30fd41ee..680f23fb0dc1 100644
--- a/src/common/src/catalog/physical_table.rs
+++ b/src/common/src/catalog/physical_table.rs
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@ use risingwave_pb::plan_common::StorageTableDesc;
 
 use super::{ColumnDesc, ColumnId, TableId};
 use crate::catalog::get_dist_key_in_pk_indices;
-use crate::hash::VnodeCountCompat;
+use crate::hash::{VnodeCount, VnodeCountCompat};
 use crate::util::sort_util::ColumnOrder;
 
 /// Includes necessary information for compute node to access data of the table.
@@ -117,7 +117,7 @@ impl TableDesc {
             versioned: self.versioned,
             stream_key: self.stream_key.iter().map(|&x| x as u32).collect(),
             vnode_col_idx_in_pk,
-            maybe_vnode_count: Some(self.vnode_count as u32),
+            maybe_vnode_count: VnodeCount::set(self.vnode_count).to_protobuf(),
         })
     }
 
diff --git a/src/common/src/hash/consistent_hash/compat.rs b/src/common/src/hash/consistent_hash/compat.rs
index 0c86fbb12bcd..c659da2fc605 100644
--- a/src/common/src/hash/consistent_hash/compat.rs
+++ b/src/common/src/hash/consistent_hash/compat.rs
@@ -12,15 +12,87 @@
 // See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
 // limitations under the License.
 
+use std::num::NonZeroUsize;
+
 use super::vnode::VirtualNode;
 
+/// The different cases of `maybe_vnode_count` field in the protobuf message.
+#[derive(Debug, Clone, Copy, PartialEq, Eq, Hash, Default)]
+pub enum VnodeCount {
+    /// The field is a placeholder and has to be filled first before using it.
+    #[default]
+    Placeholder,
+    /// The field is set to a specific value.
+    Set(NonZeroUsize),
+    /// The field is unset because it's persisted in an older version.
+    Compat,
+}
+
+impl VnodeCount {
+    /// Creates a `VnodeCount` set to the given value.
+    pub fn set(v: impl TryInto<usize> + Copy + std::fmt::Debug) -> Self {
+        let v = (v.try_into().ok())
+            .filter(|v| (1..=VirtualNode::MAX_COUNT).contains(v))
+            .unwrap_or_else(|| panic!("invalid vnode count {v:?}"));
+
+        VnodeCount::Set(NonZeroUsize::new(v).unwrap())
+    }
+
+    /// Creates a `VnodeCount` set to the value for testing.
+    ///
+    /// Equivalent to `VnodeCount::set(VirtualNode::COUNT_FOR_TEST)`.
+    pub fn for_test() -> Self {
+        Self::set(VirtualNode::COUNT_FOR_TEST)
+    }
+
+    /// Converts to protobuf representation for `maybe_vnode_count`.
+    pub fn to_protobuf(self) -> Option<u32> {
+        match self {
+            VnodeCount::Placeholder => Some(0),
+            VnodeCount::Set(v) => Some(v.get() as _),
+            VnodeCount::Compat => None,
+        }
+    }
+
+    /// Converts from protobuf representation of `maybe_vnode_count`.
+    pub fn from_protobuf(v: Option<u32>) -> Self {
+        match v {
+            Some(0) => VnodeCount::Placeholder,
+            Some(v) => VnodeCount::set(v as usize),
+            None => VnodeCount::Compat,
+        }
+    }
+
+    /// Returns the value of the vnode count, or `None` if it's a placeholder.
+    pub fn value_opt(self) -> Option<usize> {
+        match self {
+            VnodeCount::Placeholder => None,
+            VnodeCount::Set(v) => Some(v.get()),
+            VnodeCount::Compat => Some(VirtualNode::COUNT_FOR_COMPAT),
+        }
+    }
+
+    /// Returns the value of the vnode count. Panics if it's a placeholder.
+    pub fn value(self) -> usize {
+        self.value_opt()
+            .expect("vnode count is a placeholder that must be filled by the meta service first")
+    }
+}
+
 /// A trait for accessing the vnode count field with backward compatibility.
 pub trait VnodeCountCompat {
+    /// Get the `maybe_vnode_count` field.
+    fn vnode_count_inner(&self) -> VnodeCount;
+
     /// Returns the vnode count, or [`VirtualNode::COUNT_FOR_COMPAT`] if the vnode count is not set,
-    /// typically for backward compatibility.
+    /// typically for backward compatibility. Panics if the field is a placeholder.
+    ///
+    /// Equivalent to `self.vnode_count_inner().value()`.
     ///
     /// See the documentation on the field of the implementing type for more details.
-    fn vnode_count(&self) -> usize;
+    fn vnode_count(&self) -> usize {
+        self.vnode_count_inner().value()
+    }
 }
 
 /// Implement the trait for given types by delegating to the `maybe_vnode_count` field.
@@ -36,9 +108,8 @@ macro_rules! impl_maybe_vnode_count_compat {
     ($($ty:ty),* $(,)?) => {
         $(
             impl VnodeCountCompat for $ty {
-                fn vnode_count(&self) -> usize {
-                    self.maybe_vnode_count
-                        .map_or(VirtualNode::COUNT_FOR_COMPAT, |v| v as _)
+                fn vnode_count_inner(&self) -> VnodeCount {
+                    VnodeCount::from_protobuf(self.maybe_vnode_count)
                 }
             }
         )*
diff --git a/src/frontend/src/catalog/table_catalog.rs b/src/frontend/src/catalog/table_catalog.rs
index 8c33e55a0b16..b533e6d95668 100644
--- a/src/frontend/src/catalog/table_catalog.rs
+++ b/src/frontend/src/catalog/table_catalog.rs
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@
 // See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
 // limitations under the License.
 
+use std::assert_matches::assert_matches;
 use std::collections::{HashMap, HashSet};
 
 use fixedbitset::FixedBitSet;
@@ -20,7 +21,7 @@ use risingwave_common::catalog::{
     ColumnCatalog, ConflictBehavior, CreateType, Field, Schema, StreamJobStatus, TableDesc,
     TableId, TableVersionId,
 };
-use risingwave_common::hash::VnodeCountCompat;
+use risingwave_common::hash::{VnodeCount, VnodeCountCompat};
 use risingwave_common::util::epoch::Epoch;
 use risingwave_common::util::sort_util::ColumnOrder;
 use risingwave_pb::catalog::table::{OptionalAssociatedSourceId, PbTableType, PbTableVersion};
@@ -174,19 +175,13 @@ pub struct TableCatalog {
 
     /// Total vnode count of the table.
     ///
-    /// Can be unset if the catalog is generated by the frontend and not yet persisted. This is
-    /// because the vnode count of each fragment (then internal tables) is determined by the
-    /// meta service. See also [`StreamMaterialize::derive_table_catalog`] and
-    /// [`TableCatalogBuilder::build`].
-    ///
-    /// On the contrary, if this comes from a [`PbTable`], the field must be `Some` no matter
-    /// whether the table is created before or after the version we introduced variable vnode
-    /// count support. This is because we've already handled backward compatibility during
-    /// conversion.
+    /// Can be [`VnodeCount::Placeholder`] if the catalog is generated by the frontend and the
+    /// corresponding job is still in `Creating` status, in which case calling [`Self::vnode_count`]
+    /// will panic.
     ///
     /// [`StreamMaterialize::derive_table_catalog`]: crate::optimizer::plan_node::StreamMaterialize::derive_table_catalog
     /// [`TableCatalogBuilder::build`]: crate::optimizer::plan_node::utils::TableCatalogBuilder::build
-    pub vnode_count: Option<usize>,
+    pub vnode_count: VnodeCount,
 }
 
 #[derive(Copy, Clone, Debug, PartialEq, Eq, Hash)]
@@ -408,8 +403,7 @@ impl TableCatalog {
     ///
     /// Panics if it's called on an incomplete (and not yet persisted) table catalog.
     pub fn vnode_count(&self) -> usize {
-        self.vnode_count
-            .expect("vnode count unset, called on an incomplete table catalog?")
+        self.vnode_count.value()
     }
 
     pub fn to_prost(&self, schema_id: SchemaId, database_id: DatabaseId) -> PbTable {
@@ -457,7 +451,7 @@ impl TableCatalog {
             initialized_at_cluster_version: self.initialized_at_cluster_version.clone(),
             retention_seconds: self.retention_seconds,
             cdc_table_id: self.cdc_table_id.clone(),
-            maybe_vnode_count: self.vnode_count.map(|v| v as _),
+            maybe_vnode_count: self.vnode_count.to_protobuf(),
         }
     }
 
@@ -563,7 +557,13 @@ impl From<PbTable> for TableCatalog {
             OptionalAssociatedSourceId::AssociatedSourceId(id) => id,
         });
         let name = tb.name.clone();
-        let vnode_count = tb.vnode_count();
+
+        let vnode_count = tb.vnode_count_inner();
+        if let VnodeCount::Placeholder = vnode_count {
+            // Only allow placeholder vnode count for creating tables.
+            // After the table is created, an `Update` notification will be used to update the vnode count field.
+            assert_matches!(stream_job_status, PbStreamJobStatus::Creating);
+        }
 
         let mut col_names = HashSet::new();
         let mut col_index: HashMap<i32, usize> = HashMap::new();
@@ -634,7 +634,7 @@ impl From<PbTable> for TableCatalog {
                 .map(TableId::from)
                 .collect_vec(),
             cdc_table_id: tb.cdc_table_id,
-            vnode_count: Some(vnode_count), /* from existing (persisted) tables, vnode_count must be set */
+            vnode_count,
         }
     }
 }
@@ -725,7 +725,7 @@ mod tests {
             initialized_at_cluster_version: None,
             version_column_index: None,
             cdc_table_id: None,
-            maybe_vnode_count: Some(233),
+            maybe_vnode_count: VnodeCount::set(233).to_protobuf(),
         }
         .into();
 
@@ -789,7 +789,7 @@ mod tests {
                 dependent_relations: vec![],
                 version_column_index: None,
                 cdc_table_id: None,
-                vnode_count: Some(233),
+                vnode_count: VnodeCount::set(233),
             }
         );
         assert_eq!(table, TableCatalog::from(table.to_prost(0, 0)));
diff --git a/src/frontend/src/handler/alter_table_column.rs b/src/frontend/src/handler/alter_table_column.rs
index e9ecb5713cb1..88e886ad667b 100644
--- a/src/frontend/src/handler/alter_table_column.rs
+++ b/src/frontend/src/handler/alter_table_column.rs
@@ -19,6 +19,7 @@ use anyhow::{anyhow, Context};
 use itertools::Itertools;
 use pgwire::pg_response::{PgResponse, StatementType};
 use risingwave_common::catalog::ColumnCatalog;
+use risingwave_common::hash::VnodeCount;
 use risingwave_common::types::DataType;
 use risingwave_common::util::column_index_mapping::ColIndexMapping;
 use risingwave_common::{bail, bail_not_implemented};
@@ -244,7 +245,7 @@ pub async fn get_replace_table_plan(
     // Set some fields ourselves so that the meta service does not need to maintain them.
     let mut table = table;
     table.incoming_sinks = incoming_sink_ids.iter().copied().collect();
-    table.maybe_vnode_count = Some(original_catalog.vnode_count() as _);
+    table.maybe_vnode_count = VnodeCount::set(original_catalog.vnode_count()).to_protobuf();
 
     Ok((source, table, graph, col_index_mapping, job_type))
 }
diff --git a/src/frontend/src/optimizer/plan_node/stream_materialize.rs b/src/frontend/src/optimizer/plan_node/stream_materialize.rs
index 88878667b841..fa5f60c2a99e 100644
--- a/src/frontend/src/optimizer/plan_node/stream_materialize.rs
+++ b/src/frontend/src/optimizer/plan_node/stream_materialize.rs
@@ -21,6 +21,7 @@ use pretty_xmlish::{Pretty, XmlNode};
 use risingwave_common::catalog::{
     ColumnCatalog, ConflictBehavior, CreateType, StreamJobStatus, TableId, OBJECT_ID_PLACEHOLDER,
 };
+use risingwave_common::hash::VnodeCount;
 use risingwave_common::util::iter_util::ZipEqFast;
 use risingwave_common::util::sort_util::{ColumnOrder, OrderType};
 use risingwave_pb::stream_plan::stream_node::PbNodeBody;
@@ -283,7 +284,7 @@ impl StreamMaterialize {
             created_at_cluster_version: None,
             retention_seconds: retention_seconds.map(|i| i.into()),
             cdc_table_id: None,
-            vnode_count: None, // will be filled in by the meta service later
+            vnode_count: VnodeCount::Placeholder, // will be filled in by the meta service later
         })
     }
 
diff --git a/src/frontend/src/optimizer/plan_node/utils.rs b/src/frontend/src/optimizer/plan_node/utils.rs
index 4aefa1e54c88..a96e1284a9f7 100644
--- a/src/frontend/src/optimizer/plan_node/utils.rs
+++ b/src/frontend/src/optimizer/plan_node/utils.rs
@@ -27,6 +27,7 @@ use risingwave_common::catalog::{
 use risingwave_common::constants::log_store::v2::{
     KV_LOG_STORE_PREDEFINED_COLUMNS, PK_ORDERING, VNODE_COLUMN_INDEX,
 };
+use risingwave_common::hash::VnodeCount;
 use risingwave_common::util::sort_util::{ColumnOrder, OrderType};
 
 use crate::catalog::table_catalog::TableType;
@@ -179,7 +180,7 @@ impl TableCatalogBuilder {
             created_at_cluster_version: None,
             retention_seconds: None,
             cdc_table_id: None,
-            vnode_count: None, // will be filled in by the meta service later
+            vnode_count: VnodeCount::Placeholder, // will be filled in by the meta service later
         }
     }
 
diff --git a/src/frontend/src/scheduler/distributed/query.rs b/src/frontend/src/scheduler/distributed/query.rs
index d169874d5b3f..2d40328bab40 100644
--- a/src/frontend/src/scheduler/distributed/query.rs
+++ b/src/frontend/src/scheduler/distributed/query.rs
@@ -473,7 +473,7 @@ pub(crate) mod tests {
         ColumnCatalog, ColumnDesc, ConflictBehavior, CreateType, StreamJobStatus,
         DEFAULT_SUPER_USER_ID,
     };
-    use risingwave_common::hash::{VirtualNode, WorkerSlotId, WorkerSlotMapping};
+    use risingwave_common::hash::{VirtualNode, VnodeCount, WorkerSlotId, WorkerSlotMapping};
     use risingwave_common::types::DataType;
     use risingwave_pb::common::worker_node::Property;
     use risingwave_pb::common::{HostAddress, WorkerNode, WorkerType};
@@ -589,7 +589,7 @@ pub(crate) mod tests {
             initialized_at_cluster_version: None,
             created_at_cluster_version: None,
             cdc_table_id: None,
-            vnode_count: Some(vnode_count),
+            vnode_count: VnodeCount::set(vnode_count),
         };
         let batch_plan_node: PlanRef = LogicalScan::create(
             "".to_string(),
diff --git a/src/frontend/src/test_utils.rs b/src/frontend/src/test_utils.rs
index ac8784fde4dd..14befbaeb735 100644
--- a/src/frontend/src/test_utils.rs
+++ b/src/frontend/src/test_utils.rs
@@ -28,6 +28,7 @@ use risingwave_common::catalog::{
     FunctionId, IndexId, TableId, DEFAULT_DATABASE_NAME, DEFAULT_SCHEMA_NAME, DEFAULT_SUPER_USER,
     DEFAULT_SUPER_USER_ID, NON_RESERVED_USER_ID, PG_CATALOG_SCHEMA_NAME, RW_CATALOG_SCHEMA_NAME,
 };
+use risingwave_common::hash::{VirtualNode, VnodeCount, VnodeCountCompat};
 use risingwave_common::session_config::SessionConfig;
 use risingwave_common::system_param::reader::SystemParamsReader;
 use risingwave_common::util::cluster_limit::ClusterLimit;
@@ -281,6 +282,7 @@ impl CatalogWriter for MockCatalogWriter {
     ) -> Result<()> {
         table.id = self.gen_id();
         table.stream_job_status = PbStreamJobStatus::Created as _;
+        table.maybe_vnode_count = VnodeCount::for_test().to_protobuf();
         self.catalog.write().create_table(&table);
         self.add_table_or_source_id(table.id, table.schema_id, table.database_id);
         self.hummock_snapshot_manager
@@ -320,6 +322,7 @@ impl CatalogWriter for MockCatalogWriter {
         _job_type: TableJobType,
     ) -> Result<()> {
         table.stream_job_status = PbStreamJobStatus::Created as _;
+        assert_eq!(table.vnode_count(), VirtualNode::COUNT_FOR_TEST);
         self.catalog.write().update_table(&table);
         Ok(())
     }
@@ -353,6 +356,7 @@ impl CatalogWriter for MockCatalogWriter {
     ) -> Result<()> {
         index_table.id = self.gen_id();
         index_table.stream_job_status = PbStreamJobStatus::Created as _;
+        index_table.maybe_vnode_count = VnodeCount::for_test().to_protobuf();
         self.catalog.write().create_table(&index_table);
         self.add_table_or_index_id(
             index_table.id,
diff --git a/src/meta/model/src/table.rs b/src/meta/model/src/table.rs
index 0a47208ff735..1d950f277396 100644
--- a/src/meta/model/src/table.rs
+++ b/src/meta/model/src/table.rs
@@ -209,7 +209,15 @@ impl From<PbTable> for ActiveModel {
     fn from(pb_table: PbTable) -> Self {
         let table_type = pb_table.table_type();
         let handle_pk_conflict_behavior = pb_table.handle_pk_conflict_behavior();
-        let vnode_count = pb_table.vnode_count();
+
+        // `PbTable` here should be sourced from the wire, not from persistence.
+        // A placeholder `maybe_vnode_count` field should be treated as `NotSet`, instead of calling
+        // the compatibility code.
+        let vnode_count = pb_table
+            .vnode_count_inner()
+            .value_opt()
+            .map(|v| v as _)
+            .map_or(NotSet, Set);
 
         let fragment_id = if pb_table.fragment_id == OBJECT_ID_PLACEHOLDER {
             NotSet
@@ -258,7 +266,7 @@ impl From<PbTable> for ActiveModel {
             retention_seconds: Set(pb_table.retention_seconds.map(|i| i as _)),
             incoming_sinks: Set(pb_table.incoming_sinks.into()),
             cdc_table_id: Set(pb_table.cdc_table_id),
-            vnode_count: Set(vnode_count as _),
+            vnode_count,
         }
     }
 }
diff --git a/src/meta/src/controller/fragment.rs b/src/meta/src/controller/fragment.rs
index e118ad3c9683..a79b890cade2 100644
--- a/src/meta/src/controller/fragment.rs
+++ b/src/meta/src/controller/fragment.rs
@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@ use std::mem::swap;
 use anyhow::Context;
 use itertools::Itertools;
 use risingwave_common::bail;
-use risingwave_common::hash::{VnodeCountCompat, WorkerSlotId};
+use risingwave_common::hash::{VnodeCount, VnodeCountCompat, WorkerSlotId};
 use risingwave_common::util::stream_graph_visitor::visit_stream_node;
 use risingwave_common::util::worker_util::WorkerNodeId;
 use risingwave_meta_model::actor::ActorStatus;
@@ -496,7 +496,7 @@ impl CatalogController {
             actors: pb_actors,
             state_table_ids: pb_state_table_ids,
             upstream_fragment_ids: pb_upstream_fragment_ids,
-            maybe_vnode_count: Some(vnode_count as _),
+            maybe_vnode_count: VnodeCount::set(vnode_count).to_protobuf(),
         };
 
         Ok((pb_fragment, pb_actor_status, pb_actor_splits))
@@ -1497,7 +1497,7 @@ mod tests {
     use std::collections::{BTreeMap, HashMap};
 
     use itertools::Itertools;
-    use risingwave_common::hash::{ActorMapping, VirtualNode};
+    use risingwave_common::hash::{ActorMapping, VirtualNode, VnodeCount};
     use risingwave_common::util::iter_util::ZipEqDebug;
     use risingwave_common::util::stream_graph_visitor::visit_stream_node;
     use risingwave_meta_model::actor::ActorStatus;
@@ -1627,7 +1627,7 @@ mod tests {
                 .values()
                 .flat_map(|m| m.keys().map(|x| *x as _))
                 .collect(),
-            maybe_vnode_count: Some(VirtualNode::COUNT_FOR_TEST as _),
+            maybe_vnode_count: VnodeCount::for_test().to_protobuf(),
         };
 
         let pb_actor_status = (0..actor_count)
diff --git a/src/meta/src/controller/mod.rs b/src/meta/src/controller/mod.rs
index cd0bb8530acb..c7cf45daad9e 100644
--- a/src/meta/src/controller/mod.rs
+++ b/src/meta/src/controller/mod.rs
@@ -15,6 +15,7 @@
 use std::collections::BTreeMap;
 
 use anyhow::anyhow;
+use risingwave_common::hash::VnodeCount;
 use risingwave_common::util::epoch::Epoch;
 use risingwave_meta_model::{
     connection, database, function, index, object, schema, secret, sink, source, subscription,
@@ -164,7 +165,7 @@ impl From<ObjectModel<table::Model>> for PbTable {
             created_at_cluster_version: value.1.created_at_cluster_version,
             retention_seconds: value.0.retention_seconds.map(|id| id as u32),
             cdc_table_id: value.0.cdc_table_id,
-            maybe_vnode_count: Some(value.0.vnode_count as _),
+            maybe_vnode_count: VnodeCount::set(value.0.vnode_count).to_protobuf(),
         }
     }
 }
diff --git a/src/meta/src/stream/stream_graph/fragment.rs b/src/meta/src/stream/stream_graph/fragment.rs
index 211f609a13fe..86a2197a9d5b 100644
--- a/src/meta/src/stream/stream_graph/fragment.rs
+++ b/src/meta/src/stream/stream_graph/fragment.rs
@@ -24,6 +24,7 @@ use risingwave_common::bail;
 use risingwave_common::catalog::{
     generate_internal_table_name_with_type, TableId, CDC_SOURCE_COLUMN_NUM,
 };
+use risingwave_common::hash::VnodeCount;
 use risingwave_common::util::iter_util::ZipEqFast;
 use risingwave_common::util::stream_graph_visitor;
 use risingwave_common::util::stream_graph_visitor::visit_stream_node_cont;
@@ -1126,7 +1127,7 @@ impl CompleteStreamFragmentGraph {
             actors,
             state_table_ids,
             upstream_fragment_ids,
-            maybe_vnode_count: Some(vnode_count as _),
+            maybe_vnode_count: VnodeCount::set(vnode_count).to_protobuf(),
         }
     }