diff --git a/driver-core/src/test/java/com/datastax/driver/core/CCMTestsSupport.java b/driver-core/src/test/java/com/datastax/driver/core/CCMTestsSupport.java
index ca9f5e45d6f..02345c42cc8 100644
--- a/driver-core/src/test/java/com/datastax/driver/core/CCMTestsSupport.java
+++ b/driver-core/src/test/java/com/datastax/driver/core/CCMTestsSupport.java
@@ -1139,8 +1139,12 @@ private static <T> T instantiate(Class<? extends T> clazz)
     }
   }
 
+  protected boolean isCassandraVersionOrHigher(String version) {
+    return CCMBridge.getGlobalCassandraVersion().compareTo(VersionNumber.parse(version)) >= 0;
+  }
+
   protected void skipTestWithCassandraVersionOrHigher(String version, String testKind) {
-    if (CCMBridge.getGlobalCassandraVersion().compareTo(VersionNumber.parse(version)) >= 0) {
+    if (isCassandraVersionOrHigher(version)) {
       throw new SkipException(
           String.format(
               "%s tests not applicable to cassandra version >= %s (configured: %s)",
diff --git a/driver-core/src/test/java/com/datastax/driver/core/LoadBalancingPolicyBootstrapTest.java b/driver-core/src/test/java/com/datastax/driver/core/LoadBalancingPolicyBootstrapTest.java
index 5069d33c569..efe0f6f16dc 100644
--- a/driver-core/src/test/java/com/datastax/driver/core/LoadBalancingPolicyBootstrapTest.java
+++ b/driver-core/src/test/java/com/datastax/driver/core/LoadBalancingPolicyBootstrapTest.java
@@ -99,8 +99,16 @@ public void should_send_down_notifications_after_init_when_contact_points_are_do
       ccm().stop(nodeToStop);
       ccm().waitForDown(nodeToStop);
 
+      // usually only one contact point is used to build the test cluster
+      // here we explicitly add both endpoints so we can test load
+      // balancing initial connection when the first connection point is down
       HistoryPolicy policy = new HistoryPolicy(new RoundRobinPolicy());
-      Cluster cluster = register(createClusterBuilder().withLoadBalancingPolicy(policy).build());
+      Cluster cluster =
+          register(
+              createClusterBuilder()
+                  .addContactPoints(ccm().getContactPoints().get(1))
+                  .withLoadBalancingPolicy(policy)
+                  .build());
 
       try {
         cluster.init();
diff --git a/driver-core/src/test/java/com/datastax/driver/core/SchemaChangesCCTest.java b/driver-core/src/test/java/com/datastax/driver/core/SchemaChangesCCTest.java
index 2340b45678b..0538cf87e07 100644
--- a/driver-core/src/test/java/com/datastax/driver/core/SchemaChangesCCTest.java
+++ b/driver-core/src/test/java/com/datastax/driver/core/SchemaChangesCCTest.java
@@ -98,7 +98,12 @@ public void should_receive_changes_made_while_control_connection_is_down_on_reco
     // Perform some schema changes that we'll validate when the control connection comes back.
     session2.execute("drop keyspace ks2");
     session2.execute("drop table ks1.tbl2");
-    session2.execute("alter keyspace ks1 with durable_writes=false");
+
+    // Modifying keyspaces with a node down is not possible in 4.0+ (CASSANDRA-14404)
+    if (!isCassandraVersionOrHigher("4.0.0")) {
+      session2.execute("alter keyspace ks1 with durable_writes=false");
+    }
+
     session2.execute("alter table ks1.tbl1 add new_col varchar");
     session2.execute(String.format(CREATE_KEYSPACE_SIMPLE_FORMAT, "ks3", 1));
     session2.execute("create table ks1.tbl3 (k text primary key, v text)");
@@ -152,8 +157,11 @@ public void should_receive_changes_made_while_control_connection_is_down_on_reco
         .isDurableWrites()
         .isEqualTo(prealteredKeyspace);
 
-    // New metadata should reflect that the durable writes attribute changed.
-    assertThat(alteredKeyspace.getValue()).hasName("ks1").isNotDurableWrites();
+    // Modifying keyspaces with a node down is not possible in 4.0+ (CASSANDRA-14404)
+    if (!isCassandraVersionOrHigher("4.0.0")) {
+      // New metadata should reflect that the durable writes attribute changed.
+      assertThat(alteredKeyspace.getValue()).hasName("ks1").isNotDurableWrites();
+    }
 
     // Ensure the alter table event shows up.
     ArgumentCaptor<TableMetadata> alteredTable = ArgumentCaptor.forClass(TableMetadata.class);