diff --git a/format_major_version.go b/format_major_version.go
index 6f8576dcf8..fc6c8dd17b 100644
--- a/format_major_version.go
+++ b/format_major_version.go
@@ -204,6 +204,10 @@ const (
 // Pebble version.
 const FormatMinSupported = FormatFlushableIngest
 
+// FormatMinForSharedObjects it the minimum format version that supports shared
+// objects (see CreateOnShared option).
+const FormatMinForSharedObjects = FormatVirtualSSTables
+
 // IsSupported returns true if the version is supported by the current Pebble
 // version.
 func (v FormatMajorVersion) IsSupported() bool {
diff --git a/ingest.go b/ingest.go
index 2373b07907..2152a07557 100644
--- a/ingest.go
+++ b/ingest.go
@@ -1184,6 +1184,12 @@ func (d *DB) IngestAndExcise(
 			panic("IngestAndExcise called with suffixed end key")
 		}
 	}
+	if v := d.FormatMajorVersion(); v < FormatMinForSharedObjects {
+		return IngestOperationStats{}, errors.Errorf(
+			"store has format major version %d; IngestAndExise requires at least %d",
+			v, FormatMinForSharedObjects,
+		)
+	}
 	return d.ingest(paths, ingestTargetLevel, shared, exciseSpan, nil /* external */)
 }
 
diff --git a/metamorphic/options.go b/metamorphic/options.go
index 646cc8540f..af82c75d14 100644
--- a/metamorphic/options.go
+++ b/metamorphic/options.go
@@ -459,11 +459,13 @@ func standardOptions() []*TestOptions {
 [Options]
   format_major_version=%s
 `, newestFormatMajorVersionToTest),
-		27: `
+		27: fmt.Sprintf(`
+[Options]
+  format_major_version=%s
 [TestOptions]
   shared_storage_enabled=true
   secondary_cache_enabled=true
-`,
+`, pebble.FormatMinForSharedObjects),
 	}
 
 	opts := make([]*TestOptions, len(stdOpts))
@@ -618,6 +620,9 @@ func RandomOptions(
 	// 20% of time, enable shared storage.
 	if rng.Intn(5) == 0 {
 		testOpts.sharedStorageEnabled = true
+		if testOpts.Opts.FormatMajorVersion < pebble.FormatMinForSharedObjects {
+			testOpts.Opts.FormatMajorVersion = pebble.FormatMinForSharedObjects
+		}
 		inMemShared := remote.NewInMem()
 		testOpts.Opts.Experimental.RemoteStorage = remote.MakeSimpleFactory(map[remote.Locator]remote.Storage{
 			"": inMemShared,
@@ -645,13 +650,15 @@ func RandomOptions(
 	// testOpts.ingestSplit = rng.Intn(2) == 0
 	opts.Experimental.IngestSplit = func() bool { return testOpts.ingestSplit }
 	testOpts.useExcise = rng.Intn(2) == 0
-	if testOpts.useExcise || testOpts.useSharedReplicate {
-		testOpts.efosAlwaysCreatesIters = rng.Intn(2) == 0
-		opts.TestingAlwaysCreateEFOSIterators(testOpts.efosAlwaysCreatesIters)
+	if testOpts.useExcise {
 		if testOpts.Opts.FormatMajorVersion < pebble.FormatVirtualSSTables {
 			testOpts.Opts.FormatMajorVersion = pebble.FormatVirtualSSTables
 		}
 	}
+	if testOpts.useExcise || testOpts.useSharedReplicate {
+		testOpts.efosAlwaysCreatesIters = rng.Intn(2) == 0
+		opts.TestingAlwaysCreateEFOSIterators(testOpts.efosAlwaysCreatesIters)
+	}
 	testOpts.Opts.EnsureDefaults()
 	return testOpts
 }
diff --git a/open.go b/open.go
index 33616d1aa2..c8681d8d2f 100644
--- a/open.go
+++ b/open.go
@@ -28,6 +28,7 @@ import (
 	"github.com/cockroachdb/pebble/internal/manual"
 	"github.com/cockroachdb/pebble/objstorage"
 	"github.com/cockroachdb/pebble/objstorage/objstorageprovider"
+	"github.com/cockroachdb/pebble/objstorage/remote"
 	"github.com/cockroachdb/pebble/record"
 	"github.com/cockroachdb/pebble/sstable"
 	"github.com/cockroachdb/pebble/vfs"
@@ -138,6 +139,12 @@ func Open(dirname string, opts *Options) (db *DB, err error) {
 
 	noFormatVersionMarker := formatVersion == FormatDefault
 	if noFormatVersionMarker {
+		// We will initialize the store at the minimum possible format, then upgrade
+		// the format to the desired one. This helps test the format upgrade code.
+		formatVersion = FormatMinSupported
+		if opts.Experimental.CreateOnShared != remote.CreateOnSharedNone {
+			formatVersion = FormatMinForSharedObjects
+		}
 		// There is no format version marker file. There are three cases:
 		//  - we are trying to open an existing store that was created at
 		//    FormatMostCompatible (the only one without a version marker file)
@@ -146,14 +153,21 @@ func Open(dirname string, opts *Options) (db *DB, err error) {
 		//
 		// To error in the first case, we set ErrorIfNotPristine.
 		opts.ErrorIfNotPristine = true
-		formatVersion = FormatMinSupported
 		defer func() {
 			if err != nil && errors.Is(err, ErrDBNotPristine) {
 				// We must be trying to open an existing store at FormatMostCompatible.
 				// Correct the error in this case -we
-				err = errors.Newf("pebble: database %q written in format major version 1 which is no longer supported", dirname)
+				err = errors.Newf(
+					"pebble: database %q written in format major version 1 which is no longer supported",
+					dirname)
 			}
 		}()
+	} else {
+		if opts.Experimental.CreateOnShared != remote.CreateOnSharedNone && formatVersion < FormatMinForSharedObjects {
+			return nil, errors.Newf(
+				"pebble: database %q configured with shared objects but written in too old format major version %d",
+				formatVersion)
+		}
 	}
 
 	// Find the currently active manifest, if there is one.
@@ -517,8 +531,7 @@ func Open(dirname string, opts *Options) (db *DB, err error) {
 				return nil, err
 			}
 		} else if noFormatVersionMarker {
-			// We are creating a new store at MinSupported. Create the format version
-			// marker file.
+			// We are creating a new store. Create the format version marker file.
 			if err := d.writeFormatVersionMarker(d.FormatMajorVersion()); err != nil {
 				return nil, err
 			}
diff --git a/options.go b/options.go
index 3451375d44..7fabd9ea8c 100644
--- a/options.go
+++ b/options.go
@@ -1123,6 +1123,9 @@ func (o *Options) EnsureDefaults() *Options {
 
 	if o.FormatMajorVersion == FormatDefault {
 		o.FormatMajorVersion = FormatMinSupported
+		if o.Experimental.CreateOnShared != remote.CreateOnSharedNone {
+			o.FormatMajorVersion = FormatMinForSharedObjects
+		}
 	}
 
 	if o.FS == nil {
@@ -1744,6 +1747,11 @@ func (o *Options) Validate() error {
 		fmt.Fprintf(&buf, "FormatMajorVersion (%d) must be between %d and %d\n",
 			o.FormatMajorVersion, FormatMinSupported, internalFormatNewest)
 	}
+	if o.Experimental.CreateOnShared != remote.CreateOnSharedNone && o.FormatMajorVersion < FormatMinForSharedObjects {
+		fmt.Fprintf(&buf, "FormatMajorVersion (%d) when CreateOnShared is set must be at least %d\n",
+			o.FormatMajorVersion, FormatMinForSharedObjects)
+
+	}
 	if o.TableCache != nil && o.Cache != o.TableCache.cache {
 		fmt.Fprintf(&buf, "underlying cache in the TableCache and the Cache dont match\n")
 	}
diff --git a/scan_internal_test.go b/scan_internal_test.go
index 47964e930d..6087b2e01a 100644
--- a/scan_internal_test.go
+++ b/scan_internal_test.go
@@ -46,7 +46,7 @@ func TestScanStatistics(t *testing.T) {
 			FS:                 vfs.NewMem(),
 			Logger:             testLogger{t: t},
 			Comparer:           testkeys.Comparer,
-			FormatMajorVersion: FormatMinSupported,
+			FormatMajorVersion: FormatMinForSharedObjects,
 			BlockPropertyCollectors: []func() BlockPropertyCollector{
 				sstable.NewTestKeysBlockPropertyCollector,
 			},
diff --git a/testdata/batch_reader b/testdata/batch_reader
index 01ea8a2ad0..f3ac59697c 100644
--- a/testdata/batch_reader
+++ b/testdata/batch_reader
@@ -95,4 +95,3 @@ scan
 ----
 Count: 1
 err: decoding user key: pebble: invalid batch
-
diff --git a/testdata/scan_statistics b/testdata/scan_statistics
index a080099644..771e364c93 100644
--- a/testdata/scan_statistics
+++ b/testdata/scan_statistics
@@ -143,4 +143,4 @@ compact a-z
 scan-statistics lower=a upper=z show-snapshot-pinned
 ----
 Aggregate:
-  snapshot pinned count: 1
+  snapshot pinned count: 0