diff --git a/pkg/kv/kvserver/split/weighted_finder.go b/pkg/kv/kvserver/split/weighted_finder.go
index 773c548e613f..a1a66e354a39 100644
--- a/pkg/kv/kvserver/split/weighted_finder.go
+++ b/pkg/kv/kvserver/split/weighted_finder.go
@@ -16,6 +16,7 @@ import (
 	"sort"
 	"time"
 
+	"github.com/cockroachdb/cockroach/pkg/keys"
 	"github.com/cockroachdb/cockroach/pkg/roachpb"
 )
 
@@ -123,6 +124,23 @@ func (f *WeightedFinder) record(key roachpb.Key, weight float64) {
 		idx = f.randSource.Intn(splitKeySampleSize)
 	}
 
+	// We only wish to retain safe split keys as samples, as they are the split
+	// keys that will eventually be returned from Key(). If instead we kept every
+	// key, it is possible for all sample keys to map to the same split key
+	// implicitly with column families. Note this doesn't stop every sample being
+	// the same key, however it will cause no split key logging and bump metrics.
+	// TODO(kvoli): When the single key situation arises, we should backoff
+	// attempting to split. There is a fixed overhead on the hotpath when the
+	// finder is active.
+	if safeKey, err := keys.EnsureSafeSplitKey(key); err == nil {
+		key = safeKey
+	} else {
+		// If the key is not a safe split key, instead ignore it and don't bump any
+		// counters. This biases the algorithm slightly, as keys which would be
+		// invalid are not sampled, nor their impact recorded if they reach here.
+		return
+	}
+
 	// Note we always use the start key of the span. We could
 	// take the average of the byte slices, but that seems
 	// unnecessarily complex for practical usage.
diff --git a/pkg/kv/kvserver/split/weighted_finder_test.go b/pkg/kv/kvserver/split/weighted_finder_test.go
index 6db32a6bae3f..5a86b79c052d 100644
--- a/pkg/kv/kvserver/split/weighted_finder_test.go
+++ b/pkg/kv/kvserver/split/weighted_finder_test.go
@@ -191,6 +191,17 @@ func TestSplitWeightedFinderRecorder(t *testing.T) {
 	stopper := stop.NewStopper()
 	defer stopper.Stop(context.Background())
 
+	colKey := func(prefix roachpb.Key) roachpb.Key {
+		return keys.MakeFamilyKey(prefix, 9)
+	}
+
+	colFamSpan := func(span roachpb.Span) roachpb.Span {
+		return roachpb.Span{
+			Key:    colKey(span.Key),
+			EndKey: colKey(span.EndKey),
+		}
+	}
+
 	const ReservoirKeyOffset = 1000
 
 	// Test recording a key query before the reservoir is full.
@@ -284,12 +295,16 @@ func TestSplitWeightedFinderRecorder(t *testing.T) {
 	}{
 		// Test recording a key query before the reservoir is full.
 		{basicSpan, basicWeight, WFLargestRandSource{}, 0, basicReservoir, expectedBasicReservoir},
+		{colFamSpan(basicSpan), basicWeight, WFLargestRandSource{}, 0, basicReservoir, expectedBasicReservoir},
 		// Test recording a key query after the reservoir is full with replacement.
 		{replacementSpan, replacementWeight, ZeroRandSource{}, splitKeySampleSize + 1, replacementReservoir, expectedReplacementReservoir},
+		{colFamSpan(replacementSpan), replacementWeight, ZeroRandSource{}, splitKeySampleSize + 1, replacementReservoir, expectedReplacementReservoir},
 		// Test recording a key query after the reservoir is full without replacement.
 		{fullSpan, fullWeight, WFLargestRandSource{}, splitKeySampleSize + 1, fullReservoir, expectedFullReservoir},
+		{colFamSpan(fullSpan), fullWeight, WFLargestRandSource{}, splitKeySampleSize + 1, fullReservoir, expectedFullReservoir},
 		// Test recording a spanning query.
 		{spanningSpan, spanningWeight, WFLargestRandSource{}, splitKeySampleSize + 1, spanningReservoir, expectedSpanningReservoir},
+		{colFamSpan(spanningSpan), spanningWeight, WFLargestRandSource{}, splitKeySampleSize + 1, spanningReservoir, expectedSpanningReservoir},
 	}
 
 	for i, test := range testCases {