diff --git a/core/src/main/java/org/apache/accumulo/core/util/Validators.java b/core/src/main/java/org/apache/accumulo/core/util/Validators.java
index 3c756ea0834..2e3df5f3e93 100644
--- a/core/src/main/java/org/apache/accumulo/core/util/Validators.java
+++ b/core/src/main/java/org/apache/accumulo/core/util/Validators.java
@@ -227,4 +227,15 @@ public static Validator<String> sameNamespaceAs(String oldTableName) {
     return Validator.OK;
   });
 
+  public static final Validator<TableId> NOT_METADATA_TABLE_ID = new Validator<>(id -> {
+    if (id == null) {
+      return Optional.of("Table id must not be null");
+    }
+    if (MetadataTable.ID.equals(id)) {
+      return Optional.of(
+          "Table must not be the " + MetadataTable.NAME + "(Id: " + MetadataTable.ID + ") table");
+    }
+    return Validator.OK;
+  });
+
 }
diff --git a/server/manager/src/main/java/org/apache/accumulo/manager/FateServiceHandler.java b/server/manager/src/main/java/org/apache/accumulo/manager/FateServiceHandler.java
index c9ecd1d4d87..52320225bab 100644
--- a/server/manager/src/main/java/org/apache/accumulo/manager/FateServiceHandler.java
+++ b/server/manager/src/main/java/org/apache/accumulo/manager/FateServiceHandler.java
@@ -27,6 +27,7 @@
 import static org.apache.accumulo.core.util.Validators.NOT_BUILTIN_NAMESPACE;
 import static org.apache.accumulo.core.util.Validators.NOT_BUILTIN_TABLE;
 import static org.apache.accumulo.core.util.Validators.NOT_METADATA_TABLE;
+import static org.apache.accumulo.core.util.Validators.NOT_METADATA_TABLE_ID;
 import static org.apache.accumulo.core.util.Validators.NOT_ROOT_TABLE_ID;
 import static org.apache.accumulo.core.util.Validators.VALID_TABLE_ID;
 import static org.apache.accumulo.core.util.Validators.sameNamespaceAs;
@@ -382,7 +383,9 @@ public void executeFateOperation(TInfo tinfo, TCredentials c, long opid, FateOpe
       case TABLE_ONLINE: {
         TableOperation tableOp = TableOperation.ONLINE;
         validateArgumentCount(arguments, tableOp, 1);
-        final var tableId = validateTableIdArgument(arguments.get(0), tableOp, NOT_ROOT_TABLE_ID);
+        final var tableId = validateTableIdArgument(arguments.get(0), tableOp,
+            NOT_ROOT_TABLE_ID.and(NOT_METADATA_TABLE_ID));
+
         NamespaceId namespaceId = getNamespaceIdFromTableId(tableOp, tableId);
 
         final boolean canOnlineOfflineTable;
@@ -410,7 +413,9 @@ public void executeFateOperation(TInfo tinfo, TCredentials c, long opid, FateOpe
       case TABLE_OFFLINE: {
         TableOperation tableOp = TableOperation.OFFLINE;
         validateArgumentCount(arguments, tableOp, 1);
-        final var tableId = validateTableIdArgument(arguments.get(0), tableOp, NOT_ROOT_TABLE_ID);
+        final var tableId = validateTableIdArgument(arguments.get(0), tableOp,
+            NOT_ROOT_TABLE_ID.and(NOT_METADATA_TABLE_ID));
+
         NamespaceId namespaceId = getNamespaceIdFromTableId(tableOp, tableId);
 
         final boolean canOnlineOfflineTable;