diff --git a/go/vt/sqlparser/ast_format.go b/go/vt/sqlparser/ast_format.go
index 7cf0a140de3..898e4c45f91 100644
--- a/go/vt/sqlparser/ast_format.go
+++ b/go/vt/sqlparser/ast_format.go
@@ -2204,7 +2204,7 @@ func (node *AddColumns) Format(buf *TrackedBuffer) {
 
 // Format formats the node.
 func (node AlgorithmValue) Format(buf *TrackedBuffer) {
-	buf.astPrintf(node, "algorithm = %s", string(node))
+	buf.astPrintf(node, "algorithm = %#s", string(node))
 }
 
 // Format formats the node
diff --git a/go/vt/sqlparser/constants.go b/go/vt/sqlparser/constants.go
index 8331060c0ff..81f2e067563 100644
--- a/go/vt/sqlparser/constants.go
+++ b/go/vt/sqlparser/constants.go
@@ -65,6 +65,12 @@ const (
 	AddSequenceStr      = "add sequence"
 	AddAutoIncStr       = "add auto_increment"
 
+	// ALTER TABLE ALGORITHM string.
+	DefaultStr = "default"
+	CopyStr    = "copy"
+	InplaceStr = "inplace"
+	InstantStr = "instant"
+
 	// Partition and subpartition type strings
 	HashTypeStr  = "hash"
 	KeyTypeStr   = "key"
diff --git a/go/vt/sqlparser/parse_test.go b/go/vt/sqlparser/parse_test.go
index 5f74a5e67dc..d48b75dd745 100644
--- a/go/vt/sqlparser/parse_test.go
+++ b/go/vt/sqlparser/parse_test.go
@@ -1246,6 +1246,12 @@ var (
 		input: "alter table a convert to character set utf32",
 	}, {
 		input: "alter table `By` add column foo int, algorithm = default",
+	}, {
+		input: "alter table `By` add column foo int, algorithm = copy",
+	}, {
+		input: "alter table `By` add column foo int, algorithm = inplace",
+	}, {
+		input: "alter table `By` add column foo int, algorithm = INPLACE",
 	}, {
 		input: "alter table `By` add column foo int, algorithm = instant",
 	}, {
diff --git a/go/vt/vttablet/onlineddl/executor.go b/go/vt/vttablet/onlineddl/executor.go
index 8cc42a317cf..56a2e945167 100644
--- a/go/vt/vttablet/onlineddl/executor.go
+++ b/go/vt/vttablet/onlineddl/executor.go
@@ -102,6 +102,7 @@ var vexecInsertTemplates = []string{
 
 var emptyResult = &sqltypes.Result{}
 var acceptableDropTableIfExistsErrorCodes = []mysql.ErrorCode{mysql.ERCantFindFile, mysql.ERNoSuchTable}
+var copyAlgorithm = sqlparser.AlgorithmValue(sqlparser.CopyStr)
 
 var (
 	ghostOverridePath       string
@@ -1171,6 +1172,9 @@ func (e *Executor) validateAndEditAlterTableStatement(ctx context.Context, onlin
 	for i := range alterTable.AlterOptions {
 		opt := alterTable.AlterOptions[i]
 		switch opt := opt.(type) {
+		case sqlparser.AlgorithmValue:
+			// we do not pass ALGORITHM. We choose our own ALGORITHM.
+			continue
 		case *sqlparser.AddIndexDefinition:
 			if opt.IndexDefinition.Info.Fulltext {
 				countAddFullTextStatements++
@@ -1179,7 +1183,7 @@ func (e *Executor) validateAndEditAlterTableStatement(ctx context.Context, onlin
 					// in the same statement
 					extraAlterTable := &sqlparser.AlterTable{
 						Table:        alterTable.Table,
-						AlterOptions: []sqlparser.AlterOption{opt},
+						AlterOptions: []sqlparser.AlterOption{opt, copyAlgorithm},
 					}
 					alters = append(alters, extraAlterTable)
 					continue
@@ -1189,6 +1193,7 @@ func (e *Executor) validateAndEditAlterTableStatement(ctx context.Context, onlin
 		redactedOptions = append(redactedOptions, opt)
 	}
 	alterTable.AlterOptions = redactedOptions
+	alterTable.AlterOptions = append(alterTable.AlterOptions, copyAlgorithm)
 	return alters, nil
 }
 
diff --git a/go/vt/vttablet/onlineddl/executor_test.go b/go/vt/vttablet/onlineddl/executor_test.go
index e4a8e352026..2cf94be2d20 100644
--- a/go/vt/vttablet/onlineddl/executor_test.go
+++ b/go/vt/vttablet/onlineddl/executor_test.go
@@ -182,51 +182,51 @@ func TestValidateAndEditAlterTableStatement(t *testing.T) {
 	}{
 		{
 			alter:  "alter table t add column i int",
-			expect: []string{"alter table t add column i int"},
+			expect: []string{"alter table t add column i int, algorithm = copy"},
 		},
 		{
 			alter:  "alter table t add column i int, add fulltext key name1_ft (name1)",
-			expect: []string{"alter table t add column i int, add fulltext key name1_ft (name1)"},
+			expect: []string{"alter table t add column i int, add fulltext key name1_ft (name1), algorithm = copy"},
 		},
 		{
 			alter:  "alter table t add column i int, add fulltext key name1_ft (name1), add fulltext key name2_ft (name2)",
-			expect: []string{"alter table t add column i int, add fulltext key name1_ft (name1)", "alter table t add fulltext key name2_ft (name2)"},
+			expect: []string{"alter table t add column i int, add fulltext key name1_ft (name1), algorithm = copy", "alter table t add fulltext key name2_ft (name2), algorithm = copy"},
 		},
 		{
 			alter:  "alter table t add fulltext key name0_ft (name0), add column i int, add fulltext key name1_ft (name1), add fulltext key name2_ft (name2)",
-			expect: []string{"alter table t add fulltext key name0_ft (name0), add column i int", "alter table t add fulltext key name1_ft (name1)", "alter table t add fulltext key name2_ft (name2)"},
+			expect: []string{"alter table t add fulltext key name0_ft (name0), add column i int, algorithm = copy", "alter table t add fulltext key name1_ft (name1), algorithm = copy", "alter table t add fulltext key name2_ft (name2), algorithm = copy"},
 		},
 		{
 			alter:  "alter table t add constraint check (id != 1)",
-			expect: []string{"alter table t add constraint chk_aulpn7bjeortljhguy86phdn9 check (id != 1)"},
+			expect: []string{"alter table t add constraint chk_aulpn7bjeortljhguy86phdn9 check (id != 1), algorithm = copy"},
 		},
 		{
 			alter:  "alter table t add constraint t_chk_1 check (id != 1)",
-			expect: []string{"alter table t add constraint chk_1_aulpn7bjeortljhguy86phdn9 check (id != 1)"},
+			expect: []string{"alter table t add constraint chk_1_aulpn7bjeortljhguy86phdn9 check (id != 1), algorithm = copy"},
 		},
 		{
 			alter:  "alter table t add constraint some_check check (id != 1)",
-			expect: []string{"alter table t add constraint some_check_aulpn7bjeortljhguy86phdn9 check (id != 1)"},
+			expect: []string{"alter table t add constraint some_check_aulpn7bjeortljhguy86phdn9 check (id != 1), algorithm = copy"},
 		},
 		{
 			alter:  "alter table t add constraint some_check check (id != 1), add constraint another_check check (id != 2)",
-			expect: []string{"alter table t add constraint some_check_aulpn7bjeortljhguy86phdn9 check (id != 1), add constraint another_check_4fa197273p3w96267pzm3gfi3 check (id != 2)"},
+			expect: []string{"alter table t add constraint some_check_aulpn7bjeortljhguy86phdn9 check (id != 1), add constraint another_check_4fa197273p3w96267pzm3gfi3 check (id != 2), algorithm = copy"},
 		},
 		{
 			alter:  "alter table t add foreign key (parent_id) references onlineddl_test_parent (id) on delete no action",
-			expect: []string{"alter table t add constraint fk_6fmhzdlya89128u5j3xapq34i foreign key (parent_id) references onlineddl_test_parent (id) on delete no action"},
+			expect: []string{"alter table t add constraint fk_6fmhzdlya89128u5j3xapq34i foreign key (parent_id) references onlineddl_test_parent (id) on delete no action, algorithm = copy"},
 		},
 		{
 			alter:  "alter table t add constraint myfk foreign key (parent_id) references onlineddl_test_parent (id) on delete no action",
-			expect: []string{"alter table t add constraint myfk_6fmhzdlya89128u5j3xapq34i foreign key (parent_id) references onlineddl_test_parent (id) on delete no action"},
+			expect: []string{"alter table t add constraint myfk_6fmhzdlya89128u5j3xapq34i foreign key (parent_id) references onlineddl_test_parent (id) on delete no action, algorithm = copy"},
 		},
 		{
 			alter:  "alter table t add constraint t_fk_1 foreign key (parent_id) references onlineddl_test_parent (id) on delete no action",
-			expect: []string{"alter table t add constraint fk_1_6fmhzdlya89128u5j3xapq34i foreign key (parent_id) references onlineddl_test_parent (id) on delete no action"},
+			expect: []string{"alter table t add constraint fk_1_6fmhzdlya89128u5j3xapq34i foreign key (parent_id) references onlineddl_test_parent (id) on delete no action, algorithm = copy"},
 		},
 		{
 			alter:  "alter table t add constraint t_fk_1 foreign key (parent_id) references onlineddl_test_parent (id) on delete no action, add constraint some_check check (id != 1)",
-			expect: []string{"alter table t add constraint fk_1_6fmhzdlya89128u5j3xapq34i foreign key (parent_id) references onlineddl_test_parent (id) on delete no action, add constraint some_check_aulpn7bjeortljhguy86phdn9 check (id != 1)"},
+			expect: []string{"alter table t add constraint fk_1_6fmhzdlya89128u5j3xapq34i foreign key (parent_id) references onlineddl_test_parent (id) on delete no action, add constraint some_check_aulpn7bjeortljhguy86phdn9 check (id != 1), algorithm = copy"},
 		},
 	}
 	for _, tc := range tt {