To　address　global　water　pollution　and　crisis　issue,　wastewater　recycling,　seawater　and　brackish　water　desalination　have　been　increasingly　utilized　to　produce　clean　water.　Ceramic　membranes　have　been　gaining　widespread　interest　due　to　their　unique　physicochemical　properties　and　high　stability.　Integrating　nanoporous　MOF　(metal　organic　framework)　with　ceramic　membranes　could　enable　a　rational　design　of　ceramic-based　MOF　membranes　with　enhance　sieving　performance.　Herein,　we　report　an　in-situ　method　to　construct　an　inter-crystalline　defect-free　MOF　layer　on　ZrO2　ceramic　membranes　for　efficient　desalination　application.　After　optimizing　synthesis　parameters,　an　inter-crystalline　defect-free　and　well-intergrown　ceramic-based　MOF　membrane　was　obtained.　The　ceramic-based　MOF　membranes　not　only　demonstrated　a　near-complete　salt　rejection,　but　also　exhibited　high　water　flux,　which　are　superior　to　most　of　the　reported　zeolite　and　MOF　membranes.　In　addition,　the　MOF　membranes　exhibited　promising　performance　and　structure　stability　even　when　exposed　to　harsh　water　environments.　Our　work　introduces　a　protocol　for　the　design　of　high-performance　ceramic-based　MOF　membrane　as　a　promising　candidate　for　challenging　desalination　applications　under　different　environments.　©　2024　Elsevier　Ltd　and　Techna　Group　S.r.l.