diff --git a/src/v/cloud_topics/reconciler/BUILD b/src/v/cloud_topics/reconciler/BUILD
index a16e65fe5f076..a91c67c59541c 100644
--- a/src/v/cloud_topics/reconciler/BUILD
+++ b/src/v/cloud_topics/reconciler/BUILD
@@ -57,10 +57,12 @@ redpanda_cc_library(
     srcs = [
         "reconciler.cc",
         "reconciliation_source.cc",
+        "source_probe.cc",
     ],
     hdrs = [
         "reconciler.h",
         "reconciliation_source.h",
+        "source_probe.h",
     ],
     implementation_deps = [
         "//src/v/cloud_topics:logger",
@@ -69,6 +71,7 @@ redpanda_cc_library(
         "//src/v/cloud_topics/level_zero/stm:ctp_stm_api",
         "//src/v/config",
         "//src/v/kafka/utils:txn_reader",
+        "//src/v/metrics",
         "//src/v/utils:retry_chain_node",
     ],
     visibility = ["//visibility:public"],
diff --git a/src/v/cloud_topics/reconciler/reconciler.cc b/src/v/cloud_topics/reconciler/reconciler.cc
index 49e4e4f9fc882..64c1ac48be145 100644
--- a/src/v/cloud_topics/reconciler/reconciler.cc
+++ b/src/v/cloud_topics/reconciler/reconciler.cc
@@ -208,7 +208,12 @@ void reconciler<Clock>::detach(const model::ntp& ntp) {
          * which means that once a reference to a source is held,
          * it shouldn't be assumed that the source remains in the
          * _sources collection.
+         *
+         * Eagerly deregister metrics before erasing so that a new source
+         * for the same partition can be created while the old shared_ptr
+         * is still alive (held by an in-flight reconciliation pass).
          */
+        it->second->deregister_metrics();
         _sources.erase(it);
 
         // Clean up topic scheduler if no partitions remain.
diff --git a/src/v/cloud_topics/reconciler/reconciliation_source.cc b/src/v/cloud_topics/reconciler/reconciliation_source.cc
index 9e590d00085be..902e45b8cea46 100644
--- a/src/v/cloud_topics/reconciler/reconciliation_source.cc
+++ b/src/v/cloud_topics/reconciler/reconciliation_source.cc
@@ -72,6 +72,19 @@ class l0_source : public source {
         return lso.value() > kafka::next_offset(lro);
     }
 
+    int64_t pending_offset_lag() override {
+        auto lro = last_reconciled_offset();
+        auto lso = _fe->last_stable_offset();
+        if (!lso.has_value()) {
+            return 0;
+        }
+        auto next = kafka::next_offset(lro);
+        if (lso.value() <= next) {
+            return 0;
+        }
+        return (lso.value() - next)();
+    }
+
     kafka::offset last_reconciled_offset() override {
         ctp_stm_api api(_partition->raft()->stm_manager()->get<ctp_stm>());
         return api.get_last_reconciled_offset();
diff --git a/src/v/cloud_topics/reconciler/reconciliation_source.h b/src/v/cloud_topics/reconciler/reconciliation_source.h
index 4b571164afb1e..3518143afd59a 100644
--- a/src/v/cloud_topics/reconciler/reconciliation_source.h
+++ b/src/v/cloud_topics/reconciler/reconciliation_source.h
@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@
 #pragma once
 
 #include "cloud_topics/data_plane_api.h"
+#include "cloud_topics/reconciler/source_probe.h"
 #include "model/fundamental.h"
 #include "model/record_batch_reader.h"
 
@@ -38,13 +39,18 @@ class source {
 
     source(model::ntp ntp, model::topic_id_partition tidp)
       : _ntp(std::move(ntp))
-      , _tidp(tidp) {}
+      , _tidp(tidp)
+      , _probe(_ntp, *this) {}
     source(const source&) = delete;
     source(source&&) = delete;
     source& operator=(const source&) = delete;
     source& operator=(source&&) = delete;
     virtual ~source() = default;
 
+    // Deregister metrics so a new source for the same partition can be
+    // created while this shared_ptr is still alive.
+    void deregister_metrics() { _probe.clear(); }
+
     // The NTP for this source
     const model::ntp& ntp() const { return _ntp; }
     // The topic ID + partition for the source
@@ -55,6 +61,11 @@ class source {
     // Returns true if there may be new data to reconcile (LSO > LRO).
     virtual bool has_pending_data() = 0;
 
+    // Returns the number of offsets pending reconciliation (LSO -
+    // next_offset(LRO)), or 0 if there is no pending data or LSO is
+    // unavailable.
+    virtual int64_t pending_offset_lag() = 0;
+
     // Get the last reconciled offset for this source, or kafka::offset::min()
     // if none.
     virtual kafka::offset last_reconciled_offset() = 0;
@@ -86,6 +97,7 @@ class source {
 private:
     model::ntp _ntp;
     model::topic_id_partition _tidp;
+    source_probe _probe;
 };
 
 // Make a reconciliation source from L0 components (data plane) and the cluster
diff --git a/src/v/cloud_topics/reconciler/source_probe.cc b/src/v/cloud_topics/reconciler/source_probe.cc
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000000..9319087f00c61
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/v/cloud_topics/reconciler/source_probe.cc
@@ -0,0 +1,47 @@
+/*
+ * Copyright 2026 Redpanda Data, Inc.
+ *
+ * Licensed as a Redpanda Enterprise file under the Redpanda Community
+ * License (the "License"); you may not use this file except in compliance with
+ * the License. You may obtain a copy of the License at
+ *
+ * https://github.com/redpanda-data/redpanda/blob/master/licenses/rcl.md
+ */
+
+#include "cloud_topics/reconciler/source_probe.h"
+
+#include "cloud_topics/reconciler/reconciliation_source.h"
+#include "config/configuration.h"
+#include "metrics/metrics.h"
+#include "metrics/prometheus_sanitize.h"
+
+#include <seastar/core/metrics.hh>
+
+namespace cloud_topics::reconciler {
+
+source_probe::source_probe(const model::ntp& ntp, source& src)
+  : _source(src) {
+    if (config::shard_local_cfg().disable_metrics()) {
+        return;
+    }
+
+    namespace sm = ss::metrics;
+    const std::vector<sm::label_instance> labels = {
+      metrics::namespace_label(ntp.ns()),
+      metrics::topic_label(ntp.tp.topic()),
+      metrics::partition_label(ntp.tp.partition()),
+    };
+
+    _metrics.add_group(
+      prometheus_sanitize::metrics_name("cloud_topics:reconciler"),
+      {sm::make_gauge(
+        "pending_offset_lag",
+        [this] { return _source.pending_offset_lag(); },
+        sm::description(
+          "Number of offsets pending reconciliation from L0 to L1"),
+        labels)},
+      {},
+      {sm::shard_label, metrics::partition_label});
+}
+
+} // namespace cloud_topics::reconciler
diff --git a/src/v/cloud_topics/reconciler/source_probe.h b/src/v/cloud_topics/reconciler/source_probe.h
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000000..149aecf8b5706
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/v/cloud_topics/reconciler/source_probe.h
@@ -0,0 +1,33 @@
+/*
+ * Copyright 2026 Redpanda Data, Inc.
+ *
+ * Licensed as a Redpanda Enterprise file under the Redpanda Community
+ * License (the "License"); you may not use this file except in compliance with
+ * the License. You may obtain a copy of the License at
+ *
+ * https://github.com/redpanda-data/redpanda/blob/master/licenses/rcl.md
+ */
+
+#pragma once
+
+#include "metrics/metrics.h"
+#include "model/fundamental.h"
+
+#include <cstdint>
+
+namespace cloud_topics::reconciler {
+
+class source;
+
+class source_probe {
+public:
+    source_probe(const model::ntp& ntp, source& src);
+
+    void clear() { _metrics.clear(); }
+
+private:
+    source& _source;
+    metrics::internal_metric_groups _metrics;
+};
+
+} // namespace cloud_topics::reconciler
diff --git a/src/v/cloud_topics/reconciler/tests/reconciler_metrics_test.cc b/src/v/cloud_topics/reconciler/tests/reconciler_metrics_test.cc
index 0233647be76dd..a740bc8a97afc 100644
--- a/src/v/cloud_topics/reconciler/tests/reconciler_metrics_test.cc
+++ b/src/v/cloud_topics/reconciler/tests/reconciler_metrics_test.cc
@@ -108,8 +108,62 @@ std::optional<uint64_t> get_offset_corrections() {
       "cloud_topics_reconciler_offset_corrections");
 }
 
+std::optional<double> get_pending_offset_lag(const model::ntp& ntp) {
+    return test_utils::find_metric_value<double>(
+      "cloud_topics_reconciler_pending_offset_lag",
+      ss::metrics::default_handle(),
+      {
+        {ss::sstring("namespace"), ss::sstring(ntp.ns())},
+        {ss::sstring("topic"), ss::sstring(ntp.tp.topic())},
+        {ss::sstring("partition"),
+         ss::sstring(fmt::format("{}", ntp.tp.partition()))},
+      });
+}
+
 } // namespace
 
+TEST_F(ReconcilerMetricsTest, PendingOffsetLag) {
+    const model::topic tp{"tapioca"};
+    const model::topic_id tid = model::topic_id::create();
+
+    auto src = add_source(tp, tid);
+    const auto& ntp = src->ntp();
+
+    // Before any data, lag should be 0.
+    EXPECT_THAT(get_pending_offset_lag(ntp), Optional(0.0));
+
+    // Add 10 records (offsets 0-9). Lag is visible immediately.
+    src->add_batch({.count = 10});
+    EXPECT_THAT(get_pending_offset_lag(ntp), Optional(10.0));
+
+    // Reconcile to advance LRO, lag should drop.
+    reconcile();
+    EXPECT_THAT(get_pending_offset_lag(ntp), Optional(0.0));
+
+    // Add more data and reconcile.
+    src->add_batch({.count = 5});
+    EXPECT_THAT(get_pending_offset_lag(ntp), Optional(5.0));
+    reconcile();
+    EXPECT_THAT(get_pending_offset_lag(ntp), Optional(0.0));
+}
+
+TEST_F(ReconcilerMetricsTest, PendingOffsetLagDetach) {
+    model::ntp ntp;
+    {
+        auto src = add_source();
+        ntp = src->ntp();
+
+        src->add_batch({.count = 10});
+        EXPECT_TRUE(get_pending_offset_lag(ntp).has_value());
+
+        // Detach drops the reconciler's reference. The test's local src
+        // is the last shared_ptr, so the source (and its probe) are
+        // destroyed when src goes out of scope.
+        reconciler().detach(ntp);
+    }
+    EXPECT_FALSE(get_pending_offset_lag(ntp).has_value());
+}
+
 TEST_F(ReconcilerMetricsTest, ThroughputCounters) {
     EXPECT_THAT(get_objects_uploaded(), Optional(0));
     EXPECT_THAT(get_bytes_reconciled(), Optional(0));
diff --git a/src/v/cloud_topics/reconciler/tests/test_utils.h b/src/v/cloud_topics/reconciler/tests/test_utils.h
index 3be3334755ab7..3012474eadb28 100644
--- a/src/v/cloud_topics/reconciler/tests/test_utils.h
+++ b/src/v/cloud_topics/reconciler/tests/test_utils.h
@@ -51,6 +51,18 @@ class fake_source : public source {
 
     bool has_pending_data() override { return true; }
 
+    int64_t pending_offset_lag() override {
+        if (_source_log.empty()) {
+            return 0;
+        }
+        auto lso = kafka::offset(_source_log.back().last_offset()() + 1);
+        auto next = kafka::next_offset(_lro);
+        if (lso <= next) {
+            return 0;
+        }
+        return (lso - next)();
+    }
+
     kafka::offset last_reconciled_offset() override { return _lro; }
 
     ss::future<std::expected<void, errc>>