diff --git a/sstables_loader.cc b/sstables_loader.cc
index eab2642318..c2ab351a46 100644
--- a/sstables_loader.cc
+++ b/sstables_loader.cc
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@
 
 #include <fmt/ranges.h>
 #include <seastar/core/coroutine.hh>
+#include <seastar/core/map_reduce.hh>
 #include <seastar/core/shared_ptr.hh>
 #include <seastar/coroutine/maybe_yield.hh>
 #include <seastar/coroutine/switch_to.hh>
@@ -581,7 +582,22 @@ class sstables_loader::download_task_impl : public tasks::task_manager::task::im
     sstring _prefix;
     sstables_loader::stream_scope _scope;
     std::vector<sstring> _sstables;
-    std::vector<shared_ptr<stream_progress>> _progress_per_shard;
+    struct progress_holder {
+        // Wrap stream_progress in a smart pointer to enable polymorphism.
+        // This allows derived progress types to be passed down for per-tablet
+        // progress tracking while maintaining the base interface.
+        shared_ptr<stream_progress> progress = make_shared<stream_progress>();
+    };
+    // user could query for the progress even before _progress_per_shard
+    // is completed started, and this._status.state does not reflect the
+    // state of progress, so we have to track it separately.
+    enum class progress_state {
+        uninitialized,
+        initialized,
+        finalized,
+    } _progress_state = progress_state::uninitialized;
+    sharded<progress_holder> _progress_per_shard;
+    tasks::task_manager::task::progress _final_progress;
 
 protected:
     virtual future<> run() override;
@@ -599,7 +615,6 @@ public:
         , _prefix(std::move(prefix))
         , _scope(scope)
         , _sstables(std::move(sstables))
-        , _progress_per_shard(smp::count)
     {
         _status.progress_units = "batches";
     }
@@ -620,29 +635,29 @@ public:
         return tasks::is_abortable::yes;
     }
 
+    virtual future<> release_resources() noexcept override {
+        // preserve the final progress, so we can access it after the task is
+        // finished
+        _final_progress = co_await get_progress();
+        _progress_state = progress_state::finalized;
+        co_await _progress_per_shard.stop();
+    }
+
     virtual future<tasks::task_manager::task::progress> get_progress() const override {
-        struct adder {
-            stream_progress result;
-            future<> operator()(stream_progress p) {
-                llog.debug("get_progress: {} / {}", p.completed, p.total);
-                result.completed += p.completed;
-                result.total += p.total;
-                return make_ready_future<>();
-            }
-            stream_progress get() const {
-                return result;
-            }
-        };
-        auto p = co_await _loader.map_reduce(
-            adder{},
-            [this] (auto&) -> stream_progress {
-              auto p = _progress_per_shard[this_shard_id()];
-              if (p) {
-                  return *p;
-              } else {
-                  // the task was aborted
-                  return {};
-              }
+        switch (_progress_state) {
+        case progress_state::uninitialized:
+            co_return tasks::task_manager::task::progress{};
+        case progress_state::finalized:
+            co_return _final_progress;
+        case progress_state::initialized:
+            break;
+        }
+        auto p = co_await _progress_per_shard.map_reduce(
+            adder<stream_progress>{},
+            [] (const progress_holder& holder) -> stream_progress {
+              auto p = holder.progress;
+              SCYLLA_ASSERT(p);
+              return *p;
             });
         co_return tasks::task_manager::task::progress {
             .completed = p.completed,
@@ -678,11 +693,11 @@ future<> sstables_loader::download_task_impl::run() {
             } catch (...) {
             }
         });
+        co_await _progress_per_shard.start();
+        _progress_state = progress_state::initialized;
         co_await _loader.invoke_on_all([this, &sstables_on_shards, table_id] (sstables_loader& loader) mutable -> future<> {
-            auto progress = make_shared<stream_progress>();
-            _progress_per_shard[this_shard_id()] = progress;
             co_await loader.load_and_stream(_ks, _cf, table_id, std::move(sstables_on_shards[this_shard_id()]), false, false, _scope,
-                                            progress);
+                                            _progress_per_shard.local().progress);
         });
     } catch (...) {
         ex = std::current_exception();
diff --git a/sstables_loader.hh b/sstables_loader.hh
index 7475b09d2e..d3454ff3c9 100644
--- a/sstables_loader.hh
+++ b/sstables_loader.hh
@@ -34,7 +34,11 @@ struct stream_progress {
     float completed = 0.;
 
     virtual ~stream_progress() = default;
-
+    stream_progress& operator+=(const stream_progress& p) {
+        total += p.total;
+        completed += p.completed;
+        return *this;
+    }
     void start(float amount) {
         assert(amount >= 0);
         total = amount;