diff --git a/cache_flat_mutation_reader.hh b/cache_flat_mutation_reader.hh
index 74723ff38d..579f9ff649 100644
--- a/cache_flat_mutation_reader.hh
+++ b/cache_flat_mutation_reader.hh
@@ -619,6 +619,8 @@ void cache_flat_mutation_reader::add_to_buffer(const partition_snapshot_row_curs
     if (!row.dummy()) {
         _read_context->cache().on_row_hit();
         add_clustering_row_to_buffer(mutation_fragment(*_schema, _permit, row.row(_read_context->digest_requested())));
+    } else {
+        _read_context->cache()._tracker.on_dummy_row_hit();
     }
 }
 
diff --git a/row_cache.cc b/row_cache.cc
index ae09e19c96..cc3668212a 100644
--- a/row_cache.cc
+++ b/row_cache.cc
@@ -108,6 +108,7 @@ cache_tracker::setup_metrics() {
         sm::make_derive("partition_misses", sm::description("number of partitions needed by reads and missing in cache"), _stats.partition_misses),
         sm::make_derive("partition_insertions", sm::description("total number of partitions added to cache"), _stats.partition_insertions),
         sm::make_derive("row_hits", sm::description("total number of rows needed by reads and found in cache"), _stats.row_hits),
+        sm::make_derive("dummy_row_hits", sm::description("total number of dummy rows touched by reads in cache"), _stats.dummy_row_hits),
         sm::make_derive("row_misses", sm::description("total number of rows needed by reads and missing in cache"), _stats.row_misses),
         sm::make_derive("row_insertions", sm::description("total number of rows added to cache"), _stats.row_insertions),
         sm::make_derive("row_evictions", sm::description("total number of rows evicted from cache"), _stats.row_evictions),
@@ -200,6 +201,10 @@ void cache_tracker::on_row_hit() noexcept {
     ++_stats.row_hits;
 }
 
+void cache_tracker::on_dummy_row_hit() noexcept {
+    ++_stats.dummy_row_hits;
+}
+
 void cache_tracker::on_row_miss() noexcept {
     ++_stats.row_misses;
 }
diff --git a/row_cache.hh b/row_cache.hh
index 6767b840a7..9b612f098c 100644
--- a/row_cache.hh
+++ b/row_cache.hh
@@ -165,6 +165,7 @@ public:
         uint64_t partition_hits;
         uint64_t partition_misses;
         uint64_t row_hits;
+        uint64_t dummy_row_hits;
         uint64_t row_misses;
         uint64_t partition_insertions;
         uint64_t row_insertions;
@@ -221,6 +222,7 @@ public:
     void on_partition_eviction() noexcept;
     void on_row_eviction() noexcept;
     void on_row_hit() noexcept;
+    void on_dummy_row_hit() noexcept;
     void on_row_miss() noexcept;
     void on_miss_already_populated() noexcept;
     void on_mispopulate() noexcept;