diff --git a/database.cc b/database.cc
index 625f78ac40..b1cd4a14fd 100644
--- a/database.cc
+++ b/database.cc
@@ -456,6 +456,11 @@ database::setup_metrics() {
                                        " to be able to admit new ones, if there is a shortage of permits."),
                        {user_label_instance}),
 
+        sm::make_derive("reads_shed_due_to_overload", _read_concurrency_sem.get_stats().total_reads_shed_due_to_overload,
+                       sm::description("The number of reads shed because the admission queue reached its max capacity."
+                                       " When the queue is full, excessive reads are shed to avoid overload."),
+                       {user_label_instance}),
+
         sm::make_gauge("active_reads", [this] { return max_count_streaming_concurrent_reads - _streaming_concurrency_sem.available_resources().count; },
                        sm::description("Holds the number of currently active read operations issued on behalf of streaming "),
                        {streaming_label_instance}),
@@ -481,6 +486,11 @@ database::setup_metrics() {
                                        " to be able to admit new ones, if there is a shortage of permits."),
                        {streaming_label_instance}),
 
+        sm::make_derive("reads_shed_due_to_overload", _streaming_concurrency_sem.get_stats().total_reads_shed_due_to_overload,
+                       sm::description("The number of reads shed because the admission queue reached its max capacity."
+                                       " When the queue is full, excessive reads are shed to avoid overload."),
+                       {streaming_label_instance}),
+
         sm::make_gauge("active_reads", [this] { return max_count_system_concurrent_reads - _system_read_concurrency_sem.available_resources().count; },
                        sm::description("Holds the number of currently active read operations from \"system\" keyspace tables. "),
                        {system_label_instance}),
@@ -505,6 +515,11 @@ database::setup_metrics() {
                                        " to be able to admit new ones, if there is a shortage of permits."),
                        {system_label_instance}),
 
+        sm::make_derive("reads_shed_due_to_overload", _system_read_concurrency_sem.get_stats().total_reads_shed_due_to_overload,
+                       sm::description("The number of reads shed because the admission queue reached its max capacity."
+                                       " When the queue is full, excessive reads are shed to avoid overload."),
+                       {system_label_instance}),
+
         sm::make_gauge("total_result_bytes", [this] { return get_result_memory_limiter().total_used_memory(); },
                        sm::description("Holds the current amount of memory used for results.")),
 
diff --git a/reader_concurrency_semaphore.cc b/reader_concurrency_semaphore.cc
index 9b2024022e..d30abf0594 100644
--- a/reader_concurrency_semaphore.cc
+++ b/reader_concurrency_semaphore.cc
@@ -436,6 +436,7 @@ bool reader_concurrency_semaphore::may_proceed(const resources& r) const {
 future<reader_permit::resource_units> reader_concurrency_semaphore::do_wait_admission(reader_permit permit, size_t memory,
         db::timeout_clock::time_point timeout) {
     if (_wait_list.size() >= _max_queue_length) {
+        _stats.total_reads_shed_due_to_overload++;
         if (_prethrow_action) {
             _prethrow_action();
         }
diff --git a/reader_concurrency_semaphore.hh b/reader_concurrency_semaphore.hh
index 65c908ba43..22ec10ba7f 100644
--- a/reader_concurrency_semaphore.hh
+++ b/reader_concurrency_semaphore.hh
@@ -91,6 +91,8 @@ public:
         uint64_t total_successful_reads = 0;
         // Total number of failed reads executed through this semaphore.
         uint64_t total_failed_reads = 0;
+        // Total number of reads rejected because the admission queue reached its max capacity
+        uint64_t total_reads_shed_due_to_overload = 0;
     };
 
     struct permit_list;