diff --git a/reader_concurrency_semaphore.cc b/reader_concurrency_semaphore.cc
index 4781f3a21f..1e743bbe36 100644
--- a/reader_concurrency_semaphore.cc
+++ b/reader_concurrency_semaphore.cc
@@ -410,6 +410,10 @@ reader_concurrency_semaphore::reader_concurrency_semaphore(no_limits, sstring na
             std::move(name)) {}
 
 reader_concurrency_semaphore::~reader_concurrency_semaphore() {
+    if (!_permit_list->stats.total_permits) {
+        // We allow destroy without stop() when the semaphore wasn't used at all yet.
+        return;
+    }
     assert(_stopped);
 }
 
diff --git a/test/boost/reader_concurrency_semaphore_test.cc b/test/boost/reader_concurrency_semaphore_test.cc
index a706a8983f..b10d004f6b 100644
--- a/test/boost/reader_concurrency_semaphore_test.cc
+++ b/test/boost/reader_concurrency_semaphore_test.cc
@@ -554,6 +554,12 @@ SEASTAR_THREAD_TEST_CASE(reader_concurrency_semaphore_dump_reader_diganostics) {
 }
 
 SEASTAR_THREAD_TEST_CASE(test_reader_concurrency_semaphore_stop_waits_on_permits) {
+    BOOST_TEST_MESSAGE("unused");
+    {
+        reader_concurrency_semaphore semaphore(reader_concurrency_semaphore::no_limits{}, get_name());
+        // Checks for stop() should not be triggered.
+    }
+
     BOOST_TEST_MESSAGE("0 permits");
     {
         reader_concurrency_semaphore semaphore(reader_concurrency_semaphore::no_limits{}, get_name());