diff --git a/reader_concurrency_semaphore.hh b/reader_concurrency_semaphore.hh
index 89a6fea969..b4e34f2ae6 100644
--- a/reader_concurrency_semaphore.hh
+++ b/reader_concurrency_semaphore.hh
@@ -105,6 +105,7 @@ private:
     };
 
 private:
+    const resources _initial_resources;
     resources _resources;
 
     expiring_fifo<entry, expiry_handler, db::timeout_clock> _wait_list;
@@ -135,7 +136,8 @@ public:
             sstring name,
             size_t max_queue_length = std::numeric_limits<size_t>::max(),
             std::function<void()> prethrow_action = nullptr)
-        : _resources(count, memory)
+        : _initial_resources(count, memory)
+        , _resources(count, memory)
         , _wait_list(expiry_handler(name))
         , _name(std::move(name))
         , _max_queue_length(max_queue_length)
@@ -193,6 +195,10 @@ public:
 
     reader_permit make_permit();
 
+    const resources initial_resources() const {
+        return _initial_resources;
+    }
+
     const resources available_resources() const {
         return _resources;
     }