diff --git a/tests/rptest/tests/datalake/datalake_upgrade_test.py b/tests/rptest/tests/datalake/datalake_upgrade_test.py
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..eb0b7ac4ccd5
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/rptest/tests/datalake/datalake_upgrade_test.py
@@ -0,0 +1,69 @@
+# Copyright 2024 Redpanda Data, Inc.
+#
+# Use of this software is governed by the Business Source License
+# included in the file licenses/BSL.md
+#
+# As of the Change Date specified in that file, in accordance with
+# the Business Source License, use of this software will be governed
+# by the Apache License, Version 2.0
+from rptest.services.cluster import cluster
+
+from rptest.services.redpanda import SISettings
+from rptest.utils.mode_checks import skip_debug_mode
+from rptest.tests.redpanda_test import RedpandaTest
+from rptest.tests.datalake.datalake_services import DatalakeServices
+from rptest.tests.datalake.query_engine_base import QueryEngineType
+from rptest.tests.datalake.utils import supported_storage_types
+from ducktape.mark import matrix
+
+
+class DatalakeUpgradeTest(RedpandaTest):
+    def __init__(self, test_context):
+        super(DatalakeUpgradeTest,
+              self).__init__(test_context,
+                             num_brokers=3,
+                             si_settings=SISettings(test_context=test_context),
+                             extra_rp_conf={
+                                 "iceberg_enabled": "true",
+                                 "iceberg_catalog_commit_interval_ms": 5000
+                             })
+        self.test_ctx = test_context
+        self.topic_name = "upgrade_topic"
+
+        # Initial version that supported Iceberg.
+        self.initial_version = (24, 3)
+
+    def setUp(self):
+        self.redpanda._installer.install(self.redpanda.nodes,
+                                         self.initial_version)
+
+    @cluster(num_nodes=6)
+    @skip_debug_mode
+    @matrix(cloud_storage_type=supported_storage_types(),
+            query_engine=[QueryEngineType.SPARK])
+    def test_upload_through_upgrade(self, cloud_storage_type, query_engine):
+        """
+        Test that Iceberg translation can progress through different versions
+        of Redpanda (e.g. ensuring that data format changes or additional
+        Iceberg fields don't block progress).
+        """
+        total_count = 0
+        versions = self.load_version_range(self.initial_version)[1:]
+        with DatalakeServices(self.test_ctx,
+                              redpanda=self.redpanda,
+                              filesystem_catalog_mode=True,
+                              include_query_engines=[query_engine]) as dl:
+            dl.create_iceberg_enabled_topic(self.topic_name, partitions=10)
+
+            def run_workload():
+                nonlocal total_count
+                count = 100
+                dl.produce_to_topic(self.topic_name, 1024, msg_count=count)
+                total_count += count
+                dl.wait_for_translation(self.topic_name, msg_count=total_count)
+
+            versions = self.load_version_range(self.initial_version)
+            for v in self.upgrade_through_versions(versions_in=versions,
+                                                   already_running=True):
+                self.logger.info(f"Updated to {v}")
+                run_workload()