diff --git a/src/v/cloud_storage/remote.cc b/src/v/cloud_storage/remote.cc
index 7db1a491f86c3..63d71571b7238 100644
--- a/src/v/cloud_storage/remote.cc
+++ b/src/v/cloud_storage/remote.cc
@@ -673,7 +673,13 @@ ss::future<download_result> remote::download_stream(
 
     auto lease = co_await [this, &fib] {
         auto m = _probe.client_acquisition();
-        return _pool.local().acquire(fib.root_abort_source());
+        return _pool.local()
+          .acquire(fib.root_abort_source())
+          .then([](auto lease) {
+              return ss::make_lw_shared<
+                cloud_storage_clients::client_pool::client_lease>(
+                std::move(lease));
+          });
     }();
 
     auto permit = fib.retry();
@@ -684,7 +690,7 @@ ss::future<download_result> remote::download_stream(
           api_activity_notification::segment_download, parent);
 
         auto download_latency_measure = download_latency_measurement();
-        auto resp = co_await lease.client->get_object(
+        auto resp = co_await lease->client->get_object(
           bucket, path, fib.get_timeout(), false, byte_range);
 
         if (resp) {
@@ -693,8 +699,14 @@ ss::future<download_result> remote::download_stream(
               resp.value()->get_headers().at(
                 boost::beast::http::field::content_length));
             try {
-                uint64_t content_length = co_await cons_str(
-                  length, resp.value()->as_input_stream());
+                uint64_t content_length{};
+                if (std::holds_alternative<a>(cons_str)) {
+                    content_length = co_await std::get<a>(cons_str)(
+                      length, resp.value()->as_input_stream());
+                } else if (std::holds_alternative<b>(cons_str)) {
+                    content_length = co_await std::get<b>(cons_str)(
+                      length, resp.value()->as_input_stream(), lease);
+                }
                 _probe.successful_download();
                 _probe.register_download_size(content_length);
                 co_return download_result::success;
@@ -712,7 +724,7 @@ ss::future<download_result> remote::download_stream(
 
         download_latency_measure.reset();
 
-        lease.client->shutdown();
+        lease->client->shutdown();
 
         switch (resp.error()) {
         case cloud_storage_clients::error_outcome::retry:
diff --git a/src/v/cloud_storage/remote.h b/src/v/cloud_storage/remote.h
index 7be74642771fa..201ca8e41fd33 100644
--- a/src/v/cloud_storage/remote.h
+++ b/src/v/cloud_storage/remote.h
@@ -128,8 +128,13 @@ class remote : public ss::peering_sharded_service<remote> {
     /// The functor should be reenterable since it can be called many times.
     /// On success it should return content_length. On failure it should
     /// allow the exception from the input_stream to propagate.
-    using try_consume_stream = ss::noncopyable_function<ss::future<uint64_t>(
+    using a = ss::noncopyable_function<ss::future<uint64_t>(
       uint64_t, ss::input_stream<char>)>;
+    using b = ss::noncopyable_function<ss::future<uint64_t>(
+      uint64_t,
+      ss::input_stream<char>,
+      ss::lw_shared_ptr<cloud_storage_clients::client_pool::client_lease>)>;
+    using try_consume_stream = std::variant<a, b>;
 
     /// Functor that should be provided by user when list_objects api is called.
     /// It receives every key that matches the query as well as it's modifiation
diff --git a/src/v/cloud_storage/remote_segment.cc b/src/v/cloud_storage/remote_segment.cc
index ab8f75042f38b..ff47ded1bf1af 100644
--- a/src/v/cloud_storage/remote_segment.cc
+++ b/src/v/cloud_storage/remote_segment.cc
@@ -51,6 +51,7 @@
 #include <fmt/core.h>
 
 #include <exception>
+#include <utility>
 
 namespace {
 class bounded_stream final : public ss::data_source_impl {
@@ -273,12 +274,39 @@ remote_segment::data_stream(size_t pos, ss::io_priority_class io_priority) {
     co_return storage::segment_reader_handle(std::move(data_stream));
 }
 
+ss::future<stream_with_leased_client> remote_segment::build_stream() {
+    retry_chain_node local_rtc(
+      cache_hydration_timeout, cache_hydration_backoff, &_rtc);
+
+    stream_with_leased_client slc;
+    auto res = co_await _api.download_segment(
+      _bucket,
+      _path,
+      [&slc](
+        uint64_t size_bytes,
+        ss::input_stream<char> s,
+        stream_with_leased_client::lease_t lease) {
+          slc.stream = std::move(s);
+          slc.lease = std::move(lease);
+          return ss::make_ready_future<uint64_t>(size_bytes);
+      },
+      local_rtc);
+
+    if (res != download_result::success) {
+        vlog(_ctxlog.debug, "Failed to create stream for {}", _path);
+        throw download_exception(res, _path);
+    }
+
+    co_return slc;
+}
+
 ss::future<remote_segment::input_stream_with_offsets>
 remote_segment::offset_data_stream(
   kafka::offset start,
   kafka::offset end,
   std::optional<model::timestamp> first_timestamp,
-  ss::io_priority_class io_priority) {
+  ss::io_priority_class io_priority,
+  bool skip_cache) {
     vlog(_ctxlog.debug, "remote segment file input stream at offset {}", start);
     ss::gate::holder g(_gate);
     co_await hydrate();
@@ -286,6 +314,16 @@ remote_segment::offset_data_stream(
     std::optional<offset_index::find_result> indexed_pos;
     std::optional<uint16_t> prefetch_override = std::nullopt;
 
+    if (skip_cache) {
+        vlog(_ctxlog.info, "using direct stream to serve request");
+        auto stream = std::make_unique<stream_with_leased_client>(
+          co_await build_stream());
+        co_return input_stream_with_offsets{
+          .stream = ss::input_stream<char>{ss::data_source{std::move(stream)}},
+          .rp_offset = _base_rp_offset,
+          .kafka_offset = _base_rp_offset - _base_offset_delta};
+    }
+
     // Perform index lookup by timestamp or offset. This reduces the number
     // of hydrated chunks required to serve the request.
     if (first_timestamp) {
@@ -1345,7 +1383,8 @@ remote_segment_batch_reader::init_parser() {
       model::offset_cast(_config.start_offset),
       model::offset_cast(_config.max_offset),
       _config.first_timestamp,
-      priority_manager::local().shadow_indexing_priority());
+      priority_manager::local().shadow_indexing_priority(),
+      true);
 
     auto parser = std::make_unique<storage::continuous_batch_parser>(
       std::make_unique<remote_segment_batch_consumer>(
diff --git a/src/v/cloud_storage/remote_segment.h b/src/v/cloud_storage/remote_segment.h
index 748ad41e4d8a8..fbb2ce439bac9 100644
--- a/src/v/cloud_storage/remote_segment.h
+++ b/src/v/cloud_storage/remote_segment.h
@@ -60,7 +60,23 @@ class remote_segment_exception : public std::runtime_error {
       : std::runtime_error(m) {}
 };
 
+struct stream_with_leased_client : public ss::data_source_impl {
+    using lease_t
+      = ss::lw_shared_ptr<cloud_storage_clients::client_pool::client_lease>;
+
+    ss::future<ss::temporary_buffer<char>> get() override {
+        co_return co_await stream.read();
+    }
+
+    ss::future<> close() override { co_return co_await stream.close(); }
+
+    lease_t lease;
+    ss::input_stream<char> stream;
+};
+
 class remote_segment final {
+    ss::future<stream_with_leased_client> build_stream();
+
 public:
     remote_segment(
       remote& r,
@@ -114,7 +130,8 @@ class remote_segment final {
       kafka::offset start,
       kafka::offset end,
       std::optional<model::timestamp>,
-      ss::io_priority_class);
+      ss::io_priority_class,
+      bool skip_cache = false);
 
     /// Hydrate the segment for segment meta version v2 or lower. For v3 or
     /// higher, only hydrate the index. If the index hydration fails, fall back