diff --git a/src/v/cluster/data_migration_frontend.cc b/src/v/cluster/data_migration_frontend.cc
index 99c068a976928..75c1c9bab12f1 100644
--- a/src/v/cluster/data_migration_frontend.cc
+++ b/src/v/cluster/data_migration_frontend.cc
@@ -32,6 +32,8 @@
 
 #include <fmt/ostream.h>
 
+#include <exception>
+
 namespace cluster::data_migrations {
 
 frontend::frontend(
@@ -313,8 +315,19 @@ ss::future<result<id>> frontend::do_create_migration(data_migration migration) {
     co_return result<data_migrations::id>(id);
 }
 
-ss::future<chunked_vector<migration_metadata>> frontend::list_migrations() {
-    return _table.invoke_on_instance(&migrations_table::list_migrations);
+ss::future<result<chunked_vector<migration_metadata>>>
+frontend::list_migrations() {
+    try {
+        co_return co_await _table.invoke_on_instance(
+          &migrations_table::list_migrations);
+    } catch (...) {
+        auto eptr = std::current_exception();
+        if (ssx::is_shutdown_exception(eptr)) {
+            co_return cluster::errc::shutting_down;
+        }
+        vlog(dm_log.error, "unexpected exception on list_migrations {}", eptr);
+        throw;
+    }
 }
 
 ss::future<result<migration_metadata>>
diff --git a/src/v/cluster/data_migration_frontend.h b/src/v/cluster/data_migration_frontend.h
index 0065e15004d5d..d8a606608986f 100644
--- a/src/v/cluster/data_migration_frontend.h
+++ b/src/v/cluster/data_migration_frontend.h
@@ -58,7 +58,7 @@ class frontend : public ss::peering_sharded_service<frontend> {
       model::node_id node, check_ntp_states_request&& req);
 
     ss::future<result<migration_metadata>> get_migration(id);
-    ss::future<chunked_vector<migration_metadata>> list_migrations();
+    ss::future<result<chunked_vector<migration_metadata>>> list_migrations();
 
     using list_mountable_topics_result
       = result<chunked_vector<cloud_storage::topic_mount_manifest_path>>;
diff --git a/src/v/redpanda/admin/migrations.cc b/src/v/redpanda/admin/migrations.cc
index a5182ee787fc4..488dffa6b1caa 100644
--- a/src/v/redpanda/admin/migrations.cc
+++ b/src/v/redpanda/admin/migrations.cc
@@ -385,9 +385,15 @@ void admin_server::register_data_migration_routes() {
 }
 
 ss::future<std::unique_ptr<ss::http::reply>> admin_server::list_data_migrations(
-  std::unique_ptr<ss::http::request>, std::unique_ptr<ss::http::reply> reply) {
+  std::unique_ptr<ss::http::request> req,
+  std::unique_ptr<ss::http::reply> reply) {
     auto& frontend = _controller->get_data_migration_frontend();
-    auto migrations = co_await frontend.local().list_migrations();
+    auto maybe_migrations = co_await frontend.local().list_migrations();
+    if (maybe_migrations.has_error()) {
+        co_await admin_server::throw_on_error(
+          *req, maybe_migrations.assume_error(), model::controller_ntp);
+    }
+    auto& migrations = maybe_migrations.assume_value();
     json::StringBuffer buf;
     json::Writer<json::StringBuffer> writer(buf);
     writer.StartArray();