diff --git a/src/v/kafka/server/handlers/list_offsets.cc b/src/v/kafka/server/handlers/list_offsets.cc
index 54c5a52cd1db..b301e60a928a 100644
--- a/src/v/kafka/server/handlers/list_offsets.cc
+++ b/src/v/kafka/server/handlers/list_offsets.cc
@@ -20,6 +20,7 @@
 #include "kafka/server/replicated_partition.h"
 #include "kafka/server/request_context.h"
 #include "kafka/server/response.h"
+#include "model/fundamental.h"
 #include "model/namespace.h"
 #include "resource_mgmt/io_priority.h"
 
@@ -129,10 +130,22 @@ static ss::future<list_offset_partition_response> list_offsets_partition(
           offset,
           kafka_partition->leader_epoch());
     }
+    auto min_offset = kafka_partition->start_offset();
+    auto max_offset = model::prev_offset(offset);
+
+    // Empty partition.
+    if (max_offset < min_offset) {
+        co_return list_offsets_response::make_partition(
+          ktp.get_partition(),
+          model::timestamp(-1),
+          model::offset(-1),
+          kafka_partition->leader_epoch());
+    }
+
     auto res = co_await kafka_partition->timequery(storage::timequery_config{
-      kafka_partition->start_offset(),
+      min_offset,
       timestamp,
-      model::prev_offset(offset),
+      max_offset,
       kafka_read_priority(),
       {model::record_batch_type::raft_data},
       octx.rctx.abort_source().local()});
diff --git a/tests/rptest/tests/timequery_test.py b/tests/rptest/tests/timequery_test.py
index c7e8c9297536..3f8cfe71f45c 100644
--- a/tests/rptest/tests/timequery_test.py
+++ b/tests/rptest/tests/timequery_test.py
@@ -103,6 +103,18 @@ def _test_timequery(self, cluster, cloud_storage: bool, batch_cache: bool):
         base_ts = 1664453149000
         msg_count = (self.log_segment_size * total_segments) // record_size
         local_retention = self.log_segment_size * 4
+        kcat = KafkaCat(cluster)
+
+        # Test the base case with an empty topic.
+        empty_topic = TopicSpec(name="tq_empty_topic",
+                                partition_count=1,
+                                replication_factor=3)
+        self.client().create_topic(empty_topic)
+        offset = kcat.query_offset(empty_topic.name, 0, base_ts)
+        self.logger.info(f"Time query returned offset {offset}")
+        assert offset == -1, f"Expected -1, got {offset}"
+
+        # Create a topic and produce a run of messages we will query.
         topic, timestamps = self._create_and_produce(cluster, cloud_storage,
                                                      local_retention, base_ts,
                                                      record_size, msg_count)
@@ -163,7 +175,6 @@ def __init__(self, offset, ts=None, expect_read=True):
         # offset should cause cloud downloads.
         hit_offsets = set()
 
-        kcat = KafkaCat(cluster)
         cloud_metrics = None
         local_metrics = None
 
@@ -456,8 +467,8 @@ def query_slices(tid):
         assert not any([e > 0 for e in errors])
 
     @cluster(num_nodes=4)
-    # @parametrize(cloud_storage=True, spillover=False)
-    # @parametrize(cloud_storage=True, spillover=True)
+    @parametrize(cloud_storage=True, spillover=False)
+    @parametrize(cloud_storage=True, spillover=True)
     @parametrize(cloud_storage=False, spillover=False)
     def test_timequery_with_trim_prefix(self, cloud_storage: bool,
                                         spillover: bool):
@@ -515,6 +526,12 @@ def test_timequery_with_trim_prefix(self, cloud_storage: bool,
         offset = kcat.query_offset(topic.name, 0, timestamps[0] - 1000)
         assert offset == msg_count - 1, f"Expected {msg_count - 1}, got {offset}"
 
+        # Trim everything, leaving an empty log.
+        rpk.trim_prefix(topic.name, offset=p.high_watermark, partitions=[0])
+        kcat = KafkaCat(self.redpanda)
+        offset = kcat.query_offset(topic.name, 0, timestamps[0] - 1000)
+        assert offset == -1, f"Expected -1, got {offset}"
+
     @cluster(
         num_nodes=4,
         log_allow_list=["Failed to upload spillover manifest {timed_out}"])