diff --git a/src/v/ssx/include/ssx/single_sharded.h b/src/v/ssx/include/ssx/single_sharded.h
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000000..b0076fad09c96
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/v/ssx/include/ssx/single_sharded.h
@@ -0,0 +1,167 @@
+/*
+ * 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
+ */
+
+#pragma once
+
+#include "base/seastarx.h"
+
+#include <seastar/core/future.hh>
+#include <seastar/core/shard_id.hh>
+#include <seastar/core/sharded.hh>
+
+#include <limits>
+#include <optional>
+#include <utility>
+
+namespace ssx {
+
+/// Template helper to run a real service service on one core and an small dummy
+/// on other cores.
+///
+/// \tparam Service a class to be instantiated on each core.  Must expose
+///         a \c stop() method that returns a \c future<>, to be called when
+///         the service is stopped.
+template<typename Service>
+class maybe_service {
+    using underlying_t = std::optional<Service>;
+    underlying_t _underlying;
+
+public:
+    maybe_service() = default;
+
+    template<class... Args>
+    explicit maybe_service(bool start, Args&&... args) {
+        if (start) {
+            _underlying.emplace(std::forward<Args>(args)...);
+        }
+    }
+
+    ss::future<> stop() {
+        return _underlying ? _underlying->stop() : ss::make_ready_future();
+    }
+
+    // the ones below are only safe to be called on the shards where the service
+    // has started
+
+    constexpr const Service* operator->() const noexcept {
+        return &*_underlying;
+    }
+    constexpr Service* operator->() noexcept { return &*_underlying; }
+
+    constexpr const Service& operator*() const& noexcept {
+        return *_underlying;
+    }
+    constexpr Service& operator*() & noexcept { return *_underlying; }
+    constexpr const Service&& operator*() const&& noexcept {
+        return &*_underlying;
+    }
+    constexpr Service&& operator*() && noexcept { return &*_underlying; }
+};
+
+/// Template helper to run a real service service on one core and an small dummy
+/// on other cores.
+///
+/// \tparam Service a class to be instantiated on the core.  Must expose
+///         a \c stop() method that returns a \c future<>, to be called when
+///         the service is stopped.
+template<typename Service>
+class single_sharded : ss::sharded<maybe_service<Service>> {
+    using base = ss::sharded<maybe_service<Service>>;
+    // init with most insane value to maximize the chances to blow up with
+    // segfault/asan if used; it shouldn't be used though
+    ss::shard_id _shard{std::numeric_limits<ss::shard_id>::max()};
+
+public:
+    /// Constructs an empty \c single_sharded object.  No instances of the
+    /// service are created.
+    single_sharded() noexcept = default;
+    single_sharded(const single_sharded& other) = delete;
+    single_sharded& operator=(const single_sharded& other) = delete;
+    /// Sharded object with T that inherits from peering_sharded_service
+    /// cannot be moved safely, so disable move operations.
+    single_sharded(single_sharded&& other) = delete;
+    single_sharded& operator=(single_sharded&& other) = delete;
+    /// Destroys a \c single_sharded object.  Must not be in a started state.
+    ~single_sharded() = default;
+
+    /// Starts \c Service by constructing an instance on the specified logical
+    /// core with a copy of \c args passed to the constructor.
+    ///
+    /// \param shard Which shard to start on
+    /// \param args Arguments to be forwarded to \c Service constructor
+    /// \return a \ref seastar::future<> that becomes ready when the instance
+    /// has been constructed.
+    template<typename... Args>
+    ss::future<> start_on(ss::shard_id shard, Args&&... args) noexcept {
+        _shard = shard;
+        return base::start(
+          ss::sharded_parameter(
+            [shard]() { return ss::this_shard_id() == shard; }),
+          std::forward<Args>(args)...);
+    }
+
+    /// Stops the started instance and destroys it.
+    ///
+    /// For the instance, if it has started, its \c stop() method is called,
+    /// and then it is destroyed.
+    using base::stop;
+
+    /// Invoke a callable on the instance of `Service`.
+    ///
+    /// \param options the options to forward to the \ref smp::submit_to()
+    ///         called behind the scenes.
+    /// \param func a callable with signature `Value (Service&, Args...)` or
+    ///        `future<Value> (Service&, Args...)` (for some `Value` type), or
+    ///        a pointer to a member function of Service
+    /// \param args parameters to the callable; will be copied or moved. To
+    /// pass by reference, use std::ref().
+    ///
+    /// \return result of calling `func(instance)` on the instance
+    template<
+      typename Func,
+      typename... Args,
+      typename Ret
+      = ss::futurize_t<std::invoke_result_t<Func, Service&, Args...>>>
+    requires std::invocable<Func, Service&, Args&&...>
+    Ret invoke_on_instance(
+      ss::smp_submit_to_options options, Func&& func, Args&&... args) {
+        return base::invoke_on(
+          _shard,
+          options,
+          [func = std::forward<Func>(func)](
+            maybe_service<Service>& maybe_service, Args&&... args) {
+              func(*maybe_service, std::forward<Args>(args)...);
+          },
+          std::forward<Args>(args)...);
+    }
+
+    /// Invoke a callable on the instance of `Service`.
+    ///
+    /// \param func a callable with signature `Value (Service&)` or
+    ///        `future<Value> (Service&)` (for some `Value` type), or a
+    ///        pointer to a member function of Service
+    /// \param args parameters to the callable
+    /// \return result of calling `func(instance)` on the instance
+    template<
+      typename Func,
+      typename... Args,
+      typename Ret
+      = ss::futurize_t<std::invoke_result_t<Func, Service&, Args&&...>>>
+    requires std::invocable<Func, Service&, Args&&...>
+    Ret invoke_on_instance(Func&& func, Args&&... args) {
+        return invoke_on_instance(
+          ss::smp_submit_to_options(),
+          std::forward<Func>(func),
+          std::forward<Args>(args)...);
+    }
+};
+
+} // namespace ssx
diff --git a/src/v/ssx/tests/CMakeLists.txt b/src/v/ssx/tests/CMakeLists.txt
index 668ef3b2dd1d9..f233f4e278cd2 100644
--- a/src/v/ssx/tests/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/src/v/ssx/tests/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -32,6 +32,7 @@ rp_test(
   SOURCES
     abort_source_test.cc
     sharded_ptr_test.cc
+    single_sharded.cc
   LIBRARIES v::seastar_testing_main
   ARGS "-- -c 2"
   LABELS ssx
diff --git a/src/v/ssx/tests/single_sharded.cc b/src/v/ssx/tests/single_sharded.cc
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000000..57d8a96afd757
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/v/ssx/tests/single_sharded.cc
@@ -0,0 +1,113 @@
+// 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
+
+#include "ssx/single_sharded.h"
+
+#include <seastar/core/coroutine.hh>
+#include <seastar/core/future.hh>
+#include <seastar/core/shard_id.hh>
+#include <seastar/core/sharded.hh>
+#include <seastar/testing/thread_test_case.hh>
+
+#include <boost/test/tools/old/interface.hpp>
+
+#include <memory>
+
+struct counter {
+    int started = 0;
+    int called_foo = 0;
+    int called_bar = 0;
+    int stopped = 0;
+    ss::future<> stop() { return ss::make_ready_future(); }
+};
+
+struct single_service {
+    counter& cntr;
+    single_service(counter& cntr, ss::sharded<counter>& cntrs, int a)
+      : cntr(cntr) {
+        BOOST_REQUIRE_EQUAL(&cntr, &cntrs.local());
+        BOOST_REQUIRE_EQUAL(a, 1);
+        ++cntr.started;
+    }
+    void foo(ss::sharded<counter>& cntrs, int a, int&& b, int& c) {
+        BOOST_REQUIRE_EQUAL(&cntr, &cntrs.local());
+        BOOST_REQUIRE_EQUAL(a, 1);
+        BOOST_REQUIRE_EQUAL(b, 2);
+        BOOST_REQUIRE_EQUAL(c, -3);
+        c = 3;
+        ++cntr.called_foo;
+    }
+    void bar(std::vector<int>&& v, std::unique_ptr<int> uptr) {
+        BOOST_REQUIRE_EQUAL(v.size(), 2);
+        BOOST_REQUIRE_EQUAL(bool(uptr), true);
+        ++cntr.called_bar;
+    }
+    ss::future<> stop() {
+        ++cntr.stopped;
+        return ss::make_ready_future();
+    }
+};
+
+struct caller {
+    ssx::single_sharded<single_service>& sngl;
+    ss::sharded<counter>& cntrs;
+    explicit caller(
+      ssx::single_sharded<single_service>& sngl, ss::sharded<counter>& cntrs)
+      : sngl(sngl)
+      , cntrs(cntrs) {}
+    ss::future<> call_twice() {
+        co_await sngl.invoke_on_instance([this](single_service& sngl_inst) {
+            int c = -3;
+            sngl_inst.foo(cntrs, 1, 2, c);
+            BOOST_REQUIRE_EQUAL(c, 3);
+        });
+        co_await sngl.invoke_on_instance(
+          [](single_service& sngl_inst, std::vector<int>&& v) {
+              sngl_inst.bar(std::move(v), std::make_unique<int>());
+          },
+          std::vector<int>{0, 0});
+    }
+    ss::future<> stop() { return ss::make_ready_future(); }
+};
+
+SEASTAR_THREAD_TEST_CASE(single_sharded) {
+    ss::shard_id the_shard = ss::smp::count - 1;
+
+    ss::sharded<counter> counters;
+    ssx::single_sharded<single_service> single;
+    ss::sharded<caller> callers;
+
+    counters.start().get();
+    single
+      .start_on(
+        the_shard,
+        ss::sharded_parameter(
+          [&counters]() { return std::ref(counters.local()); }),
+        std::ref(counters),
+        1)
+      .get();
+    callers.start(std::ref(single), std::ref(counters)).get();
+
+    callers.invoke_on_all([](caller& cllr) { return cllr.call_twice(); }).get();
+
+    callers.stop().get();
+    single.stop().get();
+    counters
+      .invoke_on_all([the_shard](counter cntr) {
+          bool on_the_shard = the_shard == ss::this_shard_id();
+          BOOST_REQUIRE_EQUAL(cntr.started, on_the_shard ? 1 : 0);
+          BOOST_REQUIRE_EQUAL(
+            cntr.called_foo, on_the_shard ? ss::smp::count : 0);
+          BOOST_REQUIRE_EQUAL(
+            cntr.called_bar, on_the_shard ? ss::smp::count : 0);
+          BOOST_REQUIRE_EQUAL(cntr.stopped, on_the_shard ? 1 : 0);
+      })
+      .get();
+    counters.stop().get();
+}