diff --git a/dev-tools/reconfigurator-cli/tests/output/cmds-mupdate-update-flow-stdout b/dev-tools/reconfigurator-cli/tests/output/cmds-mupdate-update-flow-stdout
index 1a89e3d3aec..b68793ee0da 100644
--- a/dev-tools/reconfigurator-cli/tests/output/cmds-mupdate-update-flow-stdout
+++ b/dev-tools/reconfigurator-cli/tests/output/cmds-mupdate-update-flow-stdout
@@ -2186,6 +2186,7 @@ planning report for blueprint 61a93ea3-c872-48e0-aace-e86b0c52b839:
 * noop converting host phase 2 slot B to Artifact on sled 98e6b7c2-2efa-41ca-b20a-0a4d61102fe6
 * noop converting host phase 2 slot B to Artifact on sled d81c6a84-79b8-4958-ae41-ea46c9b19763
 * only placed 0/1 desired nexus zones
+* zone updates waiting on zone propagation to inventory
 * waiting to update top-level nexus_generation: some non-Nexus zone are not yet updated
 
 
diff --git a/dev-tools/reconfigurator-cli/tests/output/cmds-target-release-stdout b/dev-tools/reconfigurator-cli/tests/output/cmds-target-release-stdout
index 313caa94393..d1e7df253c0 100644
--- a/dev-tools/reconfigurator-cli/tests/output/cmds-target-release-stdout
+++ b/dev-tools/reconfigurator-cli/tests/output/cmds-target-release-stdout
@@ -3236,6 +3236,7 @@ planning report for blueprint 24b6e243-100c-428d-8ea6-35b504226f55:
 * waiting for NTP zones to appear in inventory on sleds: 2b8f0cb3-0295-4b3c-bc58-4fe88b57112c
 * sleds getting NTP zones and which have other services already, making them eligible for discretionary zones: 2b8f0cb3-0295-4b3c-bc58-4fe88b57112c
 * missing NTP zone on sled 2b8f0cb3-0295-4b3c-bc58-4fe88b57112c
+* zone updates waiting on zone propagation to inventory
 * waiting to update top-level nexus_generation: some non-Nexus zone are not yet updated
 
 
@@ -5326,6 +5327,7 @@ planning report for blueprint e7a01ffc-6b0e-408b-917b-b1efe18b3110:
 * waiting for NTP zones to appear in inventory on sleds: 98e6b7c2-2efa-41ca-b20a-0a4d61102fe6
 * sleds getting NTP zones and which have other services already, making them eligible for discretionary zones: 98e6b7c2-2efa-41ca-b20a-0a4d61102fe6
 * missing NTP zone on sled 98e6b7c2-2efa-41ca-b20a-0a4d61102fe6
+* zone updates waiting on zone propagation to inventory
 * waiting to update top-level nexus_generation: some non-Nexus zone are not yet updated
 
 
@@ -7091,6 +7093,7 @@ planning report for blueprint e8b088a8-7da0-480b-a2dc-75ffef068ece:
 * waiting for NTP zones to appear in inventory on sleds: d81c6a84-79b8-4958-ae41-ea46c9b19763
 * sleds getting NTP zones and which have other services already, making them eligible for discretionary zones: d81c6a84-79b8-4958-ae41-ea46c9b19763
 * missing NTP zone on sled d81c6a84-79b8-4958-ae41-ea46c9b19763
+* zone updates waiting on zone propagation to inventory
 * waiting to update top-level nexus_generation: some non-Nexus zone are not yet updated
 
 
diff --git a/nexus/reconfigurator/planning/src/planner.rs b/nexus/reconfigurator/planning/src/planner.rs
index 305eb0aac24..9f2171eb003 100644
--- a/nexus/reconfigurator/planning/src/planner.rs
+++ b/nexus/reconfigurator/planning/src/planner.rs
@@ -1546,8 +1546,6 @@ impl<'a> Planner<'a> {
         &mut self,
         mgs_updates: &PlanningMgsUpdatesStepReport,
     ) -> Result<PlanningZoneUpdatesStepReport, Error> {
-        let mut report = PlanningZoneUpdatesStepReport::new();
-
         let zones_currently_updating =
             self.get_zones_not_yet_propagated_to_inventory();
         if !zones_currently_updating.is_empty() {
@@ -1555,9 +1553,13 @@ impl<'a> Planner<'a> {
                 self.log, "some zones not yet up-to-date";
                 "zones_currently_updating" => ?zones_currently_updating,
             );
-            return Ok(report);
+            return Ok(PlanningZoneUpdatesStepReport::waiting_on(
+                ZoneUpdatesWaitingOn::InventoryPropagation,
+            ));
         }
 
+        let mut report = PlanningZoneUpdatesStepReport::new();
+
         // Find the zones with out-of-date images
         let out_of_date_zones = self.get_out_of_date_zones();
         for (sled_id, zone, desired_image) in out_of_date_zones.iter() {
diff --git a/nexus/types/src/deployment/planning_report.rs b/nexus/types/src/deployment/planning_report.rs
index 8880fd65847..6b334958da1 100644
--- a/nexus/types/src/deployment/planning_report.rs
+++ b/nexus/types/src/deployment/planning_report.rs
@@ -1021,6 +1021,9 @@ pub enum ZoneUpdatesWaitingOn {
     /// Waiting on discretionary zone placement.
     DiscretionaryZones,
 
+    /// Waiting on zones to propagate to inventory.
+    InventoryPropagation,
+
     /// Waiting on updates to RoT / SP / Host OS / etc.
     PendingMgsUpdates,
 
@@ -1032,6 +1035,7 @@ impl ZoneUpdatesWaitingOn {
     pub fn as_str(&self) -> &'static str {
         match self {
             Self::DiscretionaryZones => "discretionary zones",
+            Self::InventoryPropagation => "zone propagation to inventory",
             Self::PendingMgsUpdates => {
                 "pending MGS updates (RoT / SP / Host OS / etc.)"
             }
diff --git a/openapi/nexus-internal.json b/openapi/nexus-internal.json
index 8c8f8957d77..08e477a5f99 100644
--- a/openapi/nexus-internal.json
+++ b/openapi/nexus-internal.json
@@ -9955,6 +9955,21 @@
               "type"
             ]
           },
+          {
+            "description": "Waiting on zones to propagate to inventory.",
+            "type": "object",
+            "properties": {
+              "type": {
+                "type": "string",
+                "enum": [
+                  "inventory_propagation"
+                ]
+              }
+            },
+            "required": [
+              "type"
+            ]
+          },
           {
             "description": "Waiting on updates to RoT / SP / Host OS / etc.",
             "type": "object",