diff --git a/bazel/build.bzl b/bazel/build.bzl
index e77f5e93967c9..91a4a1e47018d 100644
--- a/bazel/build.bzl
+++ b/bazel/build.bzl
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@ making behavior changes across the entire build.
 
 load("@rules_cc//cc:cc_binary.bzl", "cc_binary")
 load("@rules_cc//cc:cc_library.bzl", "cc_library")
-load(":internal.bzl", "antithesis_deps", "redpanda_copts")
+load(":internal.bzl", "antithesis_deps", "redpanda_copts", "redpanda_implicit_deps")
 
 # buildifier: disable=function-docstring-args
 def redpanda_cc_library(
@@ -35,7 +35,7 @@ def redpanda_cc_library(
         local_defines = local_defines,
         visibility = visibility,
         include_prefix = include_prefix,
-        implementation_deps = implementation_deps,
+        implementation_deps = implementation_deps + redpanda_implicit_deps(),
         deps = deps,
         copts = redpanda_copts() + copts,
         tags = tags,
@@ -64,7 +64,7 @@ def redpanda_cc_binary(
         defines = defines,
         local_defines = local_defines,
         visibility = visibility,
-        deps = deps + antithesis_deps(),
+        deps = deps + antithesis_deps() + redpanda_implicit_deps(),
         testonly = testonly,
         copts = redpanda_copts() + copts,
         linkopts = linkopts,
diff --git a/bazel/internal.bzl b/bazel/internal.bzl
index fa5fb6acb9088..146a7b3831366 100644
--- a/bazel/internal.bzl
+++ b/bazel/internal.bzl
@@ -17,9 +17,18 @@ def redpanda_copts():
     copts.append("-Wextra")
     copts.append("-Wno-missing-field-initializers")
     copts.append("-Wimplicit-fallthrough")
+    copts.append("-include")
+    copts.append("base/ptree_ban.h")
 
     return copts
 
+def redpanda_implicit_deps():
+    """
+    Deps that must be present on every redpanda C++ target so that
+    the headers force-included via redpanda_copts() are visible.
+    """
+    return ["//src/v/base:ptree_ban"]
+
 def antithesis_deps():
     """Conditional deps for Antithesis coverage instrumentation."""
     return select({
diff --git a/bazel/test.bzl b/bazel/test.bzl
index da9c18f28f5cc..9208ff47675c6 100644
--- a/bazel/test.bzl
+++ b/bazel/test.bzl
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@ load("@rules_cc//cc:cc_binary.bzl", "cc_binary")
 load("@rules_cc//cc:cc_library.bzl", "cc_library")
 load("@rules_cc//cc:cc_test.bzl", "cc_test")
 load("@rules_python//python:defs.bzl", "py_binary", "py_test")
-load(":internal.bzl", "antithesis_deps", "redpanda_copts")
+load(":internal.bzl", "antithesis_deps", "redpanda_copts", "redpanda_implicit_deps")
 
 def _reactor_args():
     """Returns additional reactor args for all reactor-using tests and benchmarks."""
@@ -164,7 +164,7 @@ def _redpanda_cc_test(
         timeout = timeout,
         srcs = srcs,
         defines = defines,
-        deps = deps + test_deps,
+        deps = deps + test_deps + redpanda_implicit_deps(),
         copts = redpanda_copts(),
         args = args,
         features = [
@@ -206,7 +206,7 @@ def _redpanda_cc_fuzz_test(
         timeout = timeout,
         srcs = srcs,
         defines = defines,
-        deps = deps + test_deps,
+        deps = deps + test_deps + redpanda_implicit_deps(),
         copts = redpanda_copts(),
         args = custom_args,
         features = [
@@ -354,7 +354,7 @@ def redpanda_cc_btest_no_seastar(
             "//src/v/test_utils:boost_result_redirect",
             "//src/v/test_utils:boost_test_hooks",
             "@boost//:test.so",
-        ] + deps + test_deps,
+        ] + deps + test_deps + redpanda_implicit_deps(),
         data = test_data,
         env = test_env,
     )
@@ -377,7 +377,7 @@ def redpanda_test_cc_library(
         local_defines = local_defines,
         visibility = visibility,
         include_prefix = native.package_name().removeprefix("src/v/"),
-        implementation_deps = implementation_deps,
+        implementation_deps = implementation_deps + redpanda_implicit_deps(),
         deps = deps,
         copts = redpanda_copts(),
         testonly = True,
@@ -472,7 +472,7 @@ def redpanda_cc_bench(
         name = binary_name,
         srcs = srcs,
         defines = defines,
-        deps = deps + test_deps,
+        deps = deps + test_deps + redpanda_implicit_deps(),
         testonly = True,
         copts = redpanda_copts(),
         features = [
diff --git a/src/v/base/BUILD b/src/v/base/BUILD
index bff2c57ef7917..63effba0795fb 100644
--- a/src/v/base/BUILD
+++ b/src/v/base/BUILD
@@ -1,5 +1,13 @@
+load("@rules_cc//cc:cc_library.bzl", "cc_library")
 load("//bazel:build.bzl", "redpanda_cc_library")
 
+cc_library(
+    name = "ptree_ban",
+    hdrs = ["ptree_ban.h"],
+    include_prefix = "base",
+    visibility = ["//visibility:public"],
+)
+
 redpanda_cc_library(
     name = "base",
     srcs = [
diff --git a/src/v/base/ptree_ban.h b/src/v/base/ptree_ban.h
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000000..f5ef6ce3deb3a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/v/base/ptree_ban.h
@@ -0,0 +1,44 @@
+/*
+ * Copyright 2026 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 <string>
+
+namespace seastar {
+template<typename char_type, typename Size, Size max_size, bool NulTerminate>
+class basic_sstring;
+} // namespace seastar
+
+namespace boost::property_tree {
+
+template<typename Internal, typename External>
+struct translator_between;
+
+template<
+  typename Ch,
+  typename Traits,
+  typename Alloc,
+  typename CharT,
+  typename Size,
+  Size MaxSize,
+  bool NulTerminate>
+struct translator_between<
+  std::basic_string<Ch, Traits, Alloc>,
+  ::seastar::basic_sstring<CharT, Size, MaxSize, NulTerminate>> {
+    static_assert(
+      false,
+      "boost::property_tree::ptree::get<seastar::sstring> silently returns "
+      "the default for non-empty trees because seastar::sstring lacks a "
+      "stream extractor. Use std::string and convert at the call site.");
+};
+
+} // namespace boost::property_tree