diff --git a/design/OldStableMemory.md b/design/OldStableMemory.md
index 7267b4e2b45..984b6054fd8 100644
--- a/design/OldStableMemory.md
+++ b/design/OldStableMemory.md
@@ -191,13 +191,15 @@ NOTE: A program with no stable variables still writes an empty record value `v =
 (case !size == 0) // hence N = 0
   [0..3] StableVariable data len
   [4..4+len-1] StableVariable data
-  [4+len-1,..M-1] 0...0 // zero padding
+  [len+4..len+12-1] instruction costs of stabilization (optional)
+  [len+12,..M-1] 0...0 // zero padding
 (case !size > 0)
 [0..3]  0...0
 [4..N-1]  StableMemory bytes
 [N..N+3]  StableVariable data len
 [N+4..(N+4)+len-1] StableVariable data
-[(N+4)+len..M-13] 0...0 // zero padding
+[(N+4)+len..M-20] 0...0 // zero padding
+[M-20..M-13] instruction costs of stabilization (optional)
 [M-12..M-9] value N/64Ki = !size
 [M-8..M-5] saved StableMemory bytes
 [M-4..M-1]  version word
diff --git a/src/codegen/compile_classical.ml b/src/codegen/compile_classical.ml
index 354c755307a..6d5eec8024c 100644
--- a/src/codegen/compile_classical.ml
+++ b/src/codegen/compile_classical.ml
@@ -5853,31 +5853,40 @@ module StableMem = struct
     read env false "word32" I32Type 4l load_unskewed_ptr
   let write_word32 env =
     write env false "word32" I32Type 4l store_unskewed_ptr
+  let write_word64 env =
+    write env false "word64" I64Type 8l (G.i (Store {ty = I64Type; align = 2; offset = 0L; sz = None}))
+
+  let read_and_clear env name typ bytes zero load store =
+    Func.share_code1 Func.Always env (Printf.sprintf "__stablemem_read_and_clear_%s" name)
+      ("offset", I64Type) [typ]
+      (fun env get_offset ->
+        let words = Int32.div (Int32.add bytes 3l) 4l in
+        Stack.with_words env "temp_ptr" words (fun get_temp_ptr ->
+          let (set_word, get_word, _) = new_local_ env typ "word" in
+          (* read *)
+          get_temp_ptr ^^ G.i (Convert (Wasm.Values.I64 I64Op.ExtendUI32)) ^^
+          get_offset ^^
+          compile_const_64 (Int64.of_int32 bytes) ^^
+          stable64_read env ^^
+          get_temp_ptr ^^ load ^^
+          set_word ^^
+          (* write 0 *)
+          get_temp_ptr ^^ zero ^^ store ^^
+          get_offset ^^
+          get_temp_ptr ^^ G.i (Convert (Wasm.Values.I64 I64Op.ExtendUI32)) ^^
+          compile_const_64 (Int64.of_int32 bytes) ^^
+          stable64_write env ^^
+          (* return word *)
+          get_word
+      ))
 
-
-  (* read and clear word32 from stable mem offset on stack *)
   let read_and_clear_word32 env =
-      Func.share_code1 Func.Always env "__stablemem_read_and_clear_word32"
-        ("offset", I64Type) [I32Type]
-        (fun env get_offset ->
-          Stack.with_words env "temp_ptr" 1l (fun get_temp_ptr ->
-            let (set_word, get_word) = new_local env "word" in
-            (* read word *)
-            get_temp_ptr ^^ G.i (Convert (Wasm.Values.I64 I64Op.ExtendUI32)) ^^
-            get_offset ^^
-            compile_const_64 4L ^^
-            stable64_read env ^^
-            get_temp_ptr ^^ load_unskewed_ptr ^^
-            set_word ^^
-            (* write 0 *)
-            get_temp_ptr ^^ compile_unboxed_const 0l ^^ store_unskewed_ptr ^^
-            get_offset ^^
-            get_temp_ptr ^^ G.i (Convert (Wasm.Values.I64 I64Op.ExtendUI32)) ^^
-            compile_const_64 4L ^^
-            stable64_write env ^^
-            (* return word *)
-            get_word
-        ))
+      read_and_clear env "word32" I32Type 4l (compile_unboxed_const 0l) 
+      load_unskewed_ptr store_unskewed_ptr
+  let read_and_clear_word64 env =
+    read_and_clear env "word64" I64Type 8l (compile_const_64 0L)
+      (G.i (Load {ty = I64Type; align = 2; offset = 0L; sz = None}))
+      (G.i (Store {ty = I64Type; align = 2; offset = 0L; sz = None}))
 
   (* ensure_pages : ensure at least num pages allocated,
      growing (real) stable memory if needed *)
@@ -6229,6 +6238,16 @@ module StableMemoryInterface = struct
 
 end
 
+module UpgradeStatistics = struct
+  let register_globals env =
+    E.add_global64 env "__upgrade_instructions" Mutable 0L
+
+  let get_upgrade_instructions env =
+    G.i (GlobalGet (nr (E.get_global env "__upgrade_instructions")))
+  let set_upgrade_instructions env =
+    G.i (GlobalSet (nr (E.get_global env "__upgrade_instructions")))
+end
+
 module RTS_Exports = struct
   (* Must be called late, after main codegen, to ensure correct generation of
      of functioning or unused-but-trapping stable memory exports (as required)
@@ -8574,10 +8593,10 @@ module Stabilization = struct
 
         (* Case-true: Stable variables only --
            no use of either regions or experimental API. *)
-        (* ensure [0,..,3,...len+4) *)
+        (* ensure [0,..,3,...len+4, .. len+4+8 ) *)
         compile_const_64 0L ^^
         extend64 get_len ^^
-        compile_add64_const 4L ^^  (* reserve one word for size *)
+        compile_add64_const 12L ^^  (* reserve 4 bytes for size, and 8 bytes for upgrade instructions *)
         StableMem.ensure env ^^
 
         (* write len to initial word of stable memory*)
@@ -8592,7 +8611,12 @@ module Stabilization = struct
             extend64 get_dst ^^
             extend64 get_len ^^
             StableMem.stable64_write env
-          end
+          end ^^
+
+          (* store stabilization instructions at len + 4 *)
+          extend64 get_len ^^ compile_add64_const 4L ^^
+          GC.instruction_counter env ^^
+          StableMem.write_word64 env
       end
       begin
         (* Case-false: Either regions or experimental API. *)
@@ -8604,11 +8628,11 @@ module Stabilization = struct
         set_N ^^
 
         (* grow mem to page including address
-           N + 4 + len + 4 + 4 + 4 = N + len + 16
+           N + 4 + len + 4 + 4 + 4 + 8 = N + len + 24
         *)
         get_N ^^
         extend64 get_len ^^
-        compile_add64_const 16L ^^
+        compile_add64_const 24L ^^
         StableMem.ensure env ^^
 
         get_N ^^
@@ -8633,6 +8657,12 @@ module Stabilization = struct
         compile_shl64_const (Int64.of_int page_size_bits) ^^
         set_M ^^
 
+        (* store stabilization instructions at M + (pagesize - 20) *)
+        get_M ^^
+        compile_add64_const (Int64.sub page_size64 20L) ^^
+        GC.instruction_counter env ^^
+        StableMem.write_word64 env ^^
+
         (* store mem_size at M + (pagesize - 12) *)
         get_M ^^
         compile_add64_const (Int64.sub page_size64 12L) ^^
@@ -8672,6 +8702,19 @@ module Stabilization = struct
   let destabilize env ty save_version =
     match E.mode env with
     | Flags.ICMode | Flags.RefMode ->
+      let (set_instructions, get_instructions) = new_local64 env "instructions" in
+      let handle_missing_instructions = 
+        get_instructions ^^
+        compile_eq64_const 0L ^^
+        (G.if0
+        begin
+          (* Default to -1 if no upgrade instructions were recorded, i.e. 
+             because the record space was lacking or was zero padding. *)
+          compile_const_64 (-1L) ^^
+          set_instructions
+        end
+        G.nop) in
+      compile_const_64 0L ^^ set_instructions ^^
       let (set_pages, get_pages) = new_local64 env "pages" in
       StableMem.stable64_size env ^^
       set_pages ^^
@@ -8759,16 +8802,37 @@ module Stabilization = struct
               (* set offset *)
               get_N ^^
               compile_add64_const 4L ^^
-              set_offset
+              set_offset ^^
+
+              (* Backwards compatibility: Check if upgrade instructions have space in the last page. *)
+              get_offset ^^ extend64 get_len ^^ G.i (Binary (Wasm.Values.I64 I64Op.Add)) ^^
+              get_M ^^ compile_add64_const (Int64.sub page_size64 20L) ^^
+              G.i (Compare (Wasm.Values.I64 I64Op.LeU)) ^^
+              (G.if0
+              begin
+                  (* Load stabilization instructions if defined, otherwise zero padding. *)
+                  get_M ^^
+                  compile_add64_const (Int64.sub page_size64 20L) ^^
+                  StableMem.read_and_clear_word64 env ^^
+                  set_instructions
+              end
+              G.nop) ^^
+              handle_missing_instructions
             end
             begin
               (* Sub-Case: Version 0.
                  Stable vars with NO Regions/Experimental API. *)
               (* assert mem_size == 0 *)
+              let (set_M, get_M) = new_local64 env "M" in
+
               StableMem.get_mem_size env ^^
               G.i (Test (Wasm.Values.I64 I64Op.Eqz)) ^^
               E.else_trap_with env "unexpected, non-zero stable memory size" ^^
 
+              StableMem.stable64_size env ^^
+              compile_shl64_const (Int64.of_int page_size_bits) ^^
+              set_M ^^
+
               (* set len *)
               get_marker ^^
               set_len ^^
@@ -8778,7 +8842,21 @@ module Stabilization = struct
               set_offset ^^
 
               compile_unboxed_const (Int32.of_int 0) ^^
-              save_version
+              save_version ^^
+
+              (* Backwards compatibility: Check if stabilization instructions have space in the last page. *)
+              get_offset ^^ extend64 get_len ^^ G.i (Binary (Wasm.Values.I64 I64Op.Add)) ^^
+              get_M ^^ compile_sub64_const 8L ^^
+              G.i (Compare (Wasm.Values.I64 I64Op.LeU)) ^^
+              (G.if0
+              begin
+                  (* Load stabilization instructions if defined, otherwise zero padding *)
+                  get_offset ^^ extend64 get_len ^^ G.i (Binary (Wasm.Values.I64 I64Op.Add)) ^^
+                  StableMem.read_and_clear_word64 env ^^
+                  set_instructions
+              end
+              G.nop) ^^
+              handle_missing_instructions
             end ^^ (* if_ *)
 
           let (set_blob, get_blob) = new_local env "blob" in
@@ -8808,7 +8886,20 @@ module Stabilization = struct
 
           (* return val *)
           get_val
-        end
+        end ^^
+        (* Record the total upgrade instructions if defined. 
+           If stabilization costs were missing due to upgrades from old Motoko programs,
+           the costs are defaulted to 0xFFFF_FFFF_FFFF_FFFF. *)
+        get_instructions ^^
+        compile_eq64_const (-1L) ^^
+        (G.if1 I64Type
+          get_instructions
+          begin
+            get_instructions ^^
+            GC.instruction_counter env ^^
+            G.i (Binary (Wasm.Values.I64 I64Op.Add))
+          end) ^^
+          UpgradeStatistics.set_upgrade_instructions env
     | _ -> assert false
 end
 
@@ -11505,6 +11596,10 @@ and compile_prim_invocation (env : E.t) ae p es at =
     SR.Vanilla,
     GC.get_collector_instructions env ^^ BigNum.from_word64 env
 
+  | OtherPrim "rts_upgrade_instructions", [] ->
+    SR.Vanilla,
+    UpgradeStatistics.get_upgrade_instructions env ^^ BigNum.from_word64 env
+
   | OtherPrim "rts_stable_memory_size", [] ->
     SR.Vanilla,
     StableMem.stable64_size env ^^ BigNum.from_word64 env
@@ -13061,6 +13156,7 @@ let compile mode rts (prog : Ir.prog) : Wasm_exts.CustomModule.extended_module =
   StableMem.register_globals env;
   Serialization.Registers.register_globals env;
   Serialization.Registers.define_idl_limit_check env;
+  UpgradeStatistics.register_globals env;
 
   (* See Note [Candid subtype checks] *)
   let set_serialization_globals = Serialization.register_delayed_globals env in
diff --git a/test/run-drun/migrate-upgrade-instr-stable-mem.drun b/test/run-drun/migrate-upgrade-instr-stable-mem.drun
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..c13dfca7b8b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/run-drun/migrate-upgrade-instr-stable-mem.drun
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+# CLASSICAL-PERSISTENCE-ONLY
+# SKIP ic-ref-run
+install $ID migrate-upgrade-instr-stable-mem/old.wasm ""
+upgrade $ID migrate-upgrade-instr-stable-mem/test.mo ""
+ingress $ID test "DIDL\x00\x00"
diff --git a/test/run-drun/migrate-upgrade-instr-stable-mem/note.txt b/test/run-drun/migrate-upgrade-instr-stable-mem/note.txt
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..5b366ae766e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/run-drun/migrate-upgrade-instr-stable-mem/note.txt
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+`old.wasm` has been generated by `moc -o old.wasm test.mo` using classical persistence without `rts_upgrade_instructions()` support (e.g. commit 247aa05).
diff --git a/test/run-drun/migrate-upgrade-instr-stable-mem/old.wasm b/test/run-drun/migrate-upgrade-instr-stable-mem/old.wasm
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..1c18db21027
Binary files /dev/null and b/test/run-drun/migrate-upgrade-instr-stable-mem/old.wasm differ
diff --git a/test/run-drun/migrate-upgrade-instr-stable-mem/test.mo b/test/run-drun/migrate-upgrade-instr-stable-mem/test.mo
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..4e29e2a9ce9
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/run-drun/migrate-upgrade-instr-stable-mem/test.mo
@@ -0,0 +1,13 @@
+import Prim "mo:prim";
+
+import StableMemory "../stable-mem/StableMemory";
+
+
+actor {
+    ignore StableMemory.grow(10);
+    Prim.debugPrint("Stable memory size: " # debug_show(StableMemory.size()));
+
+    public func test() : async () {
+        Prim.debugPrint("Upgrade instructions: " # debug_show (Prim.rts_upgrade_instructions()));
+    };
+};
diff --git a/test/run-drun/migrate-upgrade-instr-stable-region.drun b/test/run-drun/migrate-upgrade-instr-stable-region.drun
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..195e7afa9cf
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/run-drun/migrate-upgrade-instr-stable-region.drun
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+# CLASSICAL-PERSISTENCE-ONLY
+# SKIP ic-ref-run
+install $ID migrate-upgrade-instr-stable-region/old.wasm ""
+upgrade $ID migrate-upgrade-instr-stable-region/test.mo ""
+ingress $ID test "DIDL\x00\x00"
diff --git a/test/run-drun/migrate-upgrade-instr-stable-region/note.txt b/test/run-drun/migrate-upgrade-instr-stable-region/note.txt
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..5b366ae766e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/run-drun/migrate-upgrade-instr-stable-region/note.txt
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+`old.wasm` has been generated by `moc -o old.wasm test.mo` using classical persistence without `rts_upgrade_instructions()` support (e.g. commit 247aa05).
diff --git a/test/run-drun/migrate-upgrade-instr-stable-region/old.wasm b/test/run-drun/migrate-upgrade-instr-stable-region/old.wasm
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..755034a8fc6
Binary files /dev/null and b/test/run-drun/migrate-upgrade-instr-stable-region/old.wasm differ
diff --git a/test/run-drun/migrate-upgrade-instr-stable-region/test.mo b/test/run-drun/migrate-upgrade-instr-stable-region/test.mo
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..96ac1e36908
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/run-drun/migrate-upgrade-instr-stable-region/test.mo
@@ -0,0 +1,12 @@
+import Prim "mo:prim";
+import Region "../stable-region/Region";
+
+actor {
+    stable var region = Region.new();
+    ignore Region.grow(region, 1);
+    Prim.debugPrint("Region size: " # debug_show(Region.size(region)));
+
+    public func test() : async () {
+        Prim.debugPrint("Upgrade instructions: " # debug_show (Prim.rts_upgrade_instructions()));
+    };
+};
diff --git a/test/run-drun/migrate-upgrade-instr-stable-var.drun b/test/run-drun/migrate-upgrade-instr-stable-var.drun
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..c2237a79100
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/run-drun/migrate-upgrade-instr-stable-var.drun
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+# CLASSICAL-PERSISTENCE-ONLY
+# SKIP ic-ref-run
+install $ID migrate-upgrade-instr-stable-var/old.wasm ""
+upgrade $ID migrate-upgrade-instr-stable-var/test.mo ""
+ingress $ID test "DIDL\x00\x00"
diff --git a/test/run-drun/migrate-upgrade-instr-stable-var/note.txt b/test/run-drun/migrate-upgrade-instr-stable-var/note.txt
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..5b366ae766e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/run-drun/migrate-upgrade-instr-stable-var/note.txt
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+`old.wasm` has been generated by `moc -o old.wasm test.mo` using classical persistence without `rts_upgrade_instructions()` support (e.g. commit 247aa05).
diff --git a/test/run-drun/migrate-upgrade-instr-stable-var/old.wasm b/test/run-drun/migrate-upgrade-instr-stable-var/old.wasm
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..022f1ccbe9d
Binary files /dev/null and b/test/run-drun/migrate-upgrade-instr-stable-var/old.wasm differ
diff --git a/test/run-drun/migrate-upgrade-instr-stable-var/test.mo b/test/run-drun/migrate-upgrade-instr-stable-var/test.mo
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..b36494027af
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/run-drun/migrate-upgrade-instr-stable-var/test.mo
@@ -0,0 +1,15 @@
+import Prim "mo:prim";
+
+actor {
+    stable let state = {
+        var number = 0;
+        var text = "Test";
+    };
+    state.number += 1;
+    state.text #= "Test";
+    Prim.debugPrint(debug_show(state));
+
+    public func test() : async () {
+        Prim.debugPrint("Upgrade instructions: " # debug_show (Prim.rts_upgrade_instructions()));
+    };
+};
diff --git a/test/run-drun/ok/migrate-upgrade-instr-stable-mem.drun.ok b/test/run-drun/ok/migrate-upgrade-instr-stable-mem.drun.ok
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..b69e40f522b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/run-drun/ok/migrate-upgrade-instr-stable-mem.drun.ok
@@ -0,0 +1,7 @@
+ingress Completed: Reply: 0x4449444c016c01b3c4b1f204680100010a00000000000000000101
+debug.print: Stable memory size: 10
+ingress Completed: Reply: 0x4449444c0000
+debug.print: Stable memory size: 20
+ingress Completed: Reply: 0x4449444c0000
+debug.print: Upgrade instructions: 18_446_744_073_709_551_615
+ingress Completed: Reply: 0x4449444c0000
diff --git a/test/run-drun/ok/migrate-upgrade-instr-stable-region.drun.ok b/test/run-drun/ok/migrate-upgrade-instr-stable-region.drun.ok
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..1e951532ba8
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/run-drun/ok/migrate-upgrade-instr-stable-region.drun.ok
@@ -0,0 +1,7 @@
+ingress Completed: Reply: 0x4449444c016c01b3c4b1f204680100010a00000000000000000101
+debug.print: Region size: 1
+ingress Completed: Reply: 0x4449444c0000
+debug.print: Region size: 2
+ingress Completed: Reply: 0x4449444c0000
+debug.print: Upgrade instructions: 18_446_744_073_709_551_615
+ingress Completed: Reply: 0x4449444c0000
diff --git a/test/run-drun/ok/migrate-upgrade-instr-stable-var.drun.ok b/test/run-drun/ok/migrate-upgrade-instr-stable-var.drun.ok
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..1efb1637947
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/run-drun/ok/migrate-upgrade-instr-stable-var.drun.ok
@@ -0,0 +1,7 @@
+ingress Completed: Reply: 0x4449444c016c01b3c4b1f204680100010a00000000000000000101
+debug.print: {number = 1; text = "TestTest"}
+ingress Completed: Reply: 0x4449444c0000
+debug.print: {number = 2; text = "TestTestTest"}
+ingress Completed: Reply: 0x4449444c0000
+debug.print: Upgrade instructions: 18_446_744_073_709_551_615
+ingress Completed: Reply: 0x4449444c0000
diff --git a/test/run-drun/upgrade-instructions.mo b/test/run-drun/upgrade-instructions.mo
index 0649918d857..dfc2d8bd06c 100644
--- a/test/run-drun/upgrade-instructions.mo
+++ b/test/run-drun/upgrade-instructions.mo
@@ -1,4 +1,3 @@
-//ENHANCED-ORTHOGONAL-PERSISTENCE-ONLY
 import Prim "mo:prim";
 
 actor {
@@ -11,6 +10,8 @@ actor {
     lastInstructions := Prim.rts_upgrade_instructions();
     assert(lastInstructions > 0);
   };
+  // Assert that the upgrade instructions are defined, i.e. no backwards compatibility to old Motoko programs.
+  assert(Prim.rts_upgrade_instructions() != 18_446_744_073_709_551_615);
   Prim.debugPrint("Ignore Diff: Upgrade instructions: " # debug_show (Prim.rts_upgrade_instructions()));
 
   public func increase() : async () {