diff --git a/src/v/kafka/server/group_tx_tracker_stm.cc b/src/v/kafka/server/group_tx_tracker_stm.cc
index d4440c95a56f..4813708aad7d 100644
--- a/src/v/kafka/server/group_tx_tracker_stm.cc
+++ b/src/v/kafka/server/group_tx_tracker_stm.cc
@@ -129,8 +129,12 @@ model::offset group_tx_tracker_stm::max_collectible_offset() {
 
 ss::future<raft::local_snapshot_applied>
 group_tx_tracker_stm::apply_local_snapshot(
-  raft::stm_snapshot_header, iobuf&& snap_buf) {
+  raft::stm_snapshot_header header, iobuf&& snap_buf) {
     auto holder = _gate.hold();
+    if (header.version != supported_local_snapshot_version) {
+        // fall back to applying from the log
+        co_return raft::local_snapshot_applied::no;
+    }
     iobuf_parser parser(std::move(snap_buf));
     auto snap = co_await serde::read_async<snapshot>(parser);
     _all_txs = std::move(snap.transactions);
@@ -147,8 +151,8 @@ group_tx_tracker_stm::take_local_snapshot(ssx::semaphore_units apply_units) {
     iobuf snap_buf;
     apply_units.return_all();
     co_await serde::write_async(snap_buf, snap);
-    // snapshot versioning handled via serde.
-    co_return raft::stm_snapshot::create(0, offset, std::move(snap_buf));
+    co_return raft::stm_snapshot::create(
+      supported_local_snapshot_version, offset, std::move(snap_buf));
 }
 
 ss::future<> group_tx_tracker_stm::apply_raft_snapshot(const iobuf&) {
diff --git a/src/v/kafka/server/group_tx_tracker_stm.h b/src/v/kafka/server/group_tx_tracker_stm.h
index 3e394a1b7e79..bde9ce1f8eb0 100644
--- a/src/v/kafka/server/group_tx_tracker_stm.h
+++ b/src/v/kafka/server/group_tx_tracker_stm.h
@@ -126,6 +126,7 @@ class group_tx_tracker_stm final
     const all_txs_t& inflight_transactions() const { return _all_txs; }
 
 private:
+    static constexpr int8_t supported_local_snapshot_version = 1;
     struct snapshot
       : serde::envelope<snapshot, serde::version<0>, serde::compat_version<0>> {
         all_txs_t transactions;