diff --git a/src/plugins/discover/public/application/main/components/layout/use_discover_histogram.ts b/src/plugins/discover/public/application/main/components/layout/use_discover_histogram.ts
index 1ebeb8d7d1b7f..2994a54a3c645 100644
--- a/src/plugins/discover/public/application/main/components/layout/use_discover_histogram.ts
+++ b/src/plugins/discover/public/application/main/components/layout/use_discover_histogram.ts
@@ -42,13 +42,19 @@ import type { DiscoverStateContainer } from '../../state_management/discover_sta
 import { addLog } from '../../../../utils/add_log';
 import { useInternalStateSelector } from '../../state_management/discover_internal_state_container';
 import type { DiscoverAppState } from '../../state_management/discover_app_state_container';
-import { DataDocumentsMsg } from '../../state_management/discover_data_state_container';
+import type { DataDocumentsMsg } from '../../state_management/discover_data_state_container';
 import { useSavedSearch } from '../../state_management/discover_state_provider';
 import { useIsEsqlMode } from '../../hooks/use_is_esql_mode';
 
 const EMPTY_ESQL_COLUMNS: DatatableColumn[] = [];
 const EMPTY_FILTERS: Filter[] = [];
 
+// enabled for debugging
+if (window) {
+  // @ts-ignore
+  window.ELASTIC_DISCOVER_LOGGER = `debug`;
+}
+
 export interface UseDiscoverHistogramProps {
   stateContainer: DiscoverStateContainer;
   inspectorAdapters: InspectorAdapters;
@@ -180,17 +186,45 @@ export const useDiscoverHistogram = ({
           totalHitsResult &&
           typeof result !== 'number'
         ) {
-          // ignore the histogram initial loading state if discover state already has a total hits value
+          addLog(
+            '[UnifiedHistogram] ignore the histogram initial loading state if discover state already has a total hits value',
+            { status, result }
+          );
           return;
         }
 
+        const fetchStatus = status.toString() as FetchStatus;
+        if (
+          fetchStatus === FetchStatus.COMPLETE &&
+          savedSearchData$.totalHits$.getValue().fetchStatus === FetchStatus.COMPLETE &&
+          result !== savedSearchData$.totalHits$.getValue().result
+        ) {
+          // this is a workaround to make sure the new total hits value is displayed
+          // a different value without a loading state in between would lead to be ignored by useDataState
+          addLog(
+            '[UnifiedHistogram] send loading state to total hits$ to make sure the new value is displayed',
+            { status, result }
+          );
+          savedSearchData$.totalHits$.next({
+            fetchStatus: FetchStatus.LOADING,
+          });
+        }
+
         // Sync the totalHits$ observable with the unified histogram state
         savedSearchData$.totalHits$.next({
-          fetchStatus: status.toString() as FetchStatus,
+          fetchStatus,
           result,
         });
 
-        if (status !== UnifiedHistogramFetchStatus.complete || typeof result !== 'number') {
+        if (
+          (status !== UnifiedHistogramFetchStatus.complete &&
+            status !== UnifiedHistogramFetchStatus.partial) ||
+          typeof result !== 'number'
+        ) {
+          addLog(
+            '[UnifiedHistogram] ignore the histogram complete/partial state if discover state already has a total hits value',
+            { status, result }
+          );
           return;
         }
 
diff --git a/src/plugins/discover/public/application/main/data_fetching/fetch_all.test.ts b/src/plugins/discover/public/application/main/data_fetching/fetch_all.test.ts
index 169a644e69499..c58417f818b28 100644
--- a/src/plugins/discover/public/application/main/data_fetching/fetch_all.test.ts
+++ b/src/plugins/discover/public/application/main/data_fetching/fetch_all.test.ts
@@ -69,6 +69,7 @@ describe('test fetchAll', () => {
       getAppState: () => ({}),
       getInternalState: () => ({
         dataView: undefined,
+        isLoading: false,
         isDataViewLoading: false,
         savedDataViews: [],
         adHocDataViews: [],
@@ -262,6 +263,7 @@ describe('test fetchAll', () => {
       getInternalState: () => ({
         dataView: undefined,
         isDataViewLoading: false,
+        isLoading: false,
         savedDataViews: [],
         adHocDataViews: [],
         expandedDoc: undefined,
@@ -384,6 +386,7 @@ describe('test fetchAll', () => {
         getInternalState: () => ({
           dataView: undefined,
           isDataViewLoading: false,
+          isLoading: false,
           savedDataViews: [],
           adHocDataViews: [],
           expandedDoc: undefined,
diff --git a/src/plugins/discover/public/application/main/discover_main_route.tsx b/src/plugins/discover/public/application/main/discover_main_route.tsx
index 57173717de2a2..26848ab20f853 100644
--- a/src/plugins/discover/public/application/main/discover_main_route.tsx
+++ b/src/plugins/discover/public/application/main/discover_main_route.tsx
@@ -369,14 +369,14 @@ export function DiscoverMainLoading({
   mainContent: JSX.Element;
 }) {
   const loading = useInternalStateSelector((state) => state.isLoading);
-  if (loading && !showNoDataPage) {
-    return <LoadingIndicator />;
-  }
 
   return (
     <>
-      <DiscoverTopNavInline stateContainer={stateContainer} hideNavMenuItems={showNoDataPage} />
-      {mainContent}
+      <DiscoverTopNavInline
+        stateContainer={stateContainer}
+        hideNavMenuItems={showNoDataPage || loading}
+      />
+      {loading && !showNoDataPage ? <LoadingIndicator /> : mainContent}
     </>
   );
 }