diff --git a/datafusion/physical-plan/src/spill/in_progress_spill_file.rs b/datafusion/physical-plan/src/spill/in_progress_spill_file.rs
index 0ad7aabf64954..2666ab8822ed9 100644
--- a/datafusion/physical-plan/src/spill/in_progress_spill_file.rs
+++ b/datafusion/physical-plan/src/spill/in_progress_spill_file.rs
@@ -101,6 +101,13 @@ impl InProgressSpillFile {
         Ok(())
     }
 
+    pub fn flush(&mut self) -> Result<()> {
+        if let Some(writer) = &mut self.writer {
+            writer.flush()?;
+        }
+        Ok(())
+    }
+
     /// Returns a reference to the in-progress file, if it exists.
     /// This can be used to get the file path for creating readers before the file is finished.
     pub fn file(&self) -> Option<&RefCountedTempFile> {
diff --git a/datafusion/physical-plan/src/spill/mod.rs b/datafusion/physical-plan/src/spill/mod.rs
index 59938c3e8cd73..4c93c03b342eb 100644
--- a/datafusion/physical-plan/src/spill/mod.rs
+++ b/datafusion/physical-plan/src/spill/mod.rs
@@ -310,6 +310,11 @@ impl IPCStreamWriter {
         Ok((delta_num_rows, delta_num_bytes))
     }
 
+    pub fn flush(&mut self) -> Result<()> {
+        self.writer.flush()?;
+        Ok(())
+    }
+
     /// Finish the writer
     pub fn finish(&mut self) -> Result<()> {
         self.writer.finish().map_err(Into::into)
diff --git a/datafusion/physical-plan/src/spill/spill_manager.rs b/datafusion/physical-plan/src/spill/spill_manager.rs
index 89b0276206774..6d931112ad888 100644
--- a/datafusion/physical-plan/src/spill/spill_manager.rs
+++ b/datafusion/physical-plan/src/spill/spill_manager.rs
@@ -188,6 +188,19 @@ impl SpillManager {
 
         Ok(spawn_buffered(stream, self.batch_read_buffer_capacity))
     }
+
+    /// Same as `read_spill_as_stream`, but without buffering.
+    pub fn read_spill_as_stream_unbuffered(
+        &self,
+        spill_file_path: RefCountedTempFile,
+        max_record_batch_memory: Option<usize>,
+    ) -> Result<SendableRecordBatchStream> {
+        Ok(Box::pin(cooperative(SpillReaderStream::new(
+            Arc::clone(&self.schema),
+            spill_file_path,
+            max_record_batch_memory,
+        ))))
+    }
 }
 
 pub(crate) trait GetSlicedSize {
diff --git a/datafusion/physical-plan/src/spill/spill_pool.rs b/datafusion/physical-plan/src/spill/spill_pool.rs
index 8f7f5212f6c91..1b9d82eaf4506 100644
--- a/datafusion/physical-plan/src/spill/spill_pool.rs
+++ b/datafusion/physical-plan/src/spill/spill_pool.rs
@@ -194,6 +194,8 @@ impl SpillPoolWriter {
             // Append the batch
             if let Some(ref mut writer) = file_shared.writer {
                 writer.append_batch(batch)?;
+                // make sure we flush the writer for readers
+                writer.flush()?;
                 file_shared.batches_written += 1;
                 file_shared.estimated_size += batch_size;
             }
@@ -535,7 +537,11 @@ impl Stream for SpillFile {
         // Step 2: Lazy-create reader stream if needed
         if self.reader.is_none() && should_read {
             if let Some(file) = file {
-                match self.spill_manager.read_spill_as_stream(file, None) {
+                // we want this unbuffered because files are actively being written to
+                match self
+                    .spill_manager
+                    .read_spill_as_stream_unbuffered(file, None)
+                {
                     Ok(stream) => {
                         self.reader = Some(SpillFileReader {
                             stream,