diff --git a/lib/fluent/plugin/buffer.rb b/lib/fluent/plugin/buffer.rb
index ea50eb3ecb..a183362553 100644
--- a/lib/fluent/plugin/buffer.rb
+++ b/lib/fluent/plugin/buffer.rb
@@ -917,8 +917,15 @@ def write_step_by_step(metadata, data, format, splits_count, &block)
       ]
 
       def statistics
-        stage_size, queue_size = @stage_size_metrics.get, @queue_size_metrics.get
-        buffer_space = 1.0 - ((stage_size + queue_size * 1.0) / @total_limit_size)
+        # Export-only clamp: internal gauges may go transiently negative during
+        # the deferred stage_size add vs enqueue_chunk sub race (#5303, #2712).
+        # Clamping the gauge store itself would turn that into a permanent
+        # over-count and break Buffer#storable? -- keep raw gauge semantics.
+        stage_size = [@stage_size_metrics.get, 0].max
+        queue_size = [@queue_size_metrics.get, 0].max
+        denom = @total_limit_size.to_f
+        # denom > 0 already excludes 0/0 NaN; stage/queue are floored above.
+        buffer_space = denom > 0.0 ? (1.0 - (stage_size + queue_size).to_f / denom).clamp(0.0, 1.0) : 0.0
         @stage_length_metrics.set(@stage.size)
         @queue_length_metrics.set(@queue.size)
         @available_buffer_space_ratios_metrics.set(buffer_space * 100)
diff --git a/test/plugin/test_buffer.rb b/test/plugin/test_buffer.rb
index 9cb803f2f7..230b5f08cf 100644
--- a/test/plugin/test_buffer.rb
+++ b/test/plugin/test_buffer.rb
@@ -1536,5 +1536,47 @@ def create_chunk_es(metadata, es)
     test 'returns available_buffer_space_ratios' do
       assert_equal 10.0, @p.statistics['buffer']['available_buffer_space_ratios']
     end
+
+    # Export-only clamp: internal gauges may be negative (self-correcting race
+    # or set_gauge); statistics must still publish non-negative sizes (#5303).
+    test 'exports non-negative stage/queue byte sizes when gauges are negative' do
+      @p.stage_size_metrics.set(-50)
+      @p.queue_size_metrics.set(-100)
+
+      stats = @p.statistics['buffer']
+      assert_equal 0, stats['stage_byte_size']
+      assert_equal 0, stats['queue_byte_size']
+      assert_equal 0, stats['total_queued_size']
+      assert stats['total_queued_size'] >= 0
+      # Negative gauges floor to 0 usage => full free space (100.0% with total_limit_size=1024)
+      assert_equal 100.0, stats['available_buffer_space_ratios']
+    end
+
+    test 'clamps available_buffer_space_ratios when usage exceeds total_limit_size' do
+      # Simulate counter overshoot past configured limit
+      @p.stage_size_metrics.set(2000)
+      @p.queue_size_metrics.set(2000)
+
+      stats = @p.statistics['buffer']
+      assert_equal 2000, stats['stage_byte_size']
+      assert_equal 2000, stats['queue_byte_size']
+      assert_equal 4000, stats['total_queued_size']
+      assert stats['available_buffer_space_ratios'] >= 0.0
+      assert stats['available_buffer_space_ratios'] <= 100.0
+      assert_equal 0.0, stats['available_buffer_space_ratios']
+    end
+
+    test 'available_buffer_space_ratios is safe when total_limit_size is zero' do
+      # 0/0 would be NaN; Array#max/min on NaN raises — must not crash export.
+      @p.instance_variable_set(:@total_limit_size, 0)
+      @p.stage_size_metrics.set(0)
+      @p.queue_size_metrics.set(0)
+      stats = @p.statistics['buffer']
+      assert_equal 0, stats['stage_byte_size']
+      assert_equal 0, stats['queue_byte_size']
+      assert stats['available_buffer_space_ratios'] >= 0.0
+      assert stats['available_buffer_space_ratios'] <= 100.0
+      refute stats['available_buffer_space_ratios'].to_f.nan?
+    end
   end
 end