diff --git a/go/vt/topo/faketopo/faketopo.go b/go/vt/topo/faketopo/faketopo.go
index 0c88b95e3da..c49072c043f 100644
--- a/go/vt/topo/faketopo/faketopo.go
+++ b/go/vt/topo/faketopo/faketopo.go
@@ -45,17 +45,26 @@ func NewFakeTopoFactory() *FakeFactory {
 		mu:    sync.Mutex{},
 		cells: map[string][]*FakeConn{},
 	}
-	factory.cells[topo.GlobalCell] = []*FakeConn{newFakeConnection()}
+	factory.cells[topo.GlobalCell] = []*FakeConn{NewFakeConnection()}
 	return factory
 }
 
 // AddCell is used to add a cell to the factory. It returns the fake connection created. This connection can then be used to set get and update errors
 func (f *FakeFactory) AddCell(cell string) *FakeConn {
-	conn := newFakeConnection()
+	f.mu.Lock()
+	defer f.mu.Unlock()
+	conn := NewFakeConnection()
 	f.cells[cell] = []*FakeConn{conn}
 	return conn
 }
 
+// SetCell is used to set a cell in the factory.
+func (f *FakeFactory) SetCell(cell string, fakeConn *FakeConn) {
+	f.mu.Lock()
+	defer f.mu.Unlock()
+	f.cells[cell] = []*FakeConn{fakeConn}
+}
+
 // HasGlobalReadOnlyCell implements the Factory interface
 func (f *FakeFactory) HasGlobalReadOnlyCell(serverAddr, root string) bool {
 	return false
@@ -70,7 +79,7 @@ func (f *FakeFactory) Create(cell, serverAddr, root string) (topo.Conn, error) {
 	if !ok || len(connections) == 0 {
 		return nil, topo.NewError(topo.NoNode, cell)
 	}
-	// pick the first connection and remove it from the list
+	// pick the first connection and remove it from the list.
 	conn := connections[0]
 	f.cells[cell] = connections[1:]
 
@@ -84,15 +93,19 @@ type FakeConn struct {
 	cell       string
 	serverAddr string
 
-	// mutex to protect all the operations
+	// mutex to protect all the operations.
 	mu sync.Mutex
 
-	// getResultMap is a map storing the results for each filepath
+	// getResultMap is a map storing the results for each filepath.
 	getResultMap map[string]result
-	// updateErrors stores whether update function call should error or not
+	// listResultMap is a map storing the resuls for each filepath prefix.
+	listResultMap map[string][]topo.KVInfo
+	// updateErrors stores whether update function call should error or not.
 	updateErrors []updateError
-	// getErrors stores whether the get function call should error or not
+	// getErrors stores whether the get function call should error or not.
 	getErrors []bool
+	// listErrors stores whether the list function call should error or not.
+	listErrors []bool
 
 	// watches is a map of all watches for this connection to the cell keyed by the filepath.
 	watches map[string][]chan *topo.WatchData
@@ -105,13 +118,15 @@ type updateError struct {
 	writePersists bool
 }
 
-// newFakeConnection creates a new fake connection
-func newFakeConnection() *FakeConn {
+// NewFakeConnection creates a new fake connection
+func NewFakeConnection() *FakeConn {
 	return &FakeConn{
-		getResultMap: map[string]result{},
-		watches:      map[string][]chan *topo.WatchData{},
-		getErrors:    []bool{},
-		updateErrors: []updateError{},
+		getResultMap:  map[string]result{},
+		listResultMap: map[string][]topo.KVInfo{},
+		watches:       map[string][]chan *topo.WatchData{},
+		getErrors:     []bool{},
+		listErrors:    []bool{},
+		updateErrors:  []updateError{},
 	}
 }
 
@@ -122,6 +137,20 @@ func (f *FakeConn) AddGetError(shouldErr bool) {
 	f.getErrors = append(f.getErrors, shouldErr)
 }
 
+// AddListError is used to add a list error to the fake connection
+func (f *FakeConn) AddListError(shouldErr bool) {
+	f.mu.Lock()
+	defer f.mu.Unlock()
+	f.listErrors = append(f.listErrors, shouldErr)
+}
+
+// AddListResult is used to add a list result to the fake connection
+func (f *FakeConn) AddListResult(filePathPrefix string, result []topo.KVInfo) {
+	f.mu.Lock()
+	defer f.mu.Unlock()
+	f.listResultMap[filePathPrefix] = result
+}
+
 // AddUpdateError is used to add an update error to the fake connection
 func (f *FakeConn) AddUpdateError(shouldErr bool, writePersists bool) {
 	f.mu.Lock()
@@ -261,7 +290,20 @@ func (f *FakeConn) GetVersion(ctx context.Context, filePath string, version int6
 
 // List is part of the topo.Conn interface.
 func (f *FakeConn) List(ctx context.Context, filePathPrefix string) ([]topo.KVInfo, error) {
-	return nil, topo.NewError(topo.NoImplementation, "List not supported in fake topo")
+	f.mu.Lock()
+	defer f.mu.Unlock()
+	if len(f.listErrors) > 0 {
+		shouldErr := f.listErrors[0]
+		f.listErrors = f.listErrors[1:]
+		if shouldErr {
+			return nil, topo.NewError(topo.Timeout, filePathPrefix)
+		}
+	}
+	kvInfos, isPresent := f.listResultMap[filePathPrefix]
+	if !isPresent {
+		return nil, topo.NewError(topo.NoNode, filePathPrefix)
+	}
+	return kvInfos, nil
 }
 
 // Delete implements the Conn interface
diff --git a/go/vt/vtorc/logic/tablet_discovery.go b/go/vt/vtorc/logic/tablet_discovery.go
index c5c23df0cd0..d90247409aa 100644
--- a/go/vt/vtorc/logic/tablet_discovery.go
+++ b/go/vt/vtorc/logic/tablet_discovery.go
@@ -150,26 +150,30 @@ func OpenTabletDiscovery() <-chan time.Time {
 	return time.Tick(config.GetTopoInformationRefreshDuration()) //nolint SA1015: using time.Tick leaks the underlying ticker
 }
 
-// getAllTablets gets all tablets from all cells using a goroutine per cell.
-func getAllTablets(ctx context.Context, cells []string) []*topo.TabletInfo {
-	var tabletsMu sync.Mutex
-	tablets := make([]*topo.TabletInfo, 0)
+// getAllTablets gets all tablets from all cells using a goroutine per cell. It returns a map of
+// cells (string) to slices of tablets (as topo.TabletInfo) and a slice of cells (string) that
+// failed to return a result.
+func getAllTablets(ctx context.Context, cells []string) (tabletsByCell map[string][]*topo.TabletInfo, failedCells []string) {
+	var mu sync.Mutex
+	failedCells = make([]string, 0, len(cells))
+	tabletsByCell = make(map[string][]*topo.TabletInfo, len(cells))
 	eg, ctx := errgroup.WithContext(ctx)
 	for _, cell := range cells {
 		eg.Go(func() error {
-			t, err := ts.GetTabletsByCell(ctx, cell, nil)
+			tablets, err := ts.GetTabletsByCell(ctx, cell, nil)
+			mu.Lock()
+			defer mu.Unlock()
 			if err != nil {
 				log.Errorf("Failed to load tablets from cell %s: %+v", cell, err)
-				return nil
+				failedCells = append(failedCells, cell)
+			} else {
+				tabletsByCell[cell] = tablets
 			}
-			tabletsMu.Lock()
-			defer tabletsMu.Unlock()
-			tablets = append(tablets, t...)
 			return nil
 		})
 	}
 	_ = eg.Wait() // always nil
-	return tablets
+	return tabletsByCell, failedCells
 }
 
 // refreshAllTablets reloads the tablets from topo and discovers the ones which haven't been refreshed in a while
@@ -182,9 +186,9 @@ func refreshAllTablets(ctx context.Context) error {
 // refreshTabletsUsing refreshes tablets using a provided loader.
 func refreshTabletsUsing(ctx context.Context, loader func(tabletAlias string), forceRefresh bool) error {
 	// Get all cells.
-	ctx, cancel := context.WithTimeout(ctx, topo.RemoteOperationTimeout)
-	defer cancel()
-	cells, err := ts.GetKnownCells(ctx)
+	cellsCtx, cellsCancel := context.WithTimeout(ctx, topo.RemoteOperationTimeout)
+	defer cellsCancel()
+	cells, err := ts.GetKnownCells(cellsCtx)
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
@@ -192,25 +196,34 @@ func refreshTabletsUsing(ctx context.Context, loader func(tabletAlias string), f
 	// Get all tablets from all cells.
 	getTabletsCtx, getTabletsCancel := context.WithTimeout(ctx, topo.RemoteOperationTimeout)
 	defer getTabletsCancel()
-	tablets := getAllTablets(getTabletsCtx, cells)
-	if len(tablets) == 0 {
-		log.Error("Found no tablets")
+	tabletsByCell, failedCells := getAllTablets(getTabletsCtx, cells)
+	if len(tabletsByCell) == 0 {
+		log.Error("Found no cells with tablets")
 		return nil
 	}
+	if len(failedCells) > 0 {
+		log.Errorf("Got partial topo result. Failed cells: %s", strings.Join(failedCells, ", "))
+	}
 
-	// Filter tablets that should not be watched using shardsToWatch map.
-	matchedTablets := make([]*topo.TabletInfo, 0, len(tablets))
-	func() {
-		for _, t := range tablets {
-			if shouldWatchTablet(t.Tablet) {
-				matchedTablets = append(matchedTablets, t)
+	// Update each cell that provided a response. This ensures only cells that provided a
+	// response are updated in the backend and are considered for forgetting stale tablets.
+	for cell, tablets := range tabletsByCell {
+		// Filter tablets that should not be watched using func shouldWatchTablet.
+		matchedTablets := make([]*topo.TabletInfo, 0, len(tablets))
+		func() {
+			for _, t := range tablets {
+				if shouldWatchTablet(t.Tablet) {
+					matchedTablets = append(matchedTablets, t)
+				}
 			}
-		}
-	}()
+		}()
+
+		// Refresh the filtered tablets and forget stale tablets.
+		query := "select alias from vitess_tablet where cell = ?"
+		args := sqlutils.Args(cell)
+		refreshTablets(matchedTablets, query, args, loader, forceRefresh, nil)
+	}
 
-	// Refresh the filtered tablets.
-	query := "select alias from vitess_tablet"
-	refreshTablets(matchedTablets, query, nil, loader, forceRefresh, nil)
 	return nil
 }
 
diff --git a/go/vt/vtorc/logic/tablet_discovery_test.go b/go/vt/vtorc/logic/tablet_discovery_test.go
index 4514ef81724..c351fb41c0a 100644
--- a/go/vt/vtorc/logic/tablet_discovery_test.go
+++ b/go/vt/vtorc/logic/tablet_discovery_test.go
@@ -19,6 +19,7 @@ package logic
 import (
 	"context"
 	"fmt"
+	"slices"
 	"strings"
 	"sync/atomic"
 	"testing"
@@ -34,6 +35,7 @@ import (
 	topodatapb "vitess.io/vitess/go/vt/proto/topodata"
 	"vitess.io/vitess/go/vt/proto/vttime"
 	"vitess.io/vitess/go/vt/topo"
+	"vitess.io/vitess/go/vt/topo/faketopo"
 	"vitess.io/vitess/go/vt/topo/memorytopo"
 	"vitess.io/vitess/go/vt/topo/topoproto"
 	"vitess.io/vitess/go/vt/vtctl/grpcvtctldserver/testutil"
@@ -840,3 +842,61 @@ func TestSetReplicationSource(t *testing.T) {
 		})
 	}
 }
+
+func TestGetAllTablets(t *testing.T) {
+	tablet := &topodatapb.Tablet{
+		Hostname: t.Name(),
+	}
+	tabletProto, _ := tablet.MarshalVT()
+
+	factory := faketopo.NewFakeTopoFactory()
+
+	// zone1 (success)
+	goodCell1 := faketopo.NewFakeConnection()
+	goodCell1.AddListResult("tablets", []topo.KVInfo{
+		{
+			Key:   []byte("zone1-00000001"),
+			Value: tabletProto,
+		},
+	})
+	factory.SetCell("zone1", goodCell1)
+
+	// zone2 (success)
+	goodCell2 := faketopo.NewFakeConnection()
+	goodCell2.AddListResult("tablets", []topo.KVInfo{
+		{
+			Key:   []byte("zone2-00000002"),
+			Value: tabletProto,
+		},
+	})
+	factory.SetCell("zone2", goodCell2)
+
+	// zone3 (fail)
+	badCell1 := faketopo.NewFakeConnection()
+	badCell1.AddListError(true)
+	factory.SetCell("zone3", badCell1)
+
+	// zone4 (fail)
+	badCell2 := faketopo.NewFakeConnection()
+	badCell2.AddListError(true)
+	factory.SetCell("zone4", badCell2)
+
+	oldTs := ts
+	defer func() {
+		ts = oldTs
+	}()
+	ctx := context.Background()
+	ts = faketopo.NewFakeTopoServer(ctx, factory)
+
+	// confirm zone1 + zone2 succeeded and zone3 + zone4 failed
+	tabletsByCell, failedCells := getAllTablets(ctx, []string{"zone1", "zone2", "zone3", "zone4"})
+	require.Len(t, tabletsByCell, 2)
+	slices.Sort(failedCells)
+	require.Equal(t, []string{"zone3", "zone4"}, failedCells)
+	for _, tablets := range tabletsByCell {
+		require.Len(t, tablets, 1)
+		for _, tablet := range tablets {
+			require.Equal(t, t.Name(), tablet.Tablet.GetHostname())
+		}
+	}
+}