diff --git a/pyiceberg/table/__init__.py b/pyiceberg/table/__init__.py
index 64ad10050d..4621b5f3bf 100644
--- a/pyiceberg/table/__init__.py
+++ b/pyiceberg/table/__init__.py
@@ -877,12 +877,17 @@ def upsert(
         # get list of rows that exist so we don't have to load the entire target table
         matched_predicate = upsert_util.create_match_filter(df, join_cols)
 
+        # When ``when_matched_update_all=False`` the consumer loop below
+        # only ever reads ``join_cols`` off each destination batch.
+        selected_fields: tuple[str, ...] = ("*",) if when_matched_update_all else tuple(join_cols)
+
         # We must use Transaction.table_metadata for the scan. This includes all uncommitted - but relevant - changes.
 
         matched_iceberg_record_batches_scan = DataScan(
             table_metadata=self.table_metadata,
             io=self._table.io,
             row_filter=matched_predicate,
+            selected_fields=selected_fields,
             case_sensitive=case_sensitive,
         )
 
diff --git a/tests/table/test_upsert.py b/tests/table/test_upsert.py
index 08f90c6600..83444c0c0e 100644
--- a/tests/table/test_upsert.py
+++ b/tests/table/test_upsert.py
@@ -15,6 +15,7 @@
 # specific language governing permissions and limitations
 # under the License.
 from pathlib import PosixPath
+from typing import Any
 
 import pyarrow as pa
 import pytest
@@ -888,3 +889,63 @@ def test_upsert_snapshot_properties(catalog: Catalog) -> None:
     for snapshot in snapshots[initial_snapshot_count:]:
         assert snapshot.summary is not None
         assert snapshot.summary.additional_properties.get("test_prop") == "test_value"
+
+
+def test_upsert_narrows_destination_scan_projection_to_join_cols(
+    catalog: Catalog,
+    monkeypatch: pytest.MonkeyPatch,
+) -> None:
+    """``Transaction.upsert`` narrows the destination scan's
+    ``selected_fields`` to ``join_cols`` when
+    ``when_matched_update_all=False``.
+
+    The insert-on-no-match branch only reads ``join_cols`` from each
+    destination batch (to feed ``create_match_filter``), so projection
+    at the scan boundary lets the parquet reader skip wide non-key
+    columns. The ``("*",)`` fallback on the ``=True`` branch is
+    exercised by the rest of this module — ``get_rows_to_update``'s
+    value-drift detection would silently break if it ever regressed.
+    """
+    import functools
+
+    from pyiceberg.table import DataScan
+
+    identifier = "default.test_upsert_narrows_projection"
+    _drop_table(catalog, identifier)
+    table = catalog.create_table(
+        identifier,
+        schema=Schema(
+            NestedField(1, "id", IntegerType(), required=True),
+            NestedField(2, "payload", StringType(), required=True),
+        ),
+    )
+    arrow_schema = pa.schema([pa.field("id", pa.int32(), nullable=False), pa.field("payload", pa.string(), nullable=False)])
+    table.append(pa.Table.from_pylist([{"id": 1, "payload": "a"}], schema=arrow_schema))
+
+    # Spy on ``DataScan.__init__`` to capture each constructed scan's
+    # ``selected_fields``. ``functools.wraps`` preserves the original
+    # signature so ``DataScan.update()``'s reflective parameter lookup
+    # (used inside ``use_ref``) still resolves correctly.
+    captured: list[tuple[str, ...] | None] = []
+    original_init = DataScan.__init__
+
+    @functools.wraps(original_init)
+    def _spy(self: DataScan, *args: Any, **kwargs: Any) -> None:
+        original_init(self, *args, **kwargs)
+        captured.append(kwargs.get("selected_fields"))
+
+    monkeypatch.setattr(DataScan, "__init__", _spy)
+
+    table.upsert(
+        df=pa.Table.from_pylist(
+            [{"id": 1, "payload": "a-new"}, {"id": 2, "payload": "b"}],
+            schema=arrow_schema,
+        ),
+        join_cols=["id"],
+        when_matched_update_all=False,
+    )
+
+    assert captured, "upsert path constructed no DataScan — projection contract regression"
+    assert all(sf == ("id",) for sf in captured), (
+        f"expected every DataScan during upsert to use selected_fields=('id',); got {captured}"
+    )