diff --git a/docs/src/js/classes/MaterializedView.md b/docs/src/js/classes/MaterializedView.md
index bb02f5dc2..3ba4d56b3 100644
--- a/docs/src/js/classes/MaterializedView.md
+++ b/docs/src/js/classes/MaterializedView.md
@@ -66,14 +66,18 @@ refresh(options?): Promise<RefreshMaterializedViewResult>
 Recompute the view from its source.
 Local refresh requires a source build with `experimental-functions`.
 
-Every refresh rebuilds the complete view. For local views,
-`sourceVersion` refreshes to that source version instead of the latest;
-remote SQL refreshes do not support source-version pinning.
+`full: true` forces a remote rebuild; otherwise the server chooses the
+refresh mode. Local views always rebuild, and `sourceVersion` selects a
+source version instead of the latest. Remote SQL refreshes do not support
+source-version pinning. Their results leave `mode`, `rowsWritten`, and
+`sourceVersion` absent because the SQL job adapter does not expose these metrics.
 
 #### Parameters
 
 * **options?**
 
+* **options.full?**: `boolean`
+
 * **options.sourceVersion?**: `number`
 
 #### Returns
diff --git a/docs/src/js/interfaces/RefreshMaterializedViewResult.md b/docs/src/js/interfaces/RefreshMaterializedViewResult.md
index 1c8b8bc21..05321683e 100644
--- a/docs/src/js/interfaces/RefreshMaterializedViewResult.md
+++ b/docs/src/js/interfaces/RefreshMaterializedViewResult.md
@@ -8,30 +8,34 @@
 
 ## Properties
 
-### mode
+### mode?
 
 ```ts
-mode: string;
+optional mode: string;
 ```
 
-How the view was brought up to date: "rebuild".
+How the view was brought up to date: "rebuild", or absent for remote SQL refreshes.
 
 ***
 
-### rowsWritten
+### rowsWritten?
 
 ```ts
-rowsWritten: number;
+optional rowsWritten: number;
 ```
 
+Rows written by this refresh, or absent for remote SQL refreshes.
+
 ***
 
-### sourceVersion
+### sourceVersion?
 
 ```ts
-sourceVersion: number;
+optional sourceVersion: number;
 ```
 
+Source version refreshed to, or absent for remote SQL refreshes.
+
 ***
 
 ### version
diff --git a/nodejs/__test__/materialized_view.test.ts b/nodejs/__test__/materialized_view.test.ts
index 2324e1fcf..0840395fe 100644
--- a/nodejs/__test__/materialized_view.test.ts
+++ b/nodejs/__test__/materialized_view.test.ts
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@ import * as tmp from "tmp";
 import { Connection, connect } from "../lancedb";
 import {
   DEFINITION_META_KEY,
+  MaterializedView,
   definitionFromMetadata,
 } from "../lancedb/materialized_view";
 import { experimentalFunctionsEnabled } from "../lancedb/native";
@@ -94,20 +95,33 @@ describe("materialized views", () => {
     );
   });
 
-  experimentalTest("fully refreshes after an append", async () => {
-    const view = await db.createMaterializedView("copy", "people", {
-      withNoData: true,
-    });
-    await view.refresh();
+  experimentalTest.each([false, true])(
+    "fully refreshes after an append (full=%s)",
+    async (full) => {
+      const view = await db.createMaterializedView("copy", "people", {
+        withNoData: true,
+      });
+      await view.refresh();
 
-    const people = await db.openTable("people");
-    await people.add([{ name: "alan", age: 41 }]);
-    const result = await view.refresh();
-    expect(result.mode).toBe("rebuild");
-    expect(Number(result.rowsWritten)).toBe(4);
-    expect(await view.table().countRows()).toBe(4);
+      const people = await db.openTable("people");
+      await people.add([{ name: "alan", age: 41 }]);
+      const result = await view.refresh({ full });
+      expect(result.mode).toBe("rebuild");
+      expect(Number(result.rowsWritten)).toBe(4);
+      expect(await view.table().countRows()).toBe(4);
 
-    expect((await view.refresh()).mode).toBe("rebuild");
+      expect((await view.refresh()).mode).toBe("rebuild");
+    },
+  );
+
+  it("forwards a forced refresh and preserves absent remote metrics", async () => {
+    const view = new MaterializedView(await db.openTable("people"));
+    const remoteResult = { version: 42 };
+    const refresh = jest
+      .spyOn(view.table(), "refreshMaterializedView")
+      .mockResolvedValue(remoteResult);
+    expect(await view.refresh({ full: true })).toEqual(remoteResult);
+    expect(refresh).toHaveBeenCalledWith(undefined, true);
   });
 
   experimentalTest("lists views and rejects non-views", async () => {
diff --git a/nodejs/lancedb/materialized_view.ts b/nodejs/lancedb/materialized_view.ts
index cc209b14d..afb61b9ab 100644
--- a/nodejs/lancedb/materialized_view.ts
+++ b/nodejs/lancedb/materialized_view.ts
@@ -188,14 +188,20 @@ export class MaterializedView {
    * Recompute the view from its source.
    * Local refresh requires a source build with `experimental-functions`.
    *
-   * Every refresh rebuilds the complete view. For local views,
-   * `sourceVersion` refreshes to that source version instead of the latest;
-   * remote SQL refreshes do not support source-version pinning.
+   * `full: true` forces a remote rebuild; otherwise the server chooses the
+   * refresh mode. Local views always rebuild, and `sourceVersion` selects a
+   * source version instead of the latest. Remote SQL refreshes do not support
+   * source-version pinning. Their results leave `mode`, `rowsWritten`, and
+   * `sourceVersion` absent because the SQL job adapter does not expose these metrics.
    */
   async refresh(options?: {
+    full?: boolean;
     sourceVersion?: number;
   }): Promise<RefreshMaterializedViewResult> {
     validateNonNegativeInteger(options?.sourceVersion, "sourceVersion");
-    return await this.inner.refreshMaterializedView(options?.sourceVersion);
+    return await this.inner.refreshMaterializedView(
+      options?.sourceVersion,
+      options?.full,
+    );
   }
 }
diff --git a/nodejs/lancedb/table.ts b/nodejs/lancedb/table.ts
index 4738b6140..b88603fb7 100644
--- a/nodejs/lancedb/table.ts
+++ b/nodejs/lancedb/table.ts
@@ -699,6 +699,7 @@ export abstract class Table {
    */
   abstract refreshMaterializedView(
     sourceVersion?: number,
+    full?: boolean,
   ): Promise<RefreshMaterializedViewResult>;
 
   /** @ignore */
@@ -1442,8 +1443,9 @@ export class LocalTable extends Table {
 
   async refreshMaterializedView(
     sourceVersion?: number,
+    full?: boolean,
   ): Promise<RefreshMaterializedViewResult> {
-    return await this.inner.refreshMaterializedView(sourceVersion);
+    return await this.inner.refreshMaterializedView(sourceVersion, full);
   }
 
   async materializedViewDefinition(): Promise<string> {
diff --git a/nodejs/src/table.rs b/nodejs/src/table.rs
index 0a40e0a13..a1410ad85 100644
--- a/nodejs/src/table.rs
+++ b/nodejs/src/table.rs
@@ -470,11 +470,12 @@ impl Table {
     pub async fn refresh_materialized_view(
         &self,
         source_version: Option<i64>,
+        full: Option<bool>,
     ) -> napi::Result<RefreshMaterializedViewResult> {
         let view = lancedb::MaterializedView::from_table(self.inner_ref()?.clone())
             .await
             .default_error()?;
-        let mut builder = view.refresh();
+        let mut builder = view.refresh().full(full.unwrap_or(false));
         if let Some(version) = source_version {
             let version = u64::try_from(version).map_err(|_| {
                 napi::Error::from_reason("sourceVersion must be a non-negative integer")
@@ -1615,22 +1616,24 @@ impl From<lancedb::function::FunctionErrors> for FunctionErrors {
 
 #[napi(object)]
 pub struct RefreshMaterializedViewResult {
-    /// How the view was brought up to date: "rebuild".
-    pub mode: String,
-    pub rows_written: i64,
-    pub source_version: i64,
+    /// How the view was brought up to date: "rebuild", or absent for remote SQL refreshes.
+    pub mode: Option<String>,
+    /// Rows written by this refresh, or absent for remote SQL refreshes.
+    pub rows_written: Option<i64>,
+    /// Source version refreshed to, or absent for remote SQL refreshes.
+    pub source_version: Option<i64>,
     pub version: i64,
 }
 
 impl From<lancedb::RefreshMaterializedViewResult> for RefreshMaterializedViewResult {
     fn from(value: lancedb::RefreshMaterializedViewResult) -> Self {
-        let mode = match value.mode {
+        let mode = value.mode.map(|mode| match mode {
             lancedb::RefreshMode::Rebuild => "rebuild",
-        };
+        });
         Self {
-            mode: mode.to_string(),
-            rows_written: value.rows_written as i64,
-            source_version: value.source_version as i64,
+            mode: mode.map(str::to_string),
+            rows_written: value.rows_written.map(|rows| rows as i64),
+            source_version: value.source_version.map(|version| version as i64),
             version: value.version as i64,
         }
     }
diff --git a/python/python/lancedb/_lancedb.pyi b/python/python/lancedb/_lancedb.pyi
index 333fca92e..7e1307a4a 100644
--- a/python/python/lancedb/_lancedb.pyi
+++ b/python/python/lancedb/_lancedb.pyi
@@ -528,10 +528,10 @@ class Table:
         limit: Optional[int] = None,
     ) -> FunctionErrors: ...
     async def refresh_materialized_view(
-        self, source_version: Optional[int] = None
+        self, source_version: Optional[int] = None, *, full: bool = False
     ) -> RefreshMaterializedViewResult: ...
     async def refresh_materialized_view_async(
-        self, source_version: Optional[int] = None
+        self, source_version: Optional[int] = None, *, full: bool = False
     ) -> Job: ...
     async def materialized_view_definition(self) -> str: ...
     async def add_columns_with_schema(self, schema: pa.Schema) -> AddColumnsResult: ...
@@ -921,9 +921,9 @@ class FunctionErrors:
 class RefreshMaterializedViewResult:
     @staticmethod
     def from_json(value: str) -> RefreshMaterializedViewResult: ...
-    mode: str
-    rows_written: int
-    source_version: int
+    mode: Optional[str]
+    rows_written: Optional[int]
+    source_version: Optional[int]
     version: int
 
 class AlterColumnsResult:
diff --git a/python/python/lancedb/materialized_view.py b/python/python/lancedb/materialized_view.py
index 8efe31f05..7fc110dcc 100644
--- a/python/python/lancedb/materialized_view.py
+++ b/python/python/lancedb/materialized_view.py
@@ -184,31 +184,36 @@ class AsyncMaterializedView:
         return _definition_from_json(raw)
 
     async def refresh(
-        self, *, source_version: Optional[int] = None
+        self, *, full: bool = False, source_version: Optional[int] = None
     ) -> "RefreshMaterializedViewResult":
         """Recompute the view from its source.
 
-        Every refresh rebuilds the complete view. For local views,
-        ``source_version`` refreshes to that source version instead of the
-        latest; remote SQL refreshes do not support source-version pinning.
+        ``full=True`` forces a remote rebuild; otherwise the server chooses
+        the refresh mode. Local views always rebuild, and ``source_version``
+        selects a source version instead of the latest. Remote SQL refreshes
+        do not support source-version pinning.
+
+        Remote results leave ``mode``, ``rows_written``, and ``source_version``
+        as ``None`` because the SQL job adapter does not expose these metrics.
         """
         return await self._table._inner.refresh_materialized_view(
-            source_version=source_version
+            source_version=source_version, full=full
         )
 
     async def refresh_async(
-        self, *, source_version: Optional[int] = None
+        self, *, full: bool = False, source_version: Optional[int] = None
     ) -> "AsyncJob[RefreshMaterializedViewResult]":
         """Submit a refresh and return its job without waiting.
 
         The job may already be complete for a local view. Remote refreshes are
-        submitted through the SQL service.
+        submitted through the SQL service. Options and result metrics follow
+        [refresh][lancedb.materialized_view.AsyncMaterializedView.refresh].
         """
         from ._lancedb import RefreshMaterializedViewResult
 
         return _typed_job(
             await self._table._inner.refresh_materialized_view_async(
-                source_version=source_version
+                source_version=source_version, full=full
             ),
             RefreshMaterializedViewResult.from_json,
         )
@@ -240,18 +245,22 @@ class MaterializedView:
         return LOOP.run(self._async.definition())
 
     def refresh(
-        self, *, source_version: Optional[int] = None
+        self, *, full: bool = False, source_version: Optional[int] = None
     ) -> "RefreshMaterializedViewResult":
         """Recompute the view from its source. See
         [AsyncMaterializedView.refresh][lancedb.materialized_view.AsyncMaterializedView.refresh]."""
-        return LOOP.run(self._async.refresh(source_version=source_version))
+        return LOOP.run(self._async.refresh(full=full, source_version=source_version))
 
     def refresh_async(
-        self, *, source_version: Optional[int] = None
+        self, *, full: bool = False, source_version: Optional[int] = None
     ) -> "Job[RefreshMaterializedViewResult]":
         """Submit a refresh and return its job without waiting.
 
         See
         [AsyncMaterializedView.refresh_async][lancedb.materialized_view.AsyncMaterializedView.refresh_async].
         """
-        return Job(LOOP.run(self._async.refresh_async(source_version=source_version)))
+        return Job(
+            LOOP.run(
+                self._async.refresh_async(full=full, source_version=source_version)
+            )
+        )
diff --git a/python/python/tests/test_materialized_views.py b/python/python/tests/test_materialized_views.py
index 337fcad78..04dbe2fec 100644
--- a/python/python/tests/test_materialized_views.py
+++ b/python/python/tests/test_materialized_views.py
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@ import threading
 
 import lancedb
 import pytest
+import pyarrow as pa
 from lancedb.db import AsyncConnection
 from lancedb.materialized_view import MaterializedViewDefinition
 from lancedb.remote.db import RemoteDBConnection
@@ -112,6 +113,98 @@ def test_remote_drop_async_returns_server_job():
     assert requests == [("/v1/materialized_view/adults/drop", {})]
 
 
+@contextlib.contextmanager
+def mock_remote_materialized_view_refresh():
+    requests = []
+
+    class Handler(http.server.BaseHTTPRequestHandler):
+        def log_message(self, *args):
+            pass
+
+        def do_POST(self):
+            requests.append(self.path)
+            if self.path == "/v1/materialized_view/view/describe":
+                response = {"query": "SELECT * FROM source"}
+            else:
+                assert self.path == "/v1/table/view/describe/"
+                response = {"version": 42, "schema": {"fields": []}}
+            encoded = json.dumps(response).encode()
+            self.send_response(200)
+            self.send_header("Content-Type", "application/json")
+            self.send_header("Content-Length", str(len(encoded)))
+            self.end_headers()
+            self.wfile.write(encoded)
+
+    with http.server.HTTPServer(("localhost", 0), Handler) as server:
+        thread = threading.Thread(target=server.serve_forever)
+        thread.start()
+        try:
+            yield f"http://localhost:{server.server_address[1]}", requests
+        finally:
+            server.shutdown()
+            thread.join()
+
+
+@pytest.mark.asyncio
+@pytest.mark.parametrize("sync", [False, True])
+@pytest.mark.parametrize("background", [False, True])
+@pytest.mark.parametrize("full", [False, True])
+async def test_remote_refresh_reports_unknown_metrics(sync, background, full):
+    flight = pytest.importorskip("pyarrow.flight")
+
+    class RefreshServer(flight.FlightServerBase):
+        def __init__(self):
+            super().__init__("grpc://127.0.0.1:0")
+            self.commands = []
+
+        def do_get(self, context, ticket):
+            self.commands.append(ticket.ticket)
+            # SQL completion carries no refresh statistics.
+            return flight.RecordBatchStream(pa.table({"status": ["ok"]}))
+
+    with (
+        mock_remote_materialized_view_refresh() as (host, requests),
+        RefreshServer() as server,
+    ):
+        options = {"full": True} if full else {}
+        connect = lancedb.connect if sync else lancedb.connect_async
+        db = connect(
+            "db://dev",
+            api_key="fake",
+            host_override=host,
+            sql_host_override=f"grpc://127.0.0.1:{server.port}",
+            client_config={"retry_config": {"retries": 0}},
+        )
+        if sync:
+            view = db.open_materialized_view("view")
+            result = (
+                view.refresh_async(**options).wait()
+                if background
+                else view.refresh(**options)
+            )
+        else:
+            db = await db
+            view = await db.open_materialized_view("view")
+            if background:
+                job = await view.refresh_async(**options)
+                result = await job.wait()
+            else:
+                result = await view.refresh(**options)
+
+        assert result.mode is None
+        assert result.rows_written is None
+        assert result.source_version is None
+        assert result.version == 42
+        assert repr(result) == (
+            "RefreshMaterializedViewResult(mode=None, rows_written=None, "
+            "source_version=None, version=42)"
+        )
+        (command,) = server.commands
+        assert b'REFRESH MATERIALIZED VIEW "view"' in command
+        assert (b"WITH (full = true)" in command) is full
+        assert not any("count_rows" in path for path in requests)
+
+
 def test_sync_remote_create_uses_public_async_connection():
     calls = []
 
@@ -226,20 +319,37 @@ def test_definition_round_trips(tmp_path):
 
 
 @pytest.mark.experimental_functions
-def test_full_refresh_after_append(tmp_path):
+@pytest.mark.parametrize("full", [False, True])
+def test_full_refresh_after_append(tmp_path, full):
     db = make_db(tmp_path)
     view = db.create_materialized_view("copy", "people", with_no_data=True)
     view.refresh()
 
     db.open_table("people").add([{"name": "alan", "age": 41}])
-    result = view.refresh()
+    result = view.refresh(full=full)
     assert result.mode == "rebuild"
     assert result.rows_written == 4
+    assert result.source_version == db.open_table("people").version
     assert view.table.count_rows() == 4
 
     assert view.refresh().mode == "rebuild"
 
 
+@pytest.mark.experimental_functions
+def test_full_refresh_can_pin_local_source_version(tmp_path):
+    db = make_db(tmp_path)
+    source = db.open_table("people")
+    version = source.version
+    view = db.create_materialized_view("copy", "people", with_no_data=True)
+    source.add([{"name": "alan", "age": 41}])
+
+    result = view.refresh(full=True, source_version=version)
+    assert result.mode == "rebuild"
+    assert result.rows_written == 3
+    assert result.source_version == version
+    assert view.table.count_rows() == 3
+
+
 @pytest.mark.experimental_functions
 def test_full_refresh_after_update(tmp_path):
     db = make_db(tmp_path)
diff --git a/python/src/table.rs b/python/src/table.rs
index 62fc9e611..d77fd14b8 100644
--- a/python/src/table.rs
+++ b/python/src/table.rs
@@ -694,9 +694,9 @@ impl From<lancedb::function::FunctionErrors> for FunctionErrors {
 #[pyclass(get_all, from_py_object)]
 #[derive(Clone, Debug)]
 pub struct RefreshMaterializedViewResult {
-    pub mode: String,
-    pub rows_written: u64,
-    pub source_version: u64,
+    pub mode: Option<String>,
+    pub rows_written: Option<u64>,
+    pub source_version: Option<u64>,
     pub version: u64,
 }
 
@@ -716,18 +716,23 @@ impl RefreshMaterializedViewResult {
     pub fn __repr__(&self) -> String {
         format!(
             "RefreshMaterializedViewResult(mode={}, rows_written={}, source_version={}, version={})",
-            self.mode, self.rows_written, self.source_version, self.version
+            self.mode.as_deref().unwrap_or("None"),
+            self.rows_written
+                .map_or_else(|| "None".into(), |value| value.to_string()),
+            self.source_version
+                .map_or_else(|| "None".into(), |value| value.to_string()),
+            self.version
         )
     }
 }
 
 impl From<lancedb::RefreshMaterializedViewResult> for RefreshMaterializedViewResult {
     fn from(result: lancedb::RefreshMaterializedViewResult) -> Self {
-        let mode = match result.mode {
+        let mode = result.mode.map(|mode| match mode {
             lancedb::RefreshMode::Rebuild => "rebuild",
-        };
+        });
         Self {
-            mode: mode.to_string(),
+            mode: mode.map(str::to_string),
             rows_written: result.rows_written,
             source_version: result.source_version,
             version: result.version,
@@ -2054,17 +2059,18 @@ impl Table {
         })
     }
 
-    #[pyo3(signature = (source_version=None))]
+    #[pyo3(signature = (source_version=None, *, full=false))]
     pub fn refresh_materialized_view(
         self_: PyRef<'_, Self>,
         source_version: Option<u64>,
+        full: bool,
     ) -> PyResult<Bound<'_, PyAny>> {
         let inner = self_.inner_ref()?.clone();
         future_into_py(self_.py(), async move {
             let view = lancedb::MaterializedView::from_table(inner)
                 .await
                 .infer_error()?;
-            let mut builder = view.refresh();
+            let mut builder = view.refresh().full(full);
             if let Some(version) = source_version {
                 builder = builder.source_version(version);
             }
@@ -2073,17 +2079,18 @@ impl Table {
         })
     }
 
-    #[pyo3(signature = (source_version=None))]
+    #[pyo3(signature = (source_version=None, *, full=false))]
     pub fn refresh_materialized_view_async(
         self_: PyRef<'_, Self>,
         source_version: Option<u64>,
+        full: bool,
     ) -> PyResult<Bound<'_, PyAny>> {
         let inner = self_.inner_ref()?.clone();
         future_into_py(self_.py(), async move {
             let view = lancedb::MaterializedView::from_table(inner)
                 .await
                 .infer_error()?;
-            let mut builder = view.refresh();
+            let mut builder = view.refresh().full(full);
             if let Some(version) = source_version {
                 builder = builder.source_version(version);
             }
diff --git a/rust/lancedb/src/materialized_view.rs b/rust/lancedb/src/materialized_view.rs
index b7124d930..5a7169b7c 100644
--- a/rust/lancedb/src/materialized_view.rs
+++ b/rust/lancedb/src/materialized_view.rs
@@ -1844,14 +1844,17 @@ impl MaterializedView {
 
     /// Recompute the view from its source.
     ///
-    /// Every refresh rebuilds the view from the selected source version.
+    /// Local refreshes rebuild the view from the selected source version.
+    /// Remote refreshes let the server select a mode unless
+    /// [`RefreshMaterializedViewBuilder::full`] requests a rebuild. Their
+    /// result leaves unavailable refresh metrics as `None`.
     ///
     /// ```no_run
     /// # #![recursion_limit = "256"]
     /// # use lancedb::materialized_view::MaterializedView;
     /// # async fn refresh(view: &MaterializedView) -> Result<(), Box<dyn std::error::Error>> {
     /// let result = view.refresh().execute().await?;
-    /// println!("{:?}: {} rows", result.mode, result.rows_written);
+    /// println!("{:?}: {:?} rows", result.mode, result.rows_written);
     /// # Ok(())
     /// # }
     /// ```
@@ -1859,6 +1862,7 @@ impl MaterializedView {
         RefreshMaterializedViewBuilder {
             view: self.clone(),
             source_version: None,
+            full: false,
         }
     }
 }
@@ -1867,9 +1871,26 @@ impl MaterializedView {
 pub struct RefreshMaterializedViewBuilder {
     view: MaterializedView,
     source_version: Option<u64>,
+    full: bool,
 }
 
 impl RefreshMaterializedViewBuilder {
+    /// Force a complete rebuild instead of letting the remote server choose
+    /// the refresh mode. Defaults to `false`. Local views always rebuild.
+    ///
+    /// ```no_run
+    /// # #![recursion_limit = "256"]
+    /// # use lancedb::materialized_view::MaterializedView;
+    /// # async fn refresh(view: &MaterializedView) -> lancedb::Result<()> {
+    /// view.refresh().full(true).execute().await?;
+    /// # Ok(())
+    /// # }
+    /// ```
+    pub fn full(mut self, full: bool) -> Self {
+        self.full = full;
+        self
+    }
+
     /// Refresh a local view to this source table version instead of the latest.
     /// Remote SQL refreshes do not support source-version pinning.
     pub fn source_version(mut self, version: u64) -> Self {
@@ -1884,7 +1905,7 @@ impl RefreshMaterializedViewBuilder {
                 .view
                 .table
                 .base_table()
-                .refresh_materialized_view_async(self.source_version)
+                .refresh_materialized_view_async(self.source_version, self.full)
                 .await;
         }
         crate::require_experimental_functions()?;
@@ -2102,19 +2123,23 @@ mod tests {
             .execute()
             .await
             .unwrap();
-        let refreshed = view.refresh().execute().await.unwrap();
-        assert_eq!(refreshed.mode, RefreshMode::Rebuild);
-        assert_eq!(refreshed.rows_written, 3);
+        let refreshed = view.refresh().full(true).execute().await.unwrap();
+        assert_eq!(refreshed.mode, Some(RefreshMode::Rebuild));
+        assert_eq!(refreshed.rows_written, Some(3));
+        assert_eq!(
+            refreshed.source_version,
+            Some(source.version().await.unwrap())
+        );
         assert_eq!(view.table().count_rows(None).await.unwrap(), 3);
 
         let unchanged = view.refresh().execute().await.unwrap();
-        assert_eq!(unchanged.mode, RefreshMode::Rebuild);
-        assert_eq!(unchanged.rows_written, 3);
+        assert_eq!(unchanged.mode, Some(RefreshMode::Rebuild));
+        assert_eq!(unchanged.rows_written, Some(3));
 
         source.delete("true").await.unwrap();
         let emptied = view.refresh().execute().await.unwrap();
-        assert_eq!(emptied.mode, RefreshMode::Rebuild);
-        assert_eq!(emptied.rows_written, 0);
+        assert_eq!(emptied.mode, Some(RefreshMode::Rebuild));
+        assert_eq!(emptied.rows_written, Some(0));
         assert_eq!(view.table().count_rows(None).await.unwrap(), 0);
     }
 
@@ -2274,10 +2299,13 @@ mod tests {
 
         // Refresh, chained, is the writer.
         source.add(row()).execute().await.unwrap();
-        assert_eq!(view.refresh().execute().await.unwrap().rows_written, 3);
+        assert_eq!(
+            view.refresh().execute().await.unwrap().rows_written,
+            Some(3)
+        );
         assert_eq!(
             downstream.refresh().execute().await.unwrap().rows_written,
-            3
+            Some(3)
         );
         assert_eq!(
             downstream
@@ -2312,7 +2340,10 @@ mod tests {
             .await
             .unwrap();
         source.drop_columns(&["y"]).await.unwrap();
-        assert_eq!(view.refresh().execute().await.unwrap().rows_written, 3);
+        assert_eq!(
+            view.refresh().execute().await.unwrap().rows_written,
+            Some(3)
+        );
     }
 
     #[tokio::test]
@@ -2355,7 +2386,10 @@ mod tests {
             .execute()
             .await
             .unwrap();
-        assert_eq!(view.refresh().execute().await.unwrap().rows_written, 4);
+        assert_eq!(
+            view.refresh().execute().await.unwrap().rows_written,
+            Some(4)
+        );
         view.table().optimize(OptimizeAction::All).await.unwrap();
         assert_eq!(
             view.table().count_rows(Some("x > 2".into())).await.unwrap(),
diff --git a/rust/lancedb/src/materialized_view/refresh.rs b/rust/lancedb/src/materialized_view/refresh.rs
index 1186ac576..70a795eb3 100644
--- a/rust/lancedb/src/materialized_view/refresh.rs
+++ b/rust/lancedb/src/materialized_view/refresh.rs
@@ -45,13 +45,16 @@ pub enum RefreshMode {
 /// The result of refreshing a materialized view.
 #[derive(Debug, Clone, PartialEq, Eq, Serialize, Deserialize)]
 pub struct RefreshMaterializedViewResult {
-    /// How the view was brought up to date.
-    pub mode: RefreshMode,
-    /// Rows written to the replacement view.
-    pub rows_written: u64,
-    /// The source table version the view reflects.
-    pub source_version: u64,
-    /// The view table version after the refresh.
+    /// How the view was brought up to date, or `None` when unavailable.
+    /// Remote SQL refreshes currently do not expose this metric.
+    pub mode: Option<RefreshMode>,
+    /// Rows written by this refresh, or `None` when unavailable.
+    /// Remote SQL refreshes currently do not expose this metric.
+    pub rows_written: Option<u64>,
+    /// The source table version the view reflects, or `None` when unavailable.
+    /// Remote SQL refreshes currently do not expose this metric.
+    pub source_version: Option<u64>,
+    /// The view table version observed after the refresh.
     pub version: u64,
 }
 
@@ -182,9 +185,9 @@ pub(crate) async fn execute_refresh(
     let version = committed.version().version;
     native.dataset.update(committed);
     Ok(RefreshMaterializedViewResult {
-        mode: RefreshMode::Rebuild,
-        rows_written: rows_written.load(Ordering::Relaxed),
-        source_version,
+        mode: Some(RefreshMode::Rebuild),
+        rows_written: Some(rows_written.load(Ordering::Relaxed)),
+        source_version: Some(source_version),
         version,
     })
 }
diff --git a/rust/lancedb/src/remote/sql_test.rs b/rust/lancedb/src/remote/sql_test.rs
index 1368dd753..260471612 100644
--- a/rust/lancedb/src/remote/sql_test.rs
+++ b/rust/lancedb/src/remote/sql_test.rs
@@ -1021,7 +1021,7 @@ async fn rejected_job_cancellation_does_not_abort_sql_completion() {
 }
 
 #[tokio::test]
-async fn remote_refresh_twice_keeps_latest_selector() {
+async fn remote_refresh_omits_unknown_metrics_and_forwards_full() {
     let listener = tokio::net::TcpListener::bind("127.0.0.1:0").await.unwrap();
     let address = listener.local_addr().unwrap();
     let incoming = futures::stream::try_unfold(listener, |listener| async {
@@ -1029,6 +1029,8 @@ async fn remote_refresh_twice_keeps_latest_selector() {
         Ok::<_, std::io::Error>(Some((socket, listener)))
     });
     let service = TestSqlService::default();
+    let statements = service.statements.clone();
+    let headers = service.headers.clone();
     let (shutdown_tx, shutdown_rx) = tokio::sync::oneshot::channel();
     let server = tokio::spawn(
         tonic::transport::Server::builder()
@@ -1052,11 +1054,11 @@ async fn remote_refresh_twice_keeps_latest_selector() {
             .body()
             .and_then(reqwest::Body::as_bytes)
             .and_then(|bytes| serde_json::from_slice::<serde_json::Value>(bytes).ok())
-            .unwrap();
+            .unwrap_or_default();
         captured.lock().unwrap().push(body["version"].clone());
         let text = match request.url().path() {
+            "/v1/materialized_view/ns$view/describe" => r#"{"query": "SELECT * FROM source"}"#,
             "/v1/table/ns$view/describe/" => r#"{"version": 42, "schema": {"fields": []}}"#,
-            "/v1/table/ns$view/count_rows/" => "2",
             other => panic!("unexpected REST request: {other}"),
         };
         http::Response::builder()
@@ -1072,24 +1074,54 @@ async fn remote_refresh_twice_keeps_latest_selector() {
         Default::default(),
         Some(sql_client),
     );
+    let database = RemoteDatabase::new_mock(|request| -> http::Response<String> {
+        panic!("unexpected database request: {}", request.url());
+    });
+    let view =
+        crate::MaterializedView::from_table(crate::Table::new(Arc::new(table), Arc::new(database)))
+            .await
+            .unwrap();
 
-    let first = table
-        .refresh_materialized_view_async(None)
-        .await
-        .unwrap()
-        .wait()
-        .await
-        .unwrap();
-    let second = table
-        .refresh_materialized_view_async(None)
+    let first = view.refresh().execute().await.unwrap();
+    let second = view
+        .refresh()
+        .full(true)
+        .execute_async()
         .await
         .unwrap()
         .wait()
         .await
         .unwrap();
 
-    assert_eq!(first.version, 42);
-    assert_eq!(second.version, 42);
+    for result in [first, second] {
+        assert_eq!(result.mode, None);
+        assert_eq!(result.rows_written, None);
+        assert_eq!(result.source_version, None);
+        assert_eq!(result.version, 42);
+        // Query-backed jobs serialize their typed result before returning it.
+        let json = serde_json::to_value(result).unwrap();
+        assert!(json["mode"].is_null());
+        assert!(json["rows_written"].is_null());
+        assert!(json["source_version"].is_null());
+    }
+    assert!(matches!(
+        view.refresh().source_version(7).execute_async().await,
+        Err(Error::NotSupported { .. })
+    ));
+    assert_eq!(
+        *statements.lock().unwrap(),
+        [
+            "REFRESH MATERIALIZED VIEW \"view\"",
+            "REFRESH MATERIALIZED VIEW \"view\" WITH (full = true)",
+        ]
+    );
+    assert!(
+        headers
+            .lock()
+            .unwrap()
+            .iter()
+            .all(|h| h.namespace_path == "ns")
+    );
     assert!(
         selectors
             .lock()
@@ -1147,7 +1179,10 @@ async fn cancelling_remote_refresh_cancels_sql_query() {
         Default::default(),
         Some(sql_client),
     );
-    let job = table.refresh_materialized_view_async(None).await.unwrap();
+    let job = table
+        .refresh_materialized_view_async(None, false)
+        .await
+        .unwrap();
     tokio::time::timeout(Duration::from_secs(10), async {
         while do_get_count.load(Ordering::SeqCst) == 0 {
             tokio::task::yield_now().await;
diff --git a/rust/lancedb/src/remote/table.rs b/rust/lancedb/src/remote/table.rs
index 29cf774fc..061ae8bf2 100644
--- a/rust/lancedb/src/remote/table.rs
+++ b/rust/lancedb/src/remote/table.rs
@@ -2224,6 +2224,7 @@ impl<S: HttpSend> BaseTable for RemoteTable<S> {
     async fn refresh_materialized_view_async(
         &self,
         source_version: Option<u64>,
+        full: bool,
     ) -> Result<Job<RefreshMaterializedViewResult>> {
         self.check_mutable().await?;
         if source_version.is_some() {
@@ -2236,8 +2237,9 @@ impl<S: HttpSend> BaseTable for RemoteTable<S> {
             message: "SQL is unavailable for this remote table client".to_string(),
         })?;
         let statement = format!(
-            "REFRESH MATERIALIZED VIEW {}",
-            quote_sql_identifier(&self.name)
+            "REFRESH MATERIALIZED VIEW {}{}",
+            quote_sql_identifier(&self.name),
+            if full { " WITH (full = true)" } else { "" },
         );
         let namespace = self.namespace.clone();
         let client = self.client.clone();
@@ -2259,15 +2261,13 @@ impl<S: HttpSend> BaseTable for RemoteTable<S> {
                 );
                 table.checkout_latest().await?;
                 let version = table.version().await?;
-                let rows_written =
-                    u64::try_from(table.count_rows(None).await?).map_err(|_| Error::Runtime {
-                        message: "materialized-view row count exceeds u64".to_string(),
-                    })?;
                 freshness_request.observe_version(&freshness, version);
                 Ok(RefreshMaterializedViewResult {
-                    mode: crate::materialized_view::RefreshMode::Rebuild,
-                    rows_written,
-                    source_version: 0,
+                    // The SQL job adapter does not expose refresh metrics. Table
+                    // metadata cannot tell us what this refresh actually did.
+                    mode: None,
+                    rows_written: None,
+                    source_version: None,
                     version,
                 })
             })
diff --git a/rust/lancedb/src/table.rs b/rust/lancedb/src/table.rs
index 7097644e4..a7db1ae5e 100644
--- a/rust/lancedb/src/table.rs
+++ b/rust/lancedb/src/table.rs
@@ -585,6 +585,7 @@ pub trait BaseTable: std::fmt::Display + std::fmt::Debug + Send + Sync {
     async fn refresh_materialized_view_async(
         &self,
         _source_version: Option<u64>,
+        _full: bool,
     ) -> Result<Job<crate::materialized_view::RefreshMaterializedViewResult>> {
         Err(Error::NotSupported {
             message: "remote materialized-view refresh is not supported on this table type".into(),