diff --git a/python/ql/lib/semmle/python/dataflow/new/internal/SsaImpl.qll b/python/ql/lib/semmle/python/dataflow/new/internal/SsaImpl.qll
index 11e7b9f4d3d..da8f34b8b52 100644
--- a/python/ql/lib/semmle/python/dataflow/new/internal/SsaImpl.qll
+++ b/python/ql/lib/semmle/python/dataflow/new/internal/SsaImpl.qll
@@ -177,3 +177,197 @@ final class WriteDefinition = Ssa::WriteDefinition;
 final class UncertainWriteDefinition = Ssa::UncertainWriteDefinition;
 
 final class PhiNode = Ssa::PhiNode;
+
+// ===========================================================================
+// ESSA-shaped adapter layer
+//
+// The dataflow library (`python/ql/lib/semmle/python/dataflow/new/`) and
+// related modules (`ApiGraphs.qll`, etc.) consume the legacy ESSA API
+// (`EssaVariable`, `EssaDefinition`, `AssignmentDefinition`,
+// `ScopeEntryDefinition`, `ParameterDefinition`, `WithDefinition`,
+// `PhiFunction`, plus the `AdjacentUses` module). To migrate them off
+// the legacy CFG, we expose the same API surface on top of the
+// shared SSA built above.
+//
+// This adapter is intentionally narrow: it covers only the predicates
+// that new dataflow consumes. The richer legacy ESSA — refinement
+// nodes, attribute refinements, edge refinements — stays available
+// via `semmle.python.essa.Essa` for points-to / legacy code.
+// ===========================================================================
+/**
+ * Gets the CFG node at which a write definition's binding takes place.
+ *
+ * This is the `Cfg::ControlFlowNode` whose index in `def`'s basic block
+ * is the same as `def`'s defining index. Phi definitions have no
+ * defining CFG node and are excluded.
+ */
+private Cfg::ControlFlowNode writeDefNode(Ssa::WriteDefinition def) {
+  exists(CfgImpl::BasicBlock bb, int i |
+    def.definesAt(_, bb, i) and
+    result = bb.getNode(i)
+  )
+}
+
+/**
+ * A write definition whose binding has a corresponding CFG node — i.e.
+ * everything that's not a phi node. Mirrors legacy ESSA's
+ * `EssaNodeDefinition`.
+ */
+class EssaNodeDefinition extends Ssa::WriteDefinition {
+  /** Gets the CFG node where this definition's binding takes place. */
+  Cfg::ControlFlowNode getDefiningNode() { result = writeDefNode(this) }
+
+  /** Gets the variable defined here (legacy name). */
+  SsaSourceVariable getVariable() { result = this.getSourceVariable() }
+
+  /** Gets the enclosing scope. */
+  Py::Scope getScope() {
+    exists(Cfg::ControlFlowNode n | n = this.getDefiningNode() | result = n.getScope())
+  }
+}
+
+/**
+ * An assignment definition `x = e`. The defining node is `x`'s CFG
+ * node; the value is `e`'s CFG node.
+ */
+class AssignmentDefinition extends EssaNodeDefinition {
+  AssignmentDefinition() {
+    exists(Cfg::NameNode n | n = this.getDefiningNode() |
+      exists(Py::Assign a | a.getATarget() = n.getNode())
+      or
+      exists(Py::AnnAssign a | a.getTarget() = n.getNode() and exists(a.getValue()))
+      or
+      exists(Py::AssignExpr a | a.getTarget() = n.getNode())
+      or
+      exists(Py::AugAssign a | a.getTarget() = n.getNode())
+    )
+  }
+
+  /** Gets the CFG node for the value being assigned, if statically known. */
+  Cfg::ControlFlowNode getValue() {
+    exists(Cfg::NameNode target | target = this.getDefiningNode() |
+      exists(Py::Assign a |
+        a.getATarget() = target.getNode() and
+        result.getNode() = a.getValue()
+      )
+      or
+      exists(Py::AnnAssign a |
+        a.getTarget() = target.getNode() and
+        result.getNode() = a.getValue()
+      )
+      or
+      exists(Py::AssignExpr a |
+        a.getTarget() = target.getNode() and
+        result.getNode() = a.getValue()
+      )
+    )
+  }
+}
+
+/**
+ * A parameter definition — the binding of a parameter name in a
+ * function's scope.
+ */
+class ParameterDefinition extends EssaNodeDefinition {
+  ParameterDefinition() { this.getDefiningNode().isParameter() }
+
+  /** Gets the AST `Parameter` (a `Py::Name` in param context). */
+  Py::Name getParameter() { result = this.getDefiningNode().getNode() }
+}
+
+/**
+ * A definition introduced by a `with ... as x:` clause.
+ */
+class WithDefinition extends EssaNodeDefinition {
+  WithDefinition() {
+    exists(Cfg::NameNode n, Py::With w |
+      n = this.getDefiningNode() and
+      w.getOptionalVars() = n.getNode()
+    )
+  }
+}
+
+/**
+ * An implicit entry definition for a non-local / captured / global /
+ * builtin variable read in a scope but not defined there.
+ */
+class ScopeEntryDefinition extends Ssa::Definition {
+  ScopeEntryDefinition() {
+    exists(CfgImpl::BasicBlock bb |
+      this.definesAt(_, bb, -1) and
+      bb instanceof CfgImpl::Cfg::EntryBasicBlock
+    )
+  }
+
+  /** Gets the variable being entered. */
+  SsaSourceVariable getVariable() { result = this.getSourceVariable() }
+
+  /** Gets the enclosing scope. */
+  Py::Scope getScope() {
+    exists(CfgImpl::BasicBlock bb |
+      this.definesAt(_, bb, -1) and
+      result = this.getSourceVariable().getVariable().getScope()
+    )
+  }
+}
+
+/** A phi node (alias matching legacy naming). */
+class PhiFunction = PhiNode;
+
+/** Base class for all ESSA definitions (legacy-shaped). */
+class EssaDefinition = Ssa::Definition;
+
+/**
+ * An adapter representing a single SSA-defined "variable" — wrapping
+ * one `Ssa::Definition`. Mirrors legacy `EssaVariable` API.
+ */
+class EssaVariable extends Ssa::Definition {
+  /** Gets the underlying SSA definition (legacy name). */
+  Ssa::Definition getDefinition() { result = this }
+
+  /** Gets a CFG node where this definition is used. */
+  Cfg::NameNode getAUse() {
+    exists(CfgImpl::BasicBlock bb, int i |
+      Ssa::ssaDefReachesRead(this.getSourceVariable(), this, bb, i) and
+      bb.getNode(i) = result
+    )
+  }
+
+  /** Gets the (textual) name of the underlying variable. */
+  string getName() { result = this.getSourceVariable().getVariable().getId() }
+
+  /** Gets an ultimate non-phi ancestor of this definition. */
+  EssaVariable getAnUltimateDefinition() {
+    if this instanceof PhiNode
+    then
+      exists(Ssa::Definition input |
+        Ssa::phiHasInputFromBlock(this, input, _) and
+        result = input.(EssaVariable).getAnUltimateDefinition()
+      )
+    else result = this
+  }
+}
+
+/**
+ * Adjacent use-use and def-use relations exposed by the shared SSA
+ * library. Provides the same interface as legacy
+ * `semmle.python.essa.SsaCompute::AdjacentUses`.
+ */
+module AdjacentUses {
+  /** Holds if `nodeFrom` and `nodeTo` are adjacent uses of the same SSA variable. */
+  predicate adjacentUseUse(Cfg::NameNode nodeFrom, Cfg::NameNode nodeTo) {
+    exists(SsaSourceVariable v, CfgImpl::BasicBlock bb1, int i1, CfgImpl::BasicBlock bb2, int i2 |
+      Ssa::adjacentUseUse(bb1, i1, bb2, i2, v, _) and
+      nodeFrom = bb1.getNode(i1) and
+      nodeTo = bb2.getNode(i2)
+    )
+  }
+
+  /** Holds if `use` is a first use of definition `def`. */
+  predicate firstUse(Ssa::Definition def, Cfg::NameNode use) {
+    exists(CfgImpl::BasicBlock bb, int i |
+      Ssa::firstUse(def, bb, i, _) and
+      use = bb.getNode(i)
+    )
+  }
+}
diff --git a/python/ql/test/library-tests/dataflow-new-ssa-vs-legacy/CmpTest.expected b/python/ql/test/library-tests/dataflow-new-ssa-vs-legacy/CmpTest.expected
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..ec2b8438c61
--- /dev/null
+++ b/python/ql/test/library-tests/dataflow-new-ssa-vs-legacy/CmpTest.expected
@@ -0,0 +1,20 @@
+| def-only-old | $:0:0 |
+| def-only-old | GLOBAL:49:1 |
+| def-only-old | GLOBAL:52:1 |
+| def-only-old | __name__:0:0 |
+| def-only-old | __package__:0:0 |
+| def-only-old | closure:31:5 |
+| def-only-old | e:37:1 |
+| def-only-old | e:40:25 |
+| def-only-old | exception_binding:37:5 |
+| def-only-old | if_else_branch:12:5 |
+| def-only-old | kwargs:27:32 |
+| def-only-old | loop:20:5 |
+| def-only-old | parameter:27:5 |
+| def-only-old | read_global:52:5 |
+| def-only-old | reassignment:6:5 |
+| def-only-old | simple_assign:1:5 |
+| def-only-old | with_binding:44:5 |
+| def-only-old | x:20:1 |
+| def-only-old | x:31:13 |
+| def-only-old | x:32:5 |
diff --git a/python/ql/test/library-tests/dataflow-new-ssa-vs-legacy/CmpTest.ql b/python/ql/test/library-tests/dataflow-new-ssa-vs-legacy/CmpTest.ql
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..590f5ebed47
--- /dev/null
+++ b/python/ql/test/library-tests/dataflow-new-ssa-vs-legacy/CmpTest.ql
@@ -0,0 +1,59 @@
+/**
+ * Compares the new-CFG SSA against the legacy ESSA on the same Python
+ * sources. Reports definitions present in one implementation but not
+ * the other, identified by variable name + source position.
+ *
+ * The `.expected` file records the current diff as a snapshot: as the
+ * new SSA matures (closing captured-variable gap, exception bindings,
+ * etc.) and tracks more variables, the snapshot should monotonically
+ * shrink.
+ *
+ * Known categories of `def-only-old` mismatches:
+ *   - Function / class / global definitions with no in-scope read
+ *     (intentional: SSA is liveness-pruned, write-only variables are
+ *     not tracked).
+ *   - Captured / closure variables (gap: new SSA does not yet model
+ *     closure captures).
+ *   - Module variables `__name__`, `__package__`, `$` (legacy ESSA
+ *     adds implicit bindings the new SSA does not).
+ *   - Exception-handler `as` bindings (depend on raise modelling).
+ *
+ * `def-only-new` mismatches would indicate the new SSA produces spurious
+ * definitions; currently none are expected.
+ */
+
+import python
+import semmle.python.dataflow.new.internal.SsaImpl as NewSsa
+import semmle.python.controlflow.internal.Cfg as Cfg
+import semmle.python.essa.Essa
+
+string newDefSig(NewSsa::EssaNodeDefinition def) {
+  exists(Cfg::ControlFlowNode n | n = def.getDefiningNode() |
+    result =
+      def.getVariable().getVariable().getId() + ":" + n.getLocation().getStartLine() + ":" +
+        n.getLocation().getStartColumn()
+  )
+}
+
+string legacyDefSig(EssaNodeDefinition def) {
+  exists(ControlFlowNode n | n = def.getDefiningNode() |
+    result =
+      def.getSourceVariable().getName() + ":" + n.getLocation().getStartLine() + ":" +
+        n.getLocation().getStartColumn()
+  )
+}
+
+from string kind, string sig
+where
+  kind = "def-only-new" and
+  exists(NewSsa::EssaNodeDefinition def |
+    sig = newDefSig(def) and
+    not exists(EssaNodeDefinition legacyDef | sig = legacyDefSig(legacyDef))
+  )
+  or
+  kind = "def-only-old" and
+  exists(EssaNodeDefinition legacyDef |
+    sig = legacyDefSig(legacyDef) and
+    not exists(NewSsa::EssaNodeDefinition def | sig = newDefSig(def))
+  )
+select kind, sig
diff --git a/python/ql/test/library-tests/dataflow-new-ssa-vs-legacy/test.py b/python/ql/test/library-tests/dataflow-new-ssa-vs-legacy/test.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..8b061109bf2
--- /dev/null
+++ b/python/ql/test/library-tests/dataflow-new-ssa-vs-legacy/test.py
@@ -0,0 +1,53 @@
+def simple_assign():
+    x = 1
+    return x
+
+
+def reassignment():
+    x = 1
+    x = 2
+    return x
+
+
+def if_else_branch(cond):
+    if cond:
+        x = 1
+    else:
+        x = 2
+    return x
+
+
+def loop(xs):
+    total = 0
+    for x in xs:
+        total = total + x
+    return total
+
+
+def parameter(a, b=2, *args, **kwargs):
+    return a + b + sum(args)
+
+
+def closure(x):
+    def inner():
+        return x
+    return inner
+
+
+def exception_binding():
+    try:
+        compute()
+    except Exception as e:
+        return e
+
+
+def with_binding():
+    with open("file") as f:
+        return f.read()
+
+
+GLOBAL = 1
+
+
+def read_global():
+    return GLOBAL