diff --git a/pkg/console/spinner.go b/pkg/console/spinner.go
index 8b902efc877..1d8d6adaf2b 100644
--- a/pkg/console/spinner.go
+++ b/pkg/console/spinner.go
@@ -139,6 +139,16 @@ func (s *SpinnerWrapper) Start() {
 		spinnerLog.Print("Starting spinner")
 		go func() {
 			defer s.wg.Done()
+			defer func() {
+				s.mu.Lock()
+				s.running = false
+				s.mu.Unlock()
+			}()
+			defer func() {
+				if r := recover(); r != nil {
+					spinnerLog.Printf("Panic in spinner program (recovered): %v", r)
+				}
+			}()
 			_, _ = s.program.Run()
 		}()
 	}
diff --git a/pkg/console/spinner_test.go b/pkg/console/spinner_test.go
index 1766fd13a97..e3f0ab2ea98 100644
--- a/pkg/console/spinner_test.go
+++ b/pkg/console/spinner_test.go
@@ -3,9 +3,12 @@
 package console
 
 import (
+	"io"
 	"os"
 	"testing"
 	"time"
+
+	tea "charm.land/bubbletea/v2"
 )
 
 func TestNewSpinner(t *testing.T) {
@@ -200,6 +203,58 @@ func TestSpinnerStopWithoutStart(t *testing.T) {
 	spinner.StopWithMessage("Message")
 }
 
+type panicInitModel struct{}
+
+func (panicInitModel) Init() tea.Cmd {
+	panic("spinner test panic")
+}
+
+func (m panicInitModel) Update(msg tea.Msg) (tea.Model, tea.Cmd) {
+	return m, nil
+}
+
+func (panicInitModel) View() tea.View { return tea.View{} }
+
+func TestSpinnerStartRecoversFromProgramPanic(t *testing.T) {
+	newPanicProgram := func() *tea.Program {
+		return tea.NewProgram(
+			panicInitModel{},
+			tea.WithOutput(io.Discard),
+			tea.WithoutRenderer(),
+			tea.WithInput(nil),
+		)
+	}
+
+	spinner := &SpinnerWrapper{
+		enabled: true,
+		program: newPanicProgram(),
+	}
+
+	spinner.Start()
+	waitForSpinnerStopped(t, spinner)
+
+	spinner.program = newPanicProgram()
+	spinner.Start()
+	waitForSpinnerStopped(t, spinner)
+}
+
+func waitForSpinnerStopped(t *testing.T, spinner *SpinnerWrapper) {
+	t.Helper()
+
+	deadline := time.Now().Add(time.Second)
+	for time.Now().Before(deadline) {
+		spinner.mu.Lock()
+		if !spinner.running {
+			spinner.mu.Unlock()
+			return
+		}
+		spinner.mu.Unlock()
+		time.Sleep(10 * time.Millisecond)
+	}
+
+	t.Fatal("spinner did not reset running state after panic")
+}
+
 // TestSpinnerStopBeforeStartRaceCondition tests that calling Stop immediately
 // after Start (before the goroutine initializes) does not cause a deadlock.
 // This reproduces the issue from https://github.com/github/gh-aw/issues/XXX