diff --git a/crates/nu_plugin_polars/src/dataframe/values/nu_lazyframe/mod.rs b/crates/nu_plugin_polars/src/dataframe/values/nu_lazyframe/mod.rs
index e89f14c31680..dad72cab74f3 100644
--- a/crates/nu_plugin_polars/src/dataframe/values/nu_lazyframe/mod.rs
+++ b/crates/nu_plugin_polars/src/dataframe/values/nu_lazyframe/mod.rs
@@ -55,16 +55,21 @@ impl NuLazyFrame {
     }
 
     pub fn collect(self, span: Span) -> Result<NuDataFrame, ShellError> {
-        self.to_polars()
-            .collect()
-            .map_err(|e| ShellError::GenericError {
-                error: "Error collecting lazy frame".into(),
-                msg: e.to_string(),
-                span: Some(span),
-                help: None,
-                inner: vec![],
-            })
-            .map(|df| NuDataFrame::new(true, df))
+        crate::handle_panic(
+            || {
+                self.to_polars()
+                    .collect()
+                    .map_err(|e| ShellError::GenericError {
+                        error: "Error collecting lazy frame".into(),
+                        msg: e.to_string(),
+                        span: Some(span),
+                        help: None,
+                        inner: vec![],
+                    })
+                    .map(|df| NuDataFrame::new(true, df))
+            },
+            span,
+        )
     }
 
     pub fn apply_with_expr<F>(self, expr: NuExpression, f: F) -> Self
diff --git a/crates/nu_plugin_polars/src/lib.rs b/crates/nu_plugin_polars/src/lib.rs
index f70ab2b6efd5..342e5cd28c9f 100644
--- a/crates/nu_plugin_polars/src/lib.rs
+++ b/crates/nu_plugin_polars/src/lib.rs
@@ -1,4 +1,7 @@
-use std::cmp::Ordering;
+use std::{
+    cmp::Ordering,
+    panic::{catch_unwind, AssertUnwindSafe},
+};
 
 use cache::cache_commands;
 pub use cache::{Cache, Cacheable};
@@ -209,6 +212,22 @@ impl Plugin for PolarsPlugin {
     }
 }
 
+pub(crate) fn handle_panic<F, R>(f: F, span: Span) -> Result<R, ShellError>
+where
+    F: FnOnce() -> Result<R, ShellError>,
+{
+    match catch_unwind(AssertUnwindSafe(f)) {
+        Ok(inner_result) => inner_result,
+        Err(_) => Err(ShellError::GenericError {
+            error: "Panic occurred".into(),
+            msg: "".into(),
+            span: Some(span),
+            help: None,
+            inner: vec![],
+        }),
+    }
+}
+
 #[cfg(test)]
 pub mod test {
     use super::*;