diff --git a/src/Lean/Util/Trace.lean b/src/Lean/Util/Trace.lean
index 0e56e8a908..17530a4d92 100644
--- a/src/Lean/Util/Trace.lean
+++ b/src/Lean/Util/Trace.lean
@@ -193,7 +193,7 @@ def withTraceNode [MonadExcept ε m] [MonadLiftT BaseIO m] (cls : Name) (msg : E
     modifyTraces (oldTraces ++ ·)
     return (← MonadExcept.ofExcept res)
   let ref ← getRef
-  let mut m ← msg res
+  let mut m ← try msg res catch _ => pure m!"<exception thrown while producing trace node message>"
   if profiler.get opts || aboveThresh then
     m := m!"[{secs}s] {m}"
   addTraceNode oldTraces cls ref m collapsed