diff --git a/cmd/osbuild-worker/export_test.go b/cmd/osbuild-worker/export_test.go
index df64dcdfe..923eef7af 100644
--- a/cmd/osbuild-worker/export_test.go
+++ b/cmd/osbuild-worker/export_test.go
@@ -3,4 +3,13 @@ package main
 var (
 	WorkerClientErrorFrom         = workerClientErrorFrom
 	MakeJobErrorFromOsbuildOutput = makeJobErrorFromOsbuildOutput
+	Main                          = main
 )
+
+func MockRun(new func()) (restore func()) {
+	saved := run
+	run = new
+	return func() {
+		run = saved
+	}
+}
diff --git a/cmd/osbuild-worker/main.go b/cmd/osbuild-worker/main.go
index dc4eb6958..bd95e7115 100644
--- a/cmd/osbuild-worker/main.go
+++ b/cmd/osbuild-worker/main.go
@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@ import (
 	"net/url"
 	"os"
 	"path"
+	"runtime/debug"
 	"strings"
 	"time"
 
@@ -166,7 +167,7 @@ func RequestAndRunJob(client *worker.Client, acceptedJobTypes []string, jobImpls
 	return nil
 }
 
-func main() {
+var run = func() {
 	var unix bool
 	flag.BoolVar(&unix, "unix", false, "Interpret 'address' as a path to a unix domain socket instead of a network address")
 
@@ -534,3 +535,13 @@ func main() {
 		}
 	}
 }
+
+func main() {
+	defer func() {
+		if r := recover(); r != nil {
+			logrus.Fatalf("worker crashed: %s\n%s", r, debug.Stack())
+		}
+	}()
+
+	run()
+}
diff --git a/cmd/osbuild-worker/main_test.go b/cmd/osbuild-worker/main_test.go
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..a695f0d92
--- /dev/null
+++ b/cmd/osbuild-worker/main_test.go
@@ -0,0 +1,41 @@
+package main_test
+
+import (
+	"io"
+	"testing"
+
+	"github.com/sirupsen/logrus"
+	logrusTest "github.com/sirupsen/logrus/hooks/test"
+	"github.com/stretchr/testify/assert"
+
+	main "github.com/osbuild/osbuild-composer/cmd/osbuild-worker"
+)
+
+func TestCatchesPanic(t *testing.T) {
+	restore := main.MockRun(func() {
+		// simulate a crash in the main code
+		var foo *int
+		println(*foo)
+	})
+	defer restore()
+
+	// logrus setup is a bit cumbersome as we need to modify both
+	// the standard logger and add a mock logger.
+	var exitCalls []int
+	logrus.StandardLogger().ExitFunc = func(exitCode int) {
+		exitCalls = append(exitCalls, exitCode)
+	}
+	logrus.SetOutput(io.Discard)
+	_, hook := logrusTest.NewNullLogger()
+	logrus.AddHook(hook)
+
+	main.Main()
+	// ensure both message and stracktrace are reported in full
+	assert.Equal(t, logrus.FatalLevel, hook.LastEntry().Level)
+	msg := hook.LastEntry().Message
+	assert.Contains(t, msg, "worker crashed: runtime error: invalid memory address or nil pointer dereference")
+	assert.Contains(t, msg, "runtime/debug.Stack()")
+	assert.Contains(t, msg, "osbuild-worker_test.TestCatchesPanic.func1()")
+
+	assert.Equal(t, []int{1}, exitCalls)
+}