diff --git a/internal/leafnodes/runner.go b/internal/leafnodes/runner.go
index 04ec6dbf8..003f85160 100644
--- a/internal/leafnodes/runner.go
+++ b/internal/leafnodes/runner.go
@@ -68,8 +68,10 @@ func (r *runner) runAsync() (outcome types.SpecState, failure types.SpecFailure)
 	done := make(chan interface{}, 1)
 
 	go func() {
+                finished := false
+
 		defer func() {
-			if e := recover(); e != nil {
+			if e := recover(); e != nil || !finished {
 				r.failer.Panic(codelocation.New(2), e)
 				select {
 				case <-done:
@@ -81,6 +83,7 @@ func (r *runner) runAsync() (outcome types.SpecState, failure types.SpecFailure)
 		}()
 
 		r.asyncFunc(done)
+                finished = true
 	}()
 
 	select {
@@ -93,8 +96,10 @@ func (r *runner) runAsync() (outcome types.SpecState, failure types.SpecFailure)
 	return
 }
 func (r *runner) runSync() (outcome types.SpecState, failure types.SpecFailure) {
+        finished := false
+
 	defer func() {
-		if e := recover(); e != nil {
+		if e := recover(); e != nil || !finished {
 			r.failer.Panic(codelocation.New(2), e)
 		}
 
@@ -102,6 +107,7 @@ func (r *runner) runSync() (outcome types.SpecState, failure types.SpecFailure)
 	}()
 
 	r.syncFunc()
+        finished = true
 
 	return
 }
diff --git a/internal/leafnodes/shared_runner_test.go b/internal/leafnodes/shared_runner_test.go
index 9007d1ba7..f27fc55e1 100644
--- a/internal/leafnodes/shared_runner_test.go
+++ b/internal/leafnodes/shared_runner_test.go
@@ -96,6 +96,24 @@ func SynchronousSharedRunnerBehaviors(build func(body interface{}, timeout time.
 				Ω(failure.ForwardedPanic).Should(Equal("ack!"))
 			})
 		})
+
+		Context("when a panic occurs with a nil value", func() {
+			BeforeEach(func() {
+				outcome, failure = build(func() {
+					didRun = true
+					innerCodeLocation = codelocation.New(0)
+					panic(nil)
+				}, 0, failer, componentCodeLocation).Run()
+			})
+
+			It("should return the nil-valued panic", func() {
+				Ω(didRun).Should(BeTrue())
+
+				Ω(outcome).Should(Equal(types.SpecStatePanicked))
+				Ω(failure.ForwardedPanic).Should(Equal("<nil>"))
+			})
+		})
+
 	})
 }
 
@@ -230,6 +248,23 @@ func AsynchronousSharedRunnerBehaviors(build func(body interface{}, timeout time
 				Ω(failure.ForwardedPanic).Should(Equal("ack!"))
 			})
 		})
+
+		Context("when the function panics with a nil value", func() {
+			BeforeEach(func() {
+				outcome, failure = build(func(done Done) {
+					didRun = true
+					innerCodeLocation = codelocation.New(0)
+					panic(nil)
+				}, 100*time.Millisecond, failer, componentCodeLocation).Run()
+			})
+
+			It("should return the nil-valued panic", func() {
+				Ω(didRun).Should(BeTrue())
+
+				Ω(outcome).Should(Equal(types.SpecStatePanicked))
+				Ω(failure.ForwardedPanic).Should(Equal("<nil>"))
+			})
+		})
 	})
 }