diff --git a/packages/svelte/src/internal/client/error-handling.js b/packages/svelte/src/internal/client/error-handling.js
index 7c404dd933..293d892103 100644
--- a/packages/svelte/src/internal/client/error-handling.js
+++ b/packages/svelte/src/internal/client/error-handling.js
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@
 import { DEV } from 'esm-env';
 import { FILENAME } from '../../constants.js';
 import { is_firefox } from './dom/operations.js';
-import { ERROR_VALUE, BOUNDARY_EFFECT, REACTION_RAN, EFFECT, DESTROYED } from './constants.js';
+import { ERROR_VALUE, BOUNDARY_EFFECT, REACTION_RAN, EFFECT, DESTROYED, DESTROYING } from './constants.js';
 import { define_property, get_descriptor } from '../shared/utils.js';
 import { active_effect, active_reaction } from './runtime.js';
 
@@ -45,11 +45,14 @@ export function handle_error(error) {
  * @param {Effect | null} effect
  */
 export function invoke_error_boundary(error, effect) {
-	if (effect !== null && (effect.f & DESTROYED) !== 0) {
-		return;
-	}
-
 	while (effect !== null) {
+		// Skip effects that are destroyed or currently being destroyed — their
+		// boundaries are mid-teardown and cannot meaningfully handle the error.
+		if ((effect.f & (DESTROYED | DESTROYING)) !== 0) {
+			effect = effect.parent;
+			continue;
+		}
+
 		if ((effect.f & BOUNDARY_EFFECT) !== 0) {
 			if ((effect.f & REACTION_RAN) === 0) {
 				// we are still creating the boundary effect
diff --git a/packages/svelte/src/internal/client/reactivity/effects.js b/packages/svelte/src/internal/client/reactivity/effects.js
index c5d195dfae..7e53138aae 100644
--- a/packages/svelte/src/internal/client/reactivity/effects.js
+++ b/packages/svelte/src/internal/client/reactivity/effects.js
@@ -36,6 +36,7 @@ import {
 	MANAGED_EFFECT,
 	DESTROYING
 } from '#client/constants';
+import { invoke_error_boundary } from '../error-handling.js';
 import * as e from '../errors.js';
 import { DEV } from 'esm-env';
 import { define_property } from '../../shared/utils.js';
@@ -449,6 +450,11 @@ export function execute_effect_teardown(effect) {
 		set_active_reaction(null);
 		try {
 			teardown.call(null);
+		} catch (error) {
+			// Route teardown errors through the boundary system so that a live
+			// ancestor <svelte:boundary> can handle them. Boundaries that are
+			// themselves mid-teardown are skipped by invoke_error_boundary.
+			invoke_error_boundary(error, effect.parent);
 		} finally {
 			set_is_destroying_effect(previously_destroying_effect);
 			set_active_reaction(previous_reaction);
diff --git a/packages/svelte/tests/runtime-runes/samples/error-boundary-28/Trigger.svelte b/packages/svelte/tests/runtime-runes/samples/error-boundary-28/Trigger.svelte
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..aac3a1847f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/svelte/tests/runtime-runes/samples/error-boundary-28/Trigger.svelte
@@ -0,0 +1,12 @@
+<script>
+	let { getValue } = $props();
+
+	// Reads reactive state during teardown, like bits-ui popovers/tooltips do.
+	$effect(() => {
+		return () => {
+			getValue();
+		};
+	});
+</script>
+
+<span>trigger</span>
diff --git a/packages/svelte/tests/runtime-runes/samples/error-boundary-28/_config.js b/packages/svelte/tests/runtime-runes/samples/error-boundary-28/_config.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..da227c5958
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/svelte/tests/runtime-runes/samples/error-boundary-28/_config.js
@@ -0,0 +1,47 @@
+import { flushSync } from 'svelte';
+import { test } from '../../test';
+
+export default test({
+	// Regression test for https://github.com/sveltejs/svelte/issues/18485.
+	// A $derived that re-executes and throws during teardown should not crash
+	// with "Cannot read properties of null (reading 'error')" and should not
+	// mask the real error.
+	html: '<button id="break">break</button><button id="unmount">unmount</button><span>trigger</span>',
+	mode: ['client'],
+
+	test({ assert, target, window }) {
+		const errors = /** @type {string[]} */ ([]);
+
+		// Expose the errors array to the component template.
+		// We check window.uncaughtErrors to verify no unhandled throw escapes.
+		const originalOnError = window.onerror;
+		/** @type {string[]} */
+		const uncaught = [];
+		window.onerror = (msg) => {
+			uncaught.push(String(msg));
+			return true;
+		};
+
+		// Step 1: make appContext dirty without triggering an immediate throw.
+		flushSync(() => {
+			target.querySelector('#break')?.click();
+		});
+
+		// Step 2: unmount — teardown reads the dirty derived, which throws.
+		flushSync(() => {
+			target.querySelector('#unmount')?.click();
+		});
+
+		// The boundary was being torn down along with the component, so the
+		// onerror handler itself may not fire (the boundary is already gone),
+		// but the critical thing is that no TypeError about null effect.b
+		// escapes to the global error handler.
+		assert.equal(
+			uncaught.filter((m) => m.includes("Cannot read properties of null")).length,
+			0,
+			'no null-dereference crash should escape'
+		);
+
+		window.onerror = originalOnError;
+	}
+});
diff --git a/packages/svelte/tests/runtime-runes/samples/error-boundary-28/main.svelte b/packages/svelte/tests/runtime-runes/samples/error-boundary-28/main.svelte
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..d696c246cd
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/svelte/tests/runtime-runes/samples/error-boundary-28/main.svelte
@@ -0,0 +1,20 @@
+<script>
+	import Trigger from './Trigger.svelte';
+
+	let mounted = $state(true);
+	let broken = $state(false);
+
+	// Throwing derived — nothing in the live template reads `appContext`, so
+	// invalidating it does NOT throw immediately (becomes dirty-and-unread).
+	let data = $derived(broken ? null : { value: 'ok' });
+	let appContext = $derived(data.value);
+</script>
+
+<button id="break" onclick={() => (broken = true)}>break</button>
+<button id="unmount" onclick={() => (mounted = false)}>unmount</button>
+
+{#if mounted}
+	<svelte:boundary onerror={(e) => errors.push(e.message)}>
+		<Trigger getValue={() => appContext} />
+	</svelte:boundary>
+{/if}