diff --git a/pkg/app/errors.go b/pkg/app/errors.go
index 506fec276e2..ee50d30c2d6 100644
--- a/pkg/app/errors.go
+++ b/pkg/app/errors.go
@@ -27,6 +27,10 @@ func knownError(tr *i18n.TranslationSet, err error) (string, bool) {
 			originalError: "fatal: not a git repository",
 			newError:      tr.NotARepository,
 		},
+		{
+			originalError: "fatal: Unable to read current working directory",
+			newError:      tr.WorkingDirectoryDoesNotExist,
+		},
 		{
 			originalError: "getwd: no such file or directory",
 			newError:      tr.WorkingDirectoryDoesNotExist,
diff --git a/pkg/commands/git_commands/branch_loader.go b/pkg/commands/git_commands/branch_loader.go
index a4e41b75604..071df8f281f 100644
--- a/pkg/commands/git_commands/branch_loader.go
+++ b/pkg/commands/git_commands/branch_loader.go
@@ -72,7 +72,10 @@ func (self *BranchLoader) Load(reflogCommits []*models.Commit,
 	onWorker func(func() error),
 	renderFunc func(),
 ) ([]*models.Branch, error) {
-	branches := self.obtainBranches()
+	branches, err := self.obtainBranches()
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, err
+	}
 
 	if self.UserConfig().Git.LocalBranchSortOrder == "recency" {
 		reflogBranches := self.obtainReflogBranches(reflogCommits)
@@ -232,10 +235,10 @@ func (self *BranchLoader) GetBaseBranch(branch *models.Branch, mainBranches *Mai
 	return split[0], nil
 }
 
-func (self *BranchLoader) obtainBranches() []*models.Branch {
+func (self *BranchLoader) obtainBranches() ([]*models.Branch, error) {
 	output, err := self.getRawBranches()
 	if err != nil {
-		panic(err)
+		return nil, err
 	}
 
 	trimmedOutput := strings.TrimSpace(output)
@@ -256,7 +259,7 @@ func (self *BranchLoader) obtainBranches() []*models.Branch {
 
 		storeCommitDateAsRecency := self.UserConfig().Git.LocalBranchSortOrder != "recency"
 		return obtainBranch(split, storeCommitDateAsRecency), true
-	})
+	}), nil
 }
 
 func (self *BranchLoader) getRawBranches() (string, error) {
diff --git a/pkg/gui/controllers/helpers/refresh_helper.go b/pkg/gui/controllers/helpers/refresh_helper.go
index 332b3809125..b29bf160771 100644
--- a/pkg/gui/controllers/helpers/refresh_helper.go
+++ b/pkg/gui/controllers/helpers/refresh_helper.go
@@ -471,7 +471,10 @@ func (self *RefreshHelper) refreshBranches(refreshWorktrees bool, keepBranchSele
 			})
 		})
 	if err != nil {
-		self.c.Log.Error(err)
+		self.c.OnUIThread(func() error {
+			return types.ErrFatal{Err: err}
+		})
+		return
 	}
 
 	prevSelectedBranch := self.c.Contexts().Branches.GetSelected()
diff --git a/pkg/gui/popup/popup_handler.go b/pkg/gui/popup/popup_handler.go
index d8824016f48..27d9c863fc8 100644
--- a/pkg/gui/popup/popup_handler.go
+++ b/pkg/gui/popup/popup_handler.go
@@ -81,6 +81,11 @@ func (self *PopupHandler) WithWaitingStatusSync(message string, f func() error)
 }
 
 func (self *PopupHandler) ErrorHandler(err error) error {
+	var fatalError types.ErrFatal
+	if errors.As(err, &fatalError) {
+		return err
+	}
+
 	var notHandledError *types.ErrKeybindingNotHandled
 	if errors.As(err, &notHandledError) {
 		if !notHandledError.DisabledReason.ShowErrorInPanel {
diff --git a/pkg/gui/types/keybindings.go b/pkg/gui/types/keybindings.go
index 9289dbe9a5f..955b317d81d 100644
--- a/pkg/gui/types/keybindings.go
+++ b/pkg/gui/types/keybindings.go
@@ -92,3 +92,17 @@ func (e ErrKeybindingNotHandled) Error() string {
 func (e ErrKeybindingNotHandled) Unwrap() error {
 	return gocui.ErrKeybindingNotHandled
 }
+
+// ErrFatal is an error that should cause the program to exit immediately,
+// bypassing the popup error handler.
+type ErrFatal struct {
+	Err error
+}
+
+func (e ErrFatal) Error() string {
+	return e.Err.Error()
+}
+
+func (e ErrFatal) Unwrap() error {
+	return e.Err
+}