diff --git a/tests/trace/conftest.py b/tests/trace/conftest.py
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..864981b59765
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/trace/conftest.py
@@ -0,0 +1,18 @@
+"""Shared fixtures for trace tests."""
+
+from __future__ import annotations
+
+import pytest
+
+from tests.trace.test_utils import FailingSaveType, failing_load, failing_save
+from weave.trace.serialization import serializer
+
+
+@pytest.fixture
+def failing_serializer():
+    """Register a serializer that always fails, and clean up after the test."""
+    serializer.register_serializer(FailingSaveType, failing_save, failing_load)
+    yield FailingSaveType
+    serializer.SERIALIZERS[:] = [
+        s for s in serializer.SERIALIZERS if s.target_class is not FailingSaveType
+    ]
diff --git a/tests/trace/test_custom_objs.py b/tests/trace/test_custom_objs.py
index 8bdec4402d99..13f418231935 100644
--- a/tests/trace/test_custom_objs.py
+++ b/tests/trace/test_custom_objs.py
@@ -1,9 +1,12 @@
+from __future__ import annotations
+
 from datetime import datetime, timezone
 
 import rich.markdown
 from PIL import Image
 
 import weave
+from tests.trace.test_utils import FailingSaveType
 from weave.trace.serialization.custom_objs import (
     KNOWN_TYPES,
     decode_custom_obj,
@@ -90,3 +93,37 @@ def make_datetime():
     # due to deserializing a custom object
     calls = client.get_calls()
     assert len(calls) == 1
+
+
+def test_encode_custom_obj_save_exception_returns_none(client, failing_serializer):
+    """Requirement: Type handler save exceptions should not crash user code
+    Interface: encode_custom_obj function
+    Given: A serializer is registered whose save function raises an exception
+    When: encode_custom_obj is called with an object of that type
+    Then: Returns None (graceful degradation)
+    """
+    obj = FailingSaveType("test_value")
+
+    # This should NOT raise - if it does, the test fails
+    result = encode_custom_obj(obj)
+
+    # Should return None instead of raising
+    assert result is None
+
+
+def test_encode_custom_obj_save_exception_does_not_propagate(
+    client, failing_serializer
+):
+    """Requirement: Type handler save exceptions must not propagate to user code
+    Interface: encode_custom_obj function
+    Given: A serializer is registered whose save function raises RuntimeError
+    When: encode_custom_obj is called
+    Then: No exception is raised to the caller
+    """
+    obj = FailingSaveType("test_value")
+
+    # This should NOT raise - if it does, the test fails
+    result = encode_custom_obj(obj)
+
+    # We expect None as the graceful degradation
+    assert result is None
diff --git a/tests/trace/test_utils.py b/tests/trace/test_utils.py
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..e06e504d441c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/trace/test_utils.py
@@ -0,0 +1,23 @@
+"""Shared test utilities for trace tests."""
+
+from __future__ import annotations
+
+
+class FailingSaveType:
+    """A type whose serializer save function always raises an exception."""
+
+    def __init__(self, value: str):
+        self.value = value
+
+    def __repr__(self) -> str:
+        return f"FailingSaveType({self.value!r})"
+
+
+def failing_save(obj, artifact, name):
+    """A save function that always raises an exception."""
+    raise RuntimeError("Intentional failure in save function")
+
+
+def failing_load(artifact, name, val):
+    """A load function (not used in these tests)."""
+    return FailingSaveType(val)
diff --git a/tests/trace/type_handlers/test_type_handler_safety.py b/tests/trace/type_handlers/test_type_handler_safety.py
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..89395fc31e5f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/trace/type_handlers/test_type_handler_safety.py
@@ -0,0 +1,124 @@
+"""Tests to verify that type handlers never crash user code.
+
+Requirement: The weave op decorator is complex but should never crash user code.
+Type handlers that fail during serialization should gracefully degrade without
+affecting the user's program execution.
+"""
+
+from __future__ import annotations
+
+import weave
+from tests.trace.test_utils import FailingSaveType
+
+
+def test_op_output_with_failing_serializer_does_not_raise(client, failing_serializer):
+    """Requirement: Op functions must return their values even when serialization fails
+    Interface: @weave.op decorated function returning an object with failing type handler
+    Given: An @weave.op function returns an object whose type handler save raises an exception
+    When: The function is called
+    Then: The function returns the correct value to the user (not None, not an exception)
+    """
+
+    @weave.op
+    def return_failing_type(value: str) -> FailingSaveType:
+        return FailingSaveType(value)
+
+    # This should NOT raise - the user should get their return value
+    result = return_failing_type("hello")
+
+    # The user must receive the actual object they created
+    assert isinstance(result, FailingSaveType)
+    assert result.value == "hello"
+
+
+def test_op_input_with_failing_serializer_does_not_raise(client, failing_serializer):
+    """Requirement: Op functions must execute normally even when input serialization fails
+    Interface: @weave.op decorated function accepting an object with failing type handler
+    Given: An @weave.op function accepts an object whose type handler save raises an exception
+    When: The function is called
+    Then: The function executes normally and returns the expected result
+    """
+
+    @weave.op
+    def process_failing_type(obj: FailingSaveType) -> str:
+        return f"processed: {obj.value}"
+
+    failing_obj = FailingSaveType("test_input")
+
+    # This should NOT raise - the function should execute normally
+    result = process_failing_type(failing_obj)
+
+    # The function must return its computed result
+    assert result == "processed: test_input"
+
+
+def test_op_with_multiple_args_one_failing_serializer_does_not_raise(
+    client, failing_serializer
+):
+    """Requirement: A failing serializer for one argument should not affect other arguments
+    Interface: @weave.op decorated function with multiple arguments
+    Given: An @weave.op function has multiple args, one with a failing type handler
+    When: The function is called
+    Then: The function executes normally and non-failing arguments are serialized properly
+    """
+
+    @weave.op
+    def mixed_args(normal_arg: str, failing_arg: FailingSaveType) -> str:
+        return f"{normal_arg}: {failing_arg.value}"
+
+    failing_obj = FailingSaveType("failing_value")
+
+    # This should NOT raise
+    result = mixed_args("normal", failing_obj)
+
+    # Function should execute normally
+    assert result == "normal: failing_value"
+
+    # Verify call was recorded
+    client.flush()
+    calls = mixed_args.calls()
+    assert len(calls) == 1
+
+    call = calls[0]
+    # The normal_arg should be serialized properly
+    assert call.inputs["normal_arg"] == "normal"
+
+
+def test_op_with_failing_serializer_call_is_recorded(client, failing_serializer):
+    """Requirement: Calls should still be recorded even when serialization fails (with stringified fallback)
+    Interface: @weave.op decorated function and call record retrieval
+    Given: An @weave.op function returns an object whose type handler save fails
+    When: The function is called and we fetch the call record
+    Then: The call is recorded with a stringified representation of the failed object
+    """
+
+    @weave.op
+    def return_failing_for_record(value: str) -> FailingSaveType:
+        return FailingSaveType(value)
+
+    # Call the function
+    result = return_failing_for_record("record_test")
+
+    # Ensure the result was returned correctly
+    assert isinstance(result, FailingSaveType)
+    assert result.value == "record_test"
+
+    # Flush to ensure the call is recorded
+    client.flush()
+
+    # Get the call record
+    calls = return_failing_for_record.calls()
+    assert len(calls) == 1
+
+    call = calls[0]
+
+    # The output should be recorded - either as the actual object (if serialization
+    # worked on the second try or there's a fallback) or as a stringified version
+    # The key assertion is that the call record exists and has an output
+    assert call.output is not None
+
+    # If it fell back to stringify, it would be a string representation
+    # If serialization succeeded elsewhere, it might be the actual object
+    # Either way, the call should be recorded
+    output_str = str(call.output)
+    assert "record_test" in output_str or "FailingSaveType" in output_str
diff --git a/weave/trace/serialization/custom_objs.py b/weave/trace/serialization/custom_objs.py
index 122418205dc6..a737aa15fbdf 100644
--- a/weave/trace/serialization/custom_objs.py
+++ b/weave/trace/serialization/custom_objs.py
@@ -104,7 +104,21 @@ def encode_custom_obj(obj: Any) -> EncodedCustomObjDict | None:
     }
 
     art = MemTraceFilesArtifact()
-    val = serializer.save(obj, art, "obj")
+    try:
+        val = serializer.save(obj, art, "obj")
+    # TODO: In future, this should raise a specific WeaveException that can be caught
+    # and managed.  A higher level handler will then catch that exception and ignore
+    # it by default, leading to the current behaviour.
+    except Exception:
+        # Type handler save functions should never crash user code.
+        # If a serializer fails, we log a warning and return None,
+        # which will cause the caller to fall back to stringify().
+        logger.warning(
+            f"Failed to serialize object of type {type(obj).__name__}. "
+            "Falling back to string representation.",
+            exc_info=True,
+        )
+        return None
     if art.path_contents:
         encoded_path_contents = {
             k: (v.encode("utf-8") if isinstance(v, str) else v)  # type: ignore