diff --git a/packages/bun-types/bun.d.ts b/packages/bun-types/bun.d.ts
index a8633057bc40..838726622895 100644
--- a/packages/bun-types/bun.d.ts
+++ b/packages/bun-types/bun.d.ts
@@ -7797,6 +7797,9 @@ declare module "bun" {
        * This can improve performance when you don't need to read output
        * immediately.
        *
+       * Has no effect when `maxBuffer` is set. Output is counted against
+       * `maxBuffer` as it is read, so reading starts right away.
+       *
        * @default false
        *
        * @example
diff --git a/src/runtime/api/bun/js_bun_spawn_bindings.rs b/src/runtime/api/bun/js_bun_spawn_bindings.rs
index 03728c67b2eb..b0885c9a8fd5 100644
--- a/src/runtime/api/bun/js_bun_spawn_bindings.rs
+++ b/src/runtime/api/bun/js_bun_spawn_bindings.rs
@@ -1696,6 +1696,9 @@ fn spawn_maybe_sync(
         }
     }
 
+    // `maxBuffer` is charged as bytes are read, so a paused reader would never enforce it.
+    let lazy = !is_sync && lazy && max_buffer.is_none();
+
     // Start the readers before the Writable::Buffer stdin writer so that if
     // the writer's start() throws below, both PipeReaders have taken their
     // start() ref and on_process_exit's later drain is refcount-balanced.
@@ -1703,8 +1706,8 @@ fn spawn_maybe_sync(
         // Note: pass `subprocess_nn` (the `NonNull<Subprocess<'static>>`
         // captured above) instead of the live `&mut subprocess`, which would
         // alias with the `&mut subprocess.stdout` borrow held by `pipe`.
-        Readable::pipe_reader_mut(pipe).start(subprocess_nn, event_loop_nn, !is_sync && lazy);
-        if (is_sync || !lazy) && matches!(subprocess.stdout.get(), Readable::Pipe(_)) {
+        Readable::pipe_reader_mut(pipe).start(subprocess_nn, event_loop_nn, lazy);
+        if !lazy && matches!(subprocess.stdout.get(), Readable::Pipe(_)) {
             if let Readable::Pipe(pipe) = subprocess.stdout.get() {
                 Readable::pipe_reader_mut(pipe).read_all();
             }
@@ -1713,9 +1716,9 @@ fn spawn_maybe_sync(
 
     if let Readable::Pipe(pipe) = subprocess.stderr.get() {
         // Note: see stdout arm above — avoid aliased &mut.
-        Readable::pipe_reader_mut(pipe).start(subprocess_nn, event_loop_nn, !is_sync && lazy);
+        Readable::pipe_reader_mut(pipe).start(subprocess_nn, event_loop_nn, lazy);
 
-        if (is_sync || !lazy) && matches!(subprocess.stderr.get(), Readable::Pipe(_)) {
+        if !lazy && matches!(subprocess.stderr.get(), Readable::Pipe(_)) {
             if let Readable::Pipe(pipe) = subprocess.stderr.get() {
                 Readable::pipe_reader_mut(pipe).read_all();
             }
diff --git a/test/js/bun/spawn/spawn-maxbuf.test.ts b/test/js/bun/spawn/spawn-maxbuf.test.ts
index c17f20a47383..36cb00731a90 100644
--- a/test/js/bun/spawn/spawn-maxbuf.test.ts
+++ b/test/js/bun/spawn/spawn-maxbuf.test.ts
@@ -148,6 +148,37 @@ describe.each(["stdout", "stderr"] as const)("maxBuffer kills the process after
   });
 });
 
+// `lazy: true` defers the pipe reads until JS first pulls, and `maxBuffer` is
+// only charged as bytes are read. `maxBuffer` must still count the output of a
+// child whose pipes nothing has read yet.
+describe.each(["stdout", "stderr"] as const)("maxBuffer kills the process with lazy: true and .%s unread", fd => {
+  // The child writes well past `maxBuffer` and then blocks forever. Without the
+  // kill, `proc.exited` never resolves and the test times out.
+  const firehose = `process.${fd}.write(Buffer.alloc(300000, 65).toString()); setInterval(() => {}, 1e9);`;
+  const killSignal = isWindows ? "SIGKILL" : "SIGHUP";
+
+  test.concurrent("Bun.spawn", async () => {
+    await using proc = Bun.spawn({
+      cmd: [bunExe(), "-e", firehose],
+      env: bunEnv,
+      stdout: "pipe",
+      stderr: "pipe",
+      lazy: true,
+      maxBuffer: 1000,
+      killSignal,
+    });
+    await proc.exited;
+    // A late reader still gets what was read up to the limit.
+    const bytes = await proc[fd].bytes();
+    expect(bytes.length).toBeGreaterThan(1000);
+    expect(bytes.length).toBeLessThanOrEqual(1000 + 64 * 1024);
+    expect({ exitCode: proc.exitCode, signalCode: proc.signalCode }).toEqual({
+      exitCode: null,
+      signalCode: killSignal,
+    });
+  });
+});
+
 describe("maxBuffer infinity does not limit the number of bytes", () => {
   const sample = "this is a long example string\n";
   const sample_repeat_count = 10000;