diff --git a/src/cmds/system/read.rs b/src/cmds/system/read.rs
index 2f56687ee3..a3b2c92310 100644
--- a/src/cmds/system/read.rs
+++ b/src/cmds/system/read.rs
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@ use crate::core::filter::{self, FilterLevel, Language};
 use crate::core::tracking;
 use anyhow::{Context, Result};
 use std::fs;
+use std::io::{self, Write};
 use std::path::Path;
 
 pub fn run(
@@ -70,13 +71,14 @@ pub fn run(
     } else {
         filtered.clone()
     };
-    print!("{}", rtk_output);
-    timer.track(
-        &format!("cat {}", file.display()),
-        "rtk read",
-        &content,
-        &rtk_output,
-    );
+    if write_stdout(&rtk_output)? {
+        timer.track(
+            &format!("cat {}", file.display()),
+            "rtk read",
+            &content,
+            &rtk_output,
+        );
+    }
     Ok(())
 }
 
@@ -87,7 +89,7 @@ pub fn run_stdin(
     line_numbers: bool,
     verbose: u8,
 ) -> Result<()> {
-    use std::io::{self, Read as IoRead};
+    use std::io::Read as IoRead;
 
     let timer = tracking::TimedExecution::start();
 
@@ -134,12 +136,23 @@ pub fn run_stdin(
     } else {
         filtered.clone()
     };
-    print!("{}", rtk_output);
+    if !write_stdout(&rtk_output)? {
+        return Ok(());
+    }
 
     timer.track("cat - (stdin)", "rtk read -", &content, &rtk_output);
     Ok(())
 }
 
+fn write_stdout(content: &str) -> Result<bool> {
+    let mut stdout = io::stdout().lock();
+    match stdout.write_all(content.as_bytes()) {
+        Ok(()) => Ok(true),
+        Err(e) if e.kind() == io::ErrorKind::BrokenPipe => Ok(false),
+        Err(e) => Err(e).context("failed writing read output"),
+    }
+}
+
 fn format_with_line_numbers(content: &str) -> String {
     let lines: Vec<&str> = content.lines().collect();
     let width = lines.len().to_string().len();
diff --git a/tests/read_broken_pipe_test.rs b/tests/read_broken_pipe_test.rs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..222d037c8b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/read_broken_pipe_test.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,42 @@
+use rusqlite::Connection;
+use std::fs;
+use std::process::Command;
+
+#[test]
+fn read_piped_to_head_does_not_panic_or_record_partial_gain() {
+    let tmp = tempfile::tempdir().expect("tempdir");
+    let file = tmp.path().join("large.txt");
+    let db = tmp.path().join("history.db");
+    fs::write(&file, "abcdef0123456789\n".repeat(20_000)).expect("write test file");
+
+    let output = Command::new("sh")
+        .arg("-c")
+        .arg("\"$RTK_BIN\" read \"$RTK_FILE\" | head -c 10 >/dev/null")
+        .env("RTK_BIN", env!("CARGO_BIN_EXE_rtk"))
+        .env("RTK_FILE", &file)
+        .env("RTK_DB_PATH", &db)
+        .env("RTK_TELEMETRY_DISABLED", "1")
+        .output()
+        .expect("run piped rtk read");
+
+    assert!(
+        output.status.success(),
+        "pipeline should succeed: status={:?}, stderr={}",
+        output.status,
+        String::from_utf8_lossy(&output.stderr)
+    );
+
+    let stderr = String::from_utf8_lossy(&output.stderr);
+    assert!(
+        !stderr.contains("panicked") && !stderr.contains("failed printing to stdout"),
+        "broken pipe should be handled without panic, got stderr: {stderr}"
+    );
+
+    if db.exists() {
+        let conn = Connection::open(&db).expect("open history db");
+        let count: i64 = conn
+            .query_row("SELECT COUNT(*) FROM commands", [], |row| row.get(0))
+            .expect("count commands");
+        assert_eq!(count, 0, "partial read output must not be counted as gain");
+    }
+}