diff --git a/src/uu/numfmt/src/format.rs b/src/uu/numfmt/src/format.rs
index 61c45b2fa8b..a8341353f0f 100644
--- a/src/uu/numfmt/src/format.rs
+++ b/src/uu/numfmt/src/format.rs
@@ -787,12 +787,32 @@ fn split_bytes<'a>(input: &'a [u8], delim: &'a [u8]) -> impl Iterator<Item = &'a
     })
 }
 
-pub fn write_formatted_with_delimiter<W: std::io::Write + ?Sized>(
+#[derive(Debug)]
+pub(crate) enum WriteFormattedError {
+    Format(String),
+    Io(std::io::Error),
+}
+
+impl From<String> for WriteFormattedError {
+    fn from(error: String) -> Self {
+        Self::Format(error)
+    }
+}
+
+impl From<std::io::Error> for WriteFormattedError {
+    fn from(error: std::io::Error) -> Self {
+        Self::Io(error)
+    }
+}
+
+type WriteFormattedResult<T> = std::result::Result<T, WriteFormattedError>;
+
+pub(crate) fn write_formatted_with_delimiter<W: std::io::Write + ?Sized>(
     writer: &mut W,
     input: &[u8],
     options: &NumfmtOptions,
     eol: Option<u8>,
-) -> Result<()> {
+) -> WriteFormattedResult<()> {
     let delimiter = options.delimiter.as_deref().unwrap();
 
     for (n, field) in (1..).zip(split_bytes(input, delimiter)) {
@@ -800,7 +820,7 @@ pub fn write_formatted_with_delimiter<W: std::io::Write + ?Sized>(
 
         // add delimiter before second and subsequent fields
         if n > 1 {
-            writer.write_all(delimiter).unwrap();
+            writer.write_all(delimiter)?;
         }
 
         if field_selected {
@@ -809,26 +829,26 @@ pub fn write_formatted_with_delimiter<W: std::io::Write + ?Sized>(
                 .map_err(|_| translate!("numfmt-error-invalid-number", "input" => escape_line(field).quote()))?
                 .trim_start();
             let formatted = format_string(field_str, options, None)?;
-            writer.write_all(formatted.as_bytes()).unwrap();
+            writer.write_all(formatted.as_bytes())?;
         } else {
             // add unselected field without conversion
-            writer.write_all(field).unwrap();
+            writer.write_all(field)?;
         }
     }
 
     if let Some(eol) = eol {
-        writer.write_all(&[eol]).unwrap();
+        writer.write_all(&[eol])?;
     }
 
     Ok(())
 }
 
-pub fn write_formatted_with_whitespace<W: std::io::Write + ?Sized>(
+pub(crate) fn write_formatted_with_whitespace<W: std::io::Write + ?Sized>(
     writer: &mut W,
     s: &str,
     options: &NumfmtOptions,
     eol: Option<u8>,
-) -> Result<()> {
+) -> WriteFormattedResult<()> {
     for (n, (prefix, field)) in (1..).zip(WhitespaceSplitter {
         s: Some(s),
         options,
@@ -840,7 +860,7 @@ pub fn write_formatted_with_whitespace<W: std::io::Write + ?Sized>(
 
             // add delimiter before second and subsequent fields
             let prefix = if n > 1 {
-                writer.write_all(b" ").unwrap();
+                writer.write_all(b" ")?;
                 &prefix[1..]
             } else {
                 prefix
@@ -853,23 +873,23 @@ pub fn write_formatted_with_whitespace<W: std::io::Write + ?Sized>(
             };
 
             let formatted = format_string(field, options, implicit_padding)?;
-            writer.write_all(formatted.as_bytes()).unwrap();
+            writer.write_all(formatted.as_bytes())?;
         } else {
             // the -z option converts an initial \n into a space
             let prefix = if options.zero_terminated && prefix.starts_with('\n') {
-                writer.write_all(b" ").unwrap();
+                writer.write_all(b" ")?;
                 &prefix[1..]
             } else {
                 prefix
             };
             // add unselected field without conversion
-            writer.write_all(prefix.as_bytes()).unwrap();
-            writer.write_all(field.as_bytes()).unwrap();
+            writer.write_all(prefix.as_bytes())?;
+            writer.write_all(field.as_bytes())?;
         }
     }
 
     if let Some(eol) = eol {
-        writer.write_all(&[eol]).unwrap();
+        writer.write_all(&[eol])?;
     }
 
     Ok(())
diff --git a/src/uu/numfmt/src/numfmt.rs b/src/uu/numfmt/src/numfmt.rs
index 080e0200e22..c2a9f65f76b 100644
--- a/src/uu/numfmt/src/numfmt.rs
+++ b/src/uu/numfmt/src/numfmt.rs
@@ -5,7 +5,10 @@
 // spell-checker:ignore behavior
 
 use crate::errors::NumfmtError;
-use crate::format::{escape_line, write_formatted_with_delimiter, write_formatted_with_whitespace};
+use crate::format::{
+    WriteFormattedError, escape_line, write_formatted_with_delimiter,
+    write_formatted_with_whitespace,
+};
 use crate::options::{
     DEBUG, DELIMITER, FIELD, FIELD_DEFAULT, FORMAT, FROM, FROM_DEFAULT, FROM_UNIT,
     FROM_UNIT_DEFAULT, FormatOptions, GROUPING, HEADER, HEADER_DEFAULT, INVALID, InvalidModes,
@@ -19,7 +22,7 @@ use std::io::{BufRead, Write as _, stderr};
 use std::str::FromStr;
 
 use uucore::display::Quotable;
-use uucore::error::UResult;
+use uucore::error::{FromIo, UResult};
 use uucore::i18n::decimal::locale_grouping_separator;
 use uucore::parser::parse_size::{IEC_BASES, SI_BASES};
 use uucore::parser::shortcut_value_parser::ShortcutValueParser;
@@ -46,6 +49,12 @@ fn is_scientific(input: &[u8]) -> bool {
     false
 }
 
+fn write_output<W: std::io::Write + ?Sized>(writer: &mut W, buf: &[u8]) -> UResult<()> {
+    writer
+        .write_all(buf)
+        .map_err_context(|| "write error".into())
+}
+
 /// Format a single line and write it, handling `--invalid` error modes.
 ///
 /// Returns `true` if the line contained invalid input (only possible in
@@ -74,22 +83,28 @@ fn format_and_write<W: std::io::Write>(
         match std::str::from_utf8(line) {
             Ok(s) => {
                 if is_scientific(s.as_bytes()) {
-                    Err(format!(
+                    Err(WriteFormattedError::Format(format!(
                         "invalid suffix in input: '{}'",
                         String::from_utf8_lossy(line)
-                    ))
+                    )))
                 } else {
                     write_formatted_with_whitespace(dest, s, options, eol)
                 }
             }
-            Err(_) => Err(translate!(
+            Err(_) => Err(WriteFormattedError::Format(translate!(
                 "numfmt-error-invalid-number",
                 "input" => escape_line(line).quote()
-            )),
+            ))),
         }
     };
 
-    if let Err(msg) = result {
+    if let Err(error) = result {
+        let msg = match error {
+            WriteFormattedError::Format(msg) => msg,
+            WriteFormattedError::Io(error) => {
+                return Err(error.map_err_context(|| "write error".into()));
+            }
+        };
         match options.invalid {
             InvalidModes::Abort => {
                 return Err(Box::new(NumfmtError::FormattingError(msg)));
@@ -103,15 +118,15 @@ fn format_and_write<W: std::io::Write>(
             InvalidModes::Ignore => {}
         }
         // On error, echo the original line unchanged.
-        writer.write_all(input_line)?;
+        write_output(writer, input_line)?;
         if let Some(eol) = eol {
-            writer.write_all(&[eol])?;
+            write_output(writer, &[eol])?;
         }
         return Ok(true);
     }
 
     if buffer_output {
-        writer.write_all(&buf)?;
+        write_output(writer, &buf)?;
     }
     Ok(false)
 }
@@ -160,9 +175,9 @@ fn handle_buffer<R: BufRead>(mut input: R, options: &NumfmtOptions) -> UResult<b
 
         if line_idx < options.header {
             // Pass header lines through unchanged.
-            stdout.write_all(line)?;
+            write_output(&mut stdout, line)?;
             if let Some(t) = eol {
-                stdout.write_all(&[t])?;
+                write_output(&mut stdout, &[t])?;
             }
         } else {
             saw_invalid |= format_and_write(&mut stdout, line, options, eol)?;
diff --git a/tests/by-util/test_numfmt.rs b/tests/by-util/test_numfmt.rs
index ba2560a8247..b2db674c980 100644
--- a/tests/by-util/test_numfmt.rs
+++ b/tests/by-util/test_numfmt.rs
@@ -12,6 +12,22 @@ fn test_invalid_arg() {
     new_ucmd!().arg("--definitely-invalid").fails_with_code(1);
 }
 
+#[cfg(target_os = "linux")]
+#[test]
+fn test_output_write_error_reports_without_panic() {
+    let dev_full = std::fs::OpenOptions::new()
+        .write(true)
+        .open("/dev/full")
+        .expect("/dev/full should be available on Linux");
+
+    new_ucmd!()
+        .arg("1024")
+        .set_stdout(std::process::Stdio::from(dev_full))
+        .fails_with_code(1)
+        .stderr_contains("numfmt: write error: No space left on device")
+        .stderr_does_not_contain("panicked");
+}
+
 // This test failed when fixing #11653.
 // Add a `--` separator to ensure floats are not rounded(it match the gnu pattern).
 #[test]