diff --git a/internal/web/service/tgbot/tgbot_invite.go b/internal/web/service/tgbot/tgbot_invite.go
index ac1ff8474..29966f6f0 100644
--- a/internal/web/service/tgbot/tgbot_invite.go
+++ b/internal/web/service/tgbot/tgbot_invite.go
@@ -71,13 +71,7 @@ func (t *Tgbot) claimInvite(chatId int64, fromID int64, payload string) inviteOu
 		return inviteInvalid
 	}
 
-	inviteClaimMu.Lock()
-	outcome, records := t.resolveInviteToken(token, fromID)
-	var bindErr error
-	if outcome == inviteBindable {
-		bindErr = t.bindRecordsToUser(records, fromID)
-	}
-	inviteClaimMu.Unlock()
+	outcome, records, bindErr := t.resolveAndBindInvite(token, fromID)
 
 	switch outcome {
 	case inviteAlreadyOwned:
@@ -97,6 +91,18 @@ func (t *Tgbot) claimInvite(chatId int64, fromID int64, payload string) inviteOu
 	return outcome
 }
 
+// resolveAndBindInvite holds inviteClaimMu with a deferred unlock: the handler recovers panics,
+// and a lock a panic left held would park every later /start claim for good.
+func (t *Tgbot) resolveAndBindInvite(token string, fromID int64) (inviteOutcome, []*model.ClientRecord, error) {
+	inviteClaimMu.Lock()
+	defer inviteClaimMu.Unlock()
+	outcome, records := t.resolveInviteToken(token, fromID)
+	if outcome != inviteBindable {
+		return outcome, records, nil
+	}
+	return outcome, records, t.bindRecordsToUser(records, fromID)
+}
+
 func recordEmails(records []*model.ClientRecord) string {
 	emails := make([]string, 0, len(records))
 	for _, record := range records {
diff --git a/internal/web/service/tgbot/tgbot_invite_test.go b/internal/web/service/tgbot/tgbot_invite_test.go
index 1207243e3..936e91c65 100644
--- a/internal/web/service/tgbot/tgbot_invite_test.go
+++ b/internal/web/service/tgbot/tgbot_invite_test.go
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 package tgbot
 
 import (
+	"encoding/base64"
 	"strings"
 	"sync"
 	"testing"
@@ -222,3 +223,17 @@ func TestTgUserMentionEscapesName(t *testing.T) {
 		t.Errorf("tgUserMention = %q, want %q", got, want)
 	}
 }
+
+// The bot's handlers recover panics, so a claim that panicked with inviteClaimMu held left
+// it locked for good and every later /start claim parked on a worker slot.
+func TestInviteClaimReleasesTheLockWhenItPanics(t *testing.T) {
+	func() {
+		defer func() { _ = recover() }()
+		// No database is open here, so resolving the token panics inside the lock.
+		(&Tgbot{}).claimInvite(1, 1, base64.RawURLEncoding.EncodeToString([]byte("some-sub-id")))
+	}()
+	if !inviteClaimMu.TryLock() {
+		t.Fatal("inviteClaimMu is still held after a claim panicked")
+	}
+	inviteClaimMu.Unlock()
+}