diff --git a/shell/browser/api/electron_api_content_tracing.cc b/shell/browser/api/electron_api_content_tracing.cc
index 8b19e08f26..fe5a7de291 100644
--- a/shell/browser/api/electron_api_content_tracing.cc
+++ b/shell/browser/api/electron_api_content_tracing.cc
@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@
 #include "base/threading/thread_restrictions.h"
 #include "base/trace_event/trace_config.h"
 #include "content/public/browser/tracing_controller.h"
+#include "shell/browser/browser.h"
 #include "shell/browser/javascript_environment.h"
 #include "shell/common/gin_converters/callback_converter.h"
 #include "shell/common/gin_converters/file_path_converter.h"
@@ -102,6 +103,12 @@ v8::Local<v8::Promise> StopRecording(gin::Arguments* const args) {
   gin_helper::Promise<base::FilePath> promise{args->isolate()};
   v8::Local<v8::Promise> handle = promise.GetHandle();
 
+  if (!electron::Browser::Get()->is_ready()) {
+    promise.RejectWithErrorMessage(
+        "contentTracing cannot be used before app is ready");
+    return handle;
+  }
+
   base::FilePath path;
   if (args->GetNext(&path) && !path.empty()) {
     StopTracing(std::move(promise), std::make_optional(path));
@@ -120,6 +127,12 @@ v8::Local<v8::Promise> GetCategories(v8::Isolate* isolate) {
   gin_helper::Promise<const std::set<std::string>&> promise(isolate);
   v8::Local<v8::Promise> handle = promise.GetHandle();
 
+  if (!electron::Browser::Get()->is_ready()) {
+    promise.RejectWithErrorMessage(
+        "contentTracing cannot be used before app is ready");
+    return handle;
+  }
+
   // Note: This method always succeeds.
   TracingController::GetInstance()->GetCategories(base::BindOnce(
       gin_helper::Promise<const std::set<std::string>&>::ResolvePromise,
@@ -134,6 +147,12 @@ v8::Local<v8::Promise> StartTracing(
   gin_helper::Promise<void> promise(isolate);
   v8::Local<v8::Promise> handle = promise.GetHandle();
 
+  if (!electron::Browser::Get()->is_ready()) {
+    promise.RejectWithErrorMessage(
+        "contentTracing cannot be used before app is ready");
+    return handle;
+  }
+
   if (!TracingController::GetInstance()->StartTracing(
           trace_config,
           base::BindOnce(gin_helper::Promise<void>::ResolvePromise,
@@ -165,6 +184,12 @@ v8::Local<v8::Promise> GetTraceBufferUsage(v8::Isolate* isolate) {
   gin_helper::Promise<gin_helper::Dictionary> promise(isolate);
   v8::Local<v8::Promise> handle = promise.GetHandle();
 
+  if (!electron::Browser::Get()->is_ready()) {
+    promise.RejectWithErrorMessage(
+        "contentTracing cannot be used before app is ready");
+    return handle;
+  }
+
   // Note: This method always succeeds.
   TracingController::GetInstance()->GetTraceBufferUsage(
       base::BindOnce(&OnTraceBufferUsageAvailable, std::move(promise)));
diff --git a/spec/fixtures/crash-cases/content-tracing-before-ready/index.js b/spec/fixtures/crash-cases/content-tracing-before-ready/index.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..d0c2d02aa1
--- /dev/null
+++ b/spec/fixtures/crash-cases/content-tracing-before-ready/index.js
@@ -0,0 +1,28 @@
+const { app, contentTracing } = require('electron');
+
+const assert = require('node:assert/strict');
+
+(async () => {
+  // Before app is ready, all contentTracing methods should reject
+  // instead of crashing.
+  if (!app.isReady()) {
+    await assert.rejects(() => contentTracing.startRecording({ included_categories: ['*'] }), /before app is ready/);
+
+    await assert.rejects(() => contentTracing.stopRecording(), /before app is ready/);
+
+    await assert.rejects(() => contentTracing.getCategories(), /before app is ready/);
+
+    await assert.rejects(() => contentTracing.getTraceBufferUsage(), /before app is ready/);
+  }
+
+  await app.whenReady();
+
+  // After app is ready, startRecording should work normally.
+  await contentTracing.startRecording({ included_categories: ['*'] });
+  await contentTracing.stopRecording();
+})()
+  .then(app.quit)
+  .catch((err) => {
+    console.error(err);
+    app.exit(1);
+  });