diff --git a/src/log/slog/record.go b/src/log/slog/record.go
index 67b76f34e1..82acc7ac7b 100644
--- a/src/log/slog/record.go
+++ b/src/log/slog/record.go
@@ -109,7 +109,9 @@ func (r *Record) AddAttrs(attrs ...Attr) {
 	if cap(r.back) > len(r.back) {
 		end := r.back[:len(r.back)+1][len(r.back)]
 		if !end.isEmpty() {
-			panic("copies of a slog.Record were both modified")
+			// Don't panic; copy and muddle through.
+			r.back = slices.Clip(r.back)
+			r.back = append(r.back, String("!BUG", "AddAttrs unsafely called on copy of Record made without using Record.Clone"))
 		}
 	}
 	ne := countEmptyGroups(attrs[i:])
diff --git a/src/log/slog/record_test.go b/src/log/slog/record_test.go
index 15d9330a85..931ab66041 100644
--- a/src/log/slog/record_test.go
+++ b/src/log/slog/record_test.go
@@ -96,12 +96,15 @@ func TestAliasingAndClone(t *testing.T) {
 	r1.back = b
 	// Make a copy that shares state.
 	r2 := r1
-	// Adding to both should panic.
+	// Adding to both should insert a special Attr in the second.
+	r1AttrsBefore := attrsSlice(r1)
 	r1.AddAttrs(Int("p", 0))
-	if !panics(func() { r2.AddAttrs(Int("p", 1)) }) {
-		t.Error("expected panic")
-	}
+	r2.AddAttrs(Int("p", 1))
+	check(r1, append(slices.Clip(r1AttrsBefore), Int("p", 0)))
 	r1Attrs := attrsSlice(r1)
+	check(r2, append(slices.Clip(r1AttrsBefore),
+		String("!BUG", "AddAttrs unsafely called on copy of Record made without using Record.Clone"), Int("p", 1)))
+
 	// Adding to a clone is fine.
 	r2 = r1.Clone()
 	check(r2, r1Attrs)