diff --git a/lib/integration/esbuild.js b/lib/integration/esbuild.js
index 86657e5..73c3ccb 100644
--- a/lib/integration/esbuild.js
+++ b/lib/integration/esbuild.js
@@ -123,7 +123,7 @@ export function esbuild(options = {}) {
       let file = new VFile({value: doc, path: data.path})
       /** @type {VFileValue|undefined} */
       let value
-      /** @type {VFileMessage[]} */
+      /** @type {(VFileMessage|Error)[]} */
       let messages = []
       /** @type {Message[]} */
       const errors = []
@@ -134,20 +134,16 @@ export function esbuild(options = {}) {
         file = await process(file)
         value = file.value
         messages = file.messages
-      } catch (error) {
-        const exception = /** @type {VFileMessage} */ (error)
-        exception.fatal = true
-        messages.push(exception)
+      } catch (error_) {
+        const error = /** @type {VFileMessage|Error} */ (error_)
+        if ('fatal' in error) error.fatal = true
+        messages.push(error)
       }
 
       for (const message of messages) {
-        /** @type {{start?: Point, end?: Point}} */
-        // Non-message errors stored on `vfile.messages`.
-        /* c8 ignore next */
-        const location = message.position || {}
-
-        const start = location.start
-        const end = location.end
+        const location = 'position' in message ? message.position : undefined
+        const start = location ? location.start : undefined
+        const end = location ? location.end : undefined
         let length = 0
         let lineStart = 0
         let line = 0
@@ -179,9 +175,14 @@ export function esbuild(options = {}) {
         const match = eol.exec(doc)
         const lineEnd = match ? match.index : doc.length
 
-        ;(message.fatal ? errors : warnings).push({
+        ;(!('fatal' in message) || message.fatal ? errors : warnings).push({
           pluginName: name,
-          text: message.reason,
+          text:
+            'reason' in message
+              ? message.reason
+              : /* Extra fallback to make sure weird values are definitely strings */
+                /* c8 ignore next */
+                message.stack || String(message),
           notes: [],
           location: {
             namespace: 'file',
diff --git a/test/esbuild.js b/test/esbuild.js
index 05b1621..3103212 100644
--- a/test/esbuild.js
+++ b/test/esbuild.js
@@ -336,6 +336,64 @@ test('xdm (esbuild)', async (t) => {
 
   console.log('\nnote: the preceding errors and warnings are expected!\n')
 
+  await fs.writeFile(path.join(base, 'esbuild-plugin-crash.mdx'), '# hi')
+
+  try {
+    await esbuild.build({
+      entryPoints: [path.join(base, 'esbuild-plugin-crash.mdx')],
+      outfile: path.join(base, 'esbuild-plugin-crash.js'),
+      format: 'esm',
+      plugins: [
+        esbuildXdm({
+          rehypePlugins: [
+            function () {
+              return () => {
+                throw new Error('Something went wrong')
+              }
+            }
+          ]
+        })
+      ]
+    })
+    t.fail('esbuild should throw')
+  } catch (error) {
+    /** @type {BuildFailure} */
+    const result = JSON.parse(JSON.stringify(error))
+
+    for (const message of [...result.errors, ...result.warnings]) {
+      delete message.detail
+      message.text = message.text.split('\n')[0]
+    }
+
+    t.deepEqual(
+      result,
+      {
+        errors: [
+          {
+            location: {
+              column: 0,
+              file: 'test/context/esbuild-plugin-crash.mdx',
+              length: 0,
+              line: 0,
+              lineText: '# hi',
+              namespace: 'file',
+              suggestion: ''
+            },
+            notes: [],
+            pluginName: 'esbuild-xdm',
+            text: 'Error: Something went wrong'
+          }
+        ],
+        warnings: []
+      },
+      'should pass errors'
+    )
+  }
+
+  await fs.unlink(path.join(base, 'esbuild-plugin-crash.mdx'))
+
+  console.log('\nnote: the preceding errors and warnings are expected!\n')
+
   /** @type {(contents: string) => import('esbuild').Plugin} */
   const inlinePlugin = (contents) => ({
     name: 'inline plugin',