diff --git a/crates/worktree/src/worktree.rs b/crates/worktree/src/worktree.rs
index 4711aed9b5..3fec793db5 100644
--- a/crates/worktree/src/worktree.rs
+++ b/crates/worktree/src/worktree.rs
@@ -674,7 +674,7 @@ fn start_background_scan_tasks(
     let (scan_states_tx, mut scan_states_rx) = mpsc::unbounded();
     let background_scanner = cx.background_executor().spawn({
         let abs_path = if cfg!(target_os = "windows") {
-            abs_path.canonicalize().expect("start background scan tasks failed for canonicalize path {abs_path}")
+            abs_path.canonicalize().unwrap_or_else(|_| abs_path.to_path_buf())
         } else {
             abs_path.to_path_buf()
         };