diff --git a/packages/gatsby-remark-katex/src/index.js b/packages/gatsby-remark-katex/src/index.js
index 530d512c5e921..fb59230e06f2e 100644
--- a/packages/gatsby-remark-katex/src/index.js
+++ b/packages/gatsby-remark-katex/src/index.js
@@ -2,21 +2,29 @@ const visit = require(`unist-util-visit`)
 const katex = require(`katex`)
 const remarkMath = require(`remark-math`)
 
-module.exports = ({ markdownAST }) => {
+module.exports = ({ markdownAST, reporter }) => {
   visit(markdownAST, `inlineMath`, node => {
     node.type = `html`
-    node.value = katex.renderToString(node.value, {
-      displayMode: false,
-      throwOnError: false,
-    })
+
+    try {
+      node.value = katex.renderToString(node.value, {
+        displayMode: false,
+      })
+    } catch (err) {
+      reporter.panicOnBuild(`KaTeX rendering error: ${err.message}`)
+    }
   })
 
   visit(markdownAST, `math`, node => {
     node.type = `html`
-    node.value = katex.renderToString(node.value, {
-      displayMode: true,
-      throwOnError: false,
-    })
+
+    try {
+      node.value = katex.renderToString(node.value, {
+        displayMode: true,
+      })
+    } catch (err) {
+      reporter.panicOnBuild(`KaTeX rendering error: ${err.message}`)
+    }
   })
 }