diff --git a/FirebasePerformance/Sources/Instrumentation/FPRNetworkTrace.m b/FirebasePerformance/Sources/Instrumentation/FPRNetworkTrace.m
index 9bb4a1c46f2..2b72535833c 100644
--- a/FirebasePerformance/Sources/Instrumentation/FPRNetworkTrace.m
+++ b/FirebasePerformance/Sources/Instrumentation/FPRNetworkTrace.m
@@ -251,8 +251,17 @@ - (void)didCompleteRequestWithResponse:(NSURLResponse *)response error:(NSError
       self.responseCode = (int32_t)HTTPResponse.statusCode;
     }
     self.responseError = error;
-    // Safely copy MIMEType to prevent use after free
-    NSString *mime = [response.MIMEType copy];
+    // Defensive access to MIMEType
+    NSString *mime = nil;
+    @try {
+      // Safely copy MIMEType to prevent use after free
+      mime = [response.MIMEType copy];
+    } @catch (NSException *exception) {
+      FPRLogWarning(@"MIMETypeException",
+                    @"Exception while accessing MIMEType for URL %@: %@. Trace will continue "
+                    @"without MIMEType.",
+                    self.URLRequest.URL, exception);
+    }
     self.responseContentType = (mime.length ? mime : nil);
     [self checkpointState:FPRNetworkTraceCheckpointStateResponseCompleted];