diff --git a/GNUmakefile b/GNUmakefile
index 6342e5b7c6..a8ea2d849e 100644
--- a/GNUmakefile
+++ b/GNUmakefile
@@ -1,5 +1,8 @@
 TESTS = $(wildcard test/*.lean)
 
+# Ensure that panics actually cause the tests to fail
+export LEAN_ABORT_ON_PANIC=1
+
 .PHONY: all build test lint
 
 all: build test
diff --git a/Std/Linter/UnreachableTactic.lean b/Std/Linter/UnreachableTactic.lean
index 1da37ef564..d526c359af 100644
--- a/Std/Linter/UnreachableTactic.lean
+++ b/Std/Linter/UnreachableTactic.lean
@@ -94,8 +94,11 @@ def unreachableTacticLinter : Linter where run := withSetOptionIn fun stx => do
   if (← get).messages.hasErrors then
     return
   let cats := (Parser.parserExtension.getState (← getEnv)).categories
-  let tactics := cats.find! `tactic |>.kinds
-  let convs := cats.find! `conv |>.kinds
+  -- These lookups may fail when the linter is run in a fresh, empty environment
+  let some tactics := Parser.ParserCategory.kinds <$> cats.find? `tactic
+    | return
+  let some convs := Parser.ParserCategory.kinds <$> cats.find? `conv
+    | return
   let trees ← getInfoTrees
   let go : M Unit := do
     getTactics (← ignoreTacticKindsRef.get) (fun k => tactics.contains k || convs.contains k) stx
diff --git a/test/lint_empty.lean b/test/lint_empty.lean
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..831a66895a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/lint_empty.lean
@@ -0,0 +1,45 @@
+import Std
+import Lean.Elab
+
+set_option linter.all true
+
+/-- Some syntax to elaborate in a fresh env -/
+def natDef : String :=
+"prelude
+
+inductive Nat where
+  | zero
+  | succ (n : Nat) : Nat
+
+def id (x : α) := x
+"
+
+open Lean Parser Elab in
+/--
+Test that the linters imported from Std all work when run on a declaration in an empty environment.
+
+This runs the linters because there's a global IO.Ref that contains them, rather than having them
+be in a field of the environment itself, precisely so they can run in situations like this. However,
+a linter that assumes it's run in an environment with the Lean prelude available may use of things
+like `find!` and `get!` in linters, with the result that the linter panics.
+
+This test elaborates the definition of the natural numbers and the identity function in a fresh
+environment with all linters enabled. Running the tests in an environment with `LEAN_ABORT_ON_PANIC`
+set ensures that the linters can at least run.
+-/
+elab "#testInEmptyEnv" : command => do
+  let context := mkInputContext natDef "test"
+  let (header, state, msgs) ← parseHeader context
+  let opts := Options.empty |>.setBool `linter.all true
+  let (env, msgs) ← processHeader header opts msgs context
+  if msgs.hasErrors then
+    for msg in msgs.toList do logMessage msg
+    liftM (m := IO) <| throw <| IO.userError "Errors in header"
+  let cmdState := Command.mkState env msgs
+  let s ← IO.processCommands context state cmdState
+  for t in s.commandState.infoState.trees do
+    pushInfoTree t
+  for msg in s.commandState.messages.toList do
+    logMessage msg
+
+#testInEmptyEnv