diff --git a/.changesets/maint_lrlna_remove_catch_unwind.md b/.changesets/maint_lrlna_remove_catch_unwind.md
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..3c4472e6d74
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.changesets/maint_lrlna_remove_catch_unwind.md
@@ -0,0 +1,15 @@
+
+### Remove catch_unwind wrapper around the native query planner ([PR #6396](https://github.com/apollographql/router/pull/6396))
+
+As part of internal maintenance of the query planner, we are removing the
+catch_unwind wrapper around the native query planner. This wrapper was used as
+an extra safeguard for potential panics the native planner could produce. The
+native query planner no longer has any code paths that could panic. We have also
+not witnessed a panic in the last four months, having processed 560 million real
+user operations through the native planner. 
+
+This maintenance work also removes backtrace capture for federation errors which
+was used for debugging and is no longer necessary as we have the confidence in
+the native planner's implementation.
+
+By [@lrlna](https://github.com/lrlna) in https://github.com/apollographql/router/pull/6396
diff --git a/apollo-router/src/executable.rs b/apollo-router/src/executable.rs
index a67e294a7f2..2dce46b1283 100644
--- a/apollo-router/src/executable.rs
+++ b/apollo-router/src/executable.rs
@@ -1,6 +1,5 @@
 //! Main entry point for CLI command to start server.
 
-use std::cell::Cell;
 use std::env;
 use std::fmt::Debug;
 use std::net::SocketAddr;
@@ -751,20 +750,10 @@ fn setup_panic_handler() {
         } else {
             tracing::error!("{}", e)
         }
-        if !USING_CATCH_UNWIND.get() {
-            // Once we've panic'ed the behaviour of the router is non-deterministic
-            // We've logged out the panic details. Terminate with an error code
-            std::process::exit(1);
-        }
+        std::process::exit(1);
     }));
 }
 
-// TODO: once the Rust query planner does not use `todo!()` anymore,
-// remove this and the use of `catch_unwind` to call it.
-thread_local! {
-    pub(crate) static USING_CATCH_UNWIND: Cell<bool> = const { Cell::new(false) };
-}
-
 static COPIED: AtomicBool = AtomicBool::new(false);
 
 fn copy_args_to_env() {
diff --git a/apollo-router/src/query_planner/dual_query_planner.rs b/apollo-router/src/query_planner/dual_query_planner.rs
index 9e5250a447b..831bdebe452 100644
--- a/apollo-router/src/query_planner/dual_query_planner.rs
+++ b/apollo-router/src/query_planner/dual_query_planner.rs
@@ -15,6 +15,7 @@ use apollo_compiler::validation::Valid;
 use apollo_compiler::ExecutableDocument;
 use apollo_compiler::Name;
 use apollo_compiler::Node;
+use apollo_federation::error::FederationError;
 use apollo_federation::query_plan::query_planner::QueryPlanOptions;
 use apollo_federation::query_plan::query_planner::QueryPlanner;
 use apollo_federation::query_plan::QueryPlan;
@@ -24,7 +25,6 @@ use super::fetch::SubgraphOperation;
 use super::subscription::SubscriptionNode;
 use super::FlattenNode;
 use crate::error::format_bridge_errors;
-use crate::executable::USING_CATCH_UNWIND;
 use crate::query_planner::bridge_query_planner::metric_query_planning_plan_duration;
 use crate::query_planner::bridge_query_planner::JS_QP_MODE;
 use crate::query_planner::bridge_query_planner::RUST_QP_MODE;
@@ -80,47 +80,23 @@ impl BothModeComparisonJob {
     }
 
     fn execute(self) {
-        // TODO: once the Rust query planner does not use `todo!()` anymore,
-        // remove `USING_CATCH_UNWIND` and this use of `catch_unwind`.
-        let rust_result = std::panic::catch_unwind(|| {
-            let name = self
-                .operation_name
-                .clone()
-                .map(Name::try_from)
-                .transpose()?;
-            USING_CATCH_UNWIND.set(true);
-
-            let start = Instant::now();
-
-            // No question mark operator or macro from here …
-            let result =
+        let start = Instant::now();
+
+        let rust_result = self
+            .operation_name
+            .as_deref()
+            .map(|n| Name::new(n).map_err(FederationError::from))
+            .transpose()
+            .and_then(|operation| {
                 self.rust_planner
-                    .build_query_plan(&self.document, name, self.plan_options);
-
-            let elapsed = start.elapsed().as_secs_f64();
-            metric_query_planning_plan_duration(RUST_QP_MODE, elapsed);
-
-            metric_query_planning_plan_both_comparison_duration(RUST_QP_MODE, elapsed);
-            metric_query_planning_plan_both_comparison_duration(JS_QP_MODE, self.js_duration);
-
-            // … to here, so the thread can only eiher reach here or panic.
-            // We unset USING_CATCH_UNWIND in both cases.
-            USING_CATCH_UNWIND.set(false);
-            result
-        })
-        .unwrap_or_else(|panic| {
-            USING_CATCH_UNWIND.set(false);
-            Err(apollo_federation::error::FederationError::internal(
-                format!(
-                    "query planner panicked: {}",
-                    panic
-                        .downcast_ref::<String>()
-                        .map(|s| s.as_str())
-                        .or_else(|| panic.downcast_ref::<&str>().copied())
-                        .unwrap_or_default()
-                ),
-            ))
-        });
+                    .build_query_plan(&self.document, operation, self.plan_options)
+            });
+
+        let elapsed = start.elapsed().as_secs_f64();
+        metric_query_planning_plan_duration(RUST_QP_MODE, elapsed);
+
+        metric_query_planning_plan_both_comparison_duration(RUST_QP_MODE, elapsed);
+        metric_query_planning_plan_both_comparison_duration(JS_QP_MODE, self.js_duration);
 
         let name = self.operation_name.as_deref();
         let operation_desc = if let Ok(operation) = self.document.operations.get(name) {