diff --git a/.changeset/reject-v8-coverage-provider.md b/.changeset/reject-v8-coverage-provider.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..01f787f071
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.changeset/reject-v8-coverage-provider.md
@@ -0,0 +1,9 @@
+---
+"@cloudflare/vitest-pool-workers": patch
+---
+
+Reject V8 coverage provider with a clear error message
+
+V8 native code coverage (`@vitest/coverage-v8`) requires `node:inspector` to collect profiling data from V8's runtime. workerd only provides `node:inspector` as a non-functional stub, so V8 coverage would silently fail or crash with a confusing `No such module "node:inspector"` error.
+
+The pool now detects this configuration early — during Vite plugin setup, before Vitest tries to load the coverage provider — and throws a clear error directing users to use Istanbul coverage instead, which works by instrumenting source code at build time and runs on any JavaScript runtime.
diff --git a/packages/vitest-pool-workers/src/pool/plugin.ts b/packages/vitest-pool-workers/src/pool/plugin.ts
index ef120d6beb..1e1b4cf1b6 100644
--- a/packages/vitest-pool-workers/src/pool/plugin.ts
+++ b/packages/vitest-pool-workers/src/pool/plugin.ts
@@ -71,6 +71,30 @@ export function cloudflareTest(
 			config.test ??= {};
 			config.test.server ??= {};
 			config.test.server.deps ??= {};
+
+			// V8 coverage requires `node:inspector` to collect coverage data from
+			// V8's profiler. workerd provides `node:inspector` as a non-functional
+			// stub, so V8 coverage silently fails or crashes. Istanbul works because
+			// it instruments source code at build time without needing V8 access.
+			// See: https://github.com/cloudflare/workers-sdk/issues/5266
+			const coverage = config.test.coverage;
+			if (coverage && coverage.enabled) {
+				const provider = "provider" in coverage ? coverage.provider : undefined;
+				if (provider === "v8" || provider === undefined) {
+					const lines = [
+						'Coverage provider "v8" is not supported by `@cloudflare/vitest-pool-workers`.',
+						"V8 native coverage requires `node:inspector` which is not functional in the Workers runtime.",
+						"",
+						"Use Istanbul instead — it works by instrumenting source code and runs on any JavaScript runtime:",
+						"",
+						"  1. Install: npm i -D @vitest/coverage-istanbul",
+						'  2. Set `test.coverage.provider` to "istanbul" in your Vitest config',
+						"",
+						"See https://vitest.dev/guide/coverage#istanbul-provider for more details.",
+					];
+					throw new Error(lines.join("\n"));
+				}
+			}
 			// See https://vitest.dev/config/server.html#inline
 			// Without this Vitest delegates to native import() for external deps in node_modules
 			config.test.server.deps.inline = true;
diff --git a/packages/vitest-pool-workers/test/validation.test.ts b/packages/vitest-pool-workers/test/validation.test.ts
index 322e6ec5ac..6e3141dc5f 100644
--- a/packages/vitest-pool-workers/test/validation.test.ts
+++ b/packages/vitest-pool-workers/test/validation.test.ts
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 import path from "node:path";
 import dedent from "ts-dedent";
+import { describe } from "vitest";
 import { test, vitestConfig } from "./helpers";
 
 test(
@@ -107,3 +108,76 @@ test(
 		expect(result.stderr).toMatch(expected);
 	}
 );
+
+describe("coverage provider validation", () => {
+	test(
+		"rejects v8 coverage provider with a clear error",
+		{ timeout: 45_000 },
+		async ({ expect, seed, vitestRun }) => {
+			await seed({
+				"vitest.config.mts": vitestConfig(
+					{},
+					{ coverage: { enabled: true, provider: "v8" } }
+				),
+				"index.test.ts": dedent /* javascript */ `
+				import { it, expect } from "vitest";
+				it("works", () => {
+					expect(1 + 1).toBe(2);
+				});
+			`,
+			});
+			const result = await vitestRun();
+			expect(await result.exitCode).toBe(1);
+			expect(result.stderr).toMatch(
+				'Coverage provider "v8" is not supported by `@cloudflare/vitest-pool-workers`'
+			);
+			expect(result.stderr).toMatch("Use Istanbul instead");
+		}
+	);
+
+	test(
+		"rejects default coverage provider (v8) with a clear error",
+		{ timeout: 45_000 },
+		async ({ expect, seed, vitestRun }) => {
+			// When no provider is specified, Vitest defaults to v8
+			await seed({
+				"vitest.config.mts": vitestConfig({}, { coverage: { enabled: true } }),
+				"index.test.ts": dedent /* javascript */ `
+				import { it, expect } from "vitest";
+				it("works", () => {
+					expect(1 + 1).toBe(2);
+				});
+			`,
+			});
+			const result = await vitestRun();
+			expect(await result.exitCode).toBe(1);
+			expect(result.stderr).toMatch(
+				'Coverage provider "v8" is not supported by `@cloudflare/vitest-pool-workers`'
+			);
+		}
+	);
+
+	test(
+		"allows istanbul coverage provider",
+		{ timeout: 60_000 },
+		async ({ expect, seed, vitestRun }) => {
+			await seed({
+				"vitest.config.mts": vitestConfig(
+					{},
+					{ coverage: { enabled: true, provider: "istanbul" } }
+				),
+				"index.test.ts": dedent /* javascript */ `
+				import { it, expect } from "vitest";
+				it("works", () => {
+					expect(1 + 1).toBe(2);
+				});
+			`,
+			});
+			const result = await vitestRun();
+			// Should not fail with a coverage provider error
+			expect(result.stderr).not.toMatch(
+				'Coverage provider "v8" is not supported'
+			);
+		}
+	);
+});