diff --git a/stdlib/REPL/src/REPLCompletions.jl b/stdlib/REPL/src/REPLCompletions.jl
index 3a441540c3620..4179819e47f1d 100644
--- a/stdlib/REPL/src/REPLCompletions.jl
+++ b/stdlib/REPL/src/REPLCompletions.jl
@@ -335,21 +335,23 @@ PATH_cache_condition::Union{Threads.Condition, Nothing} = nothing # used for syn
 next_cache_update::Float64 = 0.0
 function maybe_spawn_cache_PATH()
     global PATH_cache_task, PATH_cache_condition, next_cache_update
-    # Extract to local variables to enable flow-sensitive type inference for these global variables
-    PATH_cache_task_local = PATH_cache_task
-    PATH_cache_condition_local = PATH_cache_condition
     @lock PATH_cache_lock begin
+        # Extract to local variables to enable flow-sensitive type inference for these global variables
+        PATH_cache_task_local = PATH_cache_task
         PATH_cache_task_local isa Task && !istaskdone(PATH_cache_task_local) && return
         time() < next_cache_update && return
-        PATH_cache_task = Threads.@spawn begin
-            REPLCompletions.cache_PATH()
-            @lock PATH_cache_lock begin
-                next_cache_update = time() + 10 # earliest next update can run is 10s after
-                PATH_cache_task = nothing # release memory when done
-                PATH_cache_condition_local !== nothing && notify(PATH_cache_condition_local)
+        PATH_cache_task = PATH_cache_task_local = Threads.@spawn begin
+            try
+                REPLCompletions.cache_PATH()
+            finally
+                @lock PATH_cache_lock begin
+                    next_cache_update = time() + 10 # earliest next update can run is 10s after
+                    PATH_cache_task = nothing # release memory when done
+                    PATH_cache_condition_local = PATH_cache_condition
+                    PATH_cache_condition_local !== nothing && notify(PATH_cache_condition_local)
+                end
             end
         end
-        PATH_cache_task_local = PATH_cache_task
         Base.errormonitor(PATH_cache_task_local)
     end
 end
diff --git a/stdlib/REPL/test/replcompletions.jl b/stdlib/REPL/test/replcompletions.jl
index 7b2b032af77d3..1b6dad2d17a00 100644
--- a/stdlib/REPL/test/replcompletions.jl
+++ b/stdlib/REPL/test/replcompletions.jl
@@ -1095,7 +1095,7 @@ function test_only_arm_cache_refresh()
         # force the next cache update to happen immediately
         REPL.REPLCompletions.next_cache_update = 0
     end
-    return REPL.REPLCompletions.PATH_cache_condition
+    return nothing
 end
 
 function test_only_wait_cache_path_done()