diff --git a/src/ape_console/plugin.py b/src/ape_console/plugin.py
index 60a22fcefa..baf07ca2f1 100644
--- a/src/ape_console/plugin.py
+++ b/src/ape_console/plugin.py
@@ -10,8 +10,9 @@
 from ape._cli import cli
 from ape.exceptions import Abort, ApeException, handle_ape_exception
 from ape.logging import logger
+from ape.managers import ProjectManager
 from ape.types import AddressType
-from ape.utils import cached_property
+from ape.utils import ManagerAccessMixin, cached_property
 
 
 @magics_class
@@ -75,7 +76,15 @@ def bal(self, line: str = ""):
 
 
 def custom_exception_handler(self, etype, value, tb, tb_offset=None):
-    if not handle_ape_exception(value, [self.user_ns["project"].path]):
+    project = self.user_ns["project"]
+    if isinstance(project, ProjectManager):
+        path = project.path
+    else:
+        # This happens if assigned the variable `project` in your session
+        # to something other than ``ape.project``.
+        path = ManagerAccessMixin.project_manager.path
+
+    if not handle_ape_exception(value, [path]):
         logger.error(Abort.from_ape_exception(value).format_message())
 
 
diff --git a/tests/functional/test_console.py b/tests/functional/test_console.py
index 0c5af1cae5..0e46495b81 100644
--- a/tests/functional/test_console.py
+++ b/tests/functional/test_console.py
@@ -3,8 +3,9 @@
 import pytest
 
 from ape import Project
-from ape.utils import create_tempdir
+from ape.utils import ManagerAccessMixin, create_tempdir
 from ape_console._cli import console
+from ape_console.plugin import custom_exception_handler
 
 
 @pytest.fixture(autouse=True)
@@ -51,3 +52,24 @@ def test_console_custom_project(mock_console, mock_ape_console_extras):
 
     # Ensure sys.path was updated correctly.
     assert sys.path[0] == str(project.path)
+
+
+def test_custom_exception_handler_handles_non_ape_project(mocker):
+    """
+    If the user has assigned the variable ``project`` to something else
+    in their active ``ape console`` session, the exception handler
+    **SHOULD NOT** attempt to use its ``.path``.
+    """
+    session = mocker.MagicMock()
+    session.user_ns = {"project": 123}  # Like doing `project = 123` in a console.
+
+    err = Exception()
+
+    handler_patch = mocker.patch("ape_console.plugin.handle_ape_exception")
+
+    # Execute - this was failing before the fix.
+    custom_exception_handler(session, None, err, None)
+
+    # We are expecting the local project's path in the handler.
+    expected_path = ManagerAccessMixin.project_manager.path
+    handler_patch.assert_called_once_with(err, [expected_path])