diff --git a/src/pyrecest/_backend/pytorch/linalg.py b/src/pyrecest/_backend/pytorch/linalg.py
index 5264de67d..607e88470 100644
--- a/src/pyrecest/_backend/pytorch/linalg.py
+++ b/src/pyrecest/_backend/pytorch/linalg.py
@@ -211,10 +211,17 @@ def solve_sylvester(a, b, q):
         )
         if conditions:
             tilde_q = eigvecs.transpose(-2, -1) @ q @ eigvecs
-            tilde_x = tilde_q / (
-                eigvals[..., :, None]
-                + eigvals[..., None, :]
-                + _torch.eye(a.shape[-1], dtype=a.dtype, device=a.device)
+            denominators = eigvals[..., :, None] + eigvals[..., None, :]
+            safe_denominators = _torch.where(
+                _torch.abs(denominators) < 1e-12,
+                _torch.ones((), dtype=denominators.dtype, device=denominators.device),
+                denominators,
+            )
+            tilde_x = tilde_q / safe_denominators
+            tilde_x = _torch.where(
+                _torch.abs(denominators) < 1e-12,
+                _torch.zeros((), dtype=tilde_x.dtype, device=tilde_x.device),
+                tilde_x,
             )
             return eigvecs @ tilde_x @ eigvecs.transpose(-2, -1)
 
diff --git a/tests/backend_support/test_pytorch_sylvester_semidefinite_shortcut.py b/tests/backend_support/test_pytorch_sylvester_semidefinite_shortcut.py
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..88d8aac0e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/backend_support/test_pytorch_sylvester_semidefinite_shortcut.py
@@ -0,0 +1,42 @@
+"""Regression tests for PyTorch Sylvester solver shortcuts."""
+
+from tests.support.backend_runner import run_backend_code
+
+
+def test_pytorch_semidefinite_sylvester_shortcut_respects_nonzero_denominators():
+    code = """
+import torch
+from pyrecest.backend import linalg
+
+# Symmetric positive-semidefinite factor with a one-dimensional nullspace.
+eigvecs = torch.tensor(
+    [
+        [-0.23813772, -0.95532958, 0.17434201],
+        [0.89798926, -0.14791816, 0.41440983],
+        [-0.37000772, 0.25586247, 0.89310060],
+    ],
+    dtype=torch.float64,
+)
+eigvals = torch.tensor([0.0, 0.5, 2.0], dtype=torch.float64)
+a = eigvecs @ torch.diag(eigvals) @ eigvecs.T
+
+# The shortcut accepts almost skew-symmetric q.  The tiny diagonal entries are
+# within that tolerance, but they still have nonzero Sylvester denominators in
+# the non-null eigenspaces and must not be divided by denominator + I.
+tilde_q = torch.tensor(
+    [
+        [0.0, 0.3, -0.2],
+        [-0.3, 1.0e-7, 0.4],
+        [0.2, -0.4, -1.0e-7],
+    ],
+    dtype=torch.float64,
+)
+q = eigvecs @ tilde_q @ eigvecs.T
+
+solution = linalg.solve_sylvester(a, a, q)
+residual = torch.linalg.norm(a @ solution + solution @ a - q)
+assert torch.isfinite(solution).all()
+assert residual.item() < 1e-10, residual.item()
+"""
+    result = run_backend_code("pytorch", code)
+    assert result.returncode == 0, result.stderr