diff --git a/src/cmd/cli/command/compose.go b/src/cmd/cli/command/compose.go
index abbb9054d..132cef803 100644
--- a/src/cmd/cli/command/compose.go
+++ b/src/cmd/cli/command/compose.go
@@ -61,6 +61,11 @@ func makeComposeUpCmd() *cobra.Command {
 					return loadErr
 				}
 
+				// Don't trigger the debugger if the operation was canceled by the user (e.g., Ctrl-C)
+				if errors.Is(ctx.Err(), context.Canceled) {
+					return loadErr
+				}
+
 				term.Error("Cannot load project:", loadErr)
 				project, err := loader.CreateProjectForDebug()
 				if err != nil {
@@ -224,12 +229,22 @@ func handleComposeUpErr(ctx context.Context, err error, project *compose.Project
 		return err
 	}
 
+	// Don't trigger the debugger if the operation was canceled by the user (e.g., Ctrl-C)
+	if errors.Is(ctx.Err(), context.Canceled) {
+		return err
+	}
+
 	term.Error("Error:", cliClient.PrettyError(err))
 	track.Evt("Debug Prompted", P("composeErr", err))
 	return cli.InteractiveDebugForClientError(ctx, global.Client, project, err)
 }
 
 func handleTailAndMonitorErr(ctx context.Context, err error, client *cliClient.GrpcClient, debugConfig cli.DebugConfig) {
+	// Don't trigger the debugger if the operation was canceled by the user (e.g., Ctrl-C)
+	if errors.Is(ctx.Err(), context.Canceled) {
+		return
+	}
+
 	var errDeploymentFailed cliClient.ErrDeploymentFailed
 	if errors.As(err, &errDeploymentFailed) {
 		// Tail got canceled because of deployment failure: prompt to show the debugger
@@ -442,6 +457,11 @@ func makeComposeConfigCmd() *cobra.Command {
 					return loadErr
 				}
 
+				// Don't trigger the debugger if the operation was canceled by the user (e.g., Ctrl-C)
+				if errors.Is(ctx.Err(), context.Canceled) {
+					return loadErr
+				}
+
 				term.Error("Cannot load project:", loadErr)
 				project, err := loader.CreateProjectForDebug()
 				if err != nil {
diff --git a/src/cmd/cli/command/compose_test.go b/src/cmd/cli/command/compose_test.go
index 8568c3ec1..1ff61da16 100644
--- a/src/cmd/cli/command/compose_test.go
+++ b/src/cmd/cli/command/compose_test.go
@@ -1,7 +1,13 @@
 package command
 
 import (
+	"context"
+	"errors"
 	"testing"
+
+	"github.com/DefangLabs/defang/src/pkg/cli"
+	cliClient "github.com/DefangLabs/defang/src/pkg/cli/client"
+	"github.com/DefangLabs/defang/src/pkg/cli/compose"
 )
 
 func TestInitializeTailCmd(t *testing.T) {
@@ -14,3 +20,68 @@ func TestInitializeTailCmd(t *testing.T) {
 		}
 	})
 }
+
+func TestHandleTailAndMonitorErr_ContextCanceled(t *testing.T) {
+	// Create a canceled context to simulate Ctrl-C
+	ctx, cancel := context.WithCancel(context.Background())
+	cancel()
+
+	// Create a deployment failure error
+	err := cliClient.ErrDeploymentFailed{
+		Service: "test-service",
+		Message: "deployment failed",
+	}
+
+	// Create a debug config
+	debugConfig := cli.DebugConfig{
+		Deployment: "test-deployment",
+		Project:    &compose.Project{Name: "test-project"},
+	}
+
+	// This should not panic or prompt for debugging
+	handleTailAndMonitorErr(ctx, err, nil, debugConfig)
+}
+
+func TestHandleTailAndMonitorErr_NoContextCancellation(t *testing.T) {
+	// Create a normal context (not canceled)
+	ctx := context.Background()
+
+	// Create a deployment failure error
+	err := cliClient.ErrDeploymentFailed{
+		Service: "test-service",
+		Message: "deployment failed",
+	}
+
+	// Create a debug config
+	debugConfig := cli.DebugConfig{
+		Deployment: "test-deployment",
+		Project:    &compose.Project{Name: "test-project"},
+	}
+
+	// Set NonInteractive to true to avoid actually prompting for debugging
+	oldNonInteractive := global.NonInteractive
+	global.NonInteractive = true
+	defer func() { global.NonInteractive = oldNonInteractive }()
+
+	// This should print a hint but not prompt for interactive debugging
+	handleTailAndMonitorErr(ctx, err, nil, debugConfig)
+}
+
+func TestHandleComposeUpErr_ContextCanceled(t *testing.T) {
+	// Create a canceled context to simulate Ctrl-C
+	ctx, cancel := context.WithCancel(context.Background())
+	cancel()
+
+	// Create a generic error
+	err := errors.New("some error during compose up")
+
+	// Create a test project
+	project := &compose.Project{Name: "test-project"}
+
+	// This should return the error without prompting for debugging
+	result := handleComposeUpErr(ctx, err, project, nil)
+
+	if result != err {
+		t.Errorf("Expected error to be returned as-is, got: %v", result)
+	}
+}