diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index 36daaf224..e9bbf948f 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -16,6 +16,7 @@ and this project adheres to [Semantic Versioning](https://semver.org/spec/v2.0.0
 - Support `borderRadius.*` as an alias for `--radius-*` when using dot notation inside the `theme()` function ([#14436](https://github.com/tailwindlabs/tailwindcss/pull/14436))
 - Ensure individual variants from groups are always sorted earlier than stacked variants from the same groups ([#14431](https://github.com/tailwindlabs/tailwindcss/pull/14431))
 - Allow `anchor-size(…)` in arbitrary values ([#14394](https://github.com/tailwindlabs/tailwindcss/pull/14394))
+- Skip candidates with invalid `theme()` calls ([#14437](https://github.com/tailwindlabs/tailwindcss/pull/14437))
 
 ## [4.0.0-alpha.24] - 2024-09-11
 
diff --git a/packages/tailwindcss/src/compile.ts b/packages/tailwindcss/src/compile.ts
index 931d16ecd..9b7b3ce46 100644
--- a/packages/tailwindcss/src/compile.ts
+++ b/packages/tailwindcss/src/compile.ts
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 import { decl, rule, walk, WalkAction, type AstNode, type Rule } from './ast'
 import { type Candidate, type Variant } from './candidate'
+import { substituteFunctions } from './css-functions'
 import { type DesignSystem } from './design-system'
 import GLOBAL_PROPERTY_ORDER from './property-order'
 import { asColor, type Utility } from './utilities'
@@ -40,6 +41,22 @@ export function compileCandidates(
       let rules = designSystem.compileAstNodes(candidate)
       if (rules.length === 0) continue
 
+      // Arbitrary values (`text-[theme(--color-red-500)]`) and arbitrary
+      // properties (`[--my-var:theme(--color-red-500)]`) can contain function
+      // calls so we need evaluate any functions we find there that weren't in
+      // the source CSS.
+      try {
+        substituteFunctions(
+          rules.map(({ node }) => node),
+          designSystem.resolveThemeValue,
+        )
+      } catch (err) {
+        // If substitution fails then the candidate likely contains a call to
+        // `theme()` that is invalid which may be because of incorrect usage,
+        // invalid arguments, or a theme key that does not exist.
+        continue
+      }
+
       found = true
 
       for (let { node, propertySort } of rules) {
diff --git a/packages/tailwindcss/src/css-functions.test.ts b/packages/tailwindcss/src/css-functions.test.ts
index 65c6dbca0..b40dc9a2b 100644
--- a/packages/tailwindcss/src/css-functions.test.ts
+++ b/packages/tailwindcss/src/css-functions.test.ts
@@ -606,6 +606,42 @@ describe('theme function', () => {
         }"
       `)
     })
+
+    test("values that don't exist don't produce candidates", async () => {
+      // This guarantees that valid candidates still make it through when some are invalid
+      expect(
+        await compileCss(
+          css`
+            @tailwind utilities;
+            @theme reference {
+              --radius-sm: 2rem;
+            }
+          `,
+          [
+            'rounded-[theme(--radius-sm)]',
+            'rounded-[theme(i.do.not.exist)]',
+            'rounded-[theme(--i-do-not-exist)]',
+          ],
+        ),
+      ).toMatchInlineSnapshot(`
+        ".rounded-\\[theme\\(--radius-sm\\)\\] {
+          border-radius: 2rem;
+        }"
+      `)
+
+      // This guarantees no output for the following candidates
+      expect(
+        await compileCss(
+          css`
+            @tailwind utilities;
+            @theme reference {
+              --radius-sm: 2rem;
+            }
+          `,
+          ['rounded-[theme(i.do.not.exist)]', 'rounded-[theme(--i-do-not-exist)]'],
+        ),
+      ).toEqual('')
+    })
   })
 
   describe('in @media queries', () => {
diff --git a/packages/tailwindcss/src/index.ts b/packages/tailwindcss/src/index.ts
index 8e6854ce0..ad441084c 100644
--- a/packages/tailwindcss/src/index.ts
+++ b/packages/tailwindcss/src/index.ts
@@ -385,12 +385,6 @@ export async function compile(
           return compiledCss
         }
 
-        // Arbitrary values (`text-[theme(--color-red-500)]`) and arbitrary
-        // properties (`[--my-var:theme(--color-red-500)]`) can contain function
-        // calls so we need evaluate any functions we find there that weren't in
-        // the source CSS.
-        substituteFunctions(newNodes, designSystem.resolveThemeValue)
-
         previousAstNodeCount = newNodes.length
 
         tailwindUtilitiesNode.nodes = newNodes