diff --git a/src/cmd/go/internal/load/pkg.go b/src/cmd/go/internal/load/pkg.go
index 2b5fbb1c5bd98..f111e6757d487 100644
--- a/src/cmd/go/internal/load/pkg.go
+++ b/src/cmd/go/internal/load/pkg.go
@@ -1280,6 +1280,11 @@ func reusePackage(p *Package, stk *ImportStack) *Package {
 				Err:           errors.New("import cycle not allowed"),
 				IsImportCycle: true,
 			}
+		} else if !p.Error.IsImportCycle {
+			// If the error is already set, but it does not indicate that
+			// we are in an import cycle, set IsImportCycle so that we don't
+			// end up stuck in a loop down the road.
+			p.Error.IsImportCycle = true
 		}
 		p.Incomplete = true
 	}
diff --git a/src/cmd/go/testdata/script/list_err_cycle.txt b/src/cmd/go/testdata/script/list_err_cycle.txt
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000000..44b82a62b0b0d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/cmd/go/testdata/script/list_err_cycle.txt
@@ -0,0 +1,15 @@
+# Check that we don't get infinite recursion when loading a package with
+# an import cycle and another error. Verifies #25830.
+! go list
+stderr 'found packages a \(a.go\) and b \(b.go\)'
+
+-- go.mod --
+module errcycle
+
+go 1.16
+-- a.go --
+package a
+
+import _ "errcycle"
+-- b.go --
+package b
\ No newline at end of file