diff --git a/src/Avalonia.Base/Animation/AnimationInstance`1.cs b/src/Avalonia.Base/Animation/AnimationInstance`1.cs
index ec27978939..3be646d66c 100644
--- a/src/Avalonia.Base/Animation/AnimationInstance`1.cs
+++ b/src/Avalonia.Base/Animation/AnimationInstance`1.cs
@@ -137,7 +137,8 @@ namespace Avalonia.Animation
 
             if (!_gotFirstKFValue)
             {
-                _firstKFValue = (T)_animator.First().Value!;
+                var firstKeyFrame = _animator.First();
+                _firstKFValue = firstKeyFrame.Value is T value ? value : _neutralValue;
                 _gotFirstKFValue = true;
             }
         }
diff --git a/tests/Avalonia.Base.UnitTests/Animation/AnimationIterationTests.cs b/tests/Avalonia.Base.UnitTests/Animation/AnimationIterationTests.cs
index 28beb4f4e8..81f1b758a7 100644
--- a/tests/Avalonia.Base.UnitTests/Animation/AnimationIterationTests.cs
+++ b/tests/Avalonia.Base.UnitTests/Animation/AnimationIterationTests.cs
@@ -7,7 +7,9 @@ using Xunit;
 using Avalonia.Animation.Easings;
 using System.Threading;
 using System.Reactive.Linq;
+using Avalonia.Data;
 using Avalonia.Layout;
+using Avalonia.UnitTests;
 
 namespace Avalonia.Base.UnitTests.Animation
 {
@@ -604,6 +606,110 @@ namespace Avalonia.Base.UnitTests.Animation
             Assert.Equal(100.0, border.Width);
         }
 
+        [Fact]
+        public void Animation_Completes_Gracefully_When_First_KeyFrame_Value_Is_Null()
+        {
+            var clock = new MockGlobalClock();
+            var services = new TestServices(globalClock: clock);
+
+            using (UnitTestApplication.Start(services))
+            {
+                var nullBinding = new Binding("NonExistentProperty");
+
+                var animation = new Animation
+                {
+                    Duration = TimeSpan.FromSeconds(1),
+                    FillMode = FillMode.Both,
+                    Children =
+                    {
+                        new KeyFrame
+                        {
+                            KeyTime = TimeSpan.FromSeconds(0),
+                            Setters = { new Setter(Layoutable.WidthProperty, nullBinding) }
+                        },
+                        new KeyFrame
+                        {
+                            KeyTime = TimeSpan.FromSeconds(1),
+                            Setters = { new Setter(Layoutable.WidthProperty, 200d) }
+                        }
+                    }
+                };
+
+                var border = new Border { Width = 100d, Height = 100d };
+
+                var root = new TestRoot(border);
+                root.LayoutManager.ExecuteInitialLayoutPass();
+
+                var animationTask = animation.RunAsync(border, clock);
+
+                // Pulse the clock - this should not throw even though
+                // the first keyframe's value is null (falls back to neutral value)
+                var exception = Record.Exception(() => clock.Pulse(TimeSpan.Zero));
+                Assert.Null(exception);
+
+                // The animation should continue running (using neutral value as fallback)
+                clock.Pulse(TimeSpan.FromSeconds(0.5));
+                Assert.False(animationTask.IsCompleted);
+
+                // Animation completes after its full duration
+                clock.Pulse(TimeSpan.FromSeconds(1));
+                Assert.True(animationTask.IsCompleted);
+            }
+        }
+
+        [Fact]
+        public void Animation_With_Unresolved_Binding_Does_Not_Throw_NullReferenceException()
+        {
+            // Additional test to verify the null reference fix for animator first keyframe value
+
+            var clock = new MockGlobalClock();
+            var services = new TestServices(globalClock: clock);
+
+            using (UnitTestApplication.Start(services))
+            {
+                // Binding to a property that doesn't exist - will evaluate to null
+                var binding = new Binding("MissingProperty");
+
+                var animation = new Animation
+                {
+                    Duration = TimeSpan.FromSeconds(1),
+                    IterationCount = new IterationCount(1),
+                    Children =
+                    {
+                        new KeyFrame
+                        {
+                            Cue = new Cue(0d),
+                            Setters = { new Setter(Layoutable.WidthProperty, binding) }
+                        },
+                        new KeyFrame
+                        {
+                            Cue = new Cue(1d),
+                            Setters = { new Setter(Layoutable.WidthProperty, 300d) }
+                        }
+                    }
+                };
+
+                var control = new Border { Width = 50d };
+                var root = new TestRoot(control);
+                root.LayoutManager.ExecuteInitialLayoutPass();
+
+                // Start animation - the first keyframe value will be null due to unresolved binding
+                var task = animation.RunAsync(control, clock);
+
+                // The fix ensures this doesn't throw NullReferenceException
+                // Animation falls back to neutral value and continues
+                clock.Pulse(TimeSpan.Zero);
+                clock.Pulse(TimeSpan.FromSeconds(0.1));
+
+                // Animation should still be running (uses neutral value as fallback)
+                Assert.False(task.IsCompleted);
+
+                // Animation completes after its full duration
+                clock.Pulse(TimeSpan.FromSeconds(1));
+                Assert.True(task.IsCompleted);
+            }
+        }
+
         private sealed class FakeAnimator : InterpolatingAnimator<double>
         {
             public double LastProgress { get; set; } = double.NaN;