diff --git a/src/cmd/compile/internal/devirtualize/devirtualize.go b/src/cmd/compile/internal/devirtualize/devirtualize.go
index b620470b0e..7350a6f171 100644
--- a/src/cmd/compile/internal/devirtualize/devirtualize.go
+++ b/src/cmd/compile/internal/devirtualize/devirtualize.go
@@ -17,9 +17,25 @@ import (
 // Func devirtualizes calls within fn where possible.
 func Func(fn *ir.Func) {
 	ir.CurFunc = fn
+
+	// For promoted methods (including value-receiver methods promoted to pointer-receivers),
+	// the interface method wrapper may contain expressions that can panic (e.g., ODEREF, ODOTPTR, ODOTINTER).
+	// Devirtualization involves inlining these expressions (and possible panics) to the call site.
+	// This normally isn't a problem, but for go/defer statements it can move the panic from when/where
+	// the call executes to the go/defer statement itself, which is a visible change in semantics (e.g., #52072).
+	// To prevent this, we skip devirtualizing calls within go/defer statements altogether.
+	goDeferCall := make(map[*ir.CallExpr]bool)
 	ir.VisitList(fn.Body, func(n ir.Node) {
-		if call, ok := n.(*ir.CallExpr); ok {
-			Call(call)
+		switch n := n.(type) {
+		case *ir.GoDeferStmt:
+			if call, ok := n.Call.(*ir.CallExpr); ok {
+				goDeferCall[call] = true
+			}
+			return
+		case *ir.CallExpr:
+			if !goDeferCall[n] {
+				Call(n)
+			}
 		}
 	})
 }
diff --git a/test/fixedbugs/issue52072.go b/test/fixedbugs/issue52072.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..f372696d34
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/fixedbugs/issue52072.go
@@ -0,0 +1,32 @@
+// run
+
+// Copyright 2022 The Go Authors. All rights reserved.
+// Use of this source code is governed by a BSD-style
+// license that can be found in the LICENSE file.
+
+package main
+
+type I interface{ M() }
+
+type T struct {
+	x int
+}
+
+func (T) M() {}
+
+var pt *T
+
+func f() (r int) {
+	defer func() { recover() }()
+
+	var i I = pt
+	defer i.M()
+	r = 1
+	return
+}
+
+func main() {
+	if got := f(); got != 1 {
+		panic(got)
+	}
+}