diff --git a/src/uu/head/src/head.rs b/src/uu/head/src/head.rs
index 61082204734..4a2c6f26952 100644
--- a/src/uu/head/src/head.rs
+++ b/src/uu/head/src/head.rs
@@ -461,7 +461,7 @@ fn uu_head(options: &HeadOptions) -> UResult<()> {
                         writeln!(stdout)?;
                     }
                     write!(stdout, "==> ")?;
-                    print_verbatim(file).unwrap();
+                    print_verbatim(file)?;
                     writeln!(stdout, " <==")?;
                     first = false;
                 }
diff --git a/tests/by-util/test_head.rs b/tests/by-util/test_head.rs
index 90a9829aeb8..1ad450a1d4b 100644
--- a/tests/by-util/test_head.rs
+++ b/tests/by-util/test_head.rs
@@ -1050,6 +1050,31 @@ fn test_unreadable_file_prints_no_header() {
         .stderr_contains("cannot open 'unreadable' for reading: Permission denied");
 }
 
+/// Regression for #13887: writing the `==> filename <==` verbose header to a
+/// full/closed stdout must surface the write error instead of panicking inside
+/// `print_verbatim(...).unwrap()`. A filename longer than the stdout buffer
+/// forces the header write to flush mid-write so the failure surfaces inside
+/// the filename write rather than at the next checked one.
+#[test]
+#[cfg(target_os = "linux")]
+#[cfg_attr(wasi_runner, ignore = "WASI sandbox: host paths (/dev) not visible")]
+fn test_verbose_header_write_error_long_filename() {
+    use std::fs::File;
+
+    let dev_full =
+        File::create("/dev/full").expect("Failed to open /dev/full - test must run on Linux");
+
+    let long_path = format!("/dev/{}null", "./".repeat(512));
+
+    new_ucmd!()
+        .arg("-v")
+        .arg(long_path)
+        .set_stdout(dev_full)
+        .fails()
+        .code_is(1)
+        .stderr_contains("No space left on device");
+}
+
 /// Regression for #11972: head must reject directories detected on the
 /// open fd, not via a separate `Path::is_dir()` call. A symlink that
 /// resolves to a directory must still be rejected — verifying the fd