diff --git a/numpy/core/src/multiarray/ctors.c b/numpy/core/src/multiarray/ctors.c
index 58571b678aef..ef105ff2d3f8 100644
--- a/numpy/core/src/multiarray/ctors.c
+++ b/numpy/core/src/multiarray/ctors.c
@@ -2124,7 +2124,16 @@ PyArray_FromInterface(PyObject *origin)
 
     if (iface == NULL) {
         if (PyErr_Occurred()) {
-            return NULL;
+            if (PyErr_ExceptionMatches(PyExc_RecursionError) ||
+                    PyErr_ExceptionMatches(PyExc_MemoryError)) {
+                /* RecursionError and MemoryError are considered fatal */
+                return NULL;
+            }
+            /*
+             * This probably be deprecated, but at least shapely raised
+             * a NotImplementedError expecting it to be cleared (gh-17965)
+             */
+            PyErr_Clear();
         }
         return Py_NotImplemented;
     }
@@ -2392,7 +2401,13 @@ PyArray_FromArrayAttr(PyObject *op, PyArray_Descr *typecode, PyObject *context)
     array_meth = PyArray_LookupSpecial_OnInstance(op, "__array__");
     if (array_meth == NULL) {
         if (PyErr_Occurred()) {
-            return NULL;
+            if (PyErr_ExceptionMatches(PyExc_RecursionError) ||
+                PyErr_ExceptionMatches(PyExc_MemoryError)) {
+                /* RecursionError and MemoryError are considered fatal */
+                return NULL;
+            }
+            /* This probably be deprecated. */
+            PyErr_Clear();
         }
         return Py_NotImplemented;
     }
diff --git a/numpy/core/tests/test_array_coercion.py b/numpy/core/tests/test_array_coercion.py
index 08b32dfccddc..8f709dbe110b 100644
--- a/numpy/core/tests/test_array_coercion.py
+++ b/numpy/core/tests/test_array_coercion.py
@@ -702,17 +702,19 @@ def test_too_large_array_error_paths(self):
 
     @pytest.mark.parametrize("attribute",
         ["__array_interface__", "__array__", "__array_struct__"])
-    def test_bad_array_like_attributes(self, attribute):
-        # Check that errors during attribute retrieval are raised unless
-        # they are Attribute errors.
+    @pytest.mark.parametrize("error", [RecursionError, MemoryError])
+    def test_bad_array_like_attributes(self, attribute, error):
+        # RecursionError and MemoryError are considered fatal. All errors
+        # (except AttributeError) should probably be raised in the future,
+        # but shapely made use of it, so it will require a deprecation.
 
         class BadInterface:
             def __getattr__(self, attr):
                 if attr == attribute:
-                    raise RuntimeError
+                    raise error
                 super().__getattr__(attr)
 
-        with pytest.raises(RuntimeError):
+        with pytest.raises(error):
             np.array(BadInterface())
 
     @pytest.mark.parametrize("error", [RecursionError, MemoryError])