diff --git a/jax/_src/numpy/lax_numpy.py b/jax/_src/numpy/lax_numpy.py
index ab53d9e736dd..387b3b2a51a7 100644
--- a/jax/_src/numpy/lax_numpy.py
+++ b/jax/_src/numpy/lax_numpy.py
@@ -6812,6 +6812,10 @@ def trace(a: ArrayLike, offset: int | ArrayLike = 0, axis1: int = 0, axis2: int
   util.check_arraylike("trace", a)
   if out is not None:
     raise NotImplementedError("The 'out' argument to jnp.trace is not supported.")
+
+  if _canonicalize_axis(axis1, ndim(a)) == _canonicalize_axis(axis2, ndim(a)):
+    raise ValueError(f"axis1 and axis2 can not be same. axis1={axis1} and axis2={axis2}")
+
   dtypes.check_user_dtype_supported(dtype, "trace")
 
   a_shape = shape(a)
diff --git a/tests/lax_numpy_test.py b/tests/lax_numpy_test.py
index c6d56885a6a8..6f8167df9c29 100644
--- a/tests/lax_numpy_test.py
+++ b/tests/lax_numpy_test.py
@@ -2725,6 +2725,11 @@ def np_fun(arg):
       self._CheckAgainstNumpy(np_fun, jnp_fun, args_maker)
     self._CompileAndCheck(jnp_fun, args_maker)
 
+  def testTraceSameAxesError(self):
+    a = jnp.arange(1, 13).reshape(2, 3, 2)
+    with self.assertRaisesRegex(ValueError, r"axis1 and axis2 can not be same"):
+      jnp.trace(a, axis1=1, axis2=-2)
+
   @jtu.sample_product(
     ashape=[(15,), (16,), (17,)],
     vshape=[(), (5,), (5, 5)],