diff --git a/src/ui/starter-select-ui-handler.ts b/src/ui/starter-select-ui-handler.ts
index 771554f18de..12dd668af39 100644
--- a/src/ui/starter-select-ui-handler.ts
+++ b/src/ui/starter-select-ui-handler.ts
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@ import i18next from "i18next";
 import type BBCodeText from "phaser3-rex-plugins/plugins/bbcodetext";
 import { starterColors } from "#app/battle-scene";
 import { globalScene } from "#app/global-scene";
+import type { Ability } from "#app/data/ability";
 import { allAbilities } from "#app/data/ability";
 import { speciesEggMoves } from "#app/data/balance/egg-moves";
 import { GrowthRate, getGrowthRateColor } from "#app/data/exp";
@@ -3364,7 +3365,12 @@ export default class StarterSelectUiHandler extends MessageUiHandler {
       }
 
       if (dexEntry.caughtAttr) {
-        const ability = allAbilities[this.lastSpecies.getAbility(abilityIndex!)]; // TODO: is this bang correct?
+        let ability: Ability;
+        if (this.lastSpecies.forms?.length > 1) {
+          ability = allAbilities[this.lastSpecies.forms[formIndex ?? 0].getAbility(abilityIndex!)];
+        } else {
+          ability = allAbilities[this.lastSpecies.getAbility(abilityIndex!)]; // TODO: is this bang correct?
+        }
         this.pokemonAbilityText.setText(ability.name);
 
         const isHidden = abilityIndex === (this.lastSpecies.ability2 ? 2 : 1);