An adaptive passive quench propagation circuit in combination with a superconducting magnet having multiple superconducting coils electrically connected in series between a power supply terminal and a ground reference voltage terminal, has a superconducting switch arranged to electrically connect the power supply terminal and the ground reference voltage terminal to provide a closed-loop persistent superconducting circuit, multiple resistive heaters, each in thermal contact with one of the coils, a tapping point situated between two electrically adjacent coils, and a quench propagation circuit connected between the tapping point and a reference voltage.