A low stress, protective coating for a semiconductor device and a method for its manufacture. A preferred embodiment comprises coating the top surface of a semiconductor die with polyimide except for corner regions of the die. Not having corners in the polyimide protective overcoat generally reduces shear stresses in the die. Reducing stress, in turn, generally reduces the occurrence of problems such as fracture, delamination, or cracking within the die. A low stress coating may be particularly advantageous in semiconductor devices having low-k insulating materials, which are generally of low mechanical strength.