diff --git a/lib/internal/repl/history.js b/lib/internal/repl/history.js
index ed63ba01cb1be1..bac9db145ebfcf 100644
--- a/lib/internal/repl/history.js
+++ b/lib/internal/repl/history.js
@@ -321,7 +321,11 @@ class ReplHistory {
       this[kContext].once('flushHistory', () => {
         if (!this[kContext].closed) {
           this[kContext].resume();
-          onReadyCallback(null, this[kContext]);
+          try {
+            onReadyCallback(null, this[kContext]);
+          } catch (err) {
+            process.nextTick(() => { throw err; });
+          }
         }
       });
 
@@ -345,7 +349,11 @@ class ReplHistory {
     this.historyPrev = this[kContext]._historyPrev;
     this[kContext]._historyPrev = this[kReplHistoryMessage].bind(this);
     this[kContext].resume();
-    return onReadyCallback(null, this[kContext]);
+    try {
+      return onReadyCallback(null, this[kContext]);
+    } catch (callbackErr) {
+      process.nextTick(() => { throw callbackErr; });
+    }
   }
 
   [kOnLine]() {