diff --git a/lib/internal/repl.js b/lib/internal/repl.js
index 0318a36098e31a..1a62414a49e95d 100644
--- a/lib/internal/repl.js
+++ b/lib/internal/repl.js
@@ -92,7 +92,16 @@ function setupHistory(repl, historyPath, oldHistoryPath, ready) {
 
   function oninit(err, hnd) {
     if (err) {
-      return ready(err);
+      // Cannot open history file.
+      // Don't crash, just don't persist history.
+      repl._writeToOutput('\nError: Could not open history file.\n' +
+                          'REPL session history will not be persisted.\n');
+      repl._refreshLine();
+      debug(err.stack);
+
+      repl._historyPrev = _replHistoryMessage;
+      repl.resume();
+      return ready(null, repl);
     }
     fs.close(hnd, onclose);
   }
diff --git a/test/sequential/test-repl-persistent-history.js b/test/sequential/test-repl-persistent-history.js
index 7fd68d7d764a4f..10e0dedf53ec3e 100644
--- a/test/sequential/test-repl-persistent-history.js
+++ b/test/sequential/test-repl-persistent-history.js
@@ -64,10 +64,13 @@ const convertMsg = '\nConverting old JSON repl history to line-separated ' +
                    path.join(common.tmpDir, '.node_repl_history') + '.\n';
 const homedirErr = '\nError: Could not get the home directory.\n' +
                    'REPL session history will not be persisted.\n';
+const replFailedRead = '\nError: Could not open history file.\n' +
+                       'REPL session history will not be persisted.\n';
 // File paths
 const fixtures = path.join(common.testDir, 'fixtures');
 const historyFixturePath = path.join(fixtures, '.node_repl_history');
 const historyPath = path.join(common.tmpDir, '.fixture_copy_repl_history');
+const historyPathFail = path.join(common.tmpDir, '.node_repl\u0000_history');
 const oldHistoryPath = path.join(fixtures, 'old-repl-history-file.json');
 const enoentHistoryPath = path.join(fixtures, 'enoent-repl-history-file.json');
 const defaultHistoryPath = path.join(common.tmpDir, '.node_repl_history');
@@ -147,6 +150,12 @@ const tests = [{
   test: [UP, UP, UP, CLEAR],
   expected: [prompt, convertMsg, prompt, prompt + '\'=^.^=\'', prompt]
 },
+{
+  env: { NODE_REPL_HISTORY: historyPathFail,
+         NODE_REPL_HISTORY_SIZE: 1 },
+  test: [UP],
+  expected: [prompt, replFailedRead, prompt, replDisabled, prompt]
+},
 { // Make sure this is always the last test, since we change os.homedir()
   before: function mockHomedirFailure() {
     // Mock os.homedir() failure