diff --git a/lib/internal/repl/history.js b/lib/internal/repl/history.js
index dd3ea850954936..5d90b40e0041c7 100644
--- a/lib/internal/repl/history.js
+++ b/lib/internal/repl/history.js
@@ -93,6 +93,7 @@ function setupHistory(repl, historyPath, ready) {
     fs.ftruncate(hnd, 0, (err) => {
       repl._historyHandle = hnd;
       repl.on('line', online);
+      repl.once('exit', onexit);
 
       // Reading the file data out erases it
       repl.once('flushHistory', function() {
@@ -137,6 +138,15 @@ function setupHistory(repl, historyPath, ready) {
       }
     }
   }
+
+  function onexit() {
+    if (repl._flushing) {
+      repl.once('flushHistory', onexit);
+      return;
+    }
+    repl.off('line', online);
+    fs.close(repl._historyHandle, () => {});
+  }
 }
 
 function _replHistoryMessage() {