diff --git a/lib/readline.js b/lib/readline.js
index a7bc2254c1..add3a6a4bd 100644
--- a/lib/readline.js
+++ b/lib/readline.js
@@ -49,7 +49,6 @@ function Interface(input, output, completer, terminal) {
   }
 
   this._sawReturn = false;
-  this._defaultPrompt = '> ';
 
   EventEmitter.call(this);
 
@@ -83,7 +82,7 @@ function Interface(input, output, completer, terminal) {
     callback(null, completer(v));
   };
 
-  this.setDefaultPrompt();
+  this.setPrompt('> ');
 
   this.terminal = !!terminal;
 
@@ -164,11 +163,6 @@ Interface.prototype.setPrompt = function(prompt) {
   this._prompt = prompt;
 };
 
-Interface.prototype.setDefaultPrompt = function(prompt) {
-  if (!util.isUndefined(prompt))
-    this._defaultPrompt = prompt;
-  this._prompt = this._defaultPrompt;
-};
 
 Interface.prototype._setRawMode = function(mode) {
   if (util.isFunction(this.input.setRawMode)) {
diff --git a/lib/repl.js b/lib/repl.js
index 2059a022d8..6d49bdac90 100644
--- a/lib/repl.js
+++ b/lib/repl.js
@@ -193,7 +193,7 @@ function REPLServer(prompt, stream, eval_, useGlobal, ignoreUndefined) {
     options.terminal
   ]);
 
-  self.setDefaultPrompt(prompt);
+  self.setPrompt(!util.isUndefined(prompt) ? prompt : '> ');
 
   this.commands = {};
   defineDefaultCommands(this);
@@ -389,16 +389,16 @@ REPLServer.prototype.resetContext = function() {
 };
 
 REPLServer.prototype.displayPrompt = function(preserveCursor) {
-  var prompt = this._prompt;
+  var initial = this._prompt;
+  var prompt = initial;
   if (this.bufferedCommand.length) {
     prompt = '...';
     var levelInd = new Array(this.lines.level.length).join('..');
     prompt += levelInd + ' ';
-    this.setPrompt(prompt);
-  } else {
-    this.setDefaultPrompt();
   }
+  this.setPrompt(prompt);
   this.prompt(preserveCursor);
+  this.setPrompt(initial);
 };
 
 // A stream to push an array into a REPL
diff --git a/test/simple/test-repl.js b/test/simple/test-repl.js
index ef5b16b064..69b9b54d1e 100644
--- a/test/simple/test-repl.js
+++ b/test/simple/test-repl.js
@@ -34,8 +34,7 @@ var net = require('net'),
                  'node repl, in your normal shell.\n' +
                  '(Press Control-D to exit.)\n',
     expect_npm = prompt_npm + prompt_unix,
-    server_tcp, server_unix, client_tcp, client_unix, timer,
-    repl_unix;
+    server_tcp, server_unix, client_tcp, client_unix, timer;
 
 
 // absolute path to test/fixtures/a.js
@@ -100,7 +99,6 @@ function error_test() {
     } else if (read_buffer.indexOf(prompt_multiline) !== -1) {
       // Check that you meant to send a multiline test
       assert.strictEqual(prompt_multiline, client_unix.expect);
-      assert.equal(repl_unix._prompt, prompt_multiline);
       read_buffer = '';
       if (client_unix.list && client_unix.list.length > 0) {
         send_expect(client_unix.list);
@@ -277,13 +275,12 @@ function unix_test() {
       socket.end();
     });
 
-    repl_unix = repl.start({
+    repl.start({
       prompt: prompt_unix,
       input: socket,
       output: socket,
       useGlobal: true
-    });
-    repl_unix.context.message = message;
+    }).context.message = message;
   });
 
   server_unix.on('listening', function() {