diff --git a/src/node.js b/src/node.js
index 53e0c489c6..5e7ae12061 100644
--- a/src/node.js
+++ b/src/node.js
@@ -336,8 +336,13 @@
   };
 
   startup.processKillAndExit = function() {
+    var exiting = false;
+
     process.exit = function(code) {
-      process.emit('exit', code || 0);
+      if (!exiting) {
+        exiting = true;
+        process.emit('exit', code || 0);
+      }
       process.reallyExit(code || 0);
     };
 
diff --git a/test/simple/test-process-exit.js b/test/simple/test-process-exit.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..59e9cbd155
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/simple/test-process-exit.js
@@ -0,0 +1,32 @@
+// Copyright Joyent, Inc. and other Node contributors.
+//
+// Permission is hereby granted, free of charge, to any person obtaining a
+// copy of this software and associated documentation files (the
+// "Software"), to deal in the Software without restriction, including
+// without limitation the rights to use, copy, modify, merge, publish,
+// distribute, sublicense, and/or sell copies of the Software, and to permit
+// persons to whom the Software is furnished to do so, subject to the
+// following conditions:
+//
+// The above copyright notice and this permission notice shall be included
+// in all copies or substantial portions of the Software.
+//
+// THE SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED "AS IS", WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS
+// OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO THE WARRANTIES OF
+// MERCHANTABILITY, FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE AND NONINFRINGEMENT. IN
+// NO EVENT SHALL THE AUTHORS OR COPYRIGHT HOLDERS BE LIABLE FOR ANY CLAIM,
+// DAMAGES OR OTHER LIABILITY, WHETHER IN AN ACTION OF CONTRACT, TORT OR
+// OTHERWISE, ARISING FROM, OUT OF OR IN CONNECTION WITH THE SOFTWARE OR THE
+// USE OR OTHER DEALINGS IN THE SOFTWARE.
+
+var assert = require('assert');
+
+// recursively calling .exit() should not overflow the call stack
+var nexits = 0;
+
+process.on('exit', function() {
+  assert.equal(nexits++, 0);
+  process.exit();
+});
+
+process.exit();