diff --git a/lib/net.js b/lib/net.js
index 8d88c69bba..35eb84d498 100644
--- a/lib/net.js
+++ b/lib/net.js
@@ -717,7 +717,13 @@ Socket.prototype.connect = function() {
     // TCP
     require('dns').lookup(arguments[1], function(err, ip, addressType) {
       if (err) {
-        self.emit('error', err);
+        // net.createConnection() creates a net.Socket object and
+        // immediately calls net.Socket.connect() on it (that's us).
+        // There are no event listeners registered yet so defer the
+        // error event to the next tick.
+        process.nextTick(function() {
+          self.emit('error', err);
+        });
       } else {
         timers.active(self);
         self.type = addressType == 4 ? 'tcp4' : 'tcp6';