diff --git a/lib/net.js b/lib/net.js
index 38ee1128e5..3f75d16b47 100644
--- a/lib/net.js
+++ b/lib/net.js
@@ -1189,10 +1189,13 @@ Server.prototype._startWatcher = function () {
 };
 
 Server.prototype._doListen = function () {
-  listen(this.fd, this._backlog || 128);
-  this._startWatcher();
-};
-
+  try {
+    listen(this.fd, this._backlog || 128);
+    this._startWatcher();
+  } catch (err) {
+    this.emit('error', err);
+  }
+}
 
 
 Server.prototype.address = function () {
diff --git a/test/simple/test-net-eaddrinuse.js b/test/simple/test-net-eaddrinuse.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..7a46f6292c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/simple/test-net-eaddrinuse.js
@@ -0,0 +1,14 @@
+common = require('../common');
+assert = common.assert
+net = require('net');
+
+var server1 = net.createServer(function (socket) {
+});
+var server2 = net.createServer(function (socket) {
+});
+server1.listen(31337);
+server2.addListener('error', function(error) {
+  assert.equal(true, error.message.indexOf('EADDRINUSE') >= 0);
+  server1.close();
+});
+server2.listen(31337);