diff --git a/lib/child_process.js b/lib/child_process.js
index f7312215cd..eec0313337 100644
--- a/lib/child_process.js
+++ b/lib/child_process.js
@@ -695,8 +695,16 @@ exports.execFile = function(file /* args, options, callback */) {
 };
 
 
-var spawn = exports.spawn = function(file, args, options) {
-  args = args ? args.slice(0) : [];
+var spawn = exports.spawn = function(file /*, args, options*/) {
+  var args, options;
+  if (Array.isArray(arguments[1])) {
+    args = arguments[1].slice(0);
+    options = arguments[2];
+  } else {
+    args = [];
+    options = arguments[1];
+  }
+
   args.unshift(file);
 
   var env = (options ? options.env : null) || process.env;