diff --git a/lib/events.js b/lib/events.js
index 729800864e..e2e39fd6e5 100644
--- a/lib/events.js
+++ b/lib/events.js
@@ -22,11 +22,9 @@
 var domain;
 var util = require('util');
 
-exports.usingDomains = false;
-
 function EventEmitter() {
   this.domain = null;
-  if (exports.usingDomains) {
+  if (EventEmitter.usingDomains) {
     // if there is an active domain, then attach to it.
     domain = domain || require('domain');
     if (domain.active && !(this instanceof domain.Domain)) {
@@ -36,7 +34,12 @@ function EventEmitter() {
   this._events = this._events || {};
   this._maxListeners = this._maxListeners || undefined;
 }
-exports.EventEmitter = EventEmitter;
+module.exports = EventEmitter;
+
+// Backwards-compat with node 0.10.x
+EventEmitter.EventEmitter = EventEmitter;
+
+EventEmitter.usingDomains = false;
 
 EventEmitter.prototype.domain = undefined;
 EventEmitter.prototype._events = undefined;