diff --git a/lib/repl.js b/lib/repl.js
index 668e7a0d07..86471af60a 100644
--- a/lib/repl.js
+++ b/lib/repl.js
@@ -79,8 +79,6 @@ function REPLServer(prompt, stream) {
   rli.addListener('line', function (cmd) {
     cmd = trimWhitespace(cmd);
 
-    var flushed = true;
-
     // Check to see if a REPL keyword was used. If it returns true,
     // display next prompt and return.
     if (cmd && cmd.charAt(0) === '.') {
@@ -100,7 +98,7 @@ function REPLServer(prompt, stream) {
         var ret = evalcx(self.buffered_cmd, context, "repl");
         if (ret !== undefined) {
           context._ = ret;
-          flushed = self.stream.write(exports.writer(ret) + "\n");
+          self.stream.write(exports.writer(ret) + "\n");
         }
 
         self.buffered_cmd = '';
@@ -113,28 +111,14 @@ function REPLServer(prompt, stream) {
     } catch (e) {
       // On error: Print the error and clear the buffer
       if (e.stack) {
-        flushed = self.stream.write(e.stack + "\n");
+        self.stream.write(e.stack + "\n");
       } else {
-        flushed = self.stream.write(e.toString() + "\n");
+        self.stream.write(e.toString() + "\n");
       }
       self.buffered_cmd = '';
     }
 
-    // need to make sure the buffer is flushed before displaying the prompt
-    // again. This is really ugly. Need to have callbacks from
-    // net.Stream.write()
-    if (flushed) {
-      self.displayPrompt();
-    } else {
-      self.displayPromptOnDrain = true;
-    }
-  });
-
-  self.stream.addListener('drain', function () {
-    if (self.displayPromptOnDrain) {
-      self.displayPrompt();
-      self.displayPromptOnDrain = false;
-    }
+    self.displayPrompt();
   });
 
   rli.addListener('close', function () {