diff --git a/lib/child_process.js b/lib/child_process.js
index d6017d18ff..e2087c320d 100644
--- a/lib/child_process.js
+++ b/lib/child_process.js
@@ -1114,7 +1114,9 @@ ChildProcess.prototype.spawn = function(options) {
 
   var err = this._handle.spawn(options);
 
-  if (err === uv.UV_EMFILE ||
+  // Run-time errors should emit an error, not throw an exception.
+  if (err === uv.UV_EAGAIN ||
+      err === uv.UV_EMFILE ||
       err === uv.UV_ENFILE ||
       err === uv.UV_ENOENT) {
     process.nextTick(function() {