diff --git a/lib/net.js b/lib/net.js
index 4467654802..9fee92ddf8 100644
--- a/lib/net.js
+++ b/lib/net.js
@@ -643,11 +643,6 @@ var createServerHandle = exports._createServerHandle =
   if (r) {
     handle.close();
     handle = null;
-
-    process.nextTick(function() {
-      self.emit('error', errnoException(errno, 'listen'));
-    });
-    return;
   }
 
   return handle;
@@ -662,7 +657,12 @@ Server.prototype._listen2 = function(address, port, addressType) {
   // In the case of a server sent via IPC, we don't need to do this.
   if (!self._handle) {
     self._handle = createServerHandle(address, port, addressType);
-    if (!self._handle) return;
+    if (!self._handle) {
+      process.nextTick(function() {
+        self.emit('error', errnoException(errno, 'listen'));
+      });
+      return;
+    }
   }
 
   self._handle.onconnection = onconnection;
diff --git a/test/simple/test-net-listen-error.js b/test/simple/test-net-listen-error.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..17ec762caf
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/simple/test-net-listen-error.js
@@ -0,0 +1,39 @@
+// Copyright Joyent, Inc. and other Node contributors.
+//
+// Permission is hereby granted, free of charge, to any person obtaining a
+// copy of this software and associated documentation files (the
+// "Software"), to deal in the Software without restriction, including
+// without limitation the rights to use, copy, modify, merge, publish,
+// distribute, sublicense, and/or sell copies of the Software, and to permit
+// persons to whom the Software is furnished to do so, subject to the
+// following conditions:
+//
+// The above copyright notice and this permission notice shall be included
+// in all copies or substantial portions of the Software.
+//
+// THE SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED "AS IS", WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS
+// OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO THE WARRANTIES OF
+// MERCHANTABILITY, FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE AND NONINFRINGEMENT. IN
+// NO EVENT SHALL THE AUTHORS OR COPYRIGHT HOLDERS BE LIABLE FOR ANY CLAIM,
+// DAMAGES OR OTHER LIABILITY, WHETHER IN AN ACTION OF CONTRACT, TORT OR
+// OTHERWISE, ARISING FROM, OUT OF OR IN CONNECTION WITH THE SOFTWARE OR THE
+// USE OR OTHER DEALINGS IN THE SOFTWARE.
+
+var common = require('../common');
+var assert = require('assert');
+var net = require('net');
+var gotError = false;
+
+var server = net.createServer(function(socket) {
+});
+server.listen(1, '1.1.1.1', function() { // EACCESS or EADDRNOTAVAIL
+  assert(false);
+});
+server.on('error', function(error) {
+  common.debug(error);
+  gotError = true;
+});
+
+process.on('exit', function() {
+  assert(gotError);
+});