diff --git a/lib/cli/run-helpers.js b/lib/cli/run-helpers.js
index d020768aed..e574e1fbd2 100644
--- a/lib/cli/run-helpers.js
+++ b/lib/cli/run-helpers.js
@@ -196,7 +196,7 @@ exports.singleRun = (mocha, {files = [], exit = false} = {}) => {
   mocha.files = files;
   const runner = mocha.run(exit ? exitMocha : exitMochaLater);
 
-  process.on('SIGINT', () => {
+  process.once('SIGINT', () => {
     debug('aborting runner');
     runner.abort();
 
@@ -204,6 +204,7 @@ exports.singleRun = (mocha, {files = [], exit = false} = {}) => {
     // Instead of `process.exit(130)`, set runner.failures to 130 (exit code for SIGINT)
     // The amount of failures will be emitted as error code later
     runner.failures = 130;
+    setImmediate(() => process.kill(process.pid, 'SIGINT'));
   });
 };