diff --git a/lib/repl.js b/lib/repl.js
index 3d0c367918256a..5db94641a3c3d1 100644
--- a/lib/repl.js
+++ b/lib/repl.js
@@ -1479,16 +1479,16 @@ function defineDefaultCommands(repl) {
       this.displayPrompt();
     }
   });
-
-  repl.defineCommand('editor', {
-    help: 'Enter editor mode',
-    action() {
-      if (!this.terminal) return;
-      _turnOnEditorMode(this);
-      this.outputStream.write(
-        '// Entering editor mode (^D to finish, ^C to cancel)\n');
-    }
-  });
+  if (repl.terminal) {
+    repl.defineCommand('editor', {
+      help: 'Enter editor mode',
+      action() {
+        _turnOnEditorMode(this);
+        this.outputStream.write(
+          '// Entering editor mode (^D to finish, ^C to cancel)\n');
+      }
+    });
+  }
 }
 
 function regexpEscape(s) {
diff --git a/test/parallel/test-repl-save-load.js b/test/parallel/test-repl-save-load.js
index 7d6f28548f7056..eff05a39203acd 100644
--- a/test/parallel/test-repl-save-load.js
+++ b/test/parallel/test-repl-save-load.js
@@ -61,7 +61,7 @@ assert.strictEqual(fs.readFileSync(saveFileName, 'utf8'),
     '}'
   ];
   const putIn = new ArrayStream();
-  const replServer = repl.start('', putIn);
+  const replServer = repl.start({ terminal: true, stream: putIn });
 
   putIn.run(['.editor']);
   putIn.run(cmds);
diff --git a/test/parallel/test-repl.js b/test/parallel/test-repl.js
index 6e3bca24e25932..bcaa39f6aa8215 100644
--- a/test/parallel/test-repl.js
+++ b/test/parallel/test-repl.js
@@ -439,7 +439,6 @@ const errorTests = [
     expect: [
       /\.break/,
       /\.clear/,
-      /\.editor/,
       /\.exit/,
       /\.help/,
       /\.load/,