diff --git a/lib/_debugger.js b/lib/_debugger.js
index 4dd9f536336..f9e24768fc2 100644
--- a/lib/_debugger.js
+++ b/lib/_debugger.js
@@ -25,6 +25,7 @@ var util = require('util'),
     vm = require('vm'),
     repl = require('repl'),
     inherits = util.inherits,
+    assert = require('assert'),
     spawn = require('child_process').spawn;
 
 exports.start = function(argv, stdin, stdout) {
@@ -1612,6 +1613,7 @@ Interface.prototype.trySpawn = function(cb) {
       childArgs = this.args;
 
   this.killChild();
+  assert(!this.child);
 
   if (this.args.length === 2) {
     var match = this.args[1].match(/^([^:]+):(\d+)$/);
@@ -1647,12 +1649,10 @@ Interface.prototype.trySpawn = function(cb) {
     }
   }
 
-  if (!this.child) {
-    this.child = spawn(process.execPath, childArgs);
+  this.child = spawn(process.execPath, childArgs);
 
-    this.child.stdout.on('data', this.childPrint.bind(this));
-    this.child.stderr.on('data', this.childPrint.bind(this));
-  }
+  this.child.stdout.on('data', this.childPrint.bind(this));
+  this.child.stderr.on('data', this.childPrint.bind(this));
 
   this.pause();
 
@@ -1709,8 +1709,10 @@ Interface.prototype.trySpawn = function(cb) {
     client.connect(port, host);
   }
 
-  setTimeout(function() {
-    self.print('connecting to port ' + port + '..', true);
-    attemptConnect();
-  }, 50);
+  this.child.stderr.once('data', function() {
+    setImmediate(function() {
+      self.print('connecting to port ' + port + '..', true);
+      attemptConnect();
+    });
+  });
 };
diff --git a/test/debugger/helper-debugger-repl.js b/test/debugger/helper-debugger-repl.js
index 409e4f54d93..6346457af2b 100644
--- a/test/debugger/helper-debugger-repl.js
+++ b/test/debugger/helper-debugger-repl.js
@@ -91,7 +91,7 @@ function startDebugger(scriptToDebug) {
     });
 
     quit();
-  }, 5000).unref();
+  }, 10000).unref();
 
   process.once('uncaughtException', function(e) {
     console.error('UncaughtException', e, e.stack);