diff --git a/src/node.js b/src/node.js
index e95a01fb492..ab560405fa4 100644
--- a/src/node.js
+++ b/src/node.js
@@ -216,6 +216,14 @@
     return startup._lazyConstants;
   };
 
+  function _clearDomainsStack() {
+    var domainModule = NativeModule.require('domain');
+    var domainStack = domainModule._stack;
+    domainStack.length = 0;
+    domainModule.active = null;
+    process.domain = null;
+  }
+
   startup.processFatal = function() {
     // call into the active domain, or emit uncaughtException,
     // and exit if there are no listeners.
@@ -268,13 +276,6 @@
             // If caught is false after this, then there's no need to exit()
             // the domain, because we're going to crash the process anyway.
             caught = domain.emit('error', er);
-
-            // Exit all domains on the stack.  Uncaught exceptions end the
-            // current tick and no domains should be left on the stack
-            // between ticks.
-            var domainModule = NativeModule.require('domain');
-            domainStack.length = 0;
-            domainModule.active = process.domain = null;
           } catch (er2) {
             // The domain error handler threw!  oh no!
             // See if another domain can catch THIS error,
@@ -291,6 +292,11 @@
             }
           }
         }
+
+        // Exit all domains on the stack.  Uncaught exceptions end the
+        // current tick and no domains should be left on the stack
+        // between ticks.
+        _clearDomainsStack();
       } else {
         caught = process.emit('uncaughtException', er);
       }
diff --git a/test/simple/test-domain-top-level-error-handler-clears-stack.js b/test/simple/test-domain-top-level-error-handler-clears-stack.js
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..f95864da64e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/simple/test-domain-top-level-error-handler-clears-stack.js
@@ -0,0 +1,41 @@
+// 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 assert = require('assert');
+var domain = require('domain');
+
+/*
+ * Make sure that the domains stack is cleared after a top-level domain
+ * error handler exited gracefully.
+ */
+var d = domain.create();
+
+d.on('error', function() {
+  process.nextTick(function() {
+    if (domain._stack.length !== 1) {
+      process.exit(1);
+    }
+  });
+});
+
+d.run(function() {
+  throw new Error('Error from domain');
+});