diff --git a/lib/cli/cli.js b/lib/cli/cli.js
index b1b5354081..5a4c6b8d53 100755
--- a/lib/cli/cli.js
+++ b/lib/cli/cli.js
@@ -42,7 +42,11 @@ exports.main = (argv = process.argv.slice(2), mochaArgs) => {
     module.paths.push(cwd(), path.resolve('node_modules'));
   }
 
-  Error.stackTraceLimit = Infinity; // configurable via --stack-trace-limit?
+  try {
+    Error.stackTraceLimit = Infinity; // configurable via --stack-trace-limit?
+  } catch (err) {
+    debug('unable to set Error.stackTraceLimit = Infinity', err);
+  }
 
   var args = mochaArgs || loadOptions(argv);