diff --git a/lib/repl.js b/lib/repl.js
index e61a5edb519aeb..81afd27a4dbd00 100644
--- a/lib/repl.js
+++ b/lib/repl.js
@@ -288,8 +288,9 @@ function REPLServer(prompt,
 
     for (var i = 0; i < line.length; i += 1) {
       if (previous === '\\') {
-        // if it is a valid escaping, then skip processing
-        previous = current;
+        // if it is a valid escaping, then skip processing and the previous
+        // character doesn't matter anymore.
+        previous = null;
         continue;
       }
 
diff --git a/test/parallel/test-repl.js b/test/parallel/test-repl.js
index ac890cf75844db..e121cb7889ab2a 100644
--- a/test/parallel/test-repl.js
+++ b/test/parallel/test-repl.js
@@ -242,6 +242,13 @@ function error_test() {
             'RegExp.$6\nRegExp.$7\nRegExp.$8\nRegExp.$9\n',
       expect: ['\'1\'\n', '\'2\'\n', '\'3\'\n', '\'4\'\n', '\'5\'\n', '\'6\'\n',
                '\'7\'\n', '\'8\'\n', '\'9\'\n'].join(`${prompt_unix}`) },
+    // regression tests for https://github.com/nodejs/node/issues/2749
+    { client: client_unix, send: 'function x() {\nreturn \'\\n\';\n }',
+      expect: prompt_multiline + prompt_multiline +
+              'undefined\n' + prompt_unix },
+    { client: client_unix, send: 'function x() {\nreturn \'\\\\\';\n }',
+      expect: prompt_multiline + prompt_multiline +
+              'undefined\n' + prompt_unix },
   ]);
 }