diff --git a/packages/cli-repl/src/mongosh-repl.spec.ts b/packages/cli-repl/src/mongosh-repl.spec.ts
index 1d2a38a883..502e9b46a1 100644
--- a/packages/cli-repl/src/mongosh-repl.spec.ts
+++ b/packages/cli-repl/src/mongosh-repl.spec.ts
@@ -710,4 +710,18 @@ describe('MongoshNodeRepl', () => {
       expect(output).to.contain('Atlas Data Lake > ');
     });
   });
+
+  context('before the REPL starts', () => {
+    beforeEach(async() => {
+      await mongoshRepl.initialize(serviceProvider);
+      // No .start() call here.
+    });
+
+    it('does not show a prompt', async() => {
+      await mongoshRepl.loadExternalCode('setImmediate(() => { throw new Error(); })', '<eval>');
+      await tick();
+      expect(output).to.include('Error: \n');
+      expect(output).not.to.include('>');
+    });
+  });
 });
diff --git a/packages/cli-repl/src/mongosh-repl.ts b/packages/cli-repl/src/mongosh-repl.ts
index 7bd0eee73e..b5fca92bd2 100644
--- a/packages/cli-repl/src/mongosh-repl.ts
+++ b/packages/cli-repl/src/mongosh-repl.ts
@@ -70,6 +70,7 @@ class MongoshNodeRepl implements EvaluationListener {
   onClearCommand?: EvaluationListener['onClearCommand'];
   insideAutoComplete: boolean;
   inspectDepth = 0;
+  started = false;
 
   constructor(options: MongoshNodeReplOptions) {
     this.input = options.input;
@@ -151,6 +152,9 @@ class MongoshNodeRepl implements EvaluationListener {
     const originalDisplayPrompt = repl.displayPrompt.bind(repl);
 
     repl.displayPrompt = (...args: any[]) => {
+      if (!this.started) {
+        return;
+      }
       originalDisplayPrompt(...args);
       this.lineByLineInput.nextLine();
     };
@@ -242,6 +246,7 @@ class MongoshNodeRepl implements EvaluationListener {
 
   // eslint-disable-next-line @typescript-eslint/no-unused-vars
   async startRepl(_initializationToken: InitializationToken): Promise<void> {
+    this.started = true;
     const { repl, internalState } = this.runtimeState();
     // Only start reading from the input *after* we set up everything, including
     // internalState.setCtx().