diff --git a/bin/console b/bin/console
index 61cab6067..4405b2326 100755
--- a/bin/console
+++ b/bin/console
@@ -3,5 +3,4 @@
 require "bundler/setup"
 require_relative "../lib/irb"
 
-IRB::TOPLEVEL_BINDING = binding
 IRB.start(__FILE__)
diff --git a/exe/irb b/exe/irb
index 7cd24482d..c64ee85fb 100755
--- a/exe/irb
+++ b/exe/irb
@@ -8,5 +8,4 @@
 
 require "irb"
 
-IRB::TOPLEVEL_BINDING = binding
 IRB.start(__FILE__)
diff --git a/lib/irb.rb b/lib/irb.rb
index c22e6db03..665f67b94 100644
--- a/lib/irb.rb
+++ b/lib/irb.rb
@@ -669,6 +669,8 @@ def handle_exception(exc)
           lines = lines.reverse if order == :bottom
           lines.map{ |l| l + "\n" }.join
         }
+        # The "<top (required)>" in "(irb)" may be the top level of IRB so imitate the main object.
+        message = message.gsub(/\(irb\):(?<num>\d+):in `<(?<frame>top \(required\))>'/)  { "(irb):#{$~[:num]}:in `<main>'" }
         puts message
       end
       print "Maybe IRB bug!\n" if irb_bug
diff --git a/lib/irb/workspace.rb b/lib/irb/workspace.rb
index 8157e2164..2c4c40f34 100644
--- a/lib/irb/workspace.rb
+++ b/lib/irb/workspace.rb
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@
 
 require "delegate"
 
+IRB::TOPLEVEL_BINDING = binding
 module IRB # :nodoc:
   class WorkSpace
     # Creates a new workspace.
@@ -57,7 +58,7 @@ def initialize(*main)
                           __FILE__,
                           __LINE__ - 3)
         when 4  # binding is a copy of TOPLEVEL_BINDING (default)
-          # Note that this will typically be IRB::TOPLEVEL_BINDING (see exe/irb)
+          # Note that this will typically be IRB::TOPLEVEL_BINDING
           # This is to avoid RubyGems' local variables (see issue #17623)
           @binding = TOPLEVEL_BINDING.dup
         end