diff --git a/test/fixtures/packages/invalid/index.js b/test/fixtures/packages/invalid/index.js
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000000..014fa39dc365d1
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/fixtures/packages/invalid/index.js
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+exports.ok = 'ok';
diff --git a/test/fixtures/packages/invalid/package.json b/test/fixtures/packages/invalid/package.json
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000000..004e1e20324524
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/fixtures/packages/invalid/package.json
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+{,}
diff --git a/test/sequential/test-module-loading.js b/test/sequential/test-module-loading.js
index f500700f9dbbb6..61746a282f5eaa 100644
--- a/test/sequential/test-module-loading.js
+++ b/test/sequential/test-module-loading.js
@@ -69,6 +69,13 @@ assert.strictEqual(threeFolder, threeIndex);
 assert.notStrictEqual(threeFolder, three);
 
 console.error('test package.json require() loading');
+assert.throws(
+  function() {
+    require('../fixtures/packages/invalid');
+  },
+  /^SyntaxError: Error parsing \S+: Unexpected token , in JSON at position 1$/
+);
+
 assert.strictEqual(require('../fixtures/packages/index').ok, 'ok',
                    'Failed loading package');
 assert.strictEqual(require('../fixtures/packages/main').ok, 'ok',