diff --git a/.github/workflows/ci.yml b/.github/workflows/ci.yml
index 50eb82d6..98e73dfc 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/ci.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/ci.yml
@@ -64,7 +64,7 @@ jobs:
         TERM="xterm" julia --project --code-coverage=user -e '
           using InteractiveUtils, REPL, Revise
           @async(Base.run_main_repl(true, true, false, true, false))
-          while !isdefined(Base, :active_repl_backend) sleep(0.1) end
+          while (!isdefined(Base, :active_repl_backend) || isnothing(Base.active_repl_backend)) sleep(0.1) end
           pushfirst!(Base.active_repl_backend.ast_transforms, Revise.revise_first)
           include(joinpath("test", "runtests.jl"))
           if Base.VERSION.major == 1 && Base.VERSION.minor >= 9
diff --git a/src/utils.jl b/src/utils.jl
index 4d65d81b..69f97c06 100644
--- a/src/utils.jl
+++ b/src/utils.jl
@@ -145,6 +145,7 @@ task, so a `yield` will need to occur before it happens.
 """
 function throwto_repl(e::Exception)
     if isdefined(Base, :active_repl_backend) &&
+            !isnothing(Base.active_repl_backend) &&
             Base.active_repl_backend.backend_task.state === :runnable &&
             isempty(Base.Workqueue) &&
             Base.active_repl_backend.in_eval
diff --git a/test/start_late.jl b/test/start_late.jl
index db101f77..b8acf5ed 100644
--- a/test/start_late.jl
+++ b/test/start_late.jl
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@
 using Test
 
 @async(Base.run_main_repl(true, true, false, true, false))
-while !isdefined(Base, :active_repl_backend)
+while !isdefined(Base, :active_repl_backend) || isnothing(Base.active_repl_backend)
     sleep(0.5)
 end