diff --git a/packages/babel-register/src/cache.js b/packages/babel-register/src/cache.js
index b505bb4943c7..39eb9b78284b 100644
--- a/packages/babel-register/src/cache.js
+++ b/packages/babel-register/src/cache.js
@@ -43,6 +43,9 @@ export function save() {
     fs.writeFileSync(FILENAME, serialised);
   } catch (e) {
     switch (e.code) {
+      // workaround https://github.com/nodejs/node/issues/31481
+      // todo: remove the ENOENT error check when we drop node.js 13 support
+      case "ENOENT":
       case "EACCES":
       case "EPERM":
         console.warn(