diff --git a/doc/api/cli.md b/doc/api/cli.md
index 27947553d34fdb..4cb33a157a7230 100644
--- a/doc/api/cli.md
+++ b/doc/api/cli.md
@@ -1178,6 +1178,14 @@ Path to the file used to store the persistent REPL history. The default path is
 `~/.node_repl_history`, which is overridden by this variable. Setting the value
 to an empty string (`''` or `' '`) disables persistent REPL history.
 
+### `NODE_REPL_EXTERNAL_MODULE=file`
+<!-- YAML
+added: REPLACEME
+-->
+
+Path to a Node.js module which will be loaded in place of the built-in REPL.
+Overriding this value to an empty string (`''`) will use the built-in REPL.
+
 ### `NODE_TLS_REJECT_UNAUTHORIZED=value`
 
 If `value` equals `'0'`, certificate validation is disabled for TLS connections.
diff --git a/lib/internal/main/repl.js b/lib/internal/main/repl.js
index 93b932f0bdd15f..693b7048a37f9c 100644
--- a/lib/internal/main/repl.js
+++ b/lib/internal/main/repl.js
@@ -19,38 +19,44 @@ prepareMainThreadExecution();
 
 markBootstrapComplete();
 
-// --input-type flag not supported in REPL
-if (getOptionValue('--input-type')) {
-  // If we can't write to stderr, we'd like to make this a noop,
-  // so use console.error.
-  console.error('Cannot specify --input-type for REPL');
-  process.exit(1);
-}
+if (process.env.NODE_REPL_EXTERNAL_MODULE) {
+  require('internal/modules/cjs/loader')
+    .Module
+    ._load(process.env.NODE_REPL_EXTERNAL_MODULE, undefined, true);
+} else {
+  // --input-type flag not supported in REPL
+  if (getOptionValue('--input-type')) {
+    // If we can't write to stderr, we'd like to make this a noop,
+    // so use console.error.
+    console.error('Cannot specify --input-type for REPL');
+    process.exit(1);
+  }
 
-console.log(`Welcome to Node.js ${process.version}.\n` +
-  'Type ".help" for more information.');
+  console.log(`Welcome to Node.js ${process.version}.\n` +
+    'Type ".help" for more information.');
 
-const cliRepl = require('internal/repl');
-cliRepl.createInternalRepl(process.env, (err, repl) => {
-  if (err) {
-    throw err;
-  }
-  repl.on('exit', () => {
-    if (repl._flushing) {
-      repl.pause();
-      return repl.once('flushHistory', () => {
-        process.exit();
-      });
+  const cliRepl = require('internal/repl');
+  cliRepl.createInternalRepl(process.env, (err, repl) => {
+    if (err) {
+      throw err;
     }
-    process.exit();
+    repl.on('exit', () => {
+      if (repl._flushing) {
+        repl.pause();
+        return repl.once('flushHistory', () => {
+          process.exit();
+        });
+      }
+      process.exit();
+    });
   });
-});
-
-// If user passed '-e' or '--eval' along with `-i` or `--interactive`,
-// evaluate the code in the current context.
-if (getOptionValue('[has_eval_string]')) {
-  evalScript('[eval]',
-             getOptionValue('--eval'),
-             getOptionValue('--inspect-brk'),
-             getOptionValue('--print'));
+
+  // If user passed '-e' or '--eval' along with `-i` or `--interactive`,
+  // evaluate the code in the current context.
+  if (getOptionValue('[has_eval_string]')) {
+    evalScript('[eval]',
+               getOptionValue('--eval'),
+               getOptionValue('--inspect-brk'),
+               getOptionValue('--print'));
+  }
 }
diff --git a/test/fixtures/external-repl-module.js b/test/fixtures/external-repl-module.js
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000000..272ab0a556a4f5
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/fixtures/external-repl-module.js
@@ -0,0 +1,3 @@
+'use strict';
+
+console.log('42');
diff --git a/test/pseudo-tty/test-repl-external-module.js b/test/pseudo-tty/test-repl-external-module.js
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000000..db9ad29712ed70
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/pseudo-tty/test-repl-external-module.js
@@ -0,0 +1,14 @@
+'use strict';
+
+require('../common');
+const fixtures = require('../common/fixtures');
+const { execSync } = require('child_process');
+
+execSync(process.execPath, {
+  encoding: 'utf8',
+  stdio: 'inherit',
+  env: {
+    ...process.env,
+    NODE_REPL_EXTERNAL_MODULE: fixtures.path('external-repl-module.js'),
+  },
+});
diff --git a/test/pseudo-tty/test-repl-external-module.out b/test/pseudo-tty/test-repl-external-module.out
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000000..d81cc0710eb6cf
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/pseudo-tty/test-repl-external-module.out
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+42