diff --git a/lib/robot.js b/lib/robot.js
index b672e4a..f41bbed 100644
--- a/lib/robot.js
+++ b/lib/robot.js
@@ -295,11 +295,15 @@ Robot.prototype.start = function(callback) {
       Logger.fatal("An error occured while trying to start the robot:");
       Logger.fatal(err);
 
-      if (typeof(this.error) === "function") {
-        this.error.call(this, err);
-      }
+      this.halt(function() {
+        if (typeof(this.error) === "function") {
+          this.error.call(this, err);
+        }
 
-      this.emit("error", err);
+        if (this.listeners("error").length) {
+          this.emit("error", err);
+        }
+      }.bind(this));
     }
 
     if (_.isFunction(callback)) {