diff --git a/src/node/self.js b/src/node/self.js
index 74a5f490..c8633cff 100644
--- a/src/node/self.js
+++ b/src/node/self.js
@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@ var path = require('path');
 // Determine the name by which name the module was required (either 'paper',
 // 'paper-jsdom' or 'paper-jsdom-canvas'), and use this to determine if error
 // exceptions should be thrown or if loading should fail silently.
-var parent = module.parent.parent,
+var parent = module.parent ? module.parent.parent : null,
     requireName = parent && path.basename(path.dirname(parent.filename));
 requireName = /^paper/.test(requireName) ? requireName : 'paper';