diff --git a/spec/ruby/core/binding/fixtures/irbrc b/spec/ruby/core/binding/fixtures/irbrc
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..2bc12af2f7
--- /dev/null
+++ b/spec/ruby/core/binding/fixtures/irbrc
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+# empty configuration
diff --git a/spec/ruby/core/binding/irb_spec.rb b/spec/ruby/core/binding/irb_spec.rb
index dd3df0b28a..bd37b419f9 100644
--- a/spec/ruby/core/binding/irb_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/ruby/core/binding/irb_spec.rb
@@ -4,8 +4,9 @@ ruby_version_is "2.5" do
   describe "Binding#irb" do
     it "creates an IRB session with the binding in scope" do
       irb_fixture = fixture __FILE__, "irb.rb"
+      irbrc_fixture = fixture __FILE__, "irbrc"
 
-      out = IO.popen([*ruby_exe, irb_fixture], "r+") do |pipe|
+      out = IO.popen([{"IRBRC"=>irbrc_fixture}, *ruby_exe, irb_fixture], "r+") do |pipe|
         pipe.puts "a ** 2"
         pipe.puts "exit"
         pipe.readlines.map(&:chomp)