diff --git a/packages/cli/src.ts/solc.ts b/packages/cli/src.ts/solc.ts
index e1a373cd8..5ed97697b 100644
--- a/packages/cli/src.ts/solc.ts
+++ b/packages/cli/src.ts/solc.ts
@@ -125,8 +125,13 @@ function _compile(_solc: any, source: string, options?: CompilerOptions): Array<
 // Creates a require which will first search from the current location,
 // and for solc will fallback onto the version included in @ethersproject/cli
 export function customRequire(path: string): (name: string) => any {
-    const pathRequire = _module.createRequireFromPath(resolve(path, "./sandbox.js"));
-    const libRequire = _module.createRequireFromPath(resolve(__filename));
+    // Node 8.x does not support createRequireFromPath
+    const createRequire = (_module.createRequireFromPath || (function(path: string) {
+        return require
+    }));
+
+    const pathRequire = createRequire(resolve(path, "./sandbox.js"));
+    const libRequire = createRequire(resolve(__filename));
 
     return function(name: string): any {
         try {