diff --git a/lib/reporters/json.js b/lib/reporters/json.js
index ead181b4e8..fcef777b80 100644
--- a/lib/reporters/json.js
+++ b/lib/reporters/json.js
@@ -8,15 +8,16 @@
 
 var Base = require('./base');
 var fs = require('fs');
+const logSymbols = require('log-symbols');
 var path = require('path');
-var errors = require('../errors');
-var createUnsupportedError = errors.createUnsupportedError;
+const createUnsupportedError = require('../errors').createUnsupportedError;
+const utils = require('../utils');
 var constants = require('../runner').constants;
 var EVENT_TEST_PASS = constants.EVENT_TEST_PASS;
+var EVENT_TEST_PENDING = constants.EVENT_TEST_PENDING;
 var EVENT_TEST_FAIL = constants.EVENT_TEST_FAIL;
 var EVENT_TEST_END = constants.EVENT_TEST_END;
 var EVENT_RUN_END = constants.EVENT_RUN_END;
-var EVENT_TEST_PENDING = constants.EVENT_TEST_PENDING;
 
 /**
  * Expose `JSON`.
@@ -34,7 +35,7 @@ exports = module.exports = JSONReporter;
  * @param {Runner} runner - Instance triggers reporter actions.
  * @param {Object} [options] - runner options
  */
-function JSONReporter(runner, options) {
+function JSONReporter(runner, options = {}) {
   Base.call(this, runner, options);
 
   var self = this;
@@ -44,11 +45,11 @@ function JSONReporter(runner, options) {
   var passes = [];
   var output;
 
-  if (options && options.reporterOptions && options.reporterOptions.output) {
-    if (!fs || !fs.writeFileSync) {
+  if (options.reporterOption && options.reporterOption.output) {
+    if (utils.isBrowser()) {
       throw createUnsupportedError('file output not supported in browser');
     }
-    output = options.reporterOptions.output;
+    output = options.reporterOption.output;
   }
 
   runner.on(EVENT_TEST_END, function(test) {
@@ -80,8 +81,15 @@ function JSONReporter(runner, options) {
 
     var json = JSON.stringify(obj, null, 2);
     if (output) {
-      fs.mkdirSync(path.dirname(output), {recursive: true});
-      fs.writeFileSync(output, json);
+      try {
+        fs.mkdirSync(path.dirname(output), {recursive: true});
+        fs.writeFileSync(output, json);
+      } catch (err) {
+        console.error(
+          `${logSymbols.error} [mocha] writing output to "${output}" failed: ${err.message}\n`
+        );
+        process.stdout.write(json);
+      }
     } else {
       process.stdout.write(json);
     }
diff --git a/test/reporters/json.spec.js b/test/reporters/json.spec.js
index 97f9019732..ea2667a7e5 100644
--- a/test/reporters/json.spec.js
+++ b/test/reporters/json.spec.js
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@
 var fs = require('fs');
 var sinon = require('sinon');
 var JSONReporter = require('../../lib/reporters/json');
+var utils = require('../../lib/utils');
 var Mocha = require('../../');
 var Suite = Mocha.Suite;
 var Runner = Mocha.Runner;
@@ -150,11 +151,11 @@ describe('JSON reporter', function() {
     });
   });
 
-  describe("when 'reporterOptions.output' is provided", function() {
+  describe("when 'reporterOption.output' is provided", function() {
     var expectedDirName = 'reports';
     var expectedFileName = 'reports/test-results.json';
     var options = {
-      reporterOptions: {
+      reporterOption: {
         output: expectedFileName
       }
     };
@@ -192,7 +193,7 @@ describe('JSON reporter', function() {
 
     describe('when run in browser', function() {
       it('should throw unsupported error', function() {
-        sinon.stub(fs, 'writeFileSync').value(false);
+        sinon.stub(utils, 'isBrowser').callsFake(() => true);
         expect(
           () => new JSONReporter(runner, options),
           'to throw',