diff --git a/lib/irb/command/load.rb b/lib/irb/command/load.rb
index 983eeba61..1efe23243 100644
--- a/lib/irb/command/load.rb
+++ b/lib/irb/command/load.rb
@@ -58,15 +58,15 @@ def execute_internal(file_name = nil)
           rescue LoadError
           end
         when /\.(so|o|sl)$/
-          return ruby_require(file_name)
+          return require(file_name)
         end
 
         begin
           irb_load(f = file_name + ".rb")
           $".push f
-          return true
+          true
         rescue LoadError
-          return ruby_require(file_name)
+          require(file_name)
         end
       end
     end
diff --git a/lib/irb/ext/loader.rb b/lib/irb/ext/loader.rb
index df5aaa8e5..0955b4acf 100644
--- a/lib/irb/ext/loader.rb
+++ b/lib/irb/ext/loader.rb
@@ -13,9 +13,6 @@ class LoadAbort < Exception;end
   # See ExtendCommandBundle for more information.
   module IrbLoader
 
-    alias ruby_load load
-    alias ruby_require require
-
     # Loads the given file similarly to Kernel#load
     def irb_load(fn, priv = nil)
       path = search_file_from_ruby_path(fn)
diff --git a/test/irb/test_command.rb b/test/irb/test_command.rb
index 73905e66c..1a99bc7eb 100644
--- a/test/irb/test_command.rb
+++ b/test/irb/test_command.rb
@@ -494,6 +494,22 @@ def test_irb_require_skips_file_already_loaded_by_require
       assert_match(/probe_loaded/, out)
       assert_match(/prefix_loaded/, out)
     end
+
+    def test_irb_require_falls_back_to_kernel_require_when_not_in_load_path
+      code = <<~RUBY
+        p 'fallback_loaded'
+        'fallback_path_should_not_print_return_value'.itself
+      RUBY
+      File.write("#{@tmpdir}/irb_require_fallback.rb", code)
+
+      out, err = execute_lines(
+        "irb_require './irb_require_fallback'\n",
+      )
+
+      assert_empty(err)
+      assert_include(out, 'fallback_loaded')
+      assert_not_include(out, 'fallback_path_should_not_print_return_value')
+    end
   end
 
   class WorkspaceCommandTestCase < CommandTestCase
@@ -592,6 +608,7 @@ def test_workspaces_various_truncation
         '1234567891234567891...',
         'aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa...'
       ]
+      assert_empty(err)
       assert_include(out, "[#{expected_truncations.join(", ")}]")
     end
   end