diff --git a/lib/internal/worker.js b/lib/internal/worker.js
index 88580893cdc015..ef6cc0102fadc4 100644
--- a/lib/internal/worker.js
+++ b/lib/internal/worker.js
@@ -343,12 +343,22 @@ class Worker extends EventEmitter {
       case messageTypes.STDIO_PAYLOAD:
       {
         const { stream, chunk, encoding } = message;
-        return this[kParentSideStdio][stream].push(chunk, encoding);
+        if (this[kParentSideStdio]) {
+          this[kParentSideStdio][stream].push(chunk, encoding);
+        } else {
+          debug(`[${threadId}] explicitly closes stdout for ${this.threadId}`);
+        }
+        return;
       }
       case messageTypes.STDIO_WANTS_MORE_DATA:
       {
         const { stream } = message;
-        return this[kParentSideStdio][stream][kStdioWantsMoreDataCallback]();
+        if (this[kParentSideStdio]) {
+          this[kParentSideStdio][stream][kStdioWantsMoreDataCallback]();
+        } else {
+          debug(`[${threadId}] explicitly closes stdout for ${this.threadId}`);
+        }
+        return;
       }
     }