diff --git a/lib/util.js b/lib/util.js
index a8d9a356480a35..7922846fee0426 100644
--- a/lib/util.js
+++ b/lib/util.js
@@ -47,7 +47,6 @@ const {
 const {
   codes: {
     ERR_FALSY_VALUE_REJECTION,
-    ERR_INVALID_ARG_TYPE,
     ERR_OUT_OF_RANGE
   },
   errnoException,
@@ -63,6 +62,7 @@ const { debuglog } = require('internal/util/debuglog');
 const {
   validateFunction,
   validateNumber,
+  validateObject,
 } = require('internal/validators');
 const { TextDecoder, TextEncoder } = require('internal/encoding');
 const { isBuffer } = require('buffer').Buffer;
@@ -229,17 +229,10 @@ function log(...args) {
  *     the super constructor lacks a prototype.
  */
 function inherits(ctor, superCtor) {
+  validateFunction(ctor, 'ctor');
+  validateFunction(superCtor, 'superCtor');
+  validateObject(superCtor.prototype, 'superCtor.prototype');
 
-  if (ctor === undefined || ctor === null)
-    throw new ERR_INVALID_ARG_TYPE('ctor', 'Function', ctor);
-
-  if (superCtor === undefined || superCtor === null)
-    throw new ERR_INVALID_ARG_TYPE('superCtor', 'Function', superCtor);
-
-  if (superCtor.prototype === undefined) {
-    throw new ERR_INVALID_ARG_TYPE('superCtor.prototype',
-                                   'Object', superCtor.prototype);
-  }
   ObjectDefineProperty(ctor, 'super_', {
     value: superCtor,
     writable: true,
diff --git a/test/parallel/test-util-inherits.js b/test/parallel/test-util-inherits.js
index 1729b1734d03db..ac835852fcb326 100644
--- a/test/parallel/test-util-inherits.js
+++ b/test/parallel/test-util-inherits.js
@@ -82,9 +82,15 @@ assert.strictEqual(e.d(), 'd');
 assert.strictEqual(e.e(), 'e');
 assert.strictEqual(e.constructor, E);
 
+function F() {
+  this.test = 'test';
+}
+
+F.prototype = undefined;
+
 // Should throw with invalid arguments
 assert.throws(() => {
-  inherits(A, {});
+  inherits(A, F);
 }, {
   code: 'ERR_INVALID_ARG_TYPE',
   name: 'TypeError',