diff --git a/doc/api/errors.md b/doc/api/errors.md
index 5e2b47d8f41051..4032e916904f8e 100644
--- a/doc/api/errors.md
+++ b/doc/api/errors.md
@@ -1920,7 +1920,8 @@ The imported module string is an invalid URL, package name, or package subpath
 specifier.
 
 <a id="ERR_INVALID_OBJECT_DEFINE_PROPERTY"></a>
-### ERR_INVALID_OBJECT_DEFINE_PROPERTY
+
+### ERR\_INVALID\_OBJECT\_DEFINE\_PROPERTY
 
 An error occurred while setting an invalid attribute on the property of
 an object.
diff --git a/src/node_env_var.cc b/src/node_env_var.cc
index 313eda64954e2b..cdc15348ff949f 100644
--- a/src/node_env_var.cc
+++ b/src/node_env_var.cc
@@ -401,20 +401,32 @@ static void EnvDefiner(Local<Name> property,
                        const PropertyDescriptor& desc,
                        const PropertyCallbackInfo<Value>& info) {
   Environment* env = Environment::GetCurrent(info);
-  if (desc.has_value() && !desc.configurable() && !desc.enumerable() &&
-      !desc.writable()) {
-    THROW_ERR_INVALID_OBJECT_DEFINE_PROPERTY(env,
-                             "Must set all attributes with true to 'value'"
-                             " in 'process.env'");
-  } else if (desc.has_get() || desc.has_set() ||
-             (desc.has_configurable() && !desc.configurable()) ||
-             (desc.has_enumerable() && !desc.enumerable()) ||
-             (desc.has_writable() && !desc.writable())) {
+  if (desc.has_value()) {
+    if (!desc.has_writable() ||
+        !desc.has_enumerable() ||
+        !desc.has_configurable()) {
+      THROW_ERR_INVALID_OBJECT_DEFINE_PROPERTY(env,
+                                               "'process.env' only accepts a "
+                                               "configurable, writable,"
+                                               " and enumerable data descriptor");
+    } else if (!desc.configurable() || !desc.enumerable() || !desc.writable()) {
+      THROW_ERR_INVALID_OBJECT_DEFINE_PROPERTY(env,
+                                               "'process.env' only accepts a "
+                                               "configurable, writable,"
+                                               " and enumerable data descriptor");
+    } else {
+      return EnvSetter(property, desc.value(), info);
+    }
+  } else if (desc.has_get() || desc.has_set()) {
+    // we don't accept a getter/setter in 'process.env'
     THROW_ERR_INVALID_OBJECT_DEFINE_PROPERTY(env,
-                             "Cannot set attributes other than 'value'"
-                             " for properties in 'process.env'");
+                             "'process.env' does not accept an"
+                                             "accessor(getter/setter) descriptor");
   } else {
-    EnvSetter(property, desc.value(), info);
+    THROW_ERR_INVALID_OBJECT_DEFINE_PROPERTY(env,
+                                             "'process.env' only accepts a "
+                                             "configurable, writable,"
+                                             " and enumerable data descriptor");
   }
 }
 
diff --git a/test/parallel/test-process-env-ignore-getter-setter.js b/test/parallel/test-process-env-ignore-getter-setter.js
index 3a4338a545500e..7368eb85684c5a 100644
--- a/test/parallel/test-process-env-ignore-getter-setter.js
+++ b/test/parallel/test-process-env-ignore-getter-setter.js
@@ -11,8 +11,9 @@ assert.throws(
   {
     code: 'ERR_INVALID_OBJECT_DEFINE_PROPERTY',
     name: 'TypeError',
-    message: 'Must set all attributes with true to \'value\' ' +
-             'in \'process.env\''
+    message: '\'process.env\' only accepts a ' +
+        'configurable, writable,' +
+        ' and enumerable data descriptor'
   }
 );
 
@@ -32,8 +33,8 @@ assert.throws(
   {
     code: 'ERR_INVALID_OBJECT_DEFINE_PROPERTY',
     name: 'TypeError',
-    message: 'Cannot set attributes other than \'value\' ' +
-             'for properties in \'process.env\''
+    message: '\'process.env\' does not accept an' +
+        'accessor(getter/setter) descriptor'
   }
 );
 
@@ -49,8 +50,9 @@ attributes.forEach((attribute) => {
     {
       code: 'ERR_INVALID_OBJECT_DEFINE_PROPERTY',
       name: 'TypeError',
-      message: 'Cannot set attributes other than \'value\' ' +
-               'for properties in \'process.env\''
+      message: '\'process.env\' only accepts a ' +
+          'configurable, writable,' +
+          ' and enumerable data descriptor'
     }
   );
 });
diff --git a/test/parallel/test-worker-process-env.js b/test/parallel/test-worker-process-env.js
index 2cd1f498575a60..f43c2affa1f48b 100644
--- a/test/parallel/test-worker-process-env.js
+++ b/test/parallel/test-worker-process-env.js
@@ -48,8 +48,8 @@ if (!workerData && process.argv[2] !== 'child') {
     {
       code: 'ERR_INVALID_OBJECT_DEFINE_PROPERTY',
       name: 'TypeError',
-      message: 'Must set all attributes with true to \'value\' ' +
-               'in \'process.env\''
+      message: '\'process.env\' only accepts a configurable, ' +
+          'writable, and enumerable data descriptor'
     }
   );