diff --git a/lib/core/util.js b/lib/core/util.js
index 3939f0d25e5..bfee97946cd 100644
--- a/lib/core/util.js
+++ b/lib/core/util.js
@@ -409,6 +409,21 @@ function throwIfAborted (signal) {
   }
 }
 
+const hasToWellFormed = !!String.prototype.toWellFormed
+
+/**
+ * @param {string} val
+ */
+function toUSVString (val) {
+  if (hasToWellFormed) {
+    return `${val}`.toWellFormed()
+  } else if (nodeUtil.toUSVString) {
+    return nodeUtil.toUSVString(val)
+  }
+
+  return `${val}`
+}
+
 const kEnumerableProperty = Object.create(null)
 kEnumerableProperty.enumerable = true
 
@@ -418,7 +433,7 @@ module.exports = {
   isDisturbed,
   isErrored,
   isReadable,
-  toUSVString: nodeUtil.toUSVString || ((val) => `${val}`),
+  toUSVString,
   isReadableAborted,
   isBlobLike,
   parseOrigin,