diff --git a/test/parallel/test-stream-inheritance.js b/test/parallel/test-stream-inheritance.js
index 8ca7ae1f1e50c0..2d9a1e83ef7528 100644
--- a/test/parallel/test-stream-inheritance.js
+++ b/test/parallel/test-stream-inheritance.js
@@ -33,8 +33,14 @@ assert.ok(!(undefined instanceof Writable));
 
 // Simple inheritance check for `Writable` works fine in a subclass constructor.
 function CustomWritable() {
-  assert.ok(this instanceof Writable, 'inherits from Writable');
-  assert.ok(this instanceof CustomWritable, 'inherits from CustomWritable');
+  assert.ok(
+    this instanceof CustomWritable,
+    `${this} does not inherit from CustomWritable`
+  );
+  assert.ok(
+    this instanceof Writable,
+    `${this} does not inherit from Writable`
+  );
 }
 
 Object.setPrototypeOf(CustomWritable, Writable);
@@ -42,8 +48,11 @@ Object.setPrototypeOf(CustomWritable.prototype, Writable.prototype);
 
 new CustomWritable();
 
-assert.throws(CustomWritable,
-              common.expectsError({
-                code: 'ERR_ASSERTION',
-                message: /^inherits from Writable$/
-              }));
+common.expectsError(
+  CustomWritable,
+  {
+    code: 'ERR_ASSERTION',
+    type: assert.AssertionError,
+    message: 'undefined does not inherit from CustomWritable'
+  }
+);